Vodka Collins

Sip on a Vodka Collins, a delightful and light version of the classic Tom Collins cocktail. With four simple ingredients, it’s easy to put together and oh-so-tasty.

This post contains affiliate links. If you click on one and buy something, Feast + West receives a small commission at no additional cost to you. All opinions are our own. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

About this Vodka Collins recipe

One of the things I like best about cocktails is how versatile they are. Yes, there are plenty of tried-and-true classic recipes, but that doesn’t mean you can’t swap things out for a little more (or less) flavor and experimentation!

This especially works for simple cocktails, where you can change out the spirit, a juice or a simple syrup and wind up with a totally different cocktail.

The Vodka Collins is the perfect example. It’s a spin on the classic Tom Collins, a refreshingly sweet-and-sour gin drink, and is sometimes called a Joe Collins.

With bubbles and zesty flavor, the Vodka Collins is the epitome of refreshment, and it’s perfect for any time you crave a cool drink. It has a crisp and clean flavor thanks to the vodka, making it a great cocktail for anyone who doesn’t love gin.

More classic vodka cocktail recipes: Vodka Cranberry • Vodka Martini • Vodka Lemonade • Vodka Soda • Vodka Gimlet

Why you’ll love this recipe

Whip one up for happy hour at home or make a big batch for a party. Either way, this drink is one every cocktail lover should know and love!

• The Vodka Collins is an elegant cocktail made with simple ingredients and minimal effort. It’s a timeless choice that always delights!
• Fresh lemon juice and simple syrup add balanced sweetness, enhancing the crisp vodka notes for a smooth, well-rounded drink.
• This cocktail is light and refreshing, perfect for happy hour or a summer party.

What is a Collins cocktail?

The Collins cocktail is a sour cocktail made with a base spirit, lemon juice, simple syrup and soda water. The original and most popular of the bunch is the Tom Collins, which is made with gin.

Like many cocktails, the history of the Tom Collins is debated. According to Difford’s Guide, the most likely version suggests the Collins morphed from the 19th century gin punch, a popular drink of the time.

Tom eventually found himself with a family, to include the John Collins. Tom was always made with Old Tom gin, while John was made with Holland gin, AKA genever.

Today, the drink has evolved even more. Modern Tom Collinses are almost always made with London Dry Gin, though Old Tom gin is still preferable. The John Collins now also refers to a drink made with whiskey, while Joe is the name for the Vodka Collins.

Tools & glassware

To make a Vodka Collins, you will need a cocktail shaker and a Hawthorne strainer. A three-piece shaker that has a built-in strainer will also work.

To truly embrace the Vodka Collins experience, the right glassware is essential. The drink is almost always served in Collins glasses, tall, slender, round glasses usually holding 12 to 16 ounces of liquid.

The glass showcases the cocktail’s inviting appearance and helps maintain its effervescence. The tall shape allows for plenty of ice, or a big tall ice spear like you’ll see in fancy cocktail bars.

These long, skinny ice cubes are designed for the Collins glass. You can buy Collins ice trays just for making this special shape of ice. Regular ice cubes work too!

favorite collins glasses

rounded collins glasses

Buy Now →

cut crystal collins glasses

Buy Now →

classic collins glasses

Buy Now →

Ingredients

You only need four ingredients to pull together a Vodka Collins:

• vodka: The original Tom Collins calls for herbal gin, but we’re using crisp and clean-tasting vodka here.
• lemon juice: Fresh lemon juice gives off the best, sweetest flavor in a cocktail if you have it on hand. Feel free to use a good quality lemon concentrate if you need a shortcut.
• simple syrup: Sugar is difficult to mix into a cocktail, so simple syrup, a mixture of sugar and water, works even better. Regular simple syrup made with granulated sugar is best for a traditional Collins. You could try a honey simple syrup too.
• club soda: You can use plain sparkling water or flavored fizzy water to create your own flavor combinations. If you use bubbly instead of club soda, you’ll end up with a classic champagne cocktail.

Garnishes

The traditional garnish for a Vodka Collins is a flag of an orange slice and a cocktail cherry.

Some bars will use a maraschino cherry, but brandied cherries take this cocktail up a serious notch. Making cocktail cherries is fun, too. Add them to a cute cocktail pick to give this drink even more elegance.

Best vodka

As with any cocktail that has a short ingredient list, quality always matters. Use the best alcohol you can afford! My go-to vodka brands right now are Tito’s, Deep Eddy, Reyka and Absolut.

A bottom-shelf vodka can taste cheap and stand out in your drink — and not in a great way — so stick to the $15-20 range if you can!

One way to add a twist to the Collins is to use a flavored vodka. A fruity vodka, cucumber vodka, chile vodka or vanilla vodka would be a great twist.

If you’d like to know more about vodka, dive into my Vodka 101 crash course.

Substitutions

The Collins family of cocktail is a simple recipe that has lots of variations. Even if you switch just one ingredient, you’ll wind up with a delicious cocktail.

• Flavored Collins: You can switch up the spirit, use a flavored sparkling water or make flavored simple syrup like raspberry syrup or passion fruit syrup.
• French 75: If you use bubbly instead of club soda, you’ll end up with this classic champagne cocktail.
• Non-alcoholic Collins: Use a zero-proof spirit like Seedlip Garden 108 instead of the vodka.

Collins cocktail variations

The Collins family is pretty big, with each named version using another spirit. For example, the vodka version of this classic cocktail is sometimes called a Joe Collins. Here are Joe’s siblings:

• Tom Collins: The OG. this one’s made with gin, usually Old Tom gin or London Dry gin.
• John Collins: The original John Collins used London Dry gin instead of Old Tom. But today it’s often given the John Collins name when made with whiskey. This one is sometimes called a Colonel Collins (with bourbon); Captain Collins (Canadian whisky); Jock Collins or Sandy Collins (Scotch whisky); Michael Collins or Mike Collins (Irish whiskey).
• Pedro Collins: Use light white rum instead of gin.
• Pierre Collins: Brandy or cognac take the place of gin in this Brandy Collins.
• Pepito Collins or Juan Collins: In this variation, tequila takes the place of gin. Additionally, if you use grapefruit juice instead of lemon, you’ll wind up with a paloma.

Instructions

Putting together a refreshing Vodka Collins is super simple. (If you’re making Collins ice spears, be sure to do that in advance.) Here’s what to do:

In a cocktail shaker filled with ice, combine vodka, lemon juice and simple syrup. Shake well and strain into a Collins glass filled with ice.

Then top up the drink with club soda. Finally, garnish it with an orange slice and a cocktail cherry.

Tips & tricks

Here are some tips and tricks for making this easy drink recipe:

• Save money and make your own simple syrup with sugar and water.
• Use fresh lemon juice for the best flavor. The concentrate can be more tart than regular lemon juice.
• Try it with the original gin or other spirits to experience all the versions of this cocktail.

Food pairings

The Vodka Collins cocktail is a classic refresher cocktail that pairs with so many foods. Vodka makes it nice and light, so it’s an easy pairing.

The lemon flavor goes especially well with seafood, such as popcorn shrimp, fried fish or a Caesar salad.

It would also go well with a light appetizer like a charcuterie board or shishito peppers.

FAQ

More vodka cocktail recipes

• Greyhound
• Cosmopolitan
• Honey Deuce
• Black Russian