A clean, bright sour that lets the botanicals of the gin show. With egg white it gains a velvety foam and a softer texture, without it stays sharp and zesty.
2 oz
London dry gine.g. Tanqueray · Gordon's · Beefeater · Bombay Sapphire · Sipsmith
1 oz
lemon juice freshly squeezed
½ oz
simple syrup
½ oz
egg white or aquafaba (optional)
3 drop
Angostura bitters on the foam (optional)Buy on Amazon →
Garnish: Lemon twist, optional drops of Angostura · Ice: Served up, no ice
Gin Sour
Lemony and bright, juniper forward, with a gentle sweetness. With egg white it becomes round and creamy with a light foam.
The sour is one of the oldest cocktail families. Jerry Thomas included gin, brandy and other sours in his bartender's guide of 1862, all built on spirit, citrus and sugar. The Gin Sour is that template at its simplest.
Egg white was not always part of a sour. It became common in the twentieth century, especially for the Whiskey Sour and Pisco Sour, and it is now optional in most bars. The Gin Sour is also the parent of several famous drinks: add soda and you have a Gin Fizz, lengthen it over ice for a Tom Collins, or add raspberry and egg white for a Clover Club.
No. It adds texture and foam, but a Gin Sour without it is just as traditional.
Shaking the ingredients without ice first, which helps the egg white foam before chilling.
Lemon is traditional in a Gin Sour. Lime makes it sharper and closer to a Gimlet.
The perfect sound
A bright and silky classic with a gentle bite.
Reader rating
Thanks for rating
Updated:
