The Vodka Sour is a classic sour cocktail: it’s a refreshing sweet cake with a frothy egg white foam on top! Ready for happy hour in just 5 minutes.
Do you like sour and sour drinks? So get ready Vodka sour! This drink is a refreshing sweet cake with a protein foam resulting in a creamy, frothy filling. The foam gives it a vintage vibe and makes it eye-catching for entertainment. But it’s so easy to make, it’s perfect for a lazy afternoon on the porch or a cocktail party. Alex and I love sour cocktails like whiskey sours, so we set out to try them all. This Vodka Sour is an exceptional vodka cocktail not to be missed!
What’s in a sour vodka?
A vodka sour belongs to the sour cocktail family. Acids are defined as three parts: alcohol, citrus, and sweeteners. The simplest formula for an sour cocktail is 2 ounces alcohol, ¾ ounce sour, ¾ ounce sweet. Of course there are all sorts of variations on the theme! The most classic of all sours are the whiskey sour and the pisco sour. But there are many others: with or without the title “sour”. This Vodka Sour is very similar to our Tequila Sour and Gin Sour! The ingredients of this sour vodka are:
- vodka
- lemon juice
- lime juice (Optional)
- Agave syrup or simple syrup
- Angostura Bitters
- protein
Related drinks: the Cosmo & Vodka Gimlet!
A vodka sour is similar to another drink with a fancy name: the Cosmopolitan cocktail! The Cosmo is basically a sour vodka that uses cranberry juice to give it a bright pink color. Of course, he eschews egg white mousse and bitters and uses orange liqueur (Cointreau in this case).
Another variant of the vodka sour is a vodka gimlet! The main difference with the Gimlet is that lime juice is used instead of lemon. It also skips protein foam and bitterness. Both are excellent cocktails that you should definitely try!
How to sour a vodka (basic steps)
The Vodka Sour is quick and easy to prepare: simply extract the juice from the citrus fruits and separate the egg whites! Here are the basic steps (or jump to the recipe):
- Pour all ingredients into a cocktail shaker. Shake 15 seconds without ice.
- Pour ice into shaker and shake again for 30 seconds.
- Pour into a glass and decorate. like that !
The technique above is a stylish way to get that beautiful fluffy white mousse on top. Read on to find out how…
Shake dry for the perfect protein froth
Bartenders have been adding protein to cocktails for about a century. Why? The mousse adds a fun frothy texture on top and adds a rich, creamy flavor (it can also tone down the citrus flavor). The best form of fluffy egg whites is achieved by a shake dry. We use this technique in drinks like Gin Fizz, White Lady, Clover Club, Boston Sour, Gin Sour and Tequila Sour. This is how it works:
- The first shake without ice makes the protein foam up in the egg instead of being diluted by the ice.
- The second shake with ice cools the drink and increases the froth. Strain into the glass and you will get a thick layer of white foam.
Vegan protein substitute
You like to cook vegan and want to make a protein mousse? Don’t worry: you can use Aquafaba! Aquafaba is the liquid in a can of chickpeas. Because it’s starchy, it can act as an egg-like binding agent.
Two tablespoons of aquafaba equals one egg white, you can use 2 tablespoons of aquafaba in this recipe as the equivalent of the actual egg white. It’s the same kind of foam!
Bitter is optional in a sour vodka, but adds flavor (and color).
Vodka Sour naturally works without bitter substances. But for the very better Vodka Sour, we advise you to add a few drops of bitters! Angostura bitters are commonly used in cocktails to add a complex, bitter undertone. They make a drink with just a few drops from a note to an exceptional complex!
With this drink, we added the bitters to the cocktail itself (not the egg white foam like bartenders sometimes do). It adds a lot of flavor: and it adds a good amount of color too! The bitter substances give this vodka sour a beautiful peach colour. If you leave out the bitters, the drink is clear.
When to serve a vodka sour
The Vodka Sour is an elegant sour that is perfect for many occasions! It’s great for sipping as:
- Happy hour drink
- Drink at dinner
- Summer drink on the terrace
- Drinks late into the night
- Evening drink between boys or between girls
- Aperitif at aperitif time
The description
The Vodka Sour is a classic sour cocktail: it’s a refreshing sweet cake with a frothy egg white foam on top! Ready for happy hour in just 5 minutes.
- 2 ounces (4 tablespoons) vodka
- 1 ounce (2 tablespoons) lemon juice
- ½ ounce (1 tbsp) lime juice (or omit)
- ½ ounce (1 tbsp) simple syrup
- 2 Shot Angostura Bitters
- 1 Protein*
- For the garnish: cocktail cherry and lemon wedge
- Add vodka, lemon juice, lime juice, syrup, bitters and egg white to a shaker without ice. Shake for 15 seconds.
- Put the ice in the cocktail shaker. Shake again for 30 seconds.
- Strain the drink into a glass; foam collects at the top. Serve with ice, a slice of lemon and a cocktail cherry.
Remarks
* Replace 2 tablespoons of aquafaba (liquid from a can of chickpeas) with a vegan version.
- Category: beverages
- Method: Shocked
- Kitchen: cocktails
- Diet: vegetarian
Sour cocktails
Sour Cocktails are a family of cocktails that combine alcohol, acidity and sweetness in perfect proportions! Here are some of our favorite sisters:
