Average
Sour & Frothy
4 minutes
Rocks Glass
Ingredients
The Gin Sour is a classic cocktail and a personal favorite, and one that never fails to impress.
Part of the Sours family alongside the Whiskey Sour, Vodka Sour and Pisco Sour, it follows the same timeless formula of spirit, citrus and sweetener, with egg white adding that signature foamy head and velvety texture.
Made with gin, fresh lemon juice, simple syrup and egg white, shaken and fine strained into a rocks glass, garnished with a lemon wedge and a maraschino cherry.
What makes the Gin Sour stand out is the gin itself – those botanical and juniper notes bring a complexity to the sour formula that’s hard to find anywhere else.
How to Make a gin sour cocktail
Bar tools you’ll need
Fine Strainer
Jigger
Knife
Boston Shaker
Citrus Elbow
How to Mix
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Fill the smaller tin of a Boston shaker with ice cubes.
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Measure and pour gin into the shaker tin using a jigger (or other measuring tool).
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Cut your lemon(s) in half and use a citrus elbow or press to extract the juice, saving a wedge for garnish.
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Measure and pour lemon juice into the shaker tin.
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Measure and add simple syrup to the shaker tin.
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Crack an egg and separate the whites from the yolk, adding the whites to the shaker.
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Seal your shaker by connecting the two tins and shake vigorously until the outside is frosty.
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Separate the shaker tins, place a Hawthorne strainer over the larger tin, and strain the cocktail into the smaller tin. Discard the ice.
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Seal the shaker again and shake once more.
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Add ice cubes to a rocks glass.
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Place the Hawthorne strainer over the smaller shaker tin and pour the cocktail directly into the glass.
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Garnish with a lemon wedge and a maraschino cherry placed directly into the glass.
All about the Gin Sour
Gin Sour is a popular, classic cocktail that belongs to the sour family of cocktails. A classic Gin Sour is made with gin, lemon juice, simple syrup, and egg whites.
A perfect balance of sweet and sour. Gin’s botanical notes blend seamlessly with tangy lemon juice, which is all balanced out by the simple syrup Egg whites (or aquafaba) give the drink a wonderfully foamy top and an incredible mouthfeel. It’s a perfect drink!
The exact origins of the Gin Sour are unknown, but it likely emerged in the mid-late 19th century.
The history of sour cocktails begins with the Whiskey Sour, which has roots in naval history where British sailors mixed spirits with citrus in an (erroneous) attempt to prevent scurvy.
The first recorded mention of a Sour cocktail dates back to 1856, with the Whiskey Sour among the earliest. Although the Whiskey Sour was the original, the “Sour family of cocktails” has evolved to include numerous variations, such as the Gin Sour.
- Shake twice – a wet shake, then a dry shake
When making any sour, start with a wet shake followed by a dry shake. In other words, shake your Gin Sour with ice first, then strain out the ice and shake again without it. This technique emulsifies your drink, creating that essential foam. Plus, it eliminates the need for fine straining. - Serve your Gin Sour in a chilled glass
A chilled glass just adds to the overall drink experience. Simply place your glassware in the freezer approximately 30 minutes before mixing.
All sours are variations of the original sour – the Whiskey Sour. So, if you’re looking for variations of a Gin Sour, simply swap the gin for another spirit base, and you’ve got a new sour. The possibilities are endless!
- Swap egg whites for aquafaba
If you don’t wish to use egg whites in your Gin Sour, you can use aquafaba, which works as a great egg white substitute. Aquafaba is made from the brine of cooked chickpeas – it’s easy to acquire and easy to use. - Leave out the egg whites completely
Although egg whites are traditionally used to make sours, you can choose to omit them altogether. Just be aware that your drink won’t have the signature foam on top.
- Being that it’s a sour, we recommend serving the Gin Sour in a chilled rocks glass filled with ice cubes.
- To garnish your Gin Sour, it’s mandatory to add a lemon wedge and a maraschino cherry. It’s the classic way; it’s the right way.
- While our recipe skips them, you can always top your Gin Sour with a couple of dashes of aromatic bitters on the foam, just like all other sours.
Gin Sour FAQ
The main difference between a Gin Sour and a Gin Fizz is the addition of soda water in a Gin Fizz. While both drinks include gin, citrus juice, and sugar, a Gin Fizz is also topped off with carbonated water, giving it a bubbly texture and lighter flavor.
Yes, a traditional Gin Sour includes egg white. This ingredient contributes to the drink’s unique foamy texture and adds creaminess. However, if you don’t wish to use eggs, you can use Aquafaba, which is a fantastic egg white substitute that is easy to find and easy to use.
Where a Gin Sour is made with gin, lemon juice, simple syrup, egg white and, commonly, bitters, a Gimlet is made with gin, lime juice and simple syrup.
