An amaretto sour is a cocktail using
amaretto liqueur
Amaretto (Italian for "a little bitter") is a sweet Italian liqueur that originated in Saronno. Depending on the brand, it may be made from apricot kernels, bitter almonds, peach stones, or almonds, all of which are natural sources of the b ...
. It is a type of
sour
The gustatory system or sense of taste is the sensory system that is partially responsible for the perception of taste (flavor). Taste is the perception produced or stimulated when a substance in the mouth reacts chemically with taste receptor ...
, a mixed drink made with a base spirit, citrus juice, and a sweetener.
The drink is the most popular cocktail use for amaretto.
Preparation
As described in ''Sardi's Bar Guide'' (1988), an amaretto sour can be made with one part amaretto liqueur to two parts
sour mix Sour mix (also known as sweet and sour mix) is a mixer that is yellow-green in color and is used in many cocktails. It is made from approximately equal parts lemon and/or lime juice and simple syrup and shaken vigorously with ice. This produces a p ...
. The drink is mixed, served over ice, and garnished with a cherry and an orange or lemon wedge.
Modern recipes may include two parts amaretto, one part lemon juice, and one egg white. The drink is shaken for five seconds without ice (a "dry shake"), shaken with ice for 15 seconds, and strained into a chilled old fashioned glass filled with ice. Cocktail cherries and
Angostura bitters
Angostura bitters () is a concentrated bitters (herbal alcoholic preparation) based on gentian, herbs, and spices, by House of Angostura in Trinidad and Tobago. It is typically used for flavouring beverages or, less often, food. The bitters wer ...
are added as a garnish.
History
The cocktail was introduced to the public in 1974, devised by the importer of
Amaretto di Saronno as a simple mix of two parts amaretto liqueur to one part lemon juice. It became a popular cocktail in the 1980s; most bartenders at the time substituted commercial
sour mix Sour mix (also known as sweet and sour mix) is a mixer that is yellow-green in color and is used in many cocktails. It is made from approximately equal parts lemon and/or lime juice and simple syrup and shaken vigorously with ice. This produces a p ...
for the lemon juice. The drink was popular as a one-dimensional easy-drinking cocktail, flavored mostly by the base spirit used.
Most recipes seen on modern cocktail menus include whipped egg white, bourbon, and lemon juice, to improve on its flavor.
''
Imbibe
''Imbibe'' is a magazine published in Portland, Oregon, United States. It is published six times a year. The magazine covers beverages of all kinds, including spirits, wine, beer, coffee, and tea.
History
The first issue of ''Imbibe'' was rele ...
'' attributes this change to bartender
Jeffrey Morgenthaler
Jeffrey Morgenthaler is an American bartender and author. He worked for about a decade at Clyde Common and Pépé Le Moko in Portland, Oregon, until their closure in 2022, amid the COVID-19 pandemic. He opened a new bar, Pacific Standard, in Jun ...
, who published a new version of the drink in 2012 using cask-strength bourbon, rich simple syrup, and egg white.
See also
*
Pisco sour
A pisco sour is an alcoholic cocktail of Peruvian origin that is typical of Peruvian cuisine. The drink's name comes from ''pisco'', which is its base liquor, and the cocktail term ''sour'', about sour citrus juice and sweetener components. The ...
*
List of cocktails
A cocktail is a mixed drink typically made with a distilled liquor (such as arrack, brandy, cachaça, gin, rum, tequila, vodka, or whiskey) as its base ingredient that is then mixed with other ingredients or garnishments. Sweetened liqueurs, w ...
References
{{cocktails
Cocktails with Angostura bitters
Cocktails with eggs
Cocktails with lemon juice
Cocktails with liqueur
Cocktails with whisky
Sour cocktails