Bourbon Sour

[Hondo]

When it warms up outside, I look forward to the occasional Whiskey Sour. Or in my case it must be the Bourbon Sour.

A recent goal of mine was to perfect my recipe. Over the past few days I have tried a variety of store bought mixes, fresh lemons and bourbons.

While I enjoy a tart cocktail, it is a requirement that the bourbon show through the sour mix so I can enjoy the bourbon. At the end of the day I chose a home made sweet and sour mix with Bonded Barton as my bourbon of choice. Here is my recipe:

2 oz of freshly squeezed lemon juice (one large lemon)
2 oz of simple sugar (more if you like a little sweeter cocktail)
4 oz of VOB BIB

Add to a shaker with cracked ice and shake for thirty seconds. Pour into the glass of your choice (I don't strain mine). I like a highball glass. Garnish with a twist of lemon and a cherry or two if you like.

This is the best bourbon sour that I have ever had, I'll be serving this recipe at a party I'm going to this weekend. We'll see if the masses enjoy this recipe as well.

Do you enjoy a whiskey sour? Do you have a favorite recipe?

[cowdery]

That's essentially my recipe, right down to the VOB BIB, but I like a dash of Angostura bitters in mine or, even better, a little more than a dash (maybe 1/2 tsp) of Stirrings Blood Orange Bitters.

I had intended to get some Regan's Orange Bitters but, sorry Gary, the store didn't have it so I got the Stirrings instead and fell in love with it.

[TBoner]

My recipe uses Charter 101 or something else 100 proof and inexpensive. Otherwise, yep, very similar. Haven't had one this summer...and I need to correct that.
Chuck, Stirrings is very good. I have some open all the time, and Regan's, Angostura Orange, Fee Bros. Orange, and some homemade stuff that I really like for Old-Fashioneds. If I had to have only one, Stirrings and Angostura would have to duke it out. But only one of the two is available locally, and it ain't Angostura.

Regards,
Tim

[Bourbon Geek]

May I suggest you try one modification??? Change your simple syrup recipe a little ...

Heat 1 cup of water in a sauce pan ... not quite to boiling ... add 1 cup af granulated sugar and stir till clear ... again, do not let it boil ... take it off the heat when it becomes clear ... separate one fresh egg and stir in the egg white (or use one egg equivalent of Egg Beaters egg white if you prefer) ... let stand and cool ... skim off any undissolved egg white and refrigerate...

Use this egg white stabilized simple syrup in your sour by adding all the ingredients and first shaking the mix without ice and then add the ice and shake again.

It adds great texture to the drink

This little trick won a cocktail competition for me a couple of years ago.

[ratcheer]

Well, many classic sour recipes called for egg white as one of the cocktail ingredients. It makes the drink frothy and, I suppose, probably affects the body of the drink. You are just moving it to another location in the recipe.

I also love a good whiskey sour, but I haven't had one in years.

Tim

[TNbourbon]

...
2 oz of freshly squeezed lemon juice (one large lemon)
2 oz of simple sugar (more if you like a little sweeter cocktail)
4 oz of VOB BIB
...

Okay, I made mine JUST like this, except:

• I don't keep lemons around, because I just don't have much use for them, so I used "Master of Mixes" Sweet-and-Sour Mix;
• I don't bother making simple sugar, because I have sweet-and-sour mix;
• I used (you're going to hate me for this, but if I've learned anything from Jim Butler, it's to use the best ingredients!) George T. Stagg '08.

But, as per Chuck, I promise I DID use bitters (alas, Angostura is about all that's available locally -- we are a desert of mixology here), and I dropped FOUR (think, dessert) marachino cherries in the glass; plus, I actually shook the shaker 30 seconds...so, it's almost exactly like, right?
Frothy, with whiskey, AND sour. Just right! Right?
Anyway, it's 7 p.m. and 92 degrees here, so I'm liking this...

[Phantos]

But, as per Chuck, I promise I DID use bitters (alas, Angostura is about all that's available locally -- we are a desert of mixology here), and I dropped FOUR (think, dessert) marachino cherries in the glass; plus, I actually shook the shaker 30 seconds...so, it's almost exactly like, right?
Frothy, with whiskey, AND sour. Just right! Right?
Anyway, it's 7 p.m. and 92 degrees here, so I'm liking this...

minus the Stagg and replace it with something less in cost like OGDBIB...
and ya got a pure winner.