Fizz
StyleA fizz is a cocktail of shaken spirit, lemon and sugar, topped with soda water and served with no ice.
- Glass
- Highball, 10 oz (300 ml) at most, no ice
- Soda water
- about 4 oz (120 ml)
- Gin Fizz strength
- about 7% ABV
- Ramos Gin Fizz
- about 1888, Henry C. Ramos, New Orleans
- Formula
- 1.7 oz (50 ml) gin, 0.75 oz (22 ml) lemon juice, 0.5 oz (15 ml) rich simple syrup, shaken, topped with 4 oz (120 ml) soda water, no ice
What fizz means
The fizz has no ice in the glass, and that is the big change. The sour base is shaken with ice first, then the soda goes on top so the drink foams. You meet fizzes on classic cocktail menus, where the Gin Fizz and the Silver Fizz are the ones to look for. Serve it in a highball glass so the foam has room to rise.
The Ramos Gin Fizz is a New Orleans take that dates to about 1888, when Henry C. Ramos made it. At about 7% ABV, a Gin Fizz is a light drink, though it is still alcohol. The soda top is about 4 oz (120 ml), more than the gin, lemon and syrup put together.
It sounds right that a Gin Fizz always has egg white. It does not. The plain version has gin, lemon, syrup and soda only. With egg white it becomes a Silver Fizz, a yolk makes a Golden Fizz, and a whole egg makes a Royal Fizz. Egg is an extra, not the base.
How to make a fizz
You need a shaker, a chilled highball glass, gin, lemon juice, syrup and soda water.
- 1.Add 1.7 oz (50 ml) gin, 0.75 oz (22 ml) lemon juice and 0.5 oz (15 ml) rich simple syrup to a shaker with ice.
- 2.Shake hard, then strain into the glass with no ice.
- 3.Top with chilled soda water so the drink foams up.
- 4.For an egg fizz, dry shake first without ice, then shake again with ice.
- 5.Use fresh or pasteurized eggs for any fizz that has egg in it.
Fizz compared
- CollinsA collins is served over ice in a 12 to 14 oz (355 to 415 ml) glass. A fizz is served with no ice, in a glass of 10 oz (300 ml) or smaller.
- SpritzA spritz is a bitter aperitif with sparkling wine and soda, built over ice. A fizz is shaken spirit, citrus and sugar topped with soda.
- RickeyA rickey is lime and spirit with little or no sugar over ice. A fizz is sweetened and served without ice.
- SourA fizz is a sour that is strained into a glass with no ice and topped with soda.
Examples
- Gin Fizz
- Silver Fizz
- Golden Fizz
- Royal Fizz
- Ramos Gin Fizz
- Sloe Gin Fizz
- Diamond Fizz
Related terms
Ingredients
Put it to use in your next drink
Garçon explains every step as you make the drink.