12 Inspired Takes on the Sour Cocktail

photo by Victoria Vergason at The Hour

photo by Victoria Vergason at The Hour

All you need is citrus + sweet + booze to make one of the world’s most riffable cocktails

If a great cocktail is all about balance a sour has it in spades. Beyond obvious examples like the Whiskey Sour and Amaretto Sour, the category encapsulates beloved libations like the Daiquiri, Margarita and Sidecar. What’s most appealing about this drink is that if one basic formula opens up a world of mixology opportunities: two ounces spirit, three-quarters ounce sweetener and three-quarters ounce citrus (generally lemon or lime). “The citrus should generally follow the spirits’ lead and the sweetener should be the binder of the all three,” says Zev Glesta, former bartender at The Modern in New York City. “You never need to over complicate a sour, although there is always a ton of room for trying new things.”

Feel empowered to dial up or down the amount of one of the sweet or citrus ingredients if you prefer a sweeter or tarter sip, or add an equal amount of egg white or aquafaba (the liquid in a can of chickpeas) to lend even more frothiness and a silky texture. You can even split the base spirit. The sour is infinitely tweak-able. 

Timberlawn Cocktail

Recipe courtesy of Victoria Vergason, Owner, The Hour, Alexandria, VA

Vergason first created this drink at her Virginia farmhouse with ingredients on hand, including that jar of honey that just about everybody has tucked somewhere in their kitchen cabinet. “A good sour is balanced, not too sour and not too sweet, making it easy to sip,” she says. “Using local ingredients like honey and even homegrown herbs adds that personal touch to the home bar's cocktail offerings.”

Add the first four ingredients to a cocktail shaker, add ice and shake until well-chilled. Strain into a chilled coupe and garnish with a lemon peel expressed first into the drink.

Tequila Flip Sour

Recipe courtesy of Whitney Hart, Bartender, The Gant Aspen, Aspen, Colorado

This tequila tipple is one of Hart’s favorites. “A Flip is a classic cocktail concept of adding an egg into a sour drink, [which] adds so much richness and texture with very minimal added work,” she says. “It might not be for everyone, but anyone who is open to trying [it] will have an elevated cocktail experience.” Don’t worry, the egg is safe to consume when shaken with alcohol.

  • 1 ½ oz. tequila blanco, such as Cierto Private Collection Blanco (gold medal winner at the 2020 Berlin International Spirits Competition)

  • ¾ oz. fresh lemon juice

  • ¾ oz. simple syrup

  • 1 whole egg

  • dash of cinnamon

  • cocktail cherry for garnish, optional

Add the first four ingredients to a cocktail shaker and dry shake without ice for 10 seconds to emulsify. Add ice and shake heavily for 10-15 more seconds. Strain into a rocks glass over fresh ice, sprinkle cinnamon on top and garnish with the cherry if desired.

photo by Heather Wibbels

photo by Heather Wibbels

Peach and Rosemary Sour

Recipe courtesy of Heather Wibbels, Bourbon Women Association

Every summer Wibbels looks forward to getting her hands on luscious Georgia peaches. This drink introduces a savory herbal note to the sweet and sour in the form of a versatile peach and rosemary syrup that can also be used in old fashioneds, smashes, gimlets and even non-alcoholic lemonades and iced teas. “That bourbon can pair well with rosemary is something not everyone would believe, but if it’s got a common flavor to tie in—in this case peach—the bridge between the two makes the cocktail more complex but still an easy sipper,” she says.

  • 1 ½ oz. bourbon, such as Lexington Brewing & Distilling Co. Town Branch Bourbon (silver medal winner at the 2020 Berlin International Spirits Competition)

  • ¾ oz. peach liqueur

  • ¾ oz. lemon juice

  • ¾ oz. peach-rosemary syrup (instructions follow)

  • ¾ oz. egg white or aquafaba, optional

  • sprig of rosemary, fresh or dehydrated peach slice and lemon wheel, for garnish

Add all ingredients except garnish to a cocktail shaker, add 1 ice cube and shake for 30 seconds to froth and emulsify. Fill with ice and shake a second time for 30-60 seconds. Double-strain into a chilled coupe and garnish with the rosemary, peach slice and lemon wheel.

Peach-rosemary Syrup

Combine ½ cup of frozen or fresh peeled, sliced peaches, ¼ cup sugar, ⅛ cup water and 1 sprig rosemary in a small saucepan. Heat on low until simmering, then cook for 10 minutes until the peaches have released their juices. Remove from the heat and cool for 30 minutes. Strain out the solids and store the syrup in the refrigerator for up to a week.

Salad Days Sour, photo by Columbia Room

Salad Days Sour, photo by Columbia Room

Salad Days Sour

Recipe courtesy of Derek Brown, Founder, Drink Company, Washington, D.C.

Brown’s take on the Pisco Sour originally appeared years ago on the menu at The Gibson, a cocktail bar in D.C.’s U Street Corridor. His version delivers a vegetal freshness thanks to pisco infused with a celery stalk and leaves. For more aromatics, toast the ground cinnamon with a kitchen torch before using it to garnish the drink.

  • 1 ½ oz. celery-infused Macchu Pisco (instructions follow)

  • 1 oz. simple syrup

  • ¾ oz. lemon juice

  • 1 egg white

  • ground cinnamon, for garnish

  • carrot curl, for garnish (optional)

Add the first four ingredients to a cocktail shaker and shake without ice to emulsify. Add ice and shake again until well-chilled. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass, pinch cinnamon between fingers and draw a line on the drink’s surface and garnish with a tied carrot curl, if desired.

Celery-infused Pisco

Combine 3 oz. pisco with half of a chopped celery stalk, including the leaves. Let steep for 48 hours then strain out solids.

Ina Garten’s Pitcher

Recipe courtesy of Nicole Stipp, Bartender, Trouble Bar, Louisville, KY

Staff loves using seasonal raspberries in cocktails because they remind her of eating Sweet Tarts by the pool as kids. “There’s nothing like a tart, crisp and cold drink in the Kentucky spring weather,” Stipp says, who adds that she doesn’t think an egg white is always essential in a sour. “If it’s well-shaken, it will hold a nice foam just by the nature of super fresh lemon juice.”

  • 1 ½ oz. bourbon

  • 1 oz. muddled or puréed raspberries

  • 1 oz. lemon juice

  • ¼ oz. lime juice

  • 1 egg white, optional

  • 4 drops Angostura Bitters, for garnish

  • mint leaf for garnish, optional

If using egg white, add it along with the juices and raspberry to a cocktail shaker. Shake without ice for at least 30 seconds until a thick foam is created. Add bourbon and the ice to the shaker and shake again until well-chilled and a thick frost forms on the outside of the shaker. Strain into a rocks glass over fresh ice, drop 4 dashes of Angostura Bitters on top in a cross shape. and use the edge of a bar spoon to drag the bitters to form a flower. Garnish with the mint sprig.

Airmail

Salad Days Sour, photo by Trouble Bar

Salad Days Sour, photo by Trouble Bar

Recipe courtesy of Mount Gay Rum

The origins of this drink and its association to postal delivery are unknown, but it dates back to 1949 when it appeared in an entertaining guide for Esquire Magazine. You can liken it to a Caribbean cousin of the French 75, with cognac or gin replaced by Barbadian rum, and lemon juice swapped out for lime.

  • 2 oz. Mount Gay Black Barrel Rum

  • ¾ oz. lime juice

  • ¾ oz. honey syrup (equal parts honey and hot water stirred to combine)

  • 7 mint sprigs, 1 reserved for garnish

  • 2 oz. chilled Champagne or sparkling wine

Add the rum, lime juice, honey syrup and 6 mint sprigs to a cocktail shaker, add ice and shake until well-chilled. Strain into a chilled coupe, top with sparkling wine and garnish with a mint sprig.

Boulevardier Sour

Recipe courtesy of Brandon “Habi” Habenstein, Bardstown Bourbon Company

“I wanted to take the Boulevardier, a classic cocktail that’s quite boozy with a flavor profile that can be difficult for many drinkers to grapple with, and transform it into one of the most beloved cocktails of all time: the Whiskey Sour,” Habenstein says. If you are more of a Negroni fan, swap out the bourbon for a gin of your choice.

Add all ingredients except garnish to a cocktail shaker, add ice and shake until well-chilled. Strain into a chilled coupe and garnish with the lemon peel.

Sweet Vermouth Syrup

Combine 2 tablespoons sugar with 2 oz. sweet vermouth and whisk until sugar is dissolved. (Do not apply heat.) Store the syrup in the refrigerator for several weeks.

Boulevardier Sour, photo by Brandon Habenstein

Boulevardier Sour, photo by Brandon Habenstein

Baby Bird

Recipe courtesy of Todd Thrasher, Owner, Tiki TNT & Thrasher's Rum / Potomac Distilling Company, Washington, D.C.

“I often hear people say that they don’t like rum because it has so much sugar in it or that they don’t like rum-based cocktails because they are crazy sweet,” Thrasher points out. “But that doesn't have to be true—these cocktails showcase the versatility, complexity, and diversity of rum.” A take on the classic tiki tipple the Jungle Bird, this libation replaces Campari with Aperol. If you can’t find his spiced rum you can substitute another high-quality bottle.

  • 1 ½ oz. Thrasher’s Green Spiced Rum (or another spiced rum)

  • ½ oz. Aperol

  • ½ oz. simple syrup

  • ½ oz. lime juice

  • 1 ½ oz. pineapple juice

  • pineapple wedge, for garnish

Add all ingredients except garnish to a cocktail shaker, add ice and shake until well-chilled. Strain into a rocks glass over fresh ice and garnish with a pineapple wedge.

Puerto Vallarta Smash

Recipe courtesy of Daniel Kurtzman, General Manager, Nacional 27 /Tall Boy Taco, Chicago, IL

"I love the play on sweet and spicy with the peaches and habanero,” Kurtzman says. “The basil and jalapeño add a freshness that screams 'drink me on a long summer day overlooking the beach!'” The Tajín seasoning is optional, but adds a lip-burning kick. 

2 oz. Tanteo Habanero Tequila

3 fresh peach slices

¾ oz. agave nectar

¼ oz. lime juice

6-8 small basil leaves

½ jalapeño pepper, seeded and sliced

Tajín seasoning and lime wedge, to rim drink (optional)

If a spiced rim is desired, rub half of the outside rim of a rocks glass with the lime wedge, dip in Tajín seasoning to coat and set aside.

Add the basil, jalapeño slices, peach slices and agave nectar to a cocktail shaker and muddle gently. Add ice, tequila and lime juice, add ice and shake until well-chilled. Strain into the prepared glass (or a rocks glass without the rim) over fresh ice.

Hotel Fitzroy

Recipe courtesy of Zev Glesta, former bartender at The Modern, New York, NY

Glesta named this drink as an homage to the two cocktails he mashed up to make it—the Clover Club and the Algonquin—as well as a neighborhood in Melbourne, Australia that’s a nod to the country where the whiskey he used for the drink is made. The former drink is a semi-dry berry sour and the latter is a tropical Manhattan, yet “both cocktails call for dry vermouth which helps balance the fruity component,” Glesta explains. “[It]s dry and plush with the Two-Fold adding a malty sweetness.”

  • 2 oz. whiskey (Glesta uses Starward Two-Fold Double Grain Whisky)

  • ½ oz. dry vermouth

  • ¾ oz. lemon juice

  • ¾ oz. pineapple juice

  • ½ oz. simple syrup

  • ¾ oz. egg white

  • pineapple fronds or pineapple wedge for garnish, optional

Add all ingredients except garnish to a cocktail shaker and shake without ice to give it a foamy texture. Add ice and shake again until well-chilled. Double-strain into a coupe and garnish with the pineapple fronds or pineapple wedge.

photo by Wesual Click via Unsplash.

photo by Wesual Click via Unsplash.

Largo Lemonade

Recipe courtesy of Bungalows Key Largo, Key Largo, FL

The staff at Bungalows created the Largo Lemonade to represent the quintessential island drink to be enjoyed on the boat, beachside or poolside. They deem the patio pounder thanks to a perfect mixture of sweet and sour, tangy lemonade and sweet-tart syrup made with fresh blueberries—but they warn it’s incredibly difficult to stop at one.

  • 1 ½ oz. vodka, such as Smirnoff

  • 4 oz. prepared lemonade

  • 1 ¼ oz. blueberry simple syrup (instructions follow)

Add all ingredients to a cocktail shaker, add ice and shake until well-chilled. Strain into a Collins glass over fresh ice.

Blueberry Simple Syrup

Combine equal parts blueberries, water and white sugar in a saucepan. Simmer on low heat until sugar is dissolved, then increase heat until blueberries burst. Remove from heat, let cool and strain out solids. Store the syrup in the refrigerator for up to a week.

photo by Pelican Grand Beach

photo by Pelican Grand Beach

Tropical Tease

Recipe courtesy of Pelican Grand Beach Resort, Fort Lauderdale, FL

This sour is meant to mimic the light, airy and refreshing feeling that meets guests who stay at the boutique beach resort. “Rich in Vitamin C, the kiwi not only delivers a boost of vibrant color, but it offers a sweet tropical taste of what many people may be missing,” says general manager TJ Pierri. 

Muddle the tequila, lemon juice, cane or simple syrup, and 3 kiwi slices in a cocktail shaker. Add ice and shake until well-chilled. Double-strain into a rocks glass over fresh ice and garnish with a kiwi slice.

Featured, CocktailsKelly Magyaricscocktails, berlin international spirits competition, bourbon, whiskey, tequila, gin, london dry gin, peach, pisco, rum, sparkling wine, new york international spirits competition, upComment