Looking for sour drinks? Make a Sour Cherry, a unique twist to the French 75, or a classic drink, Tom Collins, from our favorite sour cocktails.
Sour cocktails are one of the simplest types of alcoholic drinks to make and also one of the easiest to riff on.
It distills the art of pairing, which is a call and response of sensations and flavors.
One sip of these drinks will take your palate from savory to sour to sweet, and it will have you puckering in no time.
These drinks only require a sweetener, a spirit, and a citrus liqueur or juice that will contribute to the sour element.
You can also echo the notes of citrus using orange liqueurs like Curacao or triple sec, or you can pair off the other ingredients with tart red fruit notes that are normally found in maraschino liqueur or grenadine.
But to get that authentic sour taste, freshly squeezed lime, lemon, or citrus fruit is the way to go.
Also, some recipes include egg whites that give it a unique and velvety texture.
Meanwhile, some recipes include a few dashes of bitters for a stronger taste and spiced finish.
Either way, sour cocktails are fresh, tasty, lively, and perfect for those who love fruity drinks.
There are several variations on the sour, so to help you choose, we’ve listed 25 refreshing sour cocktails that you can make at home.
Check out #12 for a fruity recipe!
1. Whiskey Sour
Whiskey Sour is often made with lemon juice, whiskey, egg white, and sugar.
It creates a tart flavor and a rich and smooth texture.
However, egg white is optional if you are not too keen on it.
You can also spike it with bourbon and top it with a few dashes of bitters for a spicy note.
Sidecar Cocktail is used with cognac or Armagnac as it creates an enjoyable sour cocktail that you can mix up.
Whichever base liquor you prefer, it still finds the balance between sweet and sour, and adding lemon to the recipe boosts its flavor.
3. Pisco Sour
Pisco is a popular grape-distilled liquor made in Peru.
This liquor varies in style and variety, and it ranges in flavor from dry and earthy to fruity and floral.
The core ingredients of the Pisco Sour are citrus, sugar, Pisco, and egg white, but what makes it unique is the addition of Angostura bitters.
The bitters add color and fragrance to the drink, and it sits on its fluffy head as garnish.
Pisco Sour is a cocktail with a silky texture and a great refreshment to have when you are outdoors or at the beach.
Tequila Sour is a cold and very refreshing tequila-based cocktail with creamy and thick froth on top.
It has the perfect combination of sweet and tangy, and all you’ll need is to shake it up with fresh lime juice, egg white, and simple syrup.
Paloma Cocktail is a simple cooker that combines the goodness of grapefruit soda, lime juice, and tequila.
You can also decorate the rim of the glass with salt, or you can add a pinch to the glass.
It can help add a savory taste that melds with tequila and grapefruit.
7. Mojito
Compared to the other cocktails on the list, the Mojito is more labor-intensive because you will need to muddle the mint, but the result is worth it.
Rum, lime, and sugar are also added, and it is lengthened with club soda to create a tasty, lighthearted cocktail.
Mojitos are usually made with white rum for that light and crisp flavor, but you can use Cuban rum for authenticity and lighter versions.
The mint mixed with other ingredients adds an extra dose of freshness that can be enjoyed at any time.
Daiquiri Cocktails are sublime, as it blends the sweetness of rum and the freshness of lime juice and sugar.
The three elements are perfectly balanced so that you can enjoy the drink without having to worry about it being similar to a liquid candy or being too acidic.
9. Tom Collins
Tom Collins is a classic cocktail that features lemon juice, club soda, simple syrup, and gin.
The beverage tastes like a boozy sparkling lemonade, and it cools you down on a humid day.
10. Campari Gin Fizz
Campari is a sweet and sour drink that is made with fresh lemon juice, gin, and Campari.
To mellow the flavor, simple syrup and egg white are added to the mix, and it creates a smooth texture and frothy top.
You can finish it off with club soda for a classic fizz, or you can leave it as is.
11. Pink Gin Gimlet
When it comes to popular cocktails, a Gimlet has been in bars for decades.
Made with fresh lime juice, gin, and sugar, this drink is packed with a punch.
Add a Rosé touch for a beautiful pink color.
Sour Cherry is a unique and interesting twist to the French 75.
Fresh lemon juice and simple syrup are mixed in to create a sour and smooth sparkling gin-based drink.
Sour Cherry brightens things up with cherry syrup for a seasonal and blush-colored twist.
Amaretto French 75 is a decadent cross between French 75 and Amaretto.
Amaretto’s bittersweet almond blends well with gin, lemon, and Champagne.
This gives a tangy twist to the classic French 75.
14. Clover Club
Clover Club has been around since pre-Prohibition and has appeared in different versions.
Some recipes use French vermouth, while others use grenadine instead of raspberry syrup.
This cocktail is consistently sweet and tart with a tasty and foamy head thanks to the egg white.
Cosmopolitan is a Martini-style, pink-colored drink that became famous thanks to HBO’s “Sex and the City.”
It is fruity, rich, and filled with goodness, and it is a sought-after fancy drink at bars and clubs.
You and your friends can party the night away with this easy-to-make cocktail.
17. Vodka Sour
If you are looking for a simple drink to mix up in the comfort of your own home, the Vodka Sour is the recipe for you.
This drink packs a lot of flavor with only a couple of ingredients.
With sweetener, vodka, and fresh lemon, you can make Vodka Sour any time, and having it on the rocks is a great drink to kick back with.
Lemon Drop Martini is a delicious, sweet Martini made with vodka, limoncello, sour mix, and lemon.
You can dress it up with sugar along the glass rim to tame the tangy flavor.
This is a great cocktail to serve at brunches or at house parties.
19. Forbidden Sour
Forbidden Sour is a tasty mixture of lemon juice, bourbon, and simple syrup that is heightened by the flavor of pomegranate.
Its bright-red color is enticing, and some consider the pomegranate as the original fruit that tempted Adam and Eve, which leads to its name: Forbidden Sour.
20. New York Sour
New York Sour uses either bourbon or rye whiskey as the base.
It features prominent spice, and with the addition of fresh lemon juice and simple syrup, it creates a strong and sour flavor.
Meanwhile, the egg white creates a silky and frothy head, and the red wine provides a striking visual.
New York Sour is simple to make, but it looks impressive and tastes heavenly.
It has all of the things that you want in a cocktail, and you can make this when you’re home alone or when you’re with your friends.
21. Ward Eight
The Ward Eight cocktail only needs two teaspoons of pomegranate syrup to add the sweet and tart flavors.
The grenadine and vodka are then put into the mix for a boozy and refreshing drink that is similar to a Tequila Sunrise or Shirley temple.
This cocktail is smoky, juicy, and tart, and it takes everything that people love about the classic Paloma and everything that people love about sour cocktails and mixes them all together.
Mezcal Paloma Sour is a frothy grapefruit-mezcal drink that is sure to set your mood right.
White Lady Cocktail is a gin-based sour made with Cointreau, gin, egg white, and fresh lemon juice.
The cocktail is easy to make since you just need to shake the ingredients together, and it is great for sipping any time of the year.
It is smooth and has a fresh citrus flavor, and the egg white gives the drink a creamy and foamy top.
24. Kamikaze Shot
The Kamikaze Shot recipe has a similar taste and texture as the Margarita.
What makes it different is that instead of using tequila as the base, it uses vodka.
Triple sec and fresh lime juice are then added into the mix, giving it an interesting spin on the classic.
25. Gold Rush
Made with honey syrup, fresh lemon juice, and bourbon, it is similar to a Whiskey Sour, but honey is used instead of sugar.
The whiskey and honey combination transforms the cocktail’s flavor and mouthfeel, making it an interesting drink all on its own.
The bottom line
If you are a fan of cocktails, it is time to open your eyes to a new list of flavors, including the sour ones.
Aside from the basic drinks like Whiskey Sour, Margarita, and Sidecar, there are other recipes that you can mix and match so you can find the drink that suits your taste.
Best Sour Cocktail Collection
Looking for sour drinks? Make a Sour Cherry, a unique twist to the French 75, or a classic drink, Tom Collins, from our favorite sour cocktails.
Ingredients
- Whiskey Sour
- Sidecar Cocktail
- Pisco Sour
- Margarita
- Fresh Lime Tequila Sour
- Paloma Cocktail
- Mojito
- Daiquiri Cocktail
- Tom Collins
- Campari Gin Fizz
- Pink Gin Gimlet
- Sour Cherry Cocktail
- Amaretto French 75
- Clover Club
- Southside
- Cosmopolitan Cocktail
- Vodka Sour
- Lemon Drop Martini
- Forbidden Sour
- New York Sour
- Ward Eight
- Charred Grapefruit & Mezcal Paloma Sour
- White Lady Cocktail
- Kamikaze Shot
- Gold Rush
Instructions
- Skim through our Sour Cocktails list.
- Select the recipe you’re looking for.
- Prep the ingredients as instructed.
- Spill your thoughts on our Facebook page!