Sour · 1862
Whiskey Sour
The sour template in its plainest form: 2 spirit, 1 citrus, ¾ sugar.
Specification
| Bourbon | 60 ml |
| Fresh lemon juice | 25 ml |
| Sugar syrup 1:1 | 20 ml |
| Egg white | 15 ml (optional) |
| Angostura | 3 drops on top |
Method
- 01Dry shake everything without ice for 10 seconds.
- 02Add ice and shake hard for another 12 seconds.
- 03Strain over fresh ice, or into a coupe.
- 04Float three drops of bitters and draw a line through them.
Where it comes from
Printed in Jerry Thomas's 1862 Bar-Tender's Guide, the sour is the ancestor of the Margarita, the Sidecar and the Daiquiri. Learn the ratio once and you can rebuild half a menu from memory.
If you change one thing: Egg white adds texture, not flavour. Skip it and pull the syrup back to 15 ml — foam softens acidity, so without it the drink reads sharper.