The Tom Collins cocktail—gin, lemon juice, sugar, and carbonated water—has one of the funniest origins in drink history. In 1874, a massive practical joke known as 'The Tom Collins Hoax' swept across New York and Pennsylvania. People would tell a friend that a man named Tom Collins was in a nearby bar speaking ill of them. The angry victim would rush to the bar and ask for 'Tom Collins,' only to find he didn't exist. Bartenders quickly capitalized on the prank by naming a refreshing gin drink after the non-existent man. The drink is traditionally served in a tall, cylindrical glass that is now actually known as a 'Collins glass.' It remains a popular summer classic, celebrated for its simplicity and its role as a precursor to the modern soda-based cocktails.