Amaretto Sour
Amaretto and bourbon with lemon and egg white. Jeffrey Morgenthaler's fix for a too-sweet classic.
Shaken · Rocks glass · Advanced · about 3 minutes · about 12% ABV
Ingredients
- 45 ml Amaretto
- 22.5 ml Bourbon
- 30 ml Fresh lemon juice
- 7.5 ml Sugar syrup
- 1 Egg white
- Lemon twist (garnish)
- Cocktail cherry (garnish)
Method
- Pour 45 ml amaretto into the shaker
- Pour 22.5 ml bourbon into the shaker
- Add 30 ml fresh lemon juice
- Pour 7.5 ml sugar syrup into the shaker
- Add 1 egg white
- Dry shake
- Add ice
- Shake hard
- Strain
- Garnish
About the Amaretto Sour
The Amaretto Sour became popular in the 1970s, when amaretto liqueur was heavily marketed in the US. In 2012, Portland bartender Jeffrey Morgenthaler published an improved version with bourbon, which made the drink fashionable again.
The sour family. Sours are one of the oldest mixed-drink families. Spirit, citrus and sugar go back to the punches British sailors and traders drank in the 1600s and 1700s, and Jerry Thomas printed sour recipes in the first American bartending book in 1862. Egg white came later, for a silky foam. Almost every classic with fresh citrus, from the Daiquiri to the Whiskey Sour, follows this pattern.
Amaretto Sour FAQ
What's in an Amaretto Sour?
45 ml amaretto, 22.5 ml bourbon, 30 ml fresh lemon juice, 7.5 ml sugar syrup, 1 egg white, garnished with lemon twist and cocktail cherry.
How strong is an Amaretto Sour?
About 12% ABV once mixed with ice, which is 1.6 Australian standard drinks per serve. That is about as strong as a glass of wine or lighter.
Should I shake or stir an Amaretto Sour?
Shake it. Egg needs hard shaking to foam, and citrus, juice and cream need shaking to mix properly and gain a light, lively texture.
What glass do you serve an Amaretto Sour in?
A rocks glass, about 300 ml. Serve it over ice. No rocks glass? Use any short, heavy tumbler.
