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Inspired by the Peruvian version, this frothy Pisco Sour cocktail is made with Pisco brandy, citrus juice, simple syrup, and an egg white garnished with orange bitters.
Table of Contents
Recipe ingredients
At a Glance: Here is a quick snapshot of what ingredients are in this recipe.
Please see the recipe card below for specific quantities.
Ingredient notes
- Pisco brandy: A brandy (from fermented grapes) made in Peru or Chile.
- Egg white: Optional but recommended for a frothy top on your drink. Omit if you cannot or do not want to consume raw eggs.
- Lemon juice: The IBA version of the cocktail is made with lemon juice, but the original Pisco Sours were made with lime.
- Simple syrup: To make it yourself, combine 1 cup water and 1 cup sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir until sugar is dissolved (do not boil). Remove from heat and cool before adding 1 tablespoon (or more to taste) to your cocktail shaker with the other ingredients. Store leftover simple syrup covered in the refrigerator for 3-4 weeks.
Step-by-step instructions
- To a cocktail shaker, add pisco, egg white (if using), lime juice, and simple syrup (without ice). Shake vigorously until well mixed, about 30 seconds to 1 minute.
- To the shaker, add ice about half way, shake again to chill everything, about 30 seconds to a minute. Strain into a chilled Nick & Nora glass (or Old Fashioned glass), garnish with 3 to 5 drops of Angostura bitters, and serve.
Recipe tips and variations
- Yield: This recipe makes 1 cocktail.
- Glassware: The Pisco Sour is traditionally made in a Nick and Nora glass, stemmed cocktail glass somewhere between a martini glass and a coupe glass. Nick and Nora Charles are a fictional married couple from the book The Thin Man by Dashiell Hammett. The glass is named after them (he, an alcoholic detective and her, a wealthy heiress).
- Big batch: Pisco Sours are best prepared one delicious drink at a time.
- Chilean Pisco Sour: Substitute Chilean pisco for the Peruvian variety and Pica lime for the lemon juice. Omit the egg white and orange bitters.
- Piscola: Pisco brandy with cola.
- Chilcano: Pisco brandy with ginger ale.
- Capitán: Pisco brandy with vermouth.
- California Pisco Punch: Peruvian pisco, pineapple juice, and lemon.
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Pisco Sour
Inspired by the Peruvian version, this frothy Pisco Sour cocktail is made with Pisco brandy, citrus juice, simple syrup, and an egg white garnished with orange bitters.
Ingredients
- 2 ounces Pisco brandy (¼ cup, see note 1)
- 1 egg white (optional, see note 2)
- 1 ounce fresh lemon juice (2 tablespoons, see note 3)
- 3/4 ounce simple syrup (1 tablespoon plus 1 ½ teaspoons, see note 4)
- 3 to 5 drops Angostura Orange Bitters for garnish
Instructions
- To a cocktail shaker, add pisco, egg white (if using), lime juice, and simple syrup (without ice). Shake vigorously until well mixed, about 30 seconds to 1 minute.
- To the shaker, add ice about half way, shake again to chill everything, about 30 seconds to a minute.
- Strain into a chilled Nick & Nora glass (or Old Fashioned glass), garnish with 3 to 5 drops of Angostura bitters, and serve.
Notes
- Pisco brandy: A brandy (from fermented grapes) made in Peru or Chile.
- Egg white: Optional but recommended for a frothy top on your drink. Omit if you cannot or do not want to consume raw eggs.
- Lemon juice: The IBA version of the cocktail is made with lemon juice, but the original Pisco Sours were made with lime.
- Simple syrup: To make it yourself, combine 1 cup water and 1 cup sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir until sugar is dissolved (do not boil). Remove from heat and cool before adding 1 tablespoon (or more to taste) to your cocktail shaker with the other ingredients. Store leftover simple syrup covered in the refrigerator for 3-4 weeks.
- Yield: This recipe makes 1 cocktail.
- Glassware: The Pisco Sour is traditionally made in a Nick and Nora glass, stemmed cocktail glass somewhere between a martini glass and a coupe glass. Nick and Nora Charles are a fictional married couple from the book The Thin Man by Dashiell Hammett. The glass is named after them (he, an alcoholic detective and her, a wealthy heiress).
- Big batch: Pisco Sours are best prepared one delicious drink at a time.
- Chilean Pisco Sour: Substitute Chilean pisco for the Peruvian variety and Pica lime for the lemon juice. Omit the egg white and orange bitters.
- Piscola: Pisco brandy with cola.
- Chilcano: Pisco brandy with ginger ale.
- Capitán: Pisco brandy with vermouth.
- California Pisco Punch: Peruvian pisco, pineapple juice, and lemon.
Nutrition
Serving: 1cocktailCalories: 224kcalCarbohydrates: 19gProtein: 3gFat: 1gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 63mgPotassium: 93mgFiber: 1gSugar: 17gVitamin A: 2IUVitamin C: 11mgCalcium: 7mgIron: 1mg
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Meggan Hill is a classically-trained chef and professional writer. Her meticulously-tested recipes and detailed tutorials bring confidence and success to home cooks everywhere. Meggan has been featured on NPR, HuffPost, FoxNews, LA Times, and more.