I had my first Tom Collins earlier this month during our trip to Dubuque. I couldn’t stop thinking about the gin-ny, tart deliciousness. So, for the past couple of weeks, I’ve been experimenting with making my own at home. It got Naoto’s happy hour approval on Thursday night when we had cocktails on the balcony after work. We used our new Iowa gin, Clearheart, and I highly recommend it. It beat my previous Tanqueray attempts by a long shot…and it’s only $18 a bottle…a good price for a small distillery. (I just looked at Clearheart’s website–it’s only available in Illinois, Iowa, Missouri and Nebraska right now. I’m sad for you readers in the other 46 states & beyond…)
The perfect Tom Collins:
2oz gin
2oz freshly squeezed lemon juice (none of that bottled stuff)
1 oz simple syrup
2 oz club soda
In a cocktail shaker filled with ice, add the gin, lemon juice & simple syrup. Shake until chilled. Pour over ice in a Collins glass (or, because we don’t have Collins glasses, a rocks glass), add club soda and garnish with an orange slice and maraschino cherry.
Enjoy outside (or at a supper club).
kimberly ah 
Nice post. Amazing how many new / local gins are out there.
FWIW, try the collins with Old Tom Gin (Ransom or Hayman’s) kind of a fun change to taste what they were like over 100 years ago… not better or worse, just different and sweeter.
That does sound delicious! Thanks for the recommendation!
Pour me one, would ya? 😉
Anytime!
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