The Ramos Gin Fizz is one of the most famous and labor-intensive cocktails in classic bartending, a luscious, frothy creation that originated in New Orleans in 1888. This remarkable drink combines gin, citrus juices, cream, egg white, orange flower water, and a splash of soda water to create something that’s part cocktail, part milkshake, and entirely magical. The result is an incredibly smooth, creamy, slightly sweet drink with a thick, meringue-like foam that sits tall in the glass. Legend says bartenders would shake this cocktail for 12 minutes to achieve the perfect texture, though modern techniques make it much easier. Despite the effort required, the Ramos Gin Fizz is absolutely worth making for its unique flavor profile and spectacular presentation. It’s the ultimate brunch cocktail and a showstopper at any gathering.
Serving Quantity: 2 cocktails
Cooking Time: 15 minutes
1. Ingredients
- 4 ounces gin (London Dry style)
- 2 ounces heavy cream
- 1 ounce fresh lemon juice
- 1 ounce fresh lime juice
- 1 ounce simple syrup
- 1 large egg white
- 4 drops orange flower water
- 2 ounces club soda, chilled
- Ice cubes
- 2 tall Collins glasses
- Fresh flowers or orange twists for garnish (optional)
2. Nutrition Information Per Serving
- Calories: 285
- Protein: 3g
- Carbohydrates: 18g
- Fat: 11g
- Fiber: 0g
- Sodium: 45mg
3. Gather Quality Ingredients
The Ramos Gin Fizz requires the freshest, highest quality ingredients because there’s nowhere for inferior products to hide. Use a good London Dry gin with botanical complexity. Heavy cream should be fresh and full-fat, not half-and-half or milk. Orange flower water is essential and can be found at Middle Eastern markets or specialty stores. Don’t skip it as it provides the signature floral aroma.
4. Juice the Citrus
Roll your lemon and lime on the countertop with firm pressure before cutting to release more juice. Cut them in half and juice them, straining out seeds. You need 1 ounce each of fresh lemon and lime juice. The combination of both citrus fruits creates the perfect balance of tartness. Fresh juice is absolutely mandatory for this cocktail.
5. Prepare Simple Syrup
If you don’t have simple syrup already made, combine equal parts sugar and hot water in a container and stir until the sugar dissolves completely. Let it cool before using. You’ll need 1 ounce, which is 2 tablespoons. Simple syrup can be made ahead and stored in the refrigerator for up to a month.
6. Chill Everything
Place two tall Collins glasses in the freezer for at least 20 minutes. Also chill your club soda in the refrigerator. Cold temperatures are crucial for this drink. The colder everything is, the better the foam stability and overall texture will be.
7. Separate the Egg White
Carefully crack the egg and separate the white from the yolk, making sure absolutely no yolk gets into the white. Even a tiny bit of yolk will prevent proper foaming. You need one large egg white for two drinks. Use the freshest eggs possible for the best foam and food safety.
8. Add Ingredients to Shaker
Add the gin, heavy cream, fresh lemon juice, fresh lime juice, simple syrup, egg white, and orange flower water to a cocktail shaker. Be very careful with the orange flower water as it’s extremely potent. Four drops total is plenty. Too much will make your drink taste like perfume. Do not add ice yet.
9. Dry Shake Vigorously
Seal the shaker extremely tightly and prepare for a workout. Shake hard and fast without ice for a full 60 seconds. This is much longer than most cocktails require, but it’s essential for creating that legendary thick foam. The dry shake allows the egg white and cream to emulsify without being chilled yet. Your arm will get tired, but keep going. You can’t overshake at this stage.
10. Add Ice and Shake Again
Open the shaker and fill it about two-thirds full with ice cubes. Seal it tightly again and shake vigorously for another 60 seconds. This second shake chills the drink to the perfect temperature while maintaining and even improving the foam. The shaker should be absolutely freezing to the touch when you’re done. Some bartenders shake for up to 5 minutes total, but 2 minutes of hard shaking works well for home bartenders.
11. Check Your Foam
After the two rounds of shaking, open the shaker and look inside. You should see an incredibly thick, white, fluffy mixture that looks almost like soft-serve ice cream. The texture should be dense and creamy, not at all watery. If it seems thin, seal the shaker and shake for another 30 seconds.
12. Strain Without Ice
This step is important. Strain the mixture into a clean container first, removing all the ice. You want the liquid without any ice chips or water dilution at this point. Use a fine-mesh strainer or Hawthorne strainer to catch all the ice.
13. Pour Into Glasses
Remove your chilled Collins glasses from the freezer. Pour the strained mixture into the glasses, dividing it evenly. Fill each glass about three-quarters full. The mixture should be incredibly thick and creamy, almost resistant to pouring. It should mound up in the glass.
14. Top With Soda Water
Here’s the signature finish. Take your chilled club soda and very slowly pour about 1 ounce into each glass. Pour it gently down the inside edge of the glass, not directly onto the foam. The soda water should sink through the thick foam and cause the drink to rise up in the glass, creating that iconic tall, fluffy appearance. The foam should crown above the rim of the glass.
15. Let It Settle
Allow the drinks to sit for about 30 seconds. The soda water will work its way through the mixture, and the foam will stabilize into that signature thick, meringue-like cap. The drink should look like a tall, white cloud in the glass.
16. Garnish Minimally
The Ramos Gin Fizz traditionally has minimal or no garnish since the spectacular foam is the star. If you want to add something, a delicate edible flower or a very thin twist of orange peel placed gently on top of the foam works nicely. Don’t use anything heavy that will sink into the foam.
17. Serve With a Straw
Provide each drink with a straw. The Ramos Gin Fizz is traditionally sipped through a straw, which allows you to taste the layers as you drink. The first sips get more of the airy foam, while later sips incorporate more of the creamy citrus mixture below.
18. Drink Immediately
Serve these cocktails right away. The foam is at its peak immediately after making and will gradually deflate over time. Sip slowly and enjoy every layer of this masterpiece.
19. Tips for Success
The shaking is not optional and cannot be rushed. This cocktail requires significantly more shaking than any other classic drink. The original recipe called for 12 minutes of shaking, and while modern techniques are more efficient, you still need to shake vigorously for at least 2 full minutes total. Some bartenders add a small metal spring from a Hawthorne strainer or a blender ball into the shaker during the dry shake to help emulsify everything more efficiently. This is a professional trick that really works. Orange flower water is incredibly potent. It’s literally just 4 drops total for two drinks. More than that and your cocktail will taste soapy and perfumed. Measure carefully using an eyedropper if possible. Heavy cream is essential. Don’t substitute with milk, half-and-half, or coconut cream. The fat content of heavy cream is necessary for the proper texture and richness. For a safer option avoiding raw eggs, you can use pasteurized egg whites sold in cartons, or substitute with aquafaba using 1 and a half ounces in place of the egg white. The results won’t be quite as perfect but still very good. Make sure your shaker seals extremely tightly before you start shaking. With all that vigorous shaking, a loose seal will result in cream and egg white spraying everywhere. The addition of cream is what distinguishes a Ramos Gin Fizz from a regular Gin Fizz. It creates that unique creamy, smooth texture that’s almost like a cocktail milkshake. Some modern bartenders use an immersion blender to create the foam, blending the mixture without ice for 30 seconds before adding ice and shaking briefly. This shortcut works but purists consider it cheating. This cocktail is extremely filling because of the cream and egg white. It’s more of a light meal than just a drink, which makes it perfect for brunch. Don’t make these too far ahead. They must be prepared fresh and served immediately for the best presentation and texture. The Ramos Gin Fizz pairs beautifully with New Orleans cuisine like beignets, shrimp and grits, or eggs benedict. It’s traditionally a late breakfast or brunch cocktail. If making multiple drinks, work in pairs. Making more than two at once is difficult because the mixture is so thick and requires so much shaking. This is one of the most impressive cocktails you can make at home. The effort is significant, but the wow factor when you serve these towering, fluffy white drinks is unmatched. Henry C. Ramos, who invented this cocktail, employed teams of shaker boys during Mardi Gras just to keep up with demand because each drink required so much shaking. Your guests should understand they’re getting something truly special. The club soda must be added last and very gently, or it will deflate all the foam you worked so hard to create. Practice makes perfect with this cocktail. Your first attempt might not be as fluffy as you’d like, but with practice you’ll develop the technique and arm strength needed for spectacular results.
