How to Make a DAMN GOOD Tequila Sour

April 26, 2022 Melissa "Mel" Drake

How to Make a DAMN GOOD Tequila Sour

It's tequila time people! This Tequila Sour is an easy-to-make quintessential classic cocktail to add to your home bartender repertoire that's perfect to sip when you want something sweet, sophisticated, and strong- of course.

While the origins of the tequila sour cocktail are a bit hazy (pun intended) one thing is clear- this drink is delicious. Some say it dates back to the early 1800s when it was popularized in Mexico. Others claim that it originated in California during the Golden Age of cocktails. What I do know for sure is that a tequila sour cocktail is a timeless classic that's always a hit!

Do you love margaritas and tequila cocktails too? I've got you covered. Try my Spicy Jalapeño Margarita, Blueberry Basil Margarita, and Watermelon Margaritas too!

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The Ingredients: What's in a Tequila Sour?

To make a proper Tequila Sour, first, you'll need to know what a "sour drink" is. A Sour Cocktail is a mixed drink made with three key components: base liquor spirit, citrus juice, and sugar or sweetener. And that's basically it! Other popular sours are made with whiskey, but you can also use rum, tequila, or gin. So what's in a Tequila Sour?

Fresh Lemon Juice - the citrus
Fresh Lime Juice - the citrus
Agave Nectar - the sweetness
Angostura Bitters - the "salt and pepper" of cocktails
Egg White - the foam
Tequila (of course) - Reposado tequila is preferred, but Blanco tastes great too!
Cocktail Cherry - the garnish, if you are feeling fancy

Dry Shake: The Key to Egg White Foam

Once you have all your ingredients, it's time to get shaking! And I don't mean just any old shake, I mean a dry shake. What is dry shaking you ask? A dry shake is when you shake all the ingredients together in a cocktail shaker without ice first. This helps to emulsify the raw egg whites and creates that beautiful foamy frothy head on your cocktail.

Once you have given it a good dry shake, then you add ice to the shaker and shake vigorously again until everything is nice and cold. This is the key to not only a great tequila sour but other egg white cocktails too. Then double-strain into a cocktail glass using a fine mesh strainer to achieve maximum creamy frothiness.

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Tools You’ll Need to Make This Recipe

Here are a few essential tools you’ll need to make Tequila Sour cocktails

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I highly recommend this Mixology and Craft Cocktail Starter Kit, as a former bartender. This kit includes a 2-piece stainless steel Boston cocktail shaker, Hawthorne cocktail strainer, and 2-sided jigger for the most accurate 1 ounce and 2 ounces pours.
A citrus juicer is a must-have for creating classic drinks and ensuring you'll get more freshly squeezed lemon juice and fresh lime juice every time.
A fine mesh cocktail strainer is essential to achieve the best foam head when using an egg white in drink making. Oh, and it's stainless steel too.
Serving your tequila sour in a coupe glass or an old-fashioned glass are both excellent choices; however, I prefer to serve my Tequila Sours "up" in a classic coupe glass. It just feels fancier.
This 15-piece gold cocktail pick set will instantly elevate your cherry garnish game.
A 2-sided jigger will ensure your classic cocktails will get just the right amount of alcohol every time.
A Hawthorne cocktail strainer is key in straining out ice and other ingredients while pouring your drinks.
This beautiful 3-piece glass bitters set is a lovely and handy way to showcase your orange bitters, angostura bitters, and other bitters on your home bar cart.

Thank You

Thanks for reading, and I hope you enjoyed this classic Tequila Sour cocktail recipe. It’s definitely one of my favorites and it’s so freaking easy to make at home. If you give it a try, please let me know what you think – or better yet, leave a comment below or share photos of your own DAMN GOOD Tequila Sour cocktails on Instagram using the hashtag #damngoodcocktails and tagging me @thisismeldrake. Never miss a DAMN GOOD cocktail recipe and sign up for my newsletter. You can also find me on Pinterest, Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter too.

Cheers!

-XOXO (as always)

Mel D.

Photography by Melissa "Mel" Drake