One sip and you will discover why the Keto Collins Cocktail has become one of my favorite go-to drinks while on a ketogenic diet. Its easy to make – anyone can mix it with success.
Was it Tom or John?
The Tom Collins drink has a long and murky past, with some debate on where it originated. Although the origin of the traditional Tom Collins is unknown, the John Collins originated in the 1860’s with a headwaiter at Limmer’s Old House in London.
The following rhyme was written by Frank and Charles Sheridan about John Collins:
My name is John Collins, head waiter at Limmer’s,
Corner of Conduit Street, Hanover Square,
My chief occupation is filling brimmers
For all the young gentlemen frequenters there.
Some believe that the name of the cocktail was changed from John Collins to Tom Collins because the recipe called for Old Tom gin.
If you haven’t guessed it yet, the Keto Collins cocktail is a twist on the traditional Tom Collins drink. We swap out lemon for lime, and club soda for Fresca, and skip the simple syrup altogether. In this version of the drink, I use The Botanist, an artisanal Islay gin made by Bruichladdich Distillery. It is distinctive because of the 22 locally picked wild, Islay botanicals added to its recipe. It is distilled in the ‘ugly betty’ still described as “an oversized upside-down dustbin made of copper” by Tom Morton.
The ingredients are simple – gin of your choice, Fresca, and lime wedges.
Ingredients
- 2 ounces gin
- 1/2 ounce lime juice
- 4 ounces Fresca (or to fill)
- Dash of aromatic bitters
- Garnish: lime or lemon slice
Mix – Shake – Pour
The Keto Collins Cocktail will net you less than 2 grams of carbs. 1 gram for 1/2 oz of lime juice, less than 1 gram for the aromatic bitters.
The Keto Cream Collins
If you’re feeling brave and want to try something different, add 1/2 to 1 ounce of heavy cream to the mix. It makes a delicious cocktail I call the Keto Cream Collins. This will add around .5 additional carbs to your drink, for a total of around 2 – 2.25 grams.
Do you have a favorite gin-based keto cocktail? Share below!
