The Ramos Gin Fizz is a cocktail that strikes both admiration and fear into the heart of bartenders everywhere. It can be messy, time consuming, and so delicious and eye-catching that seeing one made in public almost certainly ensures 10 others will ask for it instantly.
This also makes it the perfect cocktail to learn to mix at home.
Like other famous drinks including the Sazerac, Vieux Carré and the Hurricane, the Ramos Gin Fizz was first created in one of the U.S.’s premiere cocktail destinations, New Orleans. First crafted in 1888 and originally titled the New Orleans Fizz, the explosive popularity of the drink caused it to take on the name of its inventor, Henry Charles “Carl” Ramos, bartender and proprietor of the Imperial Cabinet.
It’s said Ramos himself disliked drinking and despised drunkenness, and his bar reflected what he considered to be a higher standard for establishments at the time. The Imperial Cabinet closed promptly at 8pm to discourage patrons from recklessly imbibing into the night, drinks took longer to make and quality was emphasized over quantity served.
This approach is firmly on display in the Ramos Gin Fizz, which became famous for its purportedly 12-minute shake time. It’s said Ramos would employ 20–35 bartenders at a time just to keep up with the drinks demands, rotating a line of staff to pass cocktail shakers and allow others’ arms to rest. Despite these early theatrics and attention to detail, a much more modest shake time of around a minute is sufficient to create the drink.
What’s in a Ramos Gin Fizz?
The key ingredients of a Ramos Gin Fizz are gin, lemon juice, lime juice, heavy cream, egg white, orange flower water, simple syrup, seltzer and, optionally, vanilla. This seemingly disparate group of ingredients creates a zesty drink that’s akin to an incredibly light milkshake with hints of orange creamsicle.
Beyond ingredients, preparation is crucial to the drink. Utilizing egg whites, the Ramos Gin Fizz requires a “dry shake,” or shaking vigorously without ice, to emulsify the egg and incorporate it with the cream and other ingredients. While egg white is used to create a layer of foam in many classic cocktails, in the Ramos it has an added effect, reacting with sparkling water to puff up into a firm, meringue-like topping. This creates a cocktail that, despite having dairy, offers a unique lightness and effervescence that surprises most when they first try it.
While countless bartenders have their own techniques to make the perfect Ramon Gin Fizz, from dry shakes to reverse dry shakes to using handheld immersion blenders to create a thick foam, the recipe below creates what we believe to be the perfect balance of deliciousness and ease of preparation. One key note: Make sure your soda water is chilled as cold as possible (without freezing) before use. This causes the carbonation to react more vigorously with the foam and create better structure.
Ramos Gin Fizz Recipe
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5 min.
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1
Ingredients
Directions
To separate egg white, gently crack open egg down the middle and juggle yolk between each half until the white falls out and yolk remains in shell (alternatively use an egg separator). Egg whites can also be separated in bulk and stored in refrigerated container for future use—one egg white roughly equals 1 oz.
Combine all ingredients except soda water and garnish in shaker without ice. Seal tightly and shake as vigorously as possible for at least 45 seconds to one minute. Open shaker and add ice. With a circular hand motion, swirl ice in shaker for an additional 15–20 seconds to chill.
Strain into chilled Collins glass without ice. Immediately add cold soda water, pouring slowly and carefully to allow foam to form (pouring along the spiral stem of a bar spoon can help). Stop pouring when liquid is about an inch from the rim, and foam is protruding from top of glass.
Add lemon twist on top of foam to garnish. Serve with straw.
Last Updated: June 6, 2023
