The Modern-Classic Pisco Sour Cocktail Recipe

Peruvian Pisco has gone global nowadays, with more and more bars around the world putting a Pisco drink on their cocktail menu.

But what is the story behind this South American cocktail? And how can we make it at home? Let’s dive right in.

What is a Pisco Sour

Pisco is a colorless or yellowish-to-amber colored brandy produced in winemaking regions of Peru and Chile. A Pisco Sour is a cocktail, with Pisco as its base spirit. A Pisco Sour combines Pisco with lime juice, simple syrup, emulsified egg white, and bitters. This cocktail belongs to the sour family of cocktails due to its strong emphasis on lime juice. 

History of the Pisco Sour

Pisco-based drinks were around as far back as the 1700s, but the invention of the Pisco Sour was reported to have been created about 200 years later. 

The most substantiated and popular belief is that the Pisco Sour was Invented by Victor Van Morris, an American bartender who left his native United States where he established his own bar, The Morris Bar, in Lima, Peru in 1903. He created the Pisco Sour in 1916 at his very own bar, located inside the Maury Hotel.

What Glass is a Pisco Sour Served In?

The proper glassware for a Pisco Sour is actually a short glass, a small coup-like glass with a narrower bowl. But odds are you likely don’t have a sour glass lying around (few do). The next best option is to use a coup glass. Your Pisco Sour will look delicious and classy in a coupe glass, no doubt about it. The next best glass is a lowball glass, sometimes called a rocks glass. 

What is the best Pisco for a Pisco Sour?

If you’re going to make a Pisco Sour, it has to be authentic. You will want an imported bottle from Peru. A bottle of Barsol Pisco will do the trick. Without breaking the bank. Another very common option for Pisco is Cara Vader. However, this one’s a little bit more on the pricey her side. But trust us, it’s worth it. However, the Pisco Sour doesn’t call for specific Pisco, so drinkers can experiment to find which they like best.

How to Make a Pisco Sour

Below are the ingredients and directions for a Pisco Sour. We hope you love this cocktail as much as we do.

Pisco Sour Cocktail

Recipe by Julian Solorzano

0.0 from 0 votes

Cuisine: Classic CocktailDifficulty: Easy ?

Servings

1

servings

Calories

300

kcal

Total time

2

minutes

Ingredients

• 2 ounces Barsol primero Quebranta Pisco

• .75 ounces Lime juice

• .75 ounces Simple syrup

• .75 ounces Emulsified egg white

• 3 drops Angostura bitters

Directions

• Shake all the ingredients (except the bitters) with ice well to fully emulsify the egg
• Strain into a small cocktail glass.
• Place several drops of the bitters on top of the foam and swirl with a cocktail pick.

Recipe Video

Notes

• If you like your Pisco Sour to be less sweet, and more sour like I do, then raise the portion of the lime juice to 1 ounce and the simple syrup down to .50 ounce.

Conclusion

So what do you think of the Pisco Sour? Love it? Hate it? What would you rate it? Let us know in the comments below. Also, be sure to subscribe to our newsletter to get great cocktail recipes just like this one, straight to your inbox. Until next time, stay safe, get hammered.