Tom Collins Recipe >>

A large reason for the popularity of the Tom Collins comes from its reputation as a drink which is very hard, if not impossible to mix improperly. Shake some gin, lemon juice and soda water with ice and voila. There are very few people, or bartenders with taste buds sufficiently trained to object to the 'less than perfect' Collins concoction. This is probably why no two recipes are exactly the same. The important thing is not to get uptight about the particulars of the drink. Don't send it back if it's sweet gin in a highball glass with a lemon. The Tom Collins is a social drink, and demands amiability. Enjoy it with an air of sophisticated nonchalance.

	Few bars actual use "real" Collins glasses. Most will serve the Tom Collins in a highball glass. A Collins glass is generally larger than a highball glass and often has a frosted texture.

History

Folklore surrounding the naming of the Tom Collins varies as widely as the recipes, though there appear to be two basic varieties.

Many believe that it was named after the original spirit used to create it, Old Tom Gin, which was a sweet gin popular at the turn of the 20th Century. This still leaves the 'Collins' part of the name open to question.Others believe it was named after the clever bartender who invented it.

Whichever, if either, is true, there is no consensus on exactly where or when the invention of the Tom Collins took place. A couple of stories refer to bartenders in the New York area, but San Francisco also believes itself to be the city of origin. The most common English story involves the head waiter from a hotel bar called Limmer's. Australia also lays claim to the drink's invention.

	Unless you are royalty, your Tom Collins will likely never be made from scratch at the local bar. A Collins mix - which is basically club soda, lemon juice, and sugar - is generally sprayed from the fountain hose behind the bar.

Variations

There are a ridiculous number of variations on the basic Tom Collins theme, most differing primarily in the main alcoholic ingredient. Here are a few of the most common ones, along with their different base.