contemporary · built
Kir recipe
Dry white wine with a measure of crème de cassis.
A Kir is 90 ml (89.1 g) Dry White Wine and 10 ml (11.5 g) Crème de Cassis, built and served in a wine glass. It pours to about 100 ml before ice, at roughly 12.8% ABV. Weighing the ingredients instead of measuring them is what keeps the balance identical from one round to the next.
- Glasswine glass
- Methodbuilt
- Pour volume100 ml
- Strength (est.)12.8% ABV
- Time2 min
Kir ingredients — in millilitres and grams
Grams are what the PourPilot coaster actually targets. They are not the same as the millilitres: a spirit is lighter than water, a syrup is heavier, so 30 ml of one is never 30 g. The right-hand column is the density we use, in grams per millilitre.
| Ingredient | Volume | Weight | g/ml | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dry White Wine | 90 ml | 89.1 g | 0.99 | Weighed by the coaster |
| Crème de Cassis | 10 ml | 11.5 g | 1.15 | Weighed by the coaster |
How to make a Kir
- Set your wine glass on the scale (or on the PourPilot coaster) and zero it. Every measurement below is given in millilitres and in grams, so you can use either.
- Fill the wine glass with fresh ice.
- Build Dry White Wine and Crème de Cassis straight into the glass, weighing each pour.
- Stir once, briefly, to combine.
Kir: the questions people actually ask
How strong is a Kir?
Roughly 12.8% ABV as poured, before the ice dilutes it — typically another 15–25% water by the time you finish stirring or shaking. Medium strength. About the same as a fortified wine, poured short.
What glass should a Kir be served in?
A wine glass. Fill it with fresh ice, not the ice you mixed with.
Can I make a Kir without a jigger?
Yes — that is what the gram column is for. Put the glass or tin on a kitchen scale, zero it, and pour to the weight. It is more accurate than a jigger because nothing is left clinging to the inside of the measure. The PourPilot coaster does the same thing without you having to watch a display: it lights up as you approach the target and tells you when to stop.
If you like the Kir
White Russian
The Dude abides. Vodka, coffee liqueur, and cream over ice.
Black Russian
Simple, strong, direct. Vodka and coffee liqueur over ice.
Americano
Campari and sweet vermouth lengthened with soda over ice.
John Collins
The whiskey Collins — bourbon, lemon and sugar, topped with soda.
Rusty Nail
Scotch and Drambuie over ice. Two ingredients, all class.
Bloody Mary
Vodka and tomato juice with lemon and the full savoury spice rack.