Pisco Sour
Pisco, lime and sugar with egg white and drops of bitters on the foam. The pride of Peru and Chile.
Shaken · Coupe · Advanced · about 3 minutes · about 14% ABV
Ingredients
- 60 ml Pisco
- 30 ml Fresh lime juice
- 22.5 ml Sugar syrup
- 1 Egg white
- 3 dashes Angostura bitters
Method
- Chill the glass
- Pour 60 ml pisco into the shaker
- Add 30 ml fresh lime juice
- Pour 22.5 ml sugar syrup into the shaker
- Add 1 egg white
- Dry shake
- Add ice
- Shake hard
- Strain
- Top with 3 dashes Angostura bitters
- Serve
Tip
Dry shake first, then shake with ice for a thick foam.
About the Pisco Sour
The Pisco Sour was created by American bartender Victor "Gringo" Morris in Lima, Peru, around 1920. Mario Bruiget, a bartender at his bar, later added egg white and Angostura bitters. Peru and Chile both claim pisco and celebrate national Pisco Sour days.
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.
Pisco Sour FAQ
What's in a Pisco Sour?
60 ml pisco, 30 ml fresh lime juice, 22.5 ml sugar syrup, 1 egg white, 3 dashes angostura bitters.
How strong is a Pisco Sour?
About 14% ABV once mixed with ice, which is 2.0 Australian standard drinks per serve. That is about as strong as a glass of wine or lighter.
Should I shake or stir a Pisco 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 a Pisco Sour in?
A coupe, about 180 ml. Chill the glass first and serve without ice. No coupe? Use a martini glass or small wine glass.
