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Sour Hour: classic never dies
In every corner of the world, at all hours, the Sour is one of the most popular cocktail categories. With its fresh, delicate taste and low alcohol content, the Whisk(e)y Sour has quickly established itself as a perfect cocktail for the aperitif, and particularly in recent years it has been experiencing a new surge in popularity thanks to the resurgence of classic mixology.
What has made it successful since its inception in the 19th century has also been the simplicity of making it, due to the few ingredients: bourbon, lemon juice, sugar and, if desired, egg white. Sour' cocktails constitute a category in their own right and are a true cornerstone of American mixology, as well as never having known any real decline over the years. They are characterised by the acidic taste of lemon that blends harmoniously with that of the chosen spirit - which can be any spirit besides whiskey. Bourbon, which is used in the Whisk(e)y Sour, gives the drink a delicately smoky taste, which is enhanced and balanced by the presence of lemon.
Sour cocktails are already mentioned in Jerry Thomas's famous 'How to mix drinks' of 1862; however, it is believed that specifically the inventor of the Whisk(e)y Sour is the Englishman Elliot Stub, who in 1872 opened a bar in Iquique, a port town between Peru and Chile, and decided to mix whiskey with Limòn de Pica, a local product, adding sugar to balance the flavours. Egg white was added later, creating the typical surface foam; some bartenders even use egg shells to decorate the cocktail.
TIPS
As always with cocktails, it is essential to have raw materials of the highest quality, especially since there are few ingredients, so any variation in taste can make a difference.
Well-ripened lemons are to be preferred, so that the lemon is not overly acidic: follow the seasonality by playing with different varieties, which will also bring nice aromatic nuances.
As far as sugar is concerned, cane sugar is preferable, although we have excellent syrups of the highest quality available. Cane sugar, compared to common beet sugar, has some strong points: aromaticity, with the typical taste of sugar cane and vegetable notes from the pressing of the fresh juice. It also offers a better consistency, which translates into a more velvety 'texture' on the palate, as well as having a better hold once poured into the glass: the beauty of the Sour is precisely the opaque and well-emulsified appearance when you look at it in the glass. If you really want, you can also use beet sugar: the sweet perception will be similar, but you will have less aromatic pleasantness on the palate.
Once opened, the cane sugar should be kept in the refrigerator to ensure that it is perfectly preserved over time and retains its organoleptic characteristics perfectly.
Clearly, the Sour base is capable of accommodating any type of distillate, from the almost neutral vodka to highly complex spirits such as Jamaican rums or Rye Whiskey, without ever forgetting Pisco, which in its Sour version gave rise to the Peruvian national drink, Pisco Sour.
I NOSTRI COCKTAIL BOX
