How to Make a Pisco Sour

Although we are pretty sure that the Pisco Sour was invented in Peru, you can use either Peruvian or Chilean Pisco to make this lovely cocktail. I am using Macchu Pisco!

What is a Pisco

Pisco is a South American brandy from Peru and Chile, made from aromatic grapes, including Moscatel and Albilla, plus Negra and Uvina and Quebranta. These vines were brought over by the Spanish on their first trip to Peru in the 16th C.

What is a Pisco Sour

Victor Vaughen Morris, an American in Peru, had the hippest bar in town. He had moved to Lima in 1904 and opened Morris Bar. The Pisco Sour was his take on the Whisky Sour! It was tweaked in the 1920’s when bartender Mario Bruige added the egg white to give it foam and the Angostura bitters a bit of bite.

What is Macchu Pisco

I heard about Macchu Pisco ages ago and am thrilled to be using it to make my Pisco Sour. It’s made in Peru from the Quebranta grape in a copper pot. It is so flavorful that you could drink it neat!

How to Make the Pisco Sour

You need to start with the following ingredients to make the Pisco Sour:

Fresh ingredients are so important – so please, please, please use fresh lime juice! I love this lime squeezer which has holes on the bottom that fit right over the jigger, making it super easy to get the perfect amount of lime.

• Squeeze about one lime to add 1 oz (30ml) of Lime Juice into a jigger and add to the shaker

I make my own sugar syrup. It takes about 2 minutes. Just measure out half of a cup (100ml) of white sugar into a pot and add the same amount of water. Heat until dissolved, let it cool, then pour into a glass container. It can keep in the fridge for months.

• Add 1 oz (30ml) of sugar syrup to the shaker.

If you are adding in the egg white or aquafaba, now is the time!  Always crack the egg in a different bowl first, in case it’s a bad egg.

• Add that to the shaker

Always add in the Pisco last. Just in case you made a mistake, you don’t want to waste any of that precious liquid.

• Finally add in 2 oz (50 or 60 ml) of Macchu Pisco!!

Don’t forget the Dry Shake!

Before adding the ice, close the shaker and shake it as hard as you can with just the pisco, lime juice, sugar syrup and egg white (or aquafaba).  Shaking a cocktail with an egg white, at room temperature without the ice, makes it extra foamy, thus the Dry Shake!

Next fill the shaker with ice. Make sure your ice is fresh, since it can absorb the odors in your freezer. You don’t want your cocktail tasting like your leftovers!

• Strain it into a glass and top it with a dash or two of Angostura Bitters

Egg White vs Aquafaba

Aquafaba is name of the liquid that you can find when you open a can of chickpeas, so it’s totally vegan. This starchy water replicates the mouthfeel of the egg white in cocktails. The measurements are 2 tablespoons of Aquafaba for one egg white. 

If you want to try another Pisco cocktail, don’t miss:

Here is the recipe!!!

For full disclosure, I was given two small bottles of Macchu Pisco. My decision to use it for this recipe was my own!

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