Stone Sour
Dry shake ∙ 5 min ∙ 11.8% ABV ∙
The Stone Sour is a bourbon sour with fresh orange juice alongside the lemon, sugar syrup, and egg white, plus a splash of apricot brandy liqueur.
Ingredients
1
Servings
Garnish
Instructions for 1 serving
- Pre-chill a glass
- Shake all ingredients with ice: Bourbon 45 mlApricot brandy liqueur 5 mlLemon juice 25 mlOrange juice 25 mlSugar syrup 15 mlEgg white 15 ml
- Strain back into the shaker
- Dry shake (without ice) to emulsify
- Fine strain into the chilled glass
- Express an orange twist over the cocktail and discard
- Garnish with a maraschino cherry on a skewer
Tips
- Squeeze the orange and lemon fresh: together that's 50 ml of juice, more than the 45 ml of bourbon, so the juice shapes much of the drink's flavor.
- Pick a bourbon of around 100 proof so all that juice doesn't wash out the whiskey.
History
The name "Stone Sour" first appears in print in Jacques Straub's 1914 book Drinks, though that early version was a gin sour served frappé, with no orange juice. Tom Bullock's 1917 The Ideal Bartender gives the earliest recipe with orange juice — built on Old Tom gin — and is credited as the drink's turning point. Bourbon later became the spirit most associated with it.
The Stone Sour faded during Prohibition and resurfaced in the 1980s, appearing in Vincent Sardi and George Shea's 1988 Sardi's Bar Guide. Dale DeGroff, in The Craft of the Cocktail, noted the drink was also called the California Sour and that the name Stone Sour simply marks the addition of orange juice. Its exact origin and how it got its name remain obscure.
FAQ
What is in a Stone Sour?
Bourbon (45 ml), fresh lemon and orange juice (25 ml each), sugar syrup (15 ml), and egg white (15 ml) for foam. This version also adds 5 ml of apricot brandy liqueur.
What's the difference between a Whiskey Sour and a Stone Sour?
A Stone Sour is a Whiskey Sour with fresh orange juice added alongside the lemon. The orange softens the tartness and makes the drink a touch sweeter, with the bourbon still in front.
Why is it called a Stone Sour?
The origin of the name is obscure and undocumented. Dale DeGroff wrote in The Craft of the Cocktail that it was also known as the California Sour, and that "Stone Sour" just marks the added orange juice.
What's the difference between an Amaretto Sour and a Stone Sour?
The base. An Amaretto Sour is made with amaretto, a sweet almond liqueur, while a classic Stone Sour is a bourbon sour with orange juice. Confusingly, a popular variant called the Amaretto Stone Sour swaps the whiskey for amaretto.
Is a Stone Sour shaken or stirred?
Shaken twice. Shake with ice to chill and mix, strain back into the shaker, then dry shake without ice to whip the egg white into foam. Fine-strain into a chilled cocktail glass.
What glass is a Stone Sour served in?
A chilled cocktail glass. The drink is fine-strained and served up, with no ice.
