Vodka Collins
A citrus, refreshing and bubbly vodka cocktail ∙ Shake ∙ 3 min ∙ 11.4% ABV ∙
The Vodka Collins is a vodka-based variant of the Tom Collins, made with lemon juice and sugar syrup, shaken and topped with soda water.
Ingredients
1
Servings
Garnish
Instructions for 1 serving
- Pre-chill a glass
- Shake the first 3 ingredients with ice: Vodka 60 mlLemon juice 25 mlSugar syrup 15 ml
- Strain into the ice-filled glass
- Top with Soda water and briefly stir
- Garnish with an orange slice and a maraschino cherry on a skewer
Tips
- Shake only the vodka, lemon juice, and sugar syrup; add the soda water after straining over ice and stir briefly so it keeps its fizz.
History
The Vodka Collins is a vodka-based cooler that emerged as vodka gained popularity in American bars through the 1950s and 1960s. Its earliest known cocktail-book appearance is in the revised edition of Ted Saucier's Bottoms Up, credited to Ted Majeski of United Press International.
The drink is simply a Collins built with vodka in place of the traditional base spirit, following the same tall, citrus-and-soda format established generations earlier by the gin-based Tom Collins and John Collins, whose own naming and invention are disputed among several claimants.
FAQ
What's the difference between a Tom Collins and a Vodka Collins?
The base spirit. A Tom Collins uses gin, a Vodka Collins uses vodka, and both are otherwise lemon juice, sugar syrup and soda water. The gin version tastes of juniper and botanicals; the vodka version is cleaner and more neutral.
What is another name for a Vodka Collins?
It is sometimes called a Joe Collins, though most people simply call it a Vodka Collins.
What is the difference between a Vodka Sour and a Vodka Collins?
A Vodka Sour is vodka, lemon juice, and sugar syrup shaken and served without soda water, giving a short, dense drink. A Vodka Collins uses the same shaken base but is then strained over ice and topped with soda water, making it a longer, fizzier, more diluted highball.
What makes a drink a Collins?
A base spirit shaken with lemon juice and sugar syrup, then lengthened with soda water over ice in a Collins glass.
