Emulsifier Free Whiskey Sour
That silky foam on top of a well-made whiskey sour is one of the most satisfying things in cocktail culture, and this version absolutely delivers. The secret is the two-stage shake — first dry, without ice, to build that gorgeous, cloud-like froth from the egg white, then again with ice to chill everything down perfectly. Every ingredient here is clean and straightforward: bourbon, fresh lemon juice, simple syrup, and a pasteurized egg white, with zero additives or stabilizers hiding in the mix. For anyone avoiding commercial emulsifiers, store-bought cocktail mixes and pre-made sours are basically off the table, loaded with lecithins and synthetic binders to fake that creamy texture. Here, the egg white does all that work naturally, the way bartenders have been doing it for over a century. The balance of citrus brightness against the warmth of the bourbon is genuinely hard to beat, and straining it over fresh ice keeps every sip cold and crisp right to the bottom of the glass.
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Learn more →Ingredients
1 serving
- 2 oz bourbon
- ¾ oz fresh lemon juice
- ¾ oz simple syrup
- 1 pasteurized egg white
- ice cubes, for shaking and serving
For serving
- 1 strip lemon peel or 1 maraschino cherry, for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Combine the bourbon, lemon juice, simple syrup, and pasteurized egg white in a cocktail shaker without ice. Seal and shake vigorously for 15 seconds, until the mixture is foamy.
- 2
Add a generous handful of ice to the shaker, seal, and shake again for another 10–15 seconds, until the outside of the shaker is very cold.
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