The 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 very little).
Top up carefully with soda water - with egg white, the foam rises beautifully above the rim.
The story
The fizz family emerged 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 invented his legendary Ramos Gin Fizz in 1888 - with cream, egg white and orange blossom water, shaken for twelve minutes by a team of 'shaker boys'. The regular Gin Fizz is its 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 are the star of the show. A slim long drink glass is perfect: the narrow opening keeps the carbonation in and pushes the foam up beautifully. Serve immediately after pouring, at its coldest and most effervescent. 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 tool
For a Gin Fizz, besides the glass, you use a Boston shaker, a jigger for precise measuring, a fine strainer for double straining and a zester for the twist. These are the bar tools we use ourselves; you can find everything in our bar tools & cocktail sets.
Glazenset (our choice 01) + 4 bar tools — together € 75,75.
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. Want more inspiration? Browse more than 100 cocktail recipes.
Serving tip
Want to make an impression? 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 cocktail soufflé.
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 narrow glass, with little or no ice, so you drink it in a few sips. A collins is the long version: the same basic principle, 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
Egg white is listed as optional in the recipe, and honestly, 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 goes unnoticed by almost everyone.
De Ramos Gin Fizz
The Ramos Gin Fizz from New Orleans is the most demanding variation in the family. Besides 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, two minutes of dry shaking followed by one minute with ice will get you a long way. Strain into a narrow glass, let it stand for half a minute, and only then carefully add the soda. The result rises above the rim like a soufflé.
Alcohol-free gin fizz
This remains an excellent drink without alcohol, because its structure comes from lemon, sugar and bubbles. Use 4.5 cl alcohol-free gin, keep 3 cl lemon juice and 1 cl sugar syrup, and top with 6 cl soda. Because 0.0 gin feels thinner, egg white or 2 cl aquafaba is more of a recommendation here than an option: that layer of foam restores the body normally provided by the alcohol. Expressing an extra lemon zest over the glass also helps, because aroma compensates 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 first for ten seconds without ice. 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 ice or very little ice, so the bubbles and any foam head can take center stage. The family originated in nineteenth-century American bar books.
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 ice or just a little. The narrow opening retains the carbonation and pushes the foam head nicely upward. Serve immediately after pouring, at its coldest and most effervescent: see our highball glasses.
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