How The Ramos Gin Fizz Bubbled Up

The Ramos Gin Fizz classic cocktail dates back to 1888, when bartender Henry Ramos invented the concoction at the Imperial Cabinet Saloon in New Orleans. Originally called the New Orleans Fizz, the Ramos Gin Fizz combines gin, citrus juice, sugar, egg whites, cream, orange flower water and soda.

The recipe specified that the cocktail must be shaken well — reportedly for 12 to 15 minutes — before serving to create a thick layer of foam. Legend has it that Ramos employed up to 20 young men just to shake the cocktails during busy times.

Ramos, ironically a supporter of Prohibition, served his last gin fizz at midnight on Oct. 27, 1919, and got out of the alcohol business; Oct. 27 is National Henry C. Ramos Day. But before his death in 1928, Ramos provided his then-secret recipe to the New Orleans Item-Tribune: 1 tbsp. powdered sugar; 3-4 drops of orange flower water; ½ jigger (¾ oz.) lime; ½ jigger lemon; 1 jigger (1 ½ oz.) Old Tom Gin (a sweeter gin style that was popular in the 19th century); 1 egg white; ½ glass crushed ice; 2 tbsps. rich milk or cream; and about 1 oz. seltzer water, well shaken and strained.

The Ramos Gin Fizz lived on after the repeal of Prohibition. The Roosevelt Hotel’s Sazerac Bar bought the rights to the drink’s name in 1935. Louisiana governor Huey P. Long fell in love with the cocktail there and later introduced it to New York City.

Riffing on the Ramos

Still, the Ramos Gin Fizz remained a largely New Orleans indulgence, thanks to its long ingredient list and labor-intensive execution. But as interest in the classics and more complicated and Instgram-ready cocktails has picked up, bartenders have embraced the Ramos Gin Fizz, and many have come up with riffs on the original.

For instance, Shinji’s in New York has the Shinji’s Gin Fizz (shown atop). The bar’s take on a Ramos is shaken to perfection for just five seconds, thanks to complex prep work behind the scenes.

Trick Dog in San Francisco last year offered a riff on a Ramos Gin Fizz called Poochy, made with with Fords Gin, Amoro de Vino, sweet vermouth, strawberry, Szechuan peppercorn, cream, egg white and lemon.

The Special Delivery at The Kingsway in New Orleans.

Doberman Drawing Room in Las Vegas has the Tom Kha Fizz, a cream-charged Ramos Fizz inspired by the classic Thai soup. The drink incorporates gin, lime, tom yum spices, bird’s eye chili, cream, coconut and egg whites for a rich yet balanced sip. The Special Delivery at The Kingsway in New Orleans also reimagines the Ramos Gin Fizz with Thai tea cream and tequila. 

Nocturno Cocktail Bar in Las Vegas devotes a full section of its menu to the Ramos Gin Fizz and its variations. Guests can also explore a Fizz flight to try five modern variations of the drink.

Nocturno’s bar director Lu Lopez champions the classics with a modern, approachable touch. He shares three tips for making a Fizz.

1) Dry shake (with no ice) first, then wet shake with quality ice just enough to emulsify without over-diluting.

2) Let the foam sit in the freezer briefly before topping with soda for that signature soufflé-like head.

3) Technique beats time, no marathon shaking required.

The bar’s fan-favorite Peach Blow Fizz, first found in the 1937 Café Royal Cocktail Book, is meant to mimic the texture and flavor of biting into a ripe peach. Here’s the recipe to try it yourself.

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