:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/RS0425DRINK_ameretto_sour_078-3043c4fdc18343e28d040c7ac915fe27.jpg?w=780&resize=780,470&ssl=1 "3 Easy Sour Cocktail Recipes You Can Make in Minutes")
If you’re not a sour drinker, you’d be forgiven for thinking these classic cocktails are, well, tart—maybe unpleasantly so. But what they really are is balanced. Each one is a well-calibrated combo of spirit, citrus, and sweet. Take a sip, and puckered lips will likely not be your first reaction. It will be something like, “Mmm, this is delicious! More, please!”
You’d also be forgiven for thinking that sours are a little retro. It’s true they went out of fashion for a while, says Sammi Katz, coauthor with Olivia Giff of Spirited Women: Makers, Shakers, and Trailblazers in the World of Cocktails. “In the 1980s and ’90s, bottled sour mix was the go-to,” she explains. “They tended to taste fake and saccharine, and that severely damaged the reputation of these drinks.” Thankfully, these days, freshly squeezed citrus is in vogue, and sours are making a comeback both in bars and at home.
The classic ratio is two parts spirit, one part citrus, one part sweetener. But as you’ll see in these three recipes, the proportions aren’t set in stone. Play around and find your sourish sweet spot!
Daiquiri
Victor Protasio, Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall, Prop Stylist: Claire Spollen
That’s right—it’s a sour! And the classic is definitely a step up from the frozen concoctions you slurped during your last tropical vacay. Katz is a mega fan. “Honestly one of my favorite things to do when I’m behind the bar is make a classic daiquiri for someone who has only ever had a frozen one. Their minds are always blown by how delicious it is!”
Katz suggests playing around with the kind of rum you use. “This drink is a great canvas for exploring different types. Throw in a little funky Jamaican rum, make it with equal parts white rum and rhum agricole, or go for a delicious rich dark rum.”
How to make it: Place 1/4 cup (2 oz.) rum, 2 Tbsp. (1 oz.) fresh lime juice, and 1 Tbsp. (1/2 oz.) simple syrup in a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Cover and shake until chilled. Strain into a chilled coupe glass. Garnish with a lime twist.
To make simple syrup: Boil 1/2 cup granulated sugar and 1/2 cup water in a small saucepan, stirring until sugar dissolves and liquid is clear, about 1 minute. Let cool, then refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.
Whiskey Sour
Victor Protasio, Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall, Prop Stylist: Claire Spollen
Katz reaches for bourbon when making this cocktail. “The corn sweetness of bourbon plays off lemon and sugar really well, and the vanilla notes are able to shine through.” And no fancy bourbon required. “An affordable one, in the $25 to $35 range, works great,” she says. Shake it with an egg white to get a frothy layer on top.
How to make it: Place 1/4 cup (2 oz.) whiskey, 2 Tbsp. (1 oz.) fresh lemon juice, 1 Tbsp. (1/2 oz.) simple syrup, and 1 egg white in a cocktail shaker (without ice). Cover and shake until frothy, about 20 seconds. Add ice; cover and shake until cold. Strain into a coupe or a rocks glass filled with ice. Garnish with a lemon slice, if desired.
Amaretto Sour
Victor Protasio, Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall, Prop Stylist: Claire Spollen
Last, but far from least, is the amaretto sour—the most popular cocktail in the REAL SIMPLE recipe archives! Our version breaks the classic sour ratio in favor of a sweeter, but not cloying, sip.
If you want to go in the other direction, meaning more tart, cut the simple syrup to 1 1/2 tablespoons and up the lemon juice to 2 tablespoons. Or follow Katz’s lead. “I personally love the recent trend of splitting the base with bourbon or rye, to make a whiskey-amaretto sour hybrid.”
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