Sours

Sours are the backbone of the bar: a base spirit, fresh citrus and something sweet, shaken hard and served cold. On this page you find the whole family, from the Whiskey Sour and Pisco Sour to the Daiquiri, the Margarita and the Gimlet. Each recipe shows the exact balance, so you can see how small shifts in lemon, lime or syrup change the character of the drink.

80 cocktails

The sour formula

At its core a sour is spirit, citrus and sugar. A reliable starting point is 60 ml spirit, 30 ml fresh lemon or lime juice and 20 to 25 ml simple syrup (1:1). From there you adjust: sweeter spirits such as aged rum need less syrup, very sharp limes may need a little more. Liqueurs can replace part or all of the syrup, which is how the Sidecar, the Margarita and the Cosmopolitan work.

Egg white or not

Many sours, including the Pisco Sour and the classic Whiskey Sour, can be made with egg white. It adds a silky texture and a white foam but no real flavour. Shake all ingredients without ice first (the dry shake), then again with ice. Aquafaba (chickpea water) is a common vegan substitute.

Choosing the base

Serving tips

Shake hard for 12 to 15 seconds with plenty of ice, then double strain into a chilled coupe or over fresh ice in a rocks glass. Squeeze citrus shortly before mixing, because juice loses brightness within hours. Taste before you pour: if the drink feels thin, add a touch of syrup; if it feels flat, a few drops more citrus usually fix it.