The recipe
for your table
Shake the pisco, lime juice, syrup and egg white for 10 seconds without ice.
Add ice and shake vigorously for another 15 seconds.
Double strain into a chilled coupe or a small tumbler.
Drop three drops of Angostura onto the foam and, if desired, draw a figure in it.
The story
American bartender Victor 'Gringo' Morris opened his Morris' Bar in Lima in 1916 and served a sour made with local pisco. His Peruvian employee Mario Bruiget refined the recipe with egg white and Angostura – the version that is standard today. The question of whether the Pisco Sour is Peruvian or Chilean is debated even at government level; both countries claim pisco as national heritage. What is certain: this is one of the most velvety sours you can make.
The right glass
In Lima, the Pisco Sour is served in a small, sturdy glass, but the modern standard is an elegant coupe that does justice to its snow-white foam. Choose a coupe of 19 to 26 cl with a clear bowl: the contrast between the foam, light-yellow cocktail and dark-red bitters drops is exactly what makes this drink so photogenic. For a slightly deeper bowl with the same elegance, take a look at our coupette glasses.
RCR Timeless Champagne Glass / Coupe 26 cl (6 pieces)
Bormioli Rocco America'20S Champagne Glass / Coupe 22 cl (6 pieces)
Both sets — together € 79,90.
The right tools
For a Pisco Sour, in addition to the glass, you need a Boston shaker, a jigger for precise measuring, a fine strainer for double-straining, and a bitters bottle. These are the bar tools we use ourselves; you'll find everything in our bar tools & cocktail sets.
Glassware set (our choice 01) + 4 bar tools - together € 106,75.
Variations & twists
In Chile, they make it without egg white and with pica limes - same name, different character. Replace the sugar syrup with honey for a rounder version, or add ginger for a modern twist. Aquafaba is also the plant-based answer to egg white here. Looking for more inspiration? Browse more than 100 cocktail recipes.
Serving tip
Use quebranta-style pisco for a classic result. The drops of Angostura aren't just for appearance: smell them while you drink and the cocktail gains an extra dimension.
The dry shake for the foam
First shake for ten seconds without ice. Without the cold from the ice, the egg white can absorb much more air, causing the proteins to unfold and form a stable foam. Then add ice and shake for another fifteen seconds to chill and dilute. If you reverse that order, you get a thin layer of bubbles that disappears within a minute instead of a half-centimetre foam cap that remains throughout the drink. Double-straining keeps out the last ice chips.
Pisco sour without egg: with aquafaba
Replace the egg white with 2 cl of aquafaba, the liquid from a can of chickpeas. It contains soluble proteins and starch that behave almost identically when shaken, and you won't taste it at all. Use the liquid from a can with no added salt and give it a quick shake before use. The dry shake is still essential, and with aquafaba it can even take a little longer: allow fifteen seconds without ice and then fifteen seconds with ice. Half a bar spoon of extra sugar syrup makes the texture even fuller.
Which pisco do you choose
Peruvian quebranta pisco is the classic choice: neutral enough to give the lime and egg white room, with a lightly nutty undertone. Pisco acholado is a blend of several grapes and also works well. Avoid aromatic piscos made from torontel or italia in this cocktail, as they are so floral that they overpower the balance. Peruvian pisco is 38 to 48 percent alcohol and is not aged in wood. Chilean pisco is softer and often aged, resulting in a very different sour.
How strong is a Pisco Sour
With 4.5 cl of pisco at around 42 percent alcohol, you reach approximately 19 percent in the shaker. After shaking with plenty of ice for twenty-five seconds, it dilutes by roughly a quarter, leaving you with about 15 percent in the glass, divided over approximately 12 cl including foam. That's comparable to a strong glass of wine, although the foam makes it much easier to drink. Also count on approximately 180 calories per glass, mostly from the pisco and the 2 cl of sugar syrup.
Frequently asked questions
What is in a Pisco Sour?
A Pisco Sour contains 4.5 cl pisco, 3 cl fresh lime juice, 2 cl sugar syrup, one egg white, and three drops of Angostura bitters on the foam. The egg white provides the creamy texture and thick, snow-white foam layer this cocktail is known for.
What is Pisco Sour?
It is South America's most famous cocktail: a pisco-based sour shaken with lime, sugar, and egg white into a velvety drink with a layer of foam. Serve it in a chilled coupe glass holding 19 to 26 cl, which does justice to the snow-white foam; see our champagne coupe glasses.
What is pisco made from?
Pisco is a grape brandy distilled from grape must in Peru and Chile. For the classic Pisco Sour, use quebranta; aromatic grape varieties such as torontel and italia make the cocktail more floral. Both countries claim pisco as part of their national heritage, and the debate is still ongoing.
What percentage of alcohol is in pisco?
Pisco usually contains between 38 and 48 percent alcohol and is bottled undiluted. In the cocktail, about 15 percent remains after shaking with ice, lime juice, and sugar syrup, making the Pisco Sour deceptively easy to drink. So don't pour too generously.
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