A sour is one of the easiest types of cocktail you can possibly make and even better, they look and taste amazing too.
Essentially a scaled-down punch, the British Navy is actually credited with popularising and possibly even inventing them when sailors mixed rum with lime juice due to the ready availability of rum in the Caribbean and to ward off scurvy!
These sours for every spirit make you look like an accomplished master of mixology… even if on the down low, they were pretty easy to make.
What Ingredients Are In A Sour Cocktail?
Nowadays there are many different variations of a sour (as you’ll see!), but the base ingredients will always be the same; your spirit of choice, citrus and syrup. Here are seven of our favourites for you to try…
WHISKEY SOUR
For the 19th century Navy, the Whiskey Sour was a godsend. The citrus warded off scurvy which was rife, and the whiskey was safer than much of the water. When the recipe arrived on land, it was improved with a little sweetness to temper the acidity and whiskey punch and voila! Modern recipes include egg white and Angostura which do add depth and texture so include them if you want to add some extra fanciness!
Ingredients
60ml Whisky (Glen Grant 12YO works well)
25ml Lemon Juice
15ml Simple Syrup
½ egg white (optional)
2 dashes of Angostura bitters (optional)
Lemon Peel to garnish
Method
Shake everything dry, and then with ice until it’s properly chilled and double strain into a rocks glass before a garnish of your choice – we like lemon peel.
TEQUILA SOUR
The Tequila Sour is a tantalizing fusion of two beloved classics: the 1920s sour cocktail and the ever-iconic Margarita. This harmonious concoction marries the vibrancy of tequila with the zesty allure of citrus. Tequila Reposado, with its nuanced hints of vanilla and caramel, dances elegantly with the tangy lime and lemon juices, culminating in a symphony of sweet and tart flavours. To add a touch of luxury, an egg white lends a luscious mouthfeel and a frothy foam topping.
Ingredients
60ml Tequila (Espolon Reposado works well)
15ml Lime juice
30ml lemon juice
10ml syrup (could use agave syrup)
½ egg white (optional)
Method
Spoiler alert: most sours are made the same way so again, dry shake if you’re including the egg, then wet shake (ice), and strain for a finessed finish! Delish.
Rum SOUR
A proper glass of tropical reverie, the Rum Sour is a wonderful example of simple ingredients in perfect harmony. The warmth of the dark rum, the decadence of the egg white, the zip and tang from the lime, and the sweet orange juice – there’s so much going on and in the best possibly way.
Ingredients
50ml Dark Rum (Bacardi 8YO Reserva Ocho works well)
25ml Orange Juice
25ml Lime Juice
12ml Syrup
½ Egg White
Method
Mix all ingredients together without ice and shake, add ice and shake once more. Fine strain into a cocktail glass. Sit back and enjoy!
GIN SOUR
A wonderfully light on its feet, refreshing and botanical twist on a Whisky Sour, the Gin Sour is similar to a Gimlet but with lemon rather than lime. Zesty lemon brings sunny brightness and intensity which intertwines gracefully as a natural partner with the botanical depths of the gin. A delicious exploration of taste and texture that is both subtle and intense – one of our favourites.
Ingredients
60ml gin (London dry style)
25ml lemon juice
½ egg white
10ml syrup
Dash of Angostura (optional)
Lemon wheel (garnish)
Method
It’s the same again – dry shake, icy shake, strain and serve – we did say they were simple! Garnish with a lemon wheel for a fresh citrus scent.
VODKA SOUR
The egg white really brings out the creamy profile of a good vodka, the clean steel of which is fantastic foundations for the vibrant lemon and lime to dance on. Some syrup is definitely needed to bring balance, and we really recommend Angostura for subtle complexity and rounding off. One of the crispest sours you can make.
Ingredients
60ml vodka
20ml lemon juice
10ml lime juice
½ egg white
10ml syrup (experiment withs strawberry syrup!)
Dash of Angostura
Lemon wheel (garnish)
Method
You know the drill when it comes to Sours by now - dry shake, icy shake, strain and serve! Try out strawberry syrup with this one by boiling strawberries with sugar and straining!
PISCO SOUR
If you don’t know about Pisco then you’re seriously missing out – check out our guide here! It’s a South American grape brandy with gentle herbal, fruity notes and this is the most famous cocktail using it. No lemon here, just lime which when shaken with the syrup, egg, and Pisco, creates a really moreish mix that hits you with tartness, but then sweetness, all with a silky mouthfeel and herbaceous touch on the finish. Unforgettable on a first try.
Ingredients
30ml Pisco
15ml lime juice
15ml simple syrup
1 egg white
Angostura bitters
Lemon wheel (garnish)
Method
Add everything except the Angostura and dry shake thoroughly. Add ice and repeat until it feels chilled. Strain into a pre-chilled glass and garnish with 3 so drops of Angostura bitters. To give it a special touch, use a toothpick to swirl the bitters into the mix creating a colourful pattern.
AMARETTO SOUR
Another liquid that boasts of the Sour as it’s most famous cocktail is Amaretto, the sweet almond-flavoured liqueur. One of our absolute favourites, the sweet ‘n’ sour marriage works so deliciously here with the froth. Subtle nuttiness, marzipan-esque sweetness and bright citrus - stunning.
Ingredients
60ml amaretto
30ml fresh lemon juice
1 dash aromatic bitters (Angostura)
15ml egg white
Optional garnish: Maraschino cherry
Method
Break down that egg white by shaking without ice, then repeat with ice and yep, you guessed it – strain over ice. Nom.
For a change of pace but sticking with the theme of easy to make but tasty cocktails, explore our lovely Prosecco cocktail guide here!