Whiskey Sour Recipe: How to Make a Whiskey Sour

The Whiskey Sour was invented in the 1860s, but British Navy sailors had been drinking something very similar for a long time before that. Fresh and clean water was difficult to find on long sea journeys, so sailors commonly used whiskey, rum and other spirits to substitute. Aside from lack of clean water, many sailors suffered from scurvy, a potentially fatal disease caused in part by lack of vitamin C. Sailors consumed lemons and limes to help prevent the disease from spreading. For many years, sailors on the sea drank whiskey sours. Their popularity grew when they finally arrived on the shores of the United States. There are three main references on the official record. The first record is written in Jerry Thomas' seminal 1862 book, The Bartender's Guide: How to Mix Drinks. The second reference comes from a Wisconsin newspaper, the Waukesha Plainsdealer in 1870. The final record is in 1872 and states that Elliot Staub, a former ship steward, "invented" a drink called the Whiskey Sour in a bar in Iquique, Peru.

The Whiskey Sour recipe includes bourbon, fresh lime juice, sugar syrup, Angostura bitters and egg whites. A Whiskey Sour tastes like caramel and vanilla from the whiskey, with a sour factor coming from the small amount of lime juice. A Whiskey Sour is best recommended for someone who likes whiskey with a sour mix to cover the alcohol taste.

What are the ingredients for a Whiskey Sour?

Listed below are the following ingredients for a Whiskey Sour.

• 60ml Bourbon: Bourbon is a distilled liquor that has been aged in barrels and is made primarily from corn.
• 30ml Fresh lemon juice: Fresh lemon juice is a liquid extracted from the lemon fruit that is notably sour and commonly condensed.
• 15ml Sugar syrup: Sugar syrup is a sweet liquid made by dissolving sugar in water. It is commonly used to sweeten cocktails.
• 15ml white eggs: It is a clear liquid that is contained within an egg.
• 2 dashes Angostura bitters: Angostura bitters are concentrated bitters that are derived from herbs, spices and gentians.

1. 60ml bourbon

Bourbon is a necessary ingredient in a Whiskey Sour because it adds vanilla and oak notes without overpowering the balance between the sweet and sour flavours in the drink. Bourbon contains vanilla, oak and caramel notes. Bourbon is sweeter than other whiskey styles and contains about 40% alcohol by volume with 140 calories per 60 ml. There are many different types of whiskeys to choose from when making a Whiskey Sour, including Elijah Craig Small Batch, Four Roses Bourbon, Nikka Days Whisky, Old Elk Blended Straight Bourbon, Rittenhouse, Traverse City American Cherry Edition, Knappogue Castle 12 Year Single Malt, Jack Daniel’s Gentleman Jack and Lot 40 Rye Whisky.

2. 30ml fresh lemon juice

Fresh lemon juice is a necessary ingredient in a Whiskey Sour because it provides balance to the whiskey. Fresh lemon juice has a sour taste because it contains citric acid. Fresh lemon juice has 8 calories per 30ml. Freshly squeezed lemon juice is the best for making a Whiskey Sour. Bottled lemon juices will reduce the quality of the drink, making it either too sweet or too sour.

3. 15ml sugar syrup

Simple syrup is necessary for making a Whiskey Sour because it also gives balance to the whiskey and makes the drink sweet. Simple syrup tastes like light caramel. Simple syrup has 46 calories per 15ml. Sugar syrup is made from equal measures water and sugar by heating both ingredients in a pan until the sugar dissolves completely.

4. 15ml egg whites

15ml of egg whites are necessary for making a Whiskey Sour because they add a particular texture, creaminess and richness.

5. 2 dashes of Angostura bitters

2 dashes of Angostura bitters are necessary for making a Whiskey Sour because they add a nice finishing touch to the drink, giving it its complexity and depth of flavour. Angostura bitters have 35 to 45% of alcohol content with 12 calories per serving.

How to make a Whiskey Sour?

Preparing a Whiskey Sour has never been easier thanks to this recipe, so don't miss it and make the most out of your cocktail

1. Pour all the ingredients into a shaker.
2. Dry shake (no ice) to combine the egg white.
3. Add ice and shake again until ice-cold.
4. Fine strain into a sour or rocks glass.
5. Garnish with an orange twist and a cherry.

1. Pour all the ingredients into a shaker.

Combine all the prepared ingredients which are 2 ounces (60 ml) bourbon, 30ml lemon juice, 15ml simple syrup and 2 dashes of Angostura bitters into a cocktail shaker. Combining all the ingredients is necessary for making a Whiskey Sour because it balances out the sweetness of the drink.

2. Dry shake with no ice to combine the egg white.

Shake all the ingredients well with no ice for about 20 seconds, then add the egg whites. Making sure the cocktail is mixed well in a cocktail shaker is necessary to thoroughly combine the drink's ingredients and achieve the unified flavour.

3. Fine strain into a sour or rocks glass.

Strain the cocktail into a rocks glass filled with ice by using a slotted spoon. To use a slotted spoon, put it into the glass with the bowl of the spoon facing down. Using your forefinger, grasp the strainer firmly between the handle and the bowl, with the glass close to the rim. Pour the drink slowly from the cocktail shaker to the serving glass. Straining is necessary to remove the ice and bits of the freshly squeezed lemon from the mixture.

4. Garnish with an orange twist and cherry.

Garnish with an orange twist and cherry. To garnish with an orange twist and cherry, the bartender can use a citrus fruit boat. To make a citrus fruit boat, wrap the slice of an orange wheel into a small funnel and skewer the orange wheel with a maraschino cherry in the centre. Garnishing with an orange twist and cherry is necessary when making a Whiskey Sour because it adds the finishing touch and flavour to the Whiskey Sour drink.

What nutritional benefit can you get from drinking a Whiskey Sour?

There are nutritional benefits when drinking 1 cocktail of Whiskey Sour which include 1% of vitamin B1, and 2% of vitamin C. Whiskey can reduce cholesterol in the drinker’s body. 1 cocktail of Whiskey Sour has 148 calories.

Is egg white in all sours?

Adding egg white to the cocktail is optional; it reduces the sourness and makes the texture smoother. There are multiple sour drinks that include the use of egg whites, including the Amaretto Sour, Gin Fizz, Clover Club, Pisco Sour, Sloe Gin Fizz, Tequila Sour, White Lady Cocktail, Gin Sour and Vodka Sour.

What are the different variations of a Whiskey Sour?

There are multiple variations of Whiskey Sour, including Berry Whiskey Sour, Spiced Whiskey Sour, Sweet Whiskey Sour, Fruity Whiskey Sour and Herb Whiskey Sour. To variate a Whiskey Sour, the bartender should add a berry, any fruit, herbs and spices. There are no particular ingredients when variating a Whiskey Sour, besides adding some berry or any fruit, herbs and spices, but the bartender can change the garnish depending on the variation. The Whiskey Sour is similar to some other cocktails, including the Pickle Sour, Tamarind Whiskey Sour, New York Sour, Bourbon-Blackberry Cocktail, Strawberry Peppercorn Smash, Pisco Sour, Margarita, Paloma, Daiquiri, Sidecar, American 25 and Ramos Gin Fizz.