A tasty twist on a classic Tom Collins cocktail, a Vodka Collins is a refreshing mixed drink that is easy to make! Sweet, sour, and bubbly - a Vodka Collins Cocktail has it all!
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A Tom Collins with Vodka
A Tom Collins is a classic cocktail from the 1870s that has produced many tasty spin-offs such as The John Collins, which uses whiskey as its base liquor. And a Vodka Collins is a Tom Collins that has vodka as its liquor base.
The Vodka Collins recipe follows the formula common throughout the Collins family of drinks: spirit, sour, sweet, and soda. Sometimes referred to as a Joe Collins, this highball vodka drink is easy to make with simple ingredients.
It is a refreshing and citrusy cocktail, like a sparkling lemonade with a kick! And exactly when the Vodka Collins came along is unknown, but it is a highly popular and well-known cocktail across the globe.
A Vodka Collins is a great option for serving a large crowd and makes for a great summertime happy hour drink! It is a simple, crisp drink that always goes down a treat.
Looking for more refreshing vodka drinks? Then check out our recipe for a ZESTY VODKA CHAMPAGNE COCKTAIL!
What is in a Vodka Collins
A Vodka Collins is easy to make with just a few ingredients. Like a tasty spiked lemonade, you will need vodka, lemon, sweetener, and bubbles. The exact ingredients are listed below and you can also find a detailed recipe card at the end of this post!
- Vodka. You can use any plain vodka to make this cocktail, but keep in mind that the flavor of the vodka does stand out with no way to hide your choice of vodka in this clear drink.
- Lemon juice. Freshly squeezed is always best for simple cocktails to maximize freshness and flavor.
- Simple syrup. You can use homemade simple syrup or store-bought.
- Soda water. You can use any plain sparkling water, club soda, or seltzer you like best for adding bubbles to your drink. The key is to make sure that it is well chilled. The colder temperature helps slow the rate at which carbon dioxide molecules escape the water.
- Ice.
Got some leftover vodka? Then check out our post about The Best Mixers For Vodka for some drink inspiration!
How to serve this cocktail
A Vodka Collins is a simple drink that can be served and enjoyed in many different ways. You can change up the serving glass or the garnish depending on your preference, making it as plain or elaborate as you like.
GLASS
The traditional serving glass for a Vodka Collins is a tall, highball glass. This type of tall glass has become so linked to the Collins Family of cocktails that it is often referred to as a Collins Glass.
GARNISH
A classic garnish for a Tom Collins is a slice of orange or lemon and a cocktail cherry. But there are many other garnish options that will work well with this simple drink, such as fresh herbs, lemon zest, edible flowers, lime wheel, cocktail umbrella, etc.
How to make a Vodka Collins
Like most highball cocktail recipes, you can build a Vodka Collins in the serving glass! So it is a quick and easy drink to mix up without the need for any fancy bar equipment.
You can follow the step-by-step instructions below, or you can find a full, detailed recipe card at the end of this post.
STEP ONE
Fill your highball serving glass with ice cubes.
STEP TWO
Add the vodka, lemon juice, and simple syrup. Top with soda water and give it a gentle stir.
STEP THREE
Add any desired garnish and enjoy immediately.
How to make a large batch in advance
If you are serving a crowd, you can prepare a large batch of Vodka Collins in advance and store it in the fridge until you are ready to enjoy! Simply follow the steps below:
- Mix together a large batch of the vodka, lemon juice, and simple syrup mixture in a pitcher. Simply scale up the amounts of each ingredient in the recipe proportionally by the number of drinks you will be making.
- Store in the fridge until you are ready to serve.
- When you are ready to enjoy your cocktails, add the soda water to the pitcher and give it a gentle stir.
- Pour into highball glasses filled with ice and add any desired garnishes before serving.
Recipe Tips and Notes
- You can adjust the sweet and sour proportions to find the taste that best suits your preference.
- You can add a dash of extra flavor by switching the plain vodka in the recipe to your favorite fruit-flavored vodka.
- Use a jigger or a measuring cup to measure your ingredients accurately. A precise measurement can make a big difference in the balance and flavor of your cocktail.
- You can replace the lemon juice and simple syrup with Sour Mix if desired. We have an easy homemade recipe for you to try out!
- You can make the vodka collins as strong (tall or short) as you like by adjusting the amount of club soda you add to it. As an average 6-ounce drink, it has a fairly light alcohol content in the 9 percent ABV (18 proof) range.
I hope you love this Vodka Collins recipe as much as I do! And if you want to see more of my food adventures, follow me on Instagram or Facebook.
Vodka Collins
Equipment
- 1 High-ball serving glass
Ingredients
- 2 ounce plain vodka
- 1 ounce lemon juice freshly squeezed
- ½ ounce simple syrup
- 4 ounce soda water
Instructions
- Fill your highball serving glass with ice cubes.
- Add the vodka, lemon juice, and simple syrup. Top with soda water and give it a gentle stir.
- Add any desired garnish and enjoy immediately.
Notes
- You can adjust the sweet and sour proportions to find the taste that best suits your preference.
- You can add a dash of extra flavor by switching the plain vodka in the recipe to your favorite fruit-flavored vodka.
- Use a jigger or a measuring cup to measure your ingredients accurately. A precise measurement can make a big difference in the balance and flavor of your cocktail.
- You can replace the lemon juice and simple syrup with Sour Mix if desired. We have an easy homemade recipe for you to try out!
- You can make the vodka collins as strong (tall or short) as you like by adjusting the amount of club soda you add to it. As an average 6-ounce drink, it has a fairly light alcohol content in the 9 percent ABV (18 proof) range.
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