Whiskey Sour
Bourbon, lemon, and sweetener — the essential American sour.
Ingredients
| Bourbon whiskey | 2 oz |
| Fresh lemon juice | 0.75 oz |
| Simple syrup (1:1) | 0.75 oz |
| Total volume | 3.50 oz |
Garnish: Cherry, orange slice
Tip: change “Make” to scale the recipe, or switch units for the metric world.
How to make it
Shaken · Easy · about 3 minutes
- 1
Add the bourbon whiskey, fresh lemon juice and simple syrup to a cocktail shaker filled with ice.
- 2
Shake hard for 10–15 seconds until the outside of the shaker frosts over.
- 3
Strain into a rocks glass over fresh ice.
- 4
Garnish with cherry, orange slice.
Tools you'll need
Making a batch for a party?
This example makes 12 servings with added water at 27% of the full recipe volume before dilution. This is a planning assumption; water from ice at service is not predicted. Edit this recipe and create a purchase sheet → See the pre-calculated 8-serve batch →
| Ingredient | × 12 | mL |
|---|---|---|
| Bourbon whiskey | 24.0 oz | 710 |
| Fresh lemon juice | 9.0 oz | 266 |
| Simple syrup (1:1) | 9.0 oz | 266 |
BatchPour tools produce estimates for planning purposes only. Actual dilution, ABV, and ingredient yields vary by technique, ice temperature, and produce. Always taste and adjust. Drink responsibly.
If you like the Whiskey Sour, try…
Old Fashioned
whiskeyWhiskey, sugar, bitters — the original cocktail, built in the glass.
Manhattan
whiskeyRye, sweet vermouth, bitters — the stately stirred classic.
Penicillin
whiskeyScotch, lemon, honey-ginger, peaty float — a modern classic.
John Collins
whiskeyThe bourbon-based cousin of the Tom Collins; whiskey, lemon, sugar and soda make a refreshing highball whose spirit base batches easily ahead of soda topping.
Whiskey Sour FAQ
What's in a Whiskey Sour?
A classic Whiskey Sour is made with bourbon whiskey, fresh lemon juice, simple syrup (1:1). It's shaken and served in a rocks or coupe glass.
What is the ABV of a Whiskey Sour?
The listed ingredients calculate to approximately 25.7% ABV before added water or ice melt, with approximately 1.50 US standard drinks per serving. Water lowers the concentration but does not change the alcohol quantity.
Should I shake or stir a Whiskey Sour?
Shake it. Citrus and other non-spirit ingredients need the aeration and hard chill that shaking gives.
How do I batch Whiskey Sours for a party?
Scale each ingredient by your number of servings. Open this recipe in the batch planner to choose added water, package sizes and ingredients to hold for service. Preset water percentages are planning assumptions applied to all recipe liquid before dilution, not predictions of ice melt.