Sours · Pisco · IBA official
The first sip goes through a cushion of cold foam before the grape brandy arrives, floral and bright, with lime-sharp acidity behind it. A few dark drops of Angostura on top add spice to every sip.
2 oz
pisco Peruvian Quebranta works welle.g. BarSol · Pisco Porton · Capel · Macchu Pisco · Control C
1 oz
lemon juice freshly squeezed; in Peru small limes are used
¾ oz
simple syrup
1
egg white fresh
3 drop
Angostura bitters dropped on the foamBuy on Amazon →
Garnish: Three drops of Angostura bitters · Ice: Served up, no ice
Pisco Sour
Bright, tart and lightly sweet, with the floral grape character of pisco. The egg white makes it silky and rounds off the acidity.
The best documented story leads to Lima in the early 20th century. Victor Vaughen Morris, an American who had moved to Peru, ran Morris' Bar there, and his clientele drank a simple sour of pisco, lime and sugar. According to one widely told account, his bartender Mario Bruiget later refined it with egg white and Angostura bitters, giving the drink the form known today.
Chile also claims both pisco and the Pisco Sour, and the argument between the two countries is an old and lively one. Chilean versions are usually made with Chilean pisco and often without egg white. In Peru the drink is a national symbol and has its own celebration day every February.
Both countries claim it. The earliest well documented version is from Morris' Bar in Lima, Peru, but Chile has its own long tradition of the drink.
Yes, a raw egg white is shaken in for foam. Use very fresh eggs, or pasteurised egg white or aquafaba if you prefer.
The IBA specification uses lemon juice, while Peruvians use their small, sharp local limes. Both work well.
The perfect sound
A proud toast from Lima to the Andes.
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