Sour Grapes
Dry shake ∙ 5 min ∙ 17.2% ABV ∙
The Sour Grapes is an egg-white sour blending bourbon and Pineau des Charentes with lemon juice and bitters, double-shaken and served up. The double shake builds a plush, cloud-like foam that cushions a bright, tart core, finishing soft and long with a spiced whisper from the bitters.
Ingredients
1
Servings
Garnish
Instructions for 1 serving
- Pre-chill a glass
- Shake all ingredients with ice: Bourbon 45 mlPineau des Charentes blanc 45 mlSugar syrup 10 mlLemon juice 25 mlEgg white 1/2 pcAngostura aromatic bitters 3 dashes
- Strain back into the shaker
- Dry shake (without ice)
- Fine strain into the chilled glass
- Express a lemon twist over the cocktail and use as garnish
Tips
- Use pasteurized egg white and measure the half unit precisely — too much foam flattens the balance between the bourbon and the Pineau.
- Shake with ice first, strain the liquid back into the shaker, then dry-shake without ice to build a stable, silky foam.
- Express the lemon twist directly over the foam right before serving so the oils sit on top and hit the nose first.
History
The Sour Grapes is a modern whiskey sour built with a splash of Pineau des Charentes, the French grape-and-Cognac aperitif that gives the drink its "grape" name and its fruity backbone alongside the bourbon. It is credited to bartender Robb Jones, created in a straight-up bourbon-based version at Bellecour, a French-inspired restaurant and bar in Wayzata, Minnesota. The widely circulated recipe was later adapted into an egg-white sour format for wider publication.
FAQ
What is in a Sour Grapes cocktail?
Bourbon, Pineau des Charentes blanc, sugar syrup, fresh lemon juice, egg white, and a few dashes of Angostura bitters, double-shaken and served up in a coupe with a lemon twist. The Pineau des Charentes, a fortified grape aperitif from France, gives the drink its grape-forward character and its name alongside the bourbon.
What alcohol goes best with grapes?
A fortified grape wine such as Pineau des Charentes pairs naturally with grapes, since it is itself made from grape must and brandy, giving deep, raisined sweetness without needing actual grape juice. This cocktail pairs it with bourbon, whose caramel and oak notes complement the wine's sweetness rather than competing with it.
Is a Sour Grapes shaken or stirred?
Shaken, and shaken twice. It is first shaken with ice to chill and dilute, then strained back into the shaker and dry-shaken without ice to whip the egg white into a stable foam before fine-straining into the glass.
