Classics Revisited
Pisco sour: the recipe, its foam and its drops of bitters
Oct
You can spot a pisco sour from afar: a thick white foam, dotted with a few brown drops of bitters. Underneath, a lively cocktail based on pisco, the South American grape brandy.
“In Peru as in Chile, everyone claims the pisco sour. I won’t settle that debate! I’ll simply give you the version that gets everyone to agree when it’s time to raise a glass.”
— Your trend hunter
CLASSIC RECIPE
The sour from the Andes
The reference recipe, the foam technique and the egg-free version
Pisco
A grape brandy produced in Peru and Chile, fruity and floral.
The signature
A dense foam, garnished with a few drops of aromatic bitters.
- 6 cl of pisco
- 3 cl of freshly squeezed lemon juice (lime, as in Peru, or lemon)
- 2 cl of sugar syrup
- 1 egg white, or 2 to 3 drops of Fee Foam
- Ice cubes
- A few drops of aromatic bitters to garnish
The recipe step by step
- The dry shake: pour all the ingredients into the shaker, without ice, and shake vigorously for 10 to 15 seconds. This first shake builds the foam.
- The shake with ice: add a good handful of ice and shake again for 10 to 15 seconds, to chill and dilute slightly.
- Double straining: pour through the shaker strainer and a small fine strainer into a coupe or a small glass without ice. The foam will be smoother.
- Resting: let the foam rise and settle for about twenty seconds before garnishing.
The finishing touch: place 3 drops of bitters on the foam. For a pretty pattern, link them with a line using the tip of a toothpick.
Alcohol abuse is dangerous for your health; drink responsibly.
Peru or Chile?
The birth of the pisco sour is often attributed to the bar of American Victor Morris in Lima in the 1920s. Peru has made it a national symbol and even dedicates a day to it every February. Neighbouring Chile also produces pisco and serves its own version, often simpler, sometimes without egg white or bitters.
What doesn’t change: a quality pisco, freshly squeezed lemon, and a well-built foam.
Why do my drops of bitters sink?
It’s a sign the foam is too thin. Three simple fixes: extend the dry shake, let the foam rest for 20 to 30 seconds before garnishing, and place the drops very close, without letting them fall from high up.
The egg-free pisco sour
Replace the white with 3 drops of Fee Foam and do a very vigorous dry shake: the foam must be dense enough to hold the drops of bitters. Your pisco sour becomes vegan and is much quicker to make at the bar.
Instead of drops of bitters, print a pattern, a name or a logo on the foam with a Stylo Print: the smooth surface of a pisco sour is perfect for food printing.
Frequently asked questions
Which lemon for a pisco sour?
In Peru, they use a small, very sour lime. Freshly squeezed lime or lemon both work very well: just avoid bottled juice.
What can you replace pisco with?
Nothing really replaces it. With another spirit, you get another sour, just as delicious: whisky sour, gin sour…
Do you need drops of bitters?
They are part of the classic recipe: they perfume the foam and decorate it. But a pisco sour without bitters is still a pisco sour.
Can you make an egg-free pisco sour?
Yes, with 3 drops of Fee Foam or 2 cl of aquafaba, and a vigorous dry shake.
DÉLICE BAR SELECTION
The Délice Bar foam selection
A dense foam to hold the drops of bitters, or a printed logo: everything to sign your sours.
A foam that holds the drops of bitters
With Fee Foam, your pisco sours keep their dense white foam, egg-free, from the first glass to the last.
Discover Fee FoamKEEP READING
