Pisco Sour

About This Recipe

The Pisco Sour is Peru's national cocktail — a finely balanced sour built on pisco, the country's grape brandy, brightened with fresh lime juice, sweetened just enough with simple syrup, and given body and a silky head by egg white. A few drops of Angostura bitters float on the foam, both for aroma and as a classic visual flourish. The drink is frothy, sharply tart, gently sweet, and aromatic, with the pisco's distinctive grape character at its center. The secret to its luxurious texture is the dry shake, blending everything without ice first to whip the egg white into a stable foam before chilling. Peru celebrates the cocktail with its own national day each February, and its preparation is a point of considerable local pride. Made well, it's one of the most elegant sours in the world.

Ingredients

Serves 1

• 75 mlpisco (Peruvian quebranta or acholado)
• 30 mlfresh lime juice
• 20 mlsimple syrup
• 1egg white
• 1 cupice cubes
• 2 dropsAngostura bitters (for top)

Instructions

1. 1

   Combine in shaker

   Add the pisco, fresh lime juice, simple syrup, and egg white to a cocktail shaker without ice. Building it ice-free first lets the egg white aerate properly in the next step.

2. 2

   Dry shake

   Shake hard without ice for about 15 seconds. This dry shake emulsifies the egg white into the fine, stable foam that crowns the finished drink.

   Shake more vigorously than feels necessary; a lazy dry shake gives a thin, short-lived foam.

3. 3

   Add ice

   Add the ice cubes and shake hard for another 15 seconds, this time to chill and properly dilute the cocktail to its ideal strength and temperature.

4. 4

   Strain

   Double-strain through the shaker's strainer and a fine mesh sieve into a chilled coupe glass. Double-straining holds back ice shards so the surface stays smooth for the foam.

   Chill the coupe in advance so the drink and its foam last longer in the glass.

5. 5

   Decorate

   Drop 2-3 dashes of Angostura bitters onto the foam in a pattern, and if you like, drag a toothpick through them to draw a design. The bitters add aroma with each sip.

6. 6

   Serve

   Serve immediately while the foam is thick and pillowy, since it begins to settle within a few minutes of pouring.

Variations

• •

  Maracuyá sour: add about 30ml passion fruit juice for a tropical twist.

• •

  Aguaymanto sour: use Peruvian goldenberry (gooseberry) juice.

• •

  Coca sour or other fruit sours swap in regional flavors.

• •

  For a vegan version, use aquafaba (chickpea brine) in place of egg white.

Storage

A pisco sour is meant to be made and drunk immediately, as the foam dissipates within a few minutes and the texture is central to the experience. You can squeeze lime juice and mix the simple syrup ahead, but shake the cocktail itself only when you're ready to serve.

Frequently Asked Questions