016 – Ramos Gin Fizz

A Sydney ‘lock-down’ version, reproducing the 1888 original – Ramos Gin Fizz cocktail.

Sydney’s Covid Lockdown has inspired me to explore this famous New Orleans cocktail. Let’s take a look at Henry Charles Ramos’ original ‘Ramos Gin Fizz’ cocktail, using his own recipe.

Make your own Locktail, the famous ‘Ramos Gin Fizz’. Here is my reproduction of the original recipe:

METHOD — Add all ingredients except the soda water to a shaker. Shake until smooth, and contents sounds like consistency of cold milk, at least 2-minutes, although the original was said to be shaken for a full 12-minutes by the crew of Henry’s 712 Gravier Street Bar in New Orleans. Pour into a chilled glass, while at the same time pouring the soda water with the other hand as a combined stream, to boost the ‘fizz’. The cocktail should have a distinctive frothy top.

HISTORICAL NOTES – Henry Charles Ramos invented the ‘New Orleans’ Fizz’ at the Imperial Cabinet Saloon, New Orleans in 1888. By 1907, the ‘Ramos Gin Fizz’, which Henry described as the “One and Only One” was so popular, Henry had to move into a larger premises, taking over the Stag Saloon at 712 Gravier Street, New Orleans.

Even with more than 20 staff making the cocktail, they could barely keep up with demand. Partly because the Ramos Gin Fizz had to be shaken for 12-minutes. A feat that was managed by sharing the shaker between staff and holding the shaker with a cloth, as it would ice-up in the process.

The cocktail remained popular for over 30-years, until the onset of US Prohibition. Henry Ramos is quoted as having said “I’ve sold my last Gin Fizz” at midnight on 27 October 1919, as Prohibition was ushered in.

The recipe remained secret until Henry gave the recipe to reporter Don Higgins of the ‘The New Orleans Item-Tribune’. Don Higgins republished the recipe after Henry Ramos’ death in the paper on the 23rd September, 1928.

The recipe as imparted by Henry Ramos was (similar to my reproduction above): One-tablespoon superfine sugar, 3-4 drops of orange flower water, juice of half-a-lemon and half-a-lime, 45ml ‘Old Tom Gin’, 1 egg white, half-glass of crushed ice, two-tablespoons of rich milk or cream, two-drops vanilla essence. “Shake and shake and shake until there is not a bubble left but the drink is smooth and snowy white and of the consistency of good, rich milk.” (the story is that the shaking was done by sharing the shaker among staff for 12-to-15 minutes). Then pour into a highball glass as top (lift) with seltzer water (this seems to have been poured simultaneously with the shaker ingredients).

THE OFFICIAL MIX – The ‘Ramos Fizz’ in on the International Bartender Association (IBA)’s ‘Unforgettables’ list, one of only 33-cocktails to hold this status. The IBA recipe is here, and is 45ml Gin, 15ml fresh Lime Juice, 15ml fresh Lemon Juice, 30ml Sugar Syrup, 60ml Cream, 30ml Egg White, 3-dashes Orange Flower Water, and 2-dashes Vanilla Extract. Shaken with ice for 2-minutes, double strained into a glass, then returned to the shaker for a further 1-minute dry shake. Strained into a Highball Glass and topped up with Soda Water. No garnish.

TASTING NOTES – To a modern palette, this cocktail could be compared to an orange-vanilla spider. Certainly the feel is like smooth and soft ice-cream, almost 60-years before ‘ice-cream parlours’ of the 1950’s, it is not surprising this was a very popular drink in pre-Prohibition USA, especially in New Orleans. Customers would probably never have tasted anything like the ‘Ramos Fizz’. It has a milky tropical feel that could easily be the precursor to creamy-cocktails of the 1950’s to 1980’s. As long as this is consumed while very cold, it has a great taste of drinking creamy flavored gin, through a super-smooth foam.

LOCKTAIL CHANGES – I haven’t changed a thing. I have gone with an attempt at reproducing the ‘Ramos Fizz’, just as Henry Charles Ramos described to journalist Don Higgins. Whether he gave away all the secrets is anyone’s guess. I have also opted for the inclusion of the vanilla essence, which is a matter of considerable historical debate. I have also used an ‘Old Tom’ style Gin, with the Hammer & Son, Old English Gin. A gin made to a 1783 recipe in England’s oldest functional still – called Angela – this is about as close to an authentic Gin that Ramos may have used as I can find in 2021. Use what Gin you have at hand, but if you can, go with an ‘Old Tom’ Gin.

YOUR LOCKTAIL EXPERIENCE – If you’d rather taste than read, I am progressively building an ingredient list and other sourcing information on this site. I will re-use ingredients where I can (good for my budget too), so that the cost goes down overtime if you are ‘playing at home’.

Let me know what you think.

Cocktails you’d like reinvented.

Recipes you’ve tried and your ‘score’.

This is the 6th of the 1900-1910 bracket of ‘Locktail’ remixes. See the full list in the index.