Ramos Gin Fizz

Let's celebrate the best of New Orlean's cocktail history with this classic Ramos gin fizz! With its frothy, creamy topping and citrus, floral notes, this gin favorite makes one refreshing sipper with an impressive presentation.

Why You Need to Make This Recipe

As you can imagine with my blood orange gin fizz, strawberry-rhubarb gin fizz and cucumber-lavender gin fizz, I love a classic cocktail with a twist. These gin fizz variations celebrate the season’s best flavors and add a lively touch to an evening. There’s something extra fun about sitting down with a seasonal cocktail, and those additional flavors all nicely complement the gin.

But the Ramos gin fizz is a classic for a reason. A classic cocktail never goes out of style, and it’s perfect for any occasion. While I love having plenty of unique drinks on hand for entertaining, it's helpful to have those classic cocktail recipes ready in your back pocket.

Plus, this drink is absolutely delicious with its delicate citrus and floral notes, and it goes down oh-so easily. Keeping it simple allows the gin to shine on its own.

History of Ramos Gin Fizz

With classic cocktails, I always think it's fun to know a little history. In the late 1800s, Henry C. Ramos created this gin cocktail at his bar, the Imperial Cabinet Saloon. Originally, he called it the New Orleans fizz, so if you happen to see that name, just know the two are interchangeable.

We'll discuss the mixing process later, but legend has it that the original recipe called for 12 minutes of shaking. Don't worry. No one has time for that. We're too thirsty.

That said, this drink does require a long shake. Apparently, Ramos used to get the crowd involved and had his patrons help with the shaking. They would pass the shaker down and all take a turn shaking, which I find can be a fun, interactive way to get your friends involved while also giving your arm a break from all that shaking.

Ingredients

Before with start playing bartender, let’s gather our Ramos gin fizz ingredients.

• Gin: Your favorite London dry gin will do the trick. I typically use Bombay Sapphire or Colorado Fog, a citrus-forward gin from Mystic Mountain, a local distillery in the Denver area.
• Egg white: If you’ve never made a cocktail with egg white, this might sound funny, but it gives us that classic frothy topping.
• Lemon and lime juices: We use freshly squeezed juices for the best flavor.
• Heavy cream: This gives it an ultra silky texture.
• Orange blossom water: You’ll love the subtle floral notes this adds. If you can’t find it in the store, you can always pick it up on Amazon.
• Simple syrup: For the perfect touch of sweetness.
• Club soda: To give us those fizzy bubbles.
• Ice: Hey, we want a cold drink, right?
• Lemon twist: This is an optional garnish but adds such a lovely touch.
• Bar tools: A cocktail shaker or mason jar with a solid lid, a citrus juicer, a jigger or small measuring cup, and a channel knife for that optional lemon twist.

Step-by-Step Instructions

I'm ready for a drink, so let's begin by adding our gin, lemon and lime juices, egg white, heavy cream, orange blossom water and simple syrup to a cocktail shaker or mason jar. We put on the top and shake it vigorously for 30 seconds.

At this point, we're not including ice. We call this a dry shake. First shaking without ice gives us an even frothier topping.

Now we take off the top, add a handful of ice and shake again to help the egg white make that beloved froth. As I mentioned, folklore says the traditional shake time is a lengthy one, but we don't need to do that for 12 minutes. We keep shaking until we can no longer hear ice clink against the shaker. I find that takes about two minutes and results in plenty of creamy, frothy goodness.

Now we pour our New Orleans gin fizz into a chilled Collins glass and gently stir in a splash of club soda. For an even more impressive finish, garnish with a lemon twist and sip away.

Is It Safe to Use Egg Whites in Cocktails?

Raw egg whites come with risk, but it’s minimal. To stay safe, make sure your eggs have been inspected and keep them in the original container in the back of your refrigerator where it's the coldest. For an extra safety precaution, pasteurized eggs are a good option, and do not use the egg if it has any cracks.

Still, you can skip the egg white if you're not comfortable. You won't get the frothy topping, which I love, and it won't be a traditional gin fizz, but you'll still have a tasty cocktail on your hands.

Expert Tips And FAQs

• I used to make my gin fizzes with a cocktail shaker, but I discovered I actually prefer a mason jar with a solid lid. Because of the dry shake, it can be tricky to get the proper seal, which can make shaking messy. This alleviates the problem and shakes a cocktail just as well.
• I recommend serving in a chilled glass. To chill a cocktail glass, place it in the freezer for at least 30 minute or fill the glass with ice and cold water before making the gin fizz. Toss the water and ice when you’re ready to serve.
• Pick a lemon and lime that have some give when you press them. If they’re rock hard, they’re dried out.
• Before juicing the lemon and lime, firmly roll them on the counter several times to help release the juice.

Perfect Pairing

If we’re sipping on a classic New Orleans cocktail, it only makes sense to enjoy a nice Cajun or Creole meal with it, right? Fortunately, I have a wonderful selection. Try my shrimp and crab gumbo, summer shrimp étouffée, chicken and sausage gumbo or Instant Pot red beans and rice. With the bright, citrusy lemon, I especially love the seafood dishes with this traditional Ramos gin fizz.

For a delicious cocktail that will transport you to New Orleans, I hope you try this Ramos gin fizz. You will love how easily this delicious sipper goes down.

Please let me know how you enjoyed this recipe in the comment section and don’t forget to sign up for my newsletter. You can also catch me on Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook and Twitter.

Cheers!

Looking for More Gin Cocktails?

• Grapefruit gin mule
• Pear-sage gimlet
• Garden gin and tonic
• Blood orange gin and tonic