Strawberry collins

Strawberry collins is an easy variation on the classic Tom Collins cocktail that's light, colorful and refreshing. Perfect whether sipping in spring, summer or Holiday season.

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Much as there are times when I like a spirit-forward drink, like a rum old fashioned on a cold night, there are also plenty of times when I would prefer something lighter. Daytime drinks are definitely one of those occasions, such as alongside brunch, or with a festive meal.

I first came across berry Collins cocktails at a bar in London on a sunny summer's day, and they were perfect to sip on as we chatted and hung out outside. They're relatively light and have a slight fizz but without being all bubbles, so they're perfect to enjoy gradually. Plus, you can change up the berry part to try other variations like a raspberry collins cocktail.

What is a 'Collins' cocktail?

A Tom Collins is traditionally made with gin, lemon, sugar and club soda/soda water. The origins are a bit unclear, but it appeared in the well-known Harry Johnson's bartenders' guide in 1882 and has long been considered a classic.

Technically the Collins drink is a family of drinks since you can make it with other spirits as well. The "Tom" in Tom Collins is since it was originally made with Old Tom gin. These days there are many variations with different spirits - vodka is a popular variation, since it's very neutral, but you can also get them with rum and other bases.

Personally, I like the original gin the most, but I do love the variations with fruit to add that little more color and flavor in the mix. The lovely color of ones like this are perfect to make it feel that bit special and festive, if that suits your occasion.

Options for adding the strawberry

When I first had fruit in a Tom Collins, it was muddled in the bottom of the glass before adding in the other ingredients. While this can work, and is a decent option for the raspberry version, I find with strawberries it's much harder to get the berries to break up enough to really get the juices out. Plus, they tend to be harder to deal with as you drink.

So instead, I prefer to blend the strawberries into a puree first. This way, you get a lovely smooth texture and the color also mixes throughout the drink.

In terms of sweetening, I use a little sugar to add sweetness as it dissolves easily in the puree. But you can use simple syrup if you prefer (just use a little more since it's part sugar, part water). Exactly how much you need depends on how sweet your strawberries are so give the puree a taste to see how it tastes. It should taste sweet - remember you will be diluting with gin, lemon and soda water - though not excessively so.

As I mentioned these are a lovely longer drink since they're a decent amount of mixer to spirit. So they're perfect for sipping in the sun, much like a Pimm's Cup cocktail or English garden cocktail, and just as great with brunch or at a festive gathering. This is a cocktail that's pretty versatile.

This strawberry collins is a lovely mix of light, colorful, gently bubbly and immensely sippable. It's easy to make, and great for brunch and beyond. So be sure to give it a try soon.

Try these other colorful cocktails:

• Cranberry whiskey sour
• Pomegranate mojito
• Hibiscus mezcal sour
• Unusual negroni
• Plus get more cocktail recipes in the archives.

See some of my favorite cooking tools and ingredients in the Caroline's Cooking Amazon store. 

This post was first shared in December 2015 and has been updated, primarily with updated photos and some additional information and tips.