Our pisco sour recipe stays true to the traditional build, blending pisco with lime juice, simple syrup and an egg white. The egg white is a must; it provides a silky, frothy texture and a creamy mouthfeel without altering the flavor of the drink. It also creates a foamy head that’s essential to the presentation of your pisco sour.
What is pisco?
Pisco is a clean and aromatic brandy made from intensely floral grapes. This spirit has strong roots in Peru and Chile, with both countries claiming to have invented and distilled pisco first. While the exact origins remain unclear, we do know that grapes were distilled in South America as early as the 1500s. The pisco sour-type cocktail is believed to have been first served during Prohibition by Victor Morris, an American expat in Peru. Later, in 1930, a similar recipe appeared in Chile.
The drink remained a South American favorite, occasionally enjoyed by tourists and travelers, until it began to appear on menus in New York in the 1960s. It gained significant popularity during the classic cocktail renaissance of the early 2000s.
Pisco Sour Ingredients
- Pisco: This South American grape-based spirit has been enjoyed for centuries. Its has distinct but subtle flavors of sweet vanilla and citrus and aromas of white pepper and cinnamon.
- Lime juice: This drink is sour (it’s right there in the name!). Fresh-squeezed lime juice adds brightness to balance the flavors of this cocktail. Use Key lime juice if it’s in season.
- Simple syrup: Sugar and water mixed in equal parts (aka simple syrup) adds sweetness to this sour.
- Pasteurized liquid egg whites: Most grocery stores carry pre-separated egg whites in the dairy case.
- Angostura bitters: There are many types of bitters, but Angostura is the most popular. Found in the arsenal of any bartender worth their salt, bitters are a complex melange of gentian and spices like cinnamon and clove.
Directions
Step 1: Dry shake
Fill a shaker with pisco, lime, simple syrup and egg white. Do not add ice! Cover and shake the cocktail vigorously until it’s foamy, about 15 seconds.
Editor’s Tip: If you decide to separate your own eggs, keep them cold. The yolk will be easier to remove. Even one tiny bit of yellow will hurt your chances for perfect foam.
Step 2: Shake with ice
Add ice to the shaker. Cover and shake the cocktail again until it’s well chilled. Strain it into a chilled cocktail glass.
Editor’s Tip: Use a Hawthorne strainer across the top of your shaker and, as an extra touch, pour it through a fine-mesh strainer to remove any juice pulp or ice shards.
Step 3: Top with a dash of bitters
Sprinkle two to three drops of bitters on top of the foam.
Editor’s Tip: Put bitters in an eyedropper for a smaller, more precise drip that will stay on top of your foam. Then, run a straw or toothpick through the droplets of bitters for a fun design.
Recipe Variations
- Squeeze a lemon: For a different flavor, use lemon juice instead of lime juice, or mix both lime and lemon together. Any kind of sour citrus makes a great pisco pairing.
- Incorporate tropical fruit: Shake the pisco sour with passion fruit or pineapple juice. Be sure to test your balance of sweet and sour, though. You may need a little more citrus.
- Add herbs: I muddle mint or basil in the bottom of the shaker for an extra layer of flavor.
- Use honey: Honey syrup brings richer, warmer tones to the cocktail than simple syrup.
Can you make pisco sours ahead of time?
Cocktails using egg whites (known as “flips”) are challenging to make ahead of time. The frothy foam finish happens best when poured fresh from the shaker one cocktail at a time. That being said, if you are making pisco sours for a crowd, you can mix your lime juice, simple syrup and pisco and refrigerate them for up to four days. When you’re ready to serve, shake one or two cocktails at a time for the best results.
Editor’s Note: If you separate the eggs yourself, the whites should not be stored at room temperature. Keep them in the fridge for up to four days in a tightly sealed container. Separated, pasteurized egg whites from the grocery store can last up to 10 days when unopened, and three days once opened.
Pisco Sour Tips
In what type of glass should you serve a pisco sour?
A sturdy old-fashioned glass and a chilled coupe are both great cocktail glass options. Vintage barware is fun, too, as long as the glass isn’t too big or too small. This drink pours out at about 5 ounces—but save room for foam!
What else can you serve with a pisco sour?
A pisco sour tastes good with almost anything. Fresh summer salads and seafood like Chilean sea bass come to mind, but if you want to go all out, prepare a Peruvian feast for your friends and family. Empanadas, ceviche or locro de papa will make your party taste like it’s come straight from Peru.
