Brandy Sour cocktail recipe

What do brandy, whiskey, rum, gin, pisco, and amaretto, have in common? All of these liquors are commonly served as a sour. What’s a ‘sour’? Liquor, citrus, sweetener, and, usually, egg white. As one of the oldest cocktail families, the sour is loved for its simplicity, versatility, and for being downright tasty.

The evolution of the Brandy Sour is tricky to trace. There’s a Cypriot version from the 1930s that was supposedly invented to look like iced tea so the King of a particular muslim country could enjoy sly cocktails abroad. Our recipe is more traditional, and harkens back to the first published recipe that appears in Jerry Thomas’ 1862 volume The Bartender’s Guide.

Brandy Sours are sweet, sour (of course), and fruity, with a smooth, creamy texture thanks to the emulsified egg white. Since brandy is the hero, the brandy selection will shape your drinking experience. The sour is the perfect platform to help you find your favourite brandy, in the same way you know your favourite gin or whisky.

Brandy is sweeter than whisky, but still a serious spirit. It offers a more fragrant experience – think flowers, fresh and dried fruits and zesty top notes. And, like whisky, some brandy is aged in oak to impart spicy secondary characters. And remember – all Cognac is brandy, but not all brandy is Cognac. This reminds us of two things: Cognac is brandy made in a small area of southwest France, and you can, and should, experiment with Cognac when making a Brandy Sour.

As mentioned, your choice of brandy, or Cognac, is key to a Brandy Sour that you’ll love. Like whisky, there’s a whole world of brandy to explore. It may not have the reputation of whisky, but brandy fans will tell you otherwise.

The inclusion of egg white means this cocktail is not vegan. However, you could try substituting the egg white for alternatives such as aquafaba, or cocktail foamer.

Speaking of egg white, take note of the ‘dry shake’ step. A dry shake means to first shake the ingredients together without ice. Recipes containing egg white will usually call for a dry shake because it helps the egg white to emulsify, which produces a smooth, frothy texture. After the dry shake, you can add ice, and shake again until the tin is frosty.