John Collins
Highballs & Fizzes · Gin
- Strength
- 10.9%
- Std. drinks
- 1.01
- Calories
- 142
- Sugar
- 10.0 g
- 1½ ozGin45 ml
- 1 ozLemon juice30 ml
- ½ ozSimple syrup15 ml
- 2 ozSoda water60 ml
The ratio · 3 : 2 : 1 : 4
Highlighted: not in the South Side.
Head to head
John Collins and South Side side by side: what changes in the recipe, the balance, the strength and the calories.
The difference
Gin, lemon and syrup in both. The John Collins is built tall over ice with soda; the South Side is shaken with mint and served up, with more gin and more alcohol.
By the numbers
The John Collins uses soda water where the South Side uses mint; both have gin, lemon juice and simple syrup. In parts, a John Collins is 3 gin, 2 lemon, 1 syrup and 4 soda; a South Side is 4 gin, 2 lemon and 1 syrup. By volume, the John Collins is 40% mixer and juice, 30% spirit, 20% citrus and 10% syrup and sugar; the South Side is 57% spirit, 29% citrus and 14% syrup and sugar.
The South Side is the stronger drink in the glass (13.6% ABV against 10.9%) and holds more alcohol (1.35 standard drinks against 1.01). The South Side has more calories (about 178 against 142), with the same sugar (10.0 g each). The John Collins is built and served in a highball; the South Side is shaken and served in a coupe.
Highballs & Fizzes · Gin
The ratio · 3 : 2 : 1 : 4
Highlighted: not in the South Side.
Sours · Gin
The ratio · 4 : 2 : 1
Highlighted: not in the John Collins.
Each drink sits nearer the corners it has more of: spirit, vermouth and bitter, citrus, mixer, syrup or liqueur. The gray dots are the other classics. Explore the full ratio map.