1948 Sour Recipe

1. Prepare and combine

Chill a coupe or rocks glass by filling with ice and setting aside. In a cocktail shaker, combine 2 oz rye whiskey (or bourbon), 0.75 oz fresh lemon juice, 0.25 oz fresh orange juice, 0.5 oz simple syrup (1:1), and 1 fresh egg white.

2. Dry shake

Without ice, seal the shaker and shake vigorously for 15–20 seconds. This dry shake emulsifies the egg white and builds a rich foam.

3. Wet shake

Add a large handful of ice to the shaker and shake hard for 10–15 seconds until the shaker is very cold to the touch (this chills and dilutes the drink).

4. Strain

Discard ice from the chilled glass. Double-strain the cocktail into the chilled coupe or rocks glass using a Hawthorne strainer and a fine mesh strainer to ensure a silky texture and catch ice shards.

5. Bitters finish

Add 1–2 dashes of Angostura bitters onto the foam. Using a toothpick or cocktail pick, gently drag the bitters into a simple decorative pattern (optional).

6. Express an orange twist over the drink to release oils, then rub the peel on the rim and drop it into the cocktail (or use it as a rim garnish). Serve immediately.