How to make a whiskey sour

A sour is a classic category of cocktails that involves the inclusion of something sour like lemon or lime, and something sweet, like simple syrup, which is equal parts sugar and water.

Step 1: Combine two ounces of bourbon, one ounce fresh lime juice and one ounce of fresh lemon juice in a mixing glass.

Step 2: Add half an ounce of simple syrup so there’s an ideal balance between sweet and sour.

Step 3: Fill a cocktail shaker with ice to get it cold, then strain excess water.

Step 4: Shake cocktail until well-chilled.

Step 5: Garnish with a slice of orange.

You can also do a tequila sour or a rum sour and essentially use the same combinations.

I’m Allen Katz for howdini.com and today I’m going to teach you how to make a very simple whiskey sour.

The sour is a classic category of cocktails that involves the inclusion of some kind of sour juice, namely lemon or lime, and something sweet, like simple syrup, which is equal parts of sugar and water, simply shaken in a vessel until the sugar has completely dissolved. If you keep this closed and airtight in a refrigerator, it will last at least a month.

Now, to make this cocktail, I’m going to combine in my mixing glass about two ounces of bourbon, and to that I’m going to add one ounce of fresh lime juice, and to that I’m going to add one ounce of fresh lemon juice. I’m going to add, depending on the size of the lemon, about a half or three quarters of one fresh lemon.

Now, the final ingredient is that simple syrup, again just sugar and water, and about half an ounce; just so that there’s an ideal balance between sweet and sour. So in the other part of our tin we’ve added ice just to chill down the cocktail shaker. You’ll shake these two ingredients well together, and once they’re well-chilled we’re going to simply strain them over ice into an old-fashioned glass that’s been garnished with one simple wheel of orange.

Now this is wonderfully refreshing, and depending on your favorite spirit, you can try a whiskey sour, of course; but a rum sour or a tequila sour — and essentially use the same combinations. I’m Allen Katz for Howdini.com