unforgettable · stirred
Sazerac recipe
Cognac, Peychaud's and sugar in an absinthe-rinsed glass.
A Sazerac is 60 ml (56.4 g) Cognac, 5 ml (5.6 g) Sugar Syrup, 1 ml (0.9 g) Absinthe and 1 ml (1 g) Peychaud's Bitters, stirred and served in a rocks (old fashioned) glass. It pours to about 67 ml before ice, at roughly 37.2% ABV. Weighing the ingredients instead of measuring them is what keeps the balance identical from one round to the next.
- Glassrocks (old fashioned) glass
- Methodstirred
- Pour volume67 ml
- Strength (est.)37.2% ABV
- Time4 min
Sazerac 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cognac | 60 ml | 56.4 g | 0.94 | Weighed by the coaster |
| Sugar Syrup | 5 ml | 5.6 g | 1.11 | Weighed by the coaster |
| Absinthe (rinse) | 1 ml | — | 0.88 | Rinse the glass |
| Peychaud's Bitters | 1 ml | — | 0.98 | 2 dashes |
How to make a Sazerac
- Set your rocks (old fashioned) 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.
- Pour Cognac, Sugar Syrup, Absinthe and Peychaud's Bitters into a mixing glass, weighing each one as you go.
- Fill the mixing glass with hard, cold ice and stir for 20–30 seconds — until the outside frosts and the mix has dropped to roughly −2 °C.
- Strain into a chilled rocks (old fashioned) glass over one large cube.
Sazerac: the questions people actually ask
How strong is a Sazerac?
Roughly 37.2% ABV as poured, before the ice dilutes it — typically another 15–25% water by the time you finish stirring or shaking. Strong. This is a stirred, undiluted-style drink — one is a full measure.
What glass should a Sazerac be served in?
A rocks (old fashioned) glass. One large, clear cube melts slower than four small ones and keeps the drink from watering out.
Can I make a Sazerac 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.
Why are some ingredients not weighed?
Dashes of bitters and rinses are too small to weigh reliably — a dash is roughly 0.8 ml, well inside the noise of any bar scale. Count them instead. Everything else in this Sazerac is weighed.
If you like the Sazerac
Stinger
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Cape brandy shaken with Van der Hum tangerine liqueur, lemon and a touch of sugar.
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Between the Sheets
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Brandy Crusta
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Sidecar
Cognac, triple sec and lemon. The template for the sour.