How to make a Gin Fizz
for your table
First shake the gin, lemon juice, syrup, and, if using, 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.
Carefully top up with soda water. If you used egg white, the foam will rise beautifully above the rim.
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The story
Fizzes first appeared in American bar books in the mid-nineteenth century as a sparkling take on the sour. They became world-famous in New Orleans, where Henry Ramos created his Ramos Gin Fizz in 1888, with cream, egg white, and orange blossom water. A team of "shaker boys" shook it for twelve minutes. The regular Gin Fizz is its easygoing little brother. No twelve minutes of work, but the same bubbles. It was so popular in the 1920s that New Orleans hotels had dedicated fizz departments.
The right glass
Traditionally, a fizz is served in a narrow, tall glass of 22 to 33 cl, without ice. It's all about the bubbles and the foam. A slim highball glass works well. Its narrow opening keeps the carbonation in and pushes the foam upwards. Serve it straight after pouring, when it's coldest and fizzing the most. 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
To make a Gin Fizz, you'll need a Boston shaker, a jigger for precise measuring, a cocktail strainer, a fine strainer for double straining, and a citrus press, in addition to a glass. These are the bar tools we use ourselves; find them all in our bar tools & cocktail sets.
Glass set (our pick 01) + 5 bar tools for € 84,70.
What do you need to make a Gin Fizz?
A Gin Fizz needs the right base. Well-known bottles include Hendrick's. On each spirits page, you'll find the alcohol percentage, flavor profile, suitable cocktails, and the glass you need.
Variations & twists
The Ramos Gin Fizz, with cream, egg white and orange blossom water, is the king of the family. Your arms will still feel it the next day. Make a Sloe Gin Fizz with sloe gin, and it turns a beautiful pink. Swap the soda for dry cider and you have an autumn version no one will see coming. Make it longer with more sparkling water and ice, and it’s called a John Collins. Find even more ideas in our 100+ cocktail recipes.
Serving tip
If you really want to impress, make the Ramos with egg white, a dash of cream and a drop of orange blossom water. Shake until your arms hurt. What you get stands in the glass like a soufflé.
Good to know
Fizz, sour or collins: what’s the difference?
All three belong to the same family of spirits with lemon and sugar. The difference is in the finish. A sour is short, has no bubbles and is served in a coupe or tumbler. A fizz is shaken and then topped up with about 6 cl of soda water, in a narrow glass with little or no ice. You drink it in a few sips. A collins is the long version, with the same basic ingredients but served in a tall glass full of ice and with much more soda. Here we use 4.5 cl gin, 3 cl lemon juice and 1 cl syrup.
With or without egg white
The recipe lists egg white as an option, and that’s right. Without egg white, you get a fresh, simple fizz where the gin comes through sharply. With egg white, the texture is completely different: creamy, with foam rising above the rim for that classic look. If you use egg white, you need to dry shake. First shake for ten seconds without ice, then for fifteen seconds with ice. Aquafaba works too. Use 2 cl from a can of chickpeas, and you won’t need a raw egg. Almost no one will taste the difference.
The Ramos Gin Fizz
The Ramos Gin Fizz comes from New Orleans and is the trickiest version in the family. Along with gin, lemon and syrup, it 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 pretty close with two minutes of dry shaking, followed by a minute with ice. Strain it into a narrow glass and wait half a minute. Only then carefully pour in the soda. The foam rises above the rim like a soufflé.
Alcohol-free gin fizz
This is still a delicious drink without alcohol. That's because its structure comes from lemon, sugar and bubbles. Use 4.5 cl alcohol-free gin, 3 cl lemon juice and 1 cl sugar syrup, then top up with 6 cl soda. Alcohol-free gin feels thinner. That's why we really recommend egg white or 2 cl aquafaba here, as the foam restores the body you'd otherwise get from the alcohol. Also squeeze an extra lemon zest over the glass. The aroma makes up for a lot of what you're missing.
Frequently asked questions
How do you make a gin fizz?
First, shake 4.5 cl gin, 3 cl fresh lemon juice, 1 cl sugar syrup and, optionally, an egg white for ten seconds without ice. Then add ice and shake for another fifteen seconds. Double-strain into a narrow, chilled glass and carefully top up with 6 cl soda water.
What is gin fizz?
A classic long drink with gin, fresh lemon juice and sugar. Shake it and top it up with soda water. It contains little or no ice, so you can really see the bubbles and foam. The family originated in American bar books from the nineteenth century.
What is a fizz cocktail?
A fizz is basically a sour with sparkling water added. So, spirits, citrus juice, sugar and soda. The best-known ones are the Gin Fizz, the Sloe Gin Fizz and the famous Ramos Gin Fizz with cream, egg white and orange blossom water.
What glass do you serve a gin fizz in?
In a narrow, tall glass of 22 to 33 cl, with little or no ice. The narrow opening keeps the carbonation in and lets the foam rise nicely. Serve it straight after pouring, when it's coldest and fizzing the most. Browse our highball glasses.
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