classic · shaken
Pisco Sour recipe
South America's most famous cocktail. Frothy, citrusy, addictive.
A Pisco Sour is 60 ml (56.4 g) Pisco, 30 ml (30.9 g) Fresh Lime Juice, 22 ml (24.4 g) Simple Syrup and 30 ml (31.2 g) Egg White, shaken and served in a coupe. It pours to about 142 ml before ice, at roughly 16.9% ABV. Weighing the ingredients instead of measuring them is what keeps the balance identical from one round to the next.
- Glasscoupe
- Methodshaken
- Pour volume142 ml
- Strength (est.)16.9% ABV
- Time4 min
Pisco Sour 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pisco | 60 ml | 56.4 g | 0.94 | Weighed by the coaster |
| Fresh Lime Juice | 30 ml | 30.9 g | 1.03 | Weighed by the coaster |
| Simple Syrup (1:1) | 22 ml | 24.4 g | 1.11 | Weighed by the coaster |
| Egg White | 30 ml | 31.2 g | 1.04 | Weighed by the coaster |
How to make a Pisco Sour
- Set your coupe 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.
- Add Pisco, Fresh Lime Juice, Simple Syrup and Egg White to a shaker with no ice and dry-shake hard for 10 seconds to build the foam.
- Add ice and shake again for 12–15 seconds until the tin is painfully cold.
- Double-strain into a chilled coupe.
Pisco Sour: the questions people actually ask
How strong is a Pisco Sour?
Roughly 16.9% 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 Pisco Sour be served in?
A coupe. Chill it first — a room-temperature stemmed glass will undo half the work you just did in the mixing tin.
Can I make a Pisco Sour 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 Pisco Sour
Pisco Punch
San Francisco's gold-rush punch of pisco, pineapple and citrus.
Ramos Gin Fizz
Gin, citrus, cream and egg white whipped to a cloud, topped with soda.
Daiquiri
White rum, lime, sugar. The benchmark for balance.
Whisky Sour
Bourbon, lemon, sugar, egg white for foam. Dry shake first.
Gimlet
Gin and lime, properly balanced. Shaken or stirred.
Jungle Bird
Dark rum and Campari with pineapple. Surprisingly refreshing.