Sour Recipes

This is a page for historical recipes for the Sour; and by Sour I mean as in Whiskey Sour; not any drink that contains something sour. Pre-1960 recipes would be best.

Historical Recipes

Jerry Thomas, 1862

• Click Here for the section on Sours

Santa Cruz Sour.

• (Use small bar-glass.)
• Take 1 large tea-spoonful of white sugar dissolved in a little Seltzer or Apollinaris water.
• 3 dashes of lemon juice.
• 1 wine-glass of Santa Cruz rum.

Fill the glass full of shaved ice, shake up and strain into a claret glass, ornament with orange and berries in season.

Gin Sour.

• (Use small bar-glass.)
• Take 1 large tea-spoonful of white sugar dissolved in a little Seltzer or Apollinaris water.
• 2 or 3 dashes of lemon juice.
• 1 wine-glass of Holland or Old Tom gin.

Fill the glass full of shaved ice, shake up, and strain into a claret glass. Dress the top with orange, or pineapple and berries.

Whiskey Sour.

• (Use small bar-glass.)
• Take 1 large tea-spoonful of powdered white sugar, dissolved in a little Seltzer or Apollinaris water.
• The juice of half a small lemon.
• 1 wine-glass of Bourbon or rye whiskey.

Fill the glass full of shaved ice, shake up and strain into a claret glass. Ornament with berries.

Brandy Sour.

• (Use small bar-glass.)
• Take 1 large tea-spoonful. of powdered white sugar, dissolved in a little Apollinaris or Seltzer water.
• The juice of half a lemon.
• 1 dash of Curacoa.
• 1 wine-glass of brandy.

Fill the glass with shaved ice, shake, and strain into a claret glass. Ornament with orange and berries

"Drinks As They Are Mixed" by Paul E. Lowe (1909)

BRANDY SOUR

Fill a large bar glass 1/2 full of shaved ice

• 2 teaspoonful bar sugar
• 3 dashes of lemon OR lime juice
• 3 dashes of Seltzer or Apollinaris water
• 1 jigger brandy

Stir; Strain into sour glass; dress with fruit and serve.

GIN SOUR

Fill a large bar glass 1/2 full of shaved ice

• 2 teaspoonful bar sugar
• 4 dashes of Lime or lemon
• 3 dashes of Seltzer or Apollinaris water
• 1 jigger hollands gin [aka. Genever]

Stir; Strain into sour glass; dress with fruit and serve.

"The Ideal Bartender", Tom Bullock (1917)

APPLEJACK SOUR

Fill large Bar glass 3/4 full Shaved Ice.

• 2 teaspoonfuls Bar Sugar, dissolved in little Water.
• 3 dashes lemon or Lime Juice.
• 1 jigger Applejack.

Stir well; strain into Sour glass; dress with Fruit and Berries and serve.

BRANDY SOUR

Fill large Bar glass ¾ full Shaved Ice.

• 2 teaspoonfuls Bar Sugar.
• 3 dashes Lemon or Lime Juice.
• 3 dashes Seltzer or Apollinaris Water.
• 1 jigger Brandy.

Stir; strain into Sour glass; dress with Fruit and serve.

External References of Interest

• Drinkboy Forum - The Sour/ The Daisy
• "The sour in a Whiskey Sour" - Webtender Discussion Thread