The Gin Fizz recipe
for your table
First shake the gin, lemon juice, syrup and, optionally, egg white for 10 seconds without ice.
Add ice and shake vigorously for another 15 seconds.
Double strain into a narrow, chilled glass without ice (or with just a little).
Top up carefully with soda water. With egg white, the foam rises beautifully above the rim.
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The story
The fizz family appeared in American bar books in the mid-nineteenth century as a sparkling variation on the sour. It achieved worldwide fame in New Orleans, where Henry Ramos created his legendary Ramos Gin Fizz in 1888, with cream, egg white and orange blossom water, shaken for twelve minutes by a line of “shaker boys.” The regular Gin Fizz is the approachable younger sibling: no twelve minutes of work, but the same sparkling magic. In the 1920s, it was so popular that hotels in New Orleans had special fizz departments.
The right glass
Traditionally, a fizz is served in a narrow, tall glass of 22 to 33 cl without ice; the bubbles and any foam head are the stars of the show. A slim long drink glass is perfect: the narrow opening retains the carbonation and pushes the foam nicely upward. Serve immediately after pouring, while it is at its coldest and most sparkling. If you prefer to drink it from a low, sturdy tumbler, take a look at our tumbler glasses.
Arcoroc Islande Long Drink Glass 22 cl Tubo (6 pieces)
Duralex Picardie Long Drink Glass 36 cl (6 pieces)
Both sets together € 33,90.
The right tools
For a Gin Fizz, besides the glass, you use a Boston shaker, a jigger for precise measuring, a cocktail strainer, a fine strainer for double straining, and a citrus press. These are the bar tools we use ourselves; you'll find them all in our bar tools & cocktail sets.
Glass set (our choice 01) + 5 bar tools together € 84,70.
What do you make a Gin Fizz with?
For a Gin Fizz, you need the right base. Well-known bottles include Hendrick's. On each drinks page, you'll find the alcohol percentage, how it tastes, which cocktails it works well in, and which glass you need.
Variations & twists
The Ramos Gin Fizz, with cream, egg white and orange blossom water, is the king of the family and a workout for your arms. A Sloe Gin Fizz with sloe gin turns a beautiful pink. Replace the soda with dry cider and you have an autumn version no one will see coming. A longer version with more sparkling water and ice is the John Collins. Looking for more inspiration? Browse more than 100 cocktail recipes.
Serving tip
Want to impress? Make the Ramos version with egg white, a splash of cream and a drop of orange blossom water, and shake until your arms protest. The result: a soufflé of a cocktail.
Good to know
Fizz, sour or collins: what's the difference
All three belong to the same family of spirits mixed with lemon and sugar, but the finishing differs. A sour remains short and is served without bubbles in a coupe or tumbler. A fizz is shaken and then topped with about 6 cl of soda water in a tall glass, with little or no ice, so you drink it in a few sips. A collins is the long version: the same basic concept, but in a tall glass full of ice with much more soda. The ratio here is 4.5 cl gin to 3 cl lemon juice and 1 cl syrup.
With or without egg white
The egg white is listed as optional in the recipe, and that's fair: without it, you get a fresh, straightforward fizz in which the gin comes through sharply. With egg white, the texture changes completely; the cocktail becomes creamy and the foam rises above the rim of the glass, creating the classic look. If you choose egg white, the dry shake is essential: first ten seconds without ice, then fifteen seconds with it. Aquafaba, 2 cl from a can of chickpeas, does the same job without raw egg and is recognized by almost no one.
De Ramos Gin Fizz
The Ramos Gin Fizz from New Orleans is the most demanding variation in the family. Alongside gin, lemon and syrup, it also contains 1.5 cl lime juice, 3 cl heavy cream, an egg white and three drops of orange blossom water. Henry Ramos had his shaker boys shake it for twelve minutes; at home, you can get very far with two minutes of dry shaking followed by one minute with ice. Strain into a narrow glass, let it stand for half a minute, then carefully add the soda. The result rises above the rim like a soufflé.
Non-alcoholic gin fizz
Without alcohol, this remains an excellent drink because its structure comes from lemon, sugar and bubbles. Use 4.5 cl non-alcoholic gin, keep 3 cl lemon juice and 1 cl sugar syrup, and top with 6 cl soda. Because 0.0 gin feels thinner, the egg white or 2 cl aquafaba is more of a recommendation than an option here: that layer of foam restores the body normally provided by the alcohol. Squeezing an extra lemon zest over the glass also helps, because aroma makes up for much of what you miss from the alcohol.
Frequently asked questions
How do you make a gin fizz?
Shake 4.5 cl gin, 3 cl fresh lemon juice, 1 cl sugar syrup and, optionally, an egg white for ten seconds without ice first. Then add ice, shake for another fifteen seconds, double-strain into a narrow chilled glass and carefully top with 6 cl soda water.
What is gin fizz?
A classic gin long drink made with gin, fresh lemon juice and sugar, shaken and topped with soda water. It is served with no or very little ice, so the bubbles and any foam cap take center stage. The family originates from nineteenth-century American bar manuals.
What is a fizz cocktail?
A fizz is essentially a sour topped with carbonated water: spirits, citrus juice, sugar and soda. Well-known members include the Gin Fizz, the Sloe Gin Fizz and the famous Ramos Gin Fizz with cream, egg white and orange blossom water.
Which glass do you serve a gin fizz in?
In a narrow, tall glass of 22 to 33 cl, with no or little ice. The narrow opening keeps the carbonation in and pushes the foam cap nicely upward. Serve immediately after pouring, at its coldest and most sparkling: see our highball glasses.
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