One origin story holds that the drink was originally called the John Collins, after a bartender that may have invented it. This story claims that the name eventually evolved because the concoction was typically made with Old Tom gin, so drinkers eventually began calling the drink Tom Collins rather than John Collins.
Eventually, one intrepid bartender caught on and named a drink “Tom Collins” so that if anyone came rushing into his bar seeking revenge and asking for Tom Collins, they would unknowingly have ordered a tall gin drink instead. Advertisement
Most people know that a Tom Collins is a type of gin cocktail made with lemon juice, soda water, and sugar. Advertisement
“Perhaps you had better do so, and as quick as you can, for he is talking about you in a very rough manner — calling you hard names, and convincing people there is nothing you wouldnt steal short of a red-hot stove.” Advertisement
This would upset the second man, who would stomp off to go looking for this rascal Tom Collins, but — twist! — he didnt actually exist.
Seriously — some newspapers at the time even printed stories containing false sightings of Tom Collins, and several songs were written that memorialized the joke.
Jerry Thomas (1830–1885) is considered the father of American mixology. He was one of the very first to codify the recipes and processing of cocktails. In 1862, Thomas published The Bar-Tender’s Guide, an authentic bible of good drinking. It was the first drink book ever published in the United States. The reissue of 1876 contains the first official recipe of the Tom Collins. This fact – to return to the international controversy – is often used as evidence to support its American origin. According to Thomas, the drink is made by preparing in a shaker 5 or 6 dashes of gum arabic syrup, the juice of a small lemon, a nice portion of gin, and two or three ice cubes. After vigorous shaking, it is poured into a glass. The drink is completed by adding sparkling water.
According to some sources, the Tom Collins originated from a joke told in New York in 1874. A group of friends began telling people in bars that a man named Tom Collins was walking around the city, telling falsehoods about them. So it was that many began to go from one bar to another, in search of the slanderer. The joke had been told before, but in that year it reached colossal dimensions. As a result, bartenders were inspired to invent a cocktail called the Tom Collins to serve to those who entered the room asking for the elusive figure.
Today, there is no official recipe from the International Bartenders Association. Often, a Tom Collins consists of a quarter of lemon juice, three quarters of Old Tom Gin and half a tablespoon of sugar prepared in a shaker. The liquid obtained is used to fill half of a tall tumbler. The drink is completed with soda and ice, adding a slice of lemon, orange and cherry as a garnish.
The origins of the Tom Collins are unknown and are lost somewhere in the middle of the 19th century. The impossibility of closing forever the question of the drink’s conception generated a controversy between Britain and the United States, with both sides claiming the drink as their own with equal conviction. The mystery has never been solved definitively, but a funny argument remains in the annals. In the 1920s, HL Mencken wrote that the cocktail was certainly American, because the English have no imagination in assigning names. Therefore, for example, if a recipe mixes whiskey and soda, they call it a whiskey-and-soda. Consequently, no English person would have given a cocktail a name like “Tom Collins”.
How to Make a Tom Collins – Was it all a hoax?
FAQ
Why is it called a John Collins?
Is there another name for a Tom Collins?
Is a Tom Collins classy?
Is it Tom Collins or John Collins?
Why is it called a Tom Collins?
The fact that the cocktail became known as a Tom Collins just years later seems too perfect to be a coincidence. In 1882, the Collins surfaced again, but this time Harry Johnson had separated John and Tom. The John Collins now specifically required Jenever (Dutch gin), while Old Tom gin remained the key component of a Tom Collins.
Where did Tom Collins come from?
Clearly unaware of the drink’s actual origins, in August 1891, British physician Sir Morell Mackenzie wrote an article in the influential 19th century magazine Fortnightly Review claiming that England was the originating country for the Tom Collins cocktail and a person named John Collins was its creator.
What is Tom Collins gin?
Back in Thomas’ time, “gin” was often referred to as Old Tom Gin, Plymouth Gin, or Holland gin (known better as genever, today). If you want a taste of a Tom Collins made in the truly classic style, try it with one of those, but there are of, course, many more choices in gin.
Why is the Tom Collins so popular?
Simplicity is one reason that the Tom Collins has long been a staple for drinkers worldwide. “The Tom Collins is the grandparent of the tall and fizzy cocktail category. It deserves every bit of its reputation. When you want something refreshing, particularly on a hot summer day, there is simply nothing better.