Ramos Gin Fizz Recipe

The Ramos Gin Fizz is a cocktail of its own caliber. Gin, simple syrup, heavy cream, citrus, orange flower water, and club soda – one hadn’t ever dared to put this all in a tumbler and start to shake until it foamed. That is, until Mr. Henry Charles Ramos put them all together in 1888. 

Today, the sweet and rich texture is beloved by many cocktail connoisseurs.

What is a Ramos Gin Fizz?

The Ramos Gin Fizz is no beginner’s cocktail; it’s the perfect balance of citrus, cream, and froth. Many people even say the Ramos Gin Fizz reminds them of a piña colada without the coconut. It’s most commonly a concoction of lemon and lime juice, simple syrup, heavy cream, orange blossom water, club soda, and egg whites, and some add a dash of vanilla to even out the drink’s complex flavor profile. 

The key to the fizz? Egg whites. Once shaken for 25-40 seconds, the egg whites stiffen the cocktail to make for a frothy delight. 

What’s the difference between a gin fizz and a Ramos Gin Fizz?

While a Ramos Gin Fizz and traditional gin fizz have similar elements, they are two different cocktails. 

The gin fizz uses egg whites, citrus, soda water, simple syrup, and gin. The orange flower water and cream set the Ramos Gin Fizz apart from the gin fizz. They are two different flavors at that point, as the orange flower water adds the perfect hint of floral, and the cream adds an overall creamier experience.

Why do you shake a Ramos Fizz for so long?

Shaking a Ramos Fizz was a way longer process than it is now. Ramos himself used to ask their bartenders to shake the cocktail for 12 whole minutes. There is simply no time for that.

Nowadays, shaking for 25-40 seconds is the golden standard. Shake for this amount of time to make sure your cocktail is appropriately chilled,diluted, and, of course, foamy. Shaking egg whites for this long will form a thick, frothy, and fizzy cocktail, and that’s why we love it.

Why not make Ramos Gin Fizz in the blender?

Listen, you’re free to mix a Ramos Gin Fizz in a blender. It’s fast, simple, and does all the heavy lifting. However, there’s a high chance you’ll curdle the cream if you leave it blending for too long. Which, in turn, will leave you with a not-so-appetizing cocktail. We recommended just shaking it; it’ll be worth the hard work. 

Variations on Ramos Gin Fizz and regional flavors

Gin Fizzes were on the rise in the 18070s. Once bartenders got acquainted with how to use egg whites to froth a cocktail properly, they started to explore other variations of the fizz. Whiskey, rum, and brandy were among the most popular variations around the late 1800s and are still quite popular today. If you think about replacing gin and citrus with brandy and vanilla, you’re looking at a delightful and creamy fizz. 

What’s the secret nobody talks about when pouring soda into a Ramos Fizz?

Pouring soda water into the Ramos Fizz can be tricky, as it may fizz your cocktail too much. But there’s a way to help yourself out here. 

First off, make sure your glass is chilled. This will help the foam solidify as the drink rises with the soda water. Next, grab a spoon. A twisted bar spoon is best, but a regular spoon will do just fine. Put the spoon’s handle inside the cocktail towards the bottom of the drink, then gently pour the soda water onto the spoon. Make sure the soda water can touches the spoon and comes out slowly. That’s the secret, slow and steady. 

Where the heck do you buy orange flower water for Ramos Fizz?

Any Middle-Eastern market should have orange flower water. It’s a bit of a staple in Middle-Eastern food and beverage, so it should be stocked pretty well. 

Why is a Ramos Gin Fizz considered one of the worst cocktails to make?

Historically, the Ramos Gin Fizz was physically hard to make. Henry Ramos insisted that shaking the cocktail for 12-15 minutes was the only way to get it perfect. He even went as far as to hire a line of bartenders to blend one drink, passing the cocktail off to the next worker when they got tired. So, you can imagine this story makes people want to grab a beer and not go through the work of making a cocktail that hard. 

Nowadays, most bartenders have developed a style and way that works for them and only takes under a minute to shake. For us, that’s a hell of a lot better than 12-15 minutes. We’ll take it.