Vodka Sour cocktail recipe

WRITTEN BY: SCOTT VAN DORT

The Vodka Sour is a classic sour cocktail and a favorite among Vodka enthusiasts.

Like its counterparts, including the Whiskey Sour, Pisco Sour, and Gin Sour, the Vodka Sour is a perfect balance of sweet, tart and tangy. It combines Fresh Pressed Lemon Juice and Simple Syrup with Egg Whites for a frothy, creamy head and delightful mouthfeel. But then there’s the smoothness of Vodka.

However, unlike the other Sours mentioned above, where the spirit base takes center stage, Vodka in this cocktail plays a balancing role, allowing the other ingredients to shine. But make no mistake, the smooth, subtle but distinct flavors of Absolut Vodka make this drink one of the best around.

How to make a Vodka Sour

What You’ll Need

• Jigger or Measuring Instrument 
• Boston Shaker
• Hawthorne Strainer
• Peeler 
• Glass or Cup (for the Egg Whites)
• Rocks Glass

How to Mix

1. Use a Jigger to measure and pour Simple Syrup into the smaller tin of your Boston Shaker.
2. Cut a Lemon in half and use a Citrus Elbow to extract the juice into the Jigger, then pour into your Shaker.
3. Measure and pour Vodka into the Shaker.
4. Add a few dashes of Angostura Bitters.
5. Crack an Egg and separate the Egg Whites from the Yolk into a Glass or Cup, then pour the Egg Whites into the Shaker. Alternatively, you can use Aquafaba as an Egg White substitute.
6. Fill the Shaker with Ice Cubes and shake until chilled.
7. Separate the Boston Shaker and place a Hawthorne Strainer over the larger tin to strain out the Ice into the smaller tin. Discard the Ice.
8. Reassemble the Boston Shaker and shake again, this time without Ice.
9. Place one large Ice Cube in a Rocks Glass.
10. Pour the cocktail directly into the Glass.
11. Use a Peeler to remove a strip of Lemon Zest. Press the zest over your drink to release the oils, then gently place the Lemon Twist into your drink.
12. Place one Fresh Cherry on top. Sip and enjoy!

The History of the Vodka Sour

To talk about the history of the Vodka Sour, or any Sour for that matter, we have to go back to the Whiskey Sour.

The first record of a Sour cocktail appears in 1856, with the Whiskey Sour being one of the earliest. In fact, the first written mention of a Whiskey Sour appeared in a Wisconsin newspaper in 1870, but it’s believed that sailors may have consumed it before that. The original Whiskey Sour recipe included Whiskey, Simple Syrup, and Lemon Juice. The addition of Egg White dates back to before 1922, where it was mentioned in a cocktail book.

The basic recipe for a Sour includes a base spirit (e.g. Gin, Vodka, Whiskey), citrus (e.g. Lemon or Lime Juice), and sweetener (e.g. Honey, Simple Syrup, Agave etc.). So, while the Whiskey Sour was arguably the first, over time, the “Sour family of cocktails” has seen countless variations, including the Pisco Sour, Amaretto Sour, and New York Sour, to name just a few. 

As Vodka gained popularity in the 20th century, bartenders started incorporating it into classic recipes, giving rise to the Vodka Sour.

Tips for Making the Perfect Vodka Sour

• Wet shake, first, then dry shake
  When making a Sour, Rico recommends starting with a ‘wet shake’ followed by a dry shake. What this means is shaking the cocktail ingredients with Ice, then straining out the Ice and shaking again without any Ice.

  “You want to emulsify the proteins to achieve a velvety, thick, creamy texture with a nice head,” Rico explains. By performing a wet shake followed by a dry shake, you also eliminate the need for fine straining, as you’ve already removed the Ice. You can then just pour the Cocktail directly from the Shaker into your Rocks Glass.

• Two-Three dashes of Angostura Bitters
  “The Angostura Bitters is going to give you some freshness, some nice clove essence. Basically, it smells and tastes like Christmas,” says Rico.

• Sweeten to your liking
  If you find the drink too tart, add more Simple Syrup. Conversely, if it’s too sweet for your taste, increase the Lemon Juice or reduce the Simple Syrup. It’s your drink, after all.

• Make your own Aquafaba
  If you decide to make your Vodka Sour with Aquafaba instead of Egg Whites like we recommend making your own Aquafaba. Why? Because when you make anything fresh and from scratch, it’s generally always better. And yes, Aquafaba is easy to make.

  “You’ll need to soak them (Raw Chickpeas) in water overnight, which is going to hydrate them. Once you’ve let these soak overnight, get rid of all the water,” explains Rico.

  “Next you want to cook your chickpeas. Once they’re done, you want to strain the Chickpeas and that’s going to leave you with the cooking liquid. Put that cooking liquid back on heat and you want to reduce it by half then you’re going to have Aquafaba.” Read this article to learn all you need to know about the Egg White substitute, Aquafaba.

 Variations of a Vodka Sour

• Mango Sour
  This Sour variation follows the exact same recipe as the one on this page but uses Absolut Mango (Mango Flavored Vodka) instead and is then garnished with a Mango Wedge to add a delicious tropical twist. The smoothness of Mango works so well with the luscious creaminess provided by the Egg Whites (or Aquafaba). Exotic and delicious, here’s how to make a Mango Sour.

• Absolut Cinnamango Sour
  Take the Mango Sour above, add a pinch of Cinnamon, then garnish with a Mango Wedge and a Cinnamon Cane. What you get is flavors of zesty Lemon, soft, juicy Mango and the spiciness of Cinnamon. And yes, it’s incredible. Here’s how to make a Cinnamango Sour.

Don’t miss our Sour Cocktail Collection, where we highlight 10 sours every home bartender needs to know how to make.

Serving and Garnish Ideas for a Vodka Sour

As with all Sours, we recommend serving the Vodka Sour in a Rocks Glass. To garnish, we recommend the classic combination for Sours – a Lemon Wedge and a fresh Cherry.