Cocktail
Whiskey Sour
Bourbon softened by lemon and sugar. This straightforward version skips egg white, so no extra ingredient or dry shake is needed.
Whiskey · Citrusy · Sweet
Ingredients
- 45 ml Bourbon whiskey
- 25 ml Lemon (fresh juice)
- 20 ml Simple syrup (1:1)
- 1 piece Orange (slice, for garnish) (Optional)
Ice and water are assumed. Add everything else you have.
Method
Shake
Equipment: Jigger or measuring spoon · Cocktail shaker · Strainer
- Measure the bourbon, lemon juice and syrup into a shaker.
- Add plenty of ice and shake for 10–15 seconds.
- Strain over fresh ice in a rocks glass. Add an orange slice if you like.
A small detail
Taste before serving. A little extra syrup softens very sharp lemons.
Estimated strength
Medium
What does this mean?
Per serving: ≈ 16% ABV · ≈ 14.2 g alcohol
An estimate, not a measurement. Dilution lowers concentration but does not remove alcohol. Check your bottle label. These typical alcohol levels can vary by brand and market.
Added water from ice: 25%. Water added as a percentage of the measured liquid before mixing. Ice melt varies with temperature, time and technique.
Plan for a party
Prep the base
Measure the base ahead. Fresh additions and the final mixing happen per glass.
Guests: 6
Measure the base ahead. Fresh additions and the final mixing happen per glass.
One recipe serving per guest. Choose the amount you want to prepare.
Base only: 390 ml · Per serving: 65 ml. Use a container larger than the volume shown; allow room for fruit and stirring.
Prepare the base
- 270 ml Bourbon whiskey
- 120 ml Simple syrup (1:1)
Keep separate for serving
- 150 ml Lemon (fresh juice)
Optional garnishes · Optional
- 6 pieces Orange (slice, for garnish)
Water for the batch
Do not pre-dilute this base. The original shake or stir with ice supplies the dilution at service.
Prepare and serve
- Measure the base ingredients into a clean, covered container and stir to combine. Keep the quantities in the serving section separate.
- Prepare for today’s service. Label and refrigerate the covered base; follow ingredient storage labels. Keep ice out of the container and chill the glasses before serving.
- For each glass, use 65 ml of base in place of those ingredients in the original method. Add the separate ingredients at their per-serving amounts. Do not measure the base ingredients a second time.
- Prepare fresh juice close to serving and keep it chilled separately unless it is explicitly in the base. Fresh batches are for this service, not an overnight storage promise.
The list saves ingredient names, not party quantities. Check the totals above against how much you have. Garnishes and ice are not added.
Bartender sources: Campari Academy: batching techniques · Dave Arnold: measuring dilution and batching · Simon Difford: water and dilution · Jeffrey Morgenthaler: batch calculator
Sources & inspiration
About this recipe
Recipes and house adaptations have source links. Measures, substitutions and estimated strength are explained separately. Images are AI-generated illustrations.
We do not claim every recipe has been physically tested. Community reviews are moderated user reports, separate from recipe sources.
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