Sour co*cktails: It’s All About Balance
What sets a really wonderful co*cktail apart from a really average co*cktail is balance. A co*cktail must be boozy, but not overpowering, sweet, but not too sickly, and savory, but not too tart. The easiest way to create a balanced co*cktail at home is to follow and variate off the sour golden ratio. Sour co*cktails include citrus juice and are nearly always shaken vigorously to best emulsify, chill, and aerate the ingredients.
A golden ratio sour co*cktail must include 2 parts something alcoholic, 1 part something sour, and .75-1 part something sweet.
The sweet ratio differs between .75 and 1 part in a sour co*cktail based on the drinker’s taste, and the other ingredients in the drink. Bottled or Shelf Stable citrus is less flavorful, and more citric acid-forward then fresh juice. When using bottled juice generally use the 2:1:1 ratio to counter act the extra acidity presented in the citrus ingredient. Granulated sugar should not be used in sour co*cktails, as the process of shaking does not dissolve sugar crystals effectively. Simple syrup made with a 1:1 ratio of white or demerara to water, or natural sugar syrups like maple, honey, or agave diluted 2:1 with water are preferred (water helps make the natural syrup thinner, thus easier to pour and emulsify). Because natural sugar syrups often carry their own stand-alone flavor, you often need less of them in a co*cktail!
Classic Sour co*cktails
Examples of classic sour co*cktails are Daiquiri and Whisky Sour, with slight variations for Maple Sour, Margarita and French 75. A Daiquiri and Whisky Sour are all traditionally made with simple syrup (1:1) but their differences come in type of alcohol and citrus: Daiquiri- rum & lime, Whisky Sour- whisky & lemon. Each is based in the 2:1:1 golden ratio, and each is strained “up” into a co*cktail glass. Want to serve them on the rocks? Shake less vigorously so the co*cktail won’t over dilute while the rocks melt. Garnishing with a piece of citrus? Consider a thinly sliced wheel or twist over a wedge. Wedges encourage the drinker to squeeze that extra bit of citrus into their co*cktail, therefore throwing off your perfectly considered golden ratio!
Maple Sour is a great example of a variation of sugar syrups. It is made with Runamok’s Sugarmaker’s Cut Maple Syrup (in a 2:1 syrup) as the sweet ingredient. Maple Syrup adds a distinct flavor as well as sweetness. An example of variating a variation would be using the Runamok Makrut Lime-Leaf, Ginger Root, Elderberry or Hibiscus Infused Maple Syrup (all 2:1) in your Maple Sour to add a little more excitement.
The Margarita’s sweet ingredient is orange liqueur. Some drinkers prefer .5 part agave syrup (2:1) to be added as well for more sweetness! A French 75 has sparkling wine on top, so the quantity of gin, lemon juice and simple syrup are slightly reduced to maintain the golden ratio, and not over booze/sweet/sour the drink.
Mixing Sour co*cktails at Home
Sour co*cktails can be some of the most exciting to variate because of the vast flavors of juices, sweeteners and spirits available. Try some classic 2:1:1 co*cktails to train your palate to the pure balance of the golden ratio. Then, pick up a few favorite flavors at the market, and have fun finding your favorite variation!
