Apricot Stone Sour

Name: Apricot Stone Sour
Prep time: 3 min
Total time: 3 min
Yield: 1 serving
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: Apricot brandy liqueur — 60 ml (2 oz); Orange juice (freshly squeezed) — 15 ml (1/2 oz); Lime juice (freshly squeezed) — 30 ml (1 oz); Sugar syrup (2:1) — 5 ml (1/6 oz); Orange bitters (opt.) — 2 dashes; Saline solution (opt.) — 1 dash

Shake ∙ 3 min ∙ 10.3% ABV ∙

The Apricot Stone Sour is a low-proof shaken sour based on apricot brandy liqueur with fresh orange and lime juice, served over ice.

Ingredients

Servings

Garnish

Apricot wedge

Instructions for 1 serving

Pre-chill a glass
Shake all ingredients with ice: Apricot brandy liqueur 60 mlOrange juice 15 mlLime juice 30 mlSugar syrup 5 mlOrange bitters 2 dashes (opt.)Saline solution 1 dash (opt.)
Fine strain into the ice-filled glass
Garnish with an apricot wedge or half

Tips

Squeeze the citrus fresh; apricot liqueur is intensely sweet, and fresh lime is what keeps it from turning cloying.
Taste before you add any more than the 5 ml of sugar syrup; the 60 ml of apricot liqueur is already plenty sweet.
If you use the saline, a single dash sharpens the apricot.

History

An apricot stone sour is a sour with orange juice added alongside the usual citrus, and the apricot version puts apricot brandy liqueur in the base spirit's place. The drink is documented in Vincent Sardi Jr. and George Shea's 1988 Sardi's Bar Guide, which describes the "Apricot (Brandy) Stone Sour" and notes plainly that "a stone sour is, of course, a sour with the addition of orange juice." That earlier version leaned on lemon juice and a touch of superfine sugar; modern builds, including this one, lean on lime instead. It belongs to a broad stone sour family that swaps in different base spirits — bourbon, gin, amaretto, and others.

FAQ

What is the difference between a Sour and a Stone Sour?

Orange juice. A sour is a spirit, lemon or lime juice and a sweetener. A Stone Sour adds a splash of orange juice, which takes the edge off the tartness and makes it fruitier.

How do you make an Apricot Stone Sour?

Shake apricot brandy liqueur, fresh orange and lime juice, sugar syrup, and the optional orange bitters and saline with ice, then fine strain into an ice-filled old-fashioned glass and garnish with an apricot wedge.

Is an Apricot Stone Sour shaken or stirred?

Shaken. The orange and lime juice need a hard shake to mix with the sweet liqueur and chill quickly; stirred, it comes out flat.

What glass is an Apricot Stone Sour served in?

An old-fashioned glass filled with ice. The drink is fine-strained over fresh ice and garnished with an apricot wedge.