Pisco Sour

Pisco Sour peruano

A frothy, tart sour of pisco, fresh lemon juice and syrup, finished with aromatic bitters on a silky egg-white foam.

17.8% ABV
Shaken
3 min
Wine glass
sour
citrusy
refreshing
IBA official cocktail · Contemporary Classics

about 1.4 standard drinks (US, 14 g of alcohol). Estimated after dilution with ice.

Ingredients

2 ozPiscoA grape brandy from Peru or Chile.
1 ozFresh lemon juiceFreshly squeezed. Lime juice is a common variation in the same quantity.
¾ ozSimple syrup
1Egg whiteThe white of one egg, or the equivalent in pasteurized egg white. It gives the drink its foam and silky texture.
3 dashesAromatic bittersDropped on top of the foam, for aroma and a visible finish.

Ice: No ice · Garnish: aromatic bitters

Method

Chill a stemmed goblet (a small wine glass works) with ice and water while you prepare the drink, then discard the ice and water.
Pour 60 ml pisco, 30 ml fresh lemon juice, 20 ml simple syrup and 1 egg white into a shaker.
Add ice cubes and shake very hard for about 15 seconds, until the shaker is cold.
Strain into the chilled goblet, without ice, and let the foam settle for a few seconds.
Garnish with 3 dashes of aromatic bitters dropped on top of the foam.

Tips

For a thicker, finer foam, shake first without ice for 10 seconds, then add ice and shake again before straining.
Squeeze the lemon juice just before mixing. Use pasteurized egg white suitable for whipping, especially if serving anyone vulnerable to foodborne illness.
Many Peruvian-style versions use lime juice instead of lemon. Use the same 30 ml for a slightly sharper, more aromatic drink.

Swaps

Missing something? These swaps change the taste a little but keep the drink balanced.

Simple syrup → Cane sugar syrup

History

The Pisco Sour is the best-known pisco cocktail and is closely tied to Peru, though Chile also claims the drink. Its creation is often credited to Victor Morris, an American bartender who ran a bar in Lima in the early 1920s. It follows the classic sour formula of spirit, citrus and sugar, with egg white added for texture.