What Makes A Whiskey Soursour
While were talking about lemon, lets call it what it is. Sour! That pucker-your-mouth tartness is exactly what wakes this cocktail right up and gives it its name the whiskey sour.
Of course, in some mainstream establishments, the whiskey sour is made from whiskey and sour mix. Sour mix isnt typically an ingredient I choose because its loaded with sugar and artificial crap and it tasteswell, artificial!
Fresh lemon juice is so much brighter and it gives this drink the perfect pucker youre wanting from something with a title like whiskey sour. Plus, no need to go to the store and buy sour mix that will sit collecting dust in your liquor cabinet. Just grab an ole lemon out of the fridge and youre about good to go!
To balance out the sour, you need some sweet
I actually love using maple syrup and agave in cocktails. I think they incorporate just as well as simple syrup and add a touch of flavor. Plus, avoiding refined sugar usually cuts down my chances of a possible headache the next day.
I chose maple for this drink to up the cozy, warm factor. Of course, you can absolutely sub simple syrup directly for maple, but why bother, really when Im sure you more typically have maple syrup laying around the house.
But, you cant stop at just whiskey, lemon and maple for the absolutely BEST whiskey sour. That would make things a little too baseline. Lets talk about adding an egg white.
Harlem Standard American Whiskey
Though it seems like a distant time ago, while waiting to be sat for dinner, my cocktail of choice is almost always a sour. In a whiskey sour, the dram is just as important as the egg . In addition to the beauty of this cocktail, the whiskey sets the tone for this experience from the moment it touches the lips to the lingering finishes it leaves on the palate, which delightfully encourage another sip, bartender Kiki Clarkson of Her Name Was Carmen in NYC tells The Manual. As for her chosen spirit for a whiskey sour, Clarkson insists that Harlem Standard American Whiskey is my absolute favorite and a hidden gem among whiskeys. Its perfect for a whiskey sour because Harlem Standards delicate maple and vanilla notes add depth to the cocktail without overpowering it. Also, the vibrant lemon juice in the cocktail is heightened by the Harlem Standards citrus undertones. The finish reminds me of a refreshing, perfectly chilled lemon meringue pie.
What Is Sour Mix Exactly
If you went to a bar anywhere in America prior to the year 2000, chances are your bartender had a bottle of sour mix in their well. Sour mix was a very sweet, commercially packaged fruit juice the color of lemon-lime Gatorade. It was a pre-millennium mainstay in Whiskey Sours, Tom Collinses, and truly awful .
Thanks to the 21st-century cocktail renaissance and natural foods movement, sour mix has gone from standard-issue mixer, to vestige of an unenlightened culinary past. Nostalgia for the 1990s has revived Doc Marten sales, but nothing is bringing sour mix back.
Many modern bartenders eschew commercial sour mix for the same reasons they replaced jarred or frozen juice concentrate with squeezed-to-order citrus: Fresh juice tastes better than the packaged stuff.
drop!
If you strip sour mix of its artificial colors, flavors, stabilizers, and preservatives, however, it becomes a worthy addition to any home bar. Homemade sour mix is essentially simple syrup cut with lemon and lime juices. Its lovely with gin or blanco tequila, or in a Vodka Soda. Try adding it to smoothies and salad dressings for a sweet, citrus kick. It also makes a great no-proof cocktail with iced ginger tea or sparkling water.
The recipe below will keep for about one week if stored covered in your refrigerator, but its unlikely to last that long.
Also Check: Don Julio Owner
Bourbon Whiskey Sour Cocktail Recipe
Rebecca & nbsp|
A Whiskey Sour is a classic cocktail made with bourbon and homemade sour mix. A frothy egg white can be added too which technically makes it a Boston Sour!
Its boozy, sweet, and tart and the creamy egg white is an optional finish that really smooths out the whole drink!
In this season of hunkering down at home, its the perfect time to try different cocktail recipes. Introducing the Whiskey Sour cocktail!
This easy recipe blends bourbon, lemon juice, lime juice, and a touch of sugar. Its wonderfully balanced and delicious to sip.
To make it even better, whip up a batch of your own Whiskey Sour mix. In fact, this sour mix can be used in other cocktails like Vodka Sours and Amaretto Sours, too.
Homemade Sour Mix And A Whiskey Sour
- Save
We are so happy that it is Friday. To kick off the weekend we are going to talk about some Bar Basics. Items that every home bar should have. The first item we want to talk about is a Sour Mix. It is basically equal parts citrus along with simple syrup. It is slightly sweet but full of sour in a good way. When mixed with the right alcohol it creates a fantastic cocktail. This recipe for Homemade Sour Mix along with a Whiskey Sour is about to brighten up your weekend.
Sours are often thought of as lazy day drinks, think puckery citrus cocktails, margaritas, and daiquiris traditional vintage cocktails. The first time we were reintroduced to these traditional sour drinks was with the daiquiri which is a rather sultry drink, especially nice on a hot summer night. Another timeless sour drink is the whiskey sour, and it is perfect served any time of the year. Sours are straightforward and not complicated. You basically need a base spirit, sour mix and an egg white .
You May Like: How To Make Vodka Infused Watermelon
Russells Reserve 10 Year Bourbon Whiskey
When enjoying a whiskey sour, I usually prefer bourbon whiskey, specifically Russells Reserve 10 Year Bourbon. In my humble opinion, it has a lot of character for a bourbon and carries itself well in a cocktail such as a whiskey sour where you have sugar and lemon battling for your taste buds. If the bourbon is too hot or the bourbon is too mellow, it can either overpower or become lost in the cocktail. Also, if Im the one drinking it, better be made with fresh lemon, demerara simple syrup, an egg white, and 6 drops of Angostura bitters on the egg white, served up, chief mixologist Mark Beyer of Saltine in Norfolk, VA says of his whiskey sour preferences.
What Not To Do When Making A Whiskey Sour
Dont slack on the shaking.
There is something to be said about the importance of the technique and glassware for serving a Whiskey Sour. To be served perfectly it must both be shaken well, and shaken to completion, to achieve perfect dilution. If you opt for a rich-bodied Whiskey Sour with an egg white, the technique must be focused as the shaking comes in two parts: the wet shake and the dry shake .
It is important to have the proper head of foam , Abalos explains. Generally when we do training on shaking egg white cocktails, we tell bartenders to pay attention to the sound and feel of the tin. If it still sounds clanky it is not ready you want it to feel and sound like a tennis ball is in your tin.
Start with a vigorous wet shake to emulsify the ingredients and add the necessary dilution to balance the cocktail. Then, dry-shake to further dial in the texture, adding to the frothiness of the Whiskey Sour.
Many bartenders will serve a Whiskey Sour in a rocks glass over ice, even though both Wall and Abalos make the point that it is meant to be served up. While both methods yield a delicious sour, serving the Whiskey Sour over one large cube is our recommended serve as it dilutes slowly due to the ice employed, and keeps your cocktail chilled over the drinking session. If you opt for it up, however, a Nick and Nora glass is your best service vessel.
Dont forget to garnish the cocktail.
Read Also: Jim Beam White Review
Why Add High Proof Bourbon
Morgenthalers improved Amaretto Sour adds three quarters of an ounce of cask-strength bourbon. This is whiskey at its strongest, undiluted or only diluted slightly.
The reason for adding this whiskey is twofold: increase the alcohol content of the cocktail, and increase the flavor of the amaretto liqueur.
High proof whiskey is bursting with complementary flavors and it helps the gentler flavors of the amaretto stand out. If you havent purchased this variety of whiskey before, pick up a bottle of inexpensive and versatile Wild Turkey 101.
It Doesnt Have To Have Egg White
You can make a Whiskey Sour sans the protein, and no one will take you to task under the flag of imbibing blasphemy. However, lets go crazy and put ourselves on the line and proclaim, Its better with an egg white! Its so frothy and so wonderful, and yet it has no taste to it, says McCoy. Its all about the texture and aesthetics.
Recommended Reading: What Is Kirkland American Vodka Made From
Looking For More Easy Cocktail Recipes
Outside of this whiskey sour recipe, here are a few of our favorite cocktail recipes:
- Classic Margarita The very best classic margarita: lime, tequila and Cointreau. Perfection! And here are 10+ more ways to make a margarita.
- Best Gin and Tonic Here are the keys to the very best gin and tonic, the most refreshing 2-ingredient cocktail! A few secrets take this crisp, botanical drink over the top.
- Tom Collins Cocktail This popular sweet sour cocktail is light and bubbly! Dont forget the cherry.
- Prosecco Mimosa Heres the best mimosa recipe! This ones made with Italian Prosecco, orange juice, and a dash of Cointreau for the perfect bubbly tart flavor.
- Classic Old Fashioned The oldest cocktail there is! The classic method uses a sugar cube, bitters, and bourbon whiskey for a truly timeless drink. Or browse all our best bourbon cocktails.
How To Make A Whiskey Sour:
Add bourbon to a cocktail shaker.
Add in the egg white, if using.
Cover and shake vigorously in a dry shake for 15 seconds.
Expert Tip: This cocktail is made with a dry shake , and after the initial shake, you add ice and shake vigorously for an additional 15 seconds to chill the drink. This is what allows the egg white to foam and add a creaminess to the cocktail.
Add the ice and shake for an additional 15 seconds, then pour the drink into a rocks glass and garnish with a brandied cherry.
Read Also: Carbs In Vodka
Should I Add A Raw Egg White
You can make a perfectly lovely Whiskey Sour by sticking to the original recipe of just whiskey, lemon juice, and sugar. These three ingredients balance each other beautifully.
But if you want to take your Whiskey Sour to the next level, add an egg white. This will not, in fact, make your cocktail taste like egg. Instead, the egg white will add texture, richness, and a particular creaminess that will make it seem almost like a whiskey milkshake.
Now, I know what you’re thinking: What about salmonella?
Your chances of getting salmonella from raw eggs are pretty low. The CDC estimates that only around 1 in 20,000 eggs are contaminated with the bacteria, and even if you do get a contaminated egg, as long as the egg is kept refrigerated below 45 F, the bacteria will have no chance to grow.
If you’re still worried, you can purchase pasteurized eggs, which are heated for a period of time to eliminate bacteria. You can also use pre-packaged, pasteurized egg whites like Egg Beaters, which will also save you the trouble of extracting the egg white from the yolk.
What Is Sour Mix
Sour mix is a simple syrup flavored with sour citrus fruit. It’s often a combination of lemon and lime juices, though it can be made with either alone. With this single ingredient, you can add both sweet and sour elements to a variety of drinks.
Sour mix also tends to be a little thinner than standard simple syrup. Though you can adjust the recipe, it’s typically made with a 3:1 ratio of liquid to sugar.
While you can purchase sour mix at many liquor stores, the options are typically not great. Most are either too sweet or too sour and it’s not uncommon for them to include artificial flavors and sweeteners. As with almost every drink mixer, fresh is best and you’ll find that a housemade sour mix produces better tasting cocktails.
Making your own sour mix is also cost-efficient. You can make as little or as much as you need and the raw ingredients are inexpensive. Generally, a batch of fresh sour costs less than $2 to make and takes no more than 20 minutes of your time. Considering all the benefits, there really is no reason to avoid this simple recipe!
Recommended Reading: How To Make A Great Vodka Martini
The 11 Best Whiskies For Whiskey Sours This 2021 According To Bartenders
Every cocktail is more nuanced than just combining liquor with a sugary mix. This rings especially true for the whiskey sour, an elegant and sweet American cocktail classic. It contains a frothy egg white , a freshly squeezed citrus juice, and a dash of simple syrup.
However, selecting the right whiskey with the right dimension and balance transforms your whiskey sour from lackluster to delectable. Heres our roundup of the best whiskies for whiskey sours this 2021, all carefully hand-picked by expert bartenders.
Recipe Tips And Variations
- Yield: This recipe makes 1 cocktail.
- Big batch: To make a batch of 8 cocktails, combine 16 ounces whiskey, 6 ounces lemon juice, and 6 ounces lemon juice in a pitcher. Have ice, glassware, and garnishes on hand so guests can help themselves.
- No cocktail shaker: Fill a large glass with ice. Add the drink ingredients, then stir with a long spoon to get it all mixed and chilled. Strain through a small mesh strainer or use a slotted spoon to keep the ice in the shaker as you pour the cocktail.
- Gold Rush: Substitute honey syrup for the simple syrup: Combine ¼ cup water and ¼ cup sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir until honey is dissolved . Remove from heat and cool. Garnish the cocktail with a lemon peel instead of the orange slice and maraschino cherry.
- Boston Sour: This version of the drink includes an egg white for silky body and foamy frothiness. If you want to try this, first give the ingredients a dry shake to emulsify them. Then, add ice to the shaker and give everything a second shake to chill the cocktail.
- New York Sour: After straining the cocktail into a rocks glass with ice, float 1 tablespoon full-bodied red wine on top .
- Amaretto Sour: Substitute 1 ½ ounces amaretto for the whiskey and top with lemon-lime soda if desired. Garnish with a cherry.
Don’t Miss: How Many Carbs Does Vodka Have
Can I Make This In Advance
This is a cocktail that should be served immediately after its shaken, so should not be made in advance. But if you want to serve this cocktail to guests, you could always juice the lemons ahead of time and keep the juice chilled in the fridge. This will speed up the cocktail making after your guests arrive!
You Can Put Red Wine In It
A barspoon of red wine not only adds a glorious glow to your Whiskey Sour, it also provides it with a slightly altered moniker, aka the New York Sour, and more important adds to the drinks balance. A dry red wine cuts through all that acidity and balances it out, says McCoy. His recommendation: a red with medium tannic structure, like sangiovese or merlot. He also likes to play around with other wine-based aromatized and fortified wines, like vermouth, sherry or amaro.
You May Like: 1800 Reposado Tequila Recipes
Using Sour Mix In Drinks
Once you have a sour mix, there are many fun ways to incorporate it into your drinks, both spiked and nonalcoholic. Naturally, you can use it in any cocktail recipe that calls for sour mix. These include old favorites like the Long Island iced tea and , as well as many margarita recipes, including the gummy bear margarita.
Use sour mix to adjust any drink’s flavor when you want to give it a spark of both sweet and sour flavors. For example, a splash of sour makes a livelier gin and tonic and sweetens it just ever so slightly. Lime sour is particularly good with gin, while a lemon-lime sour is great with vodka soda drinks.
Sour mix is also a shortcut for cocktails that call for simple syrup and either lemon or lime juices separately. It’s useful for many of the classic cocktails that were developed before sour mix was widely used in the bar. For instance, you can replace the syrup and lemon juice of the Tom Collins with a single shot of sour mix. The New Orleans Fizz is another great example because the recipe uses both lemon and lime juices along with syrup. If you do this substitution, you may have to use more or less sour mix than the recipe calls for to obtain a balanced cocktail.
With a bottle of sour mix in the fridge, you can pour club soda over 1 or 2 ounces sour to create the freshest lemon-lime soda that rivals 7-Up or Sprite. Similarly, sour mix is essentially a concentrate for homemade lemonade. Add water to taste , and you have an instant glass of lemonade.