The template for sour cocktails is always following the same principle, and the Pink Gin Sour also plays by those rules. A spirit base is mixed with citrus juice and balanced with a sweetener, but adds a little extra and asks for a particular brand of Gin as well.
Carson Quinn, brand ambassador of Iron Balls Gin, thought up the colorful twist. So, it's no surprise that Iron Balls makes the base of this Pink Gin Sour.
Ingredients
You need Gin, syrup, and lemon for this drink, plus extra egg white and some bitters to create the iconic look of this delightful cocktail:
- Gin: As mentioned, the spirit in the original recipe by Carson Quinn is Iron Balls. The Gin is made from pineapple and coconut wine, distilled and flavored with tropical botanicals like lemon grass, coriander seeds, and Thai basil.
- The bitters: The addition of Peychaud & Angostura bitters perform some magic here and bring a lot of complexity into the drink. Plus, the Peychaud bitters are the reason for the subtle rose color.
- Lemon, syrup, and the foamy top: Besides the bitters, you'll need freshly squeezed lemon juice, simple syrup, and a bit of egg white to create that foamy top. That not only adds elegant froth but makes for a smooth mouthfeel.
Iron Balls Gin is a beautifully crafted Gin from Bangkok. The small-batch distillery is located inside the Iron Balls distillery & bar. It's perfect for this Pink Gin Sour but also works beautifully in a Gin and Tonic with Fevertree Mediterranean garnished with fresh pineapple and basil.
Peychaud's are aromatic bitters, just like Angostura's. The latter is more popular, and also part of this recipe. If you want to know more about those two brands, check out this comparison of Peychaud's vs. Angostura bitters.
In case you're still not convinced but want that froth, try aquafaba instead. The chickpea liquid is vegan and creates a nice foam, as well. You can read how the two compare in our comparison of Aquafaba and eggwhite.
How to make a Pink Gin Sour
The preparation of this drink is similar to other sour cocktails. However, incorporating egg white requires an extra step: dry shake or reverse dry shake to get the perfect foam.
For a dry shake, put all ingredients into your cocktail shaker without ice and start shaking for 15 seconds. This step gives the egg white its beautiful frothy texture.
In a second step, open the cocktail shaker and add ice. Then shake the drink again to chill it.
Strain the Pink Gin Sour into a Coupe or Martini glass and garnish it with Angostura bitters and candied orange or a slice of dried orange.
Other Gin to try with this drink
As the recipe particularly asks for fruity Iron Balls Gin, it's pretty hard to find an equivalent substitute. Thus, our recommendation would be to opt for another Asia-inspired Gin.
For instance, Bobby's Gin brings in beautiful notes of lemongrass and cinnamon. Alternatively, you can also try Roku Gin. This one brings in a Japanese touch of cherry blossoms and yuzu fruit.
These two would create a slightly different drink but are great options if you can't get your hands on Iron Balls.
Equipment
- 1 Jigger
- 1 Cocktail Shaker
- 1 Hawthorne Strainer
Ingredients
- 1.5 oz Iron Balls Gin
- 0.75 oz Lemon juice
- 0.5 oz Simple syrup
- 0.5 oz Egg white
- 2 dashes Peychaud's bitters
- Angostura bitters (for garnish)
- Candied orange or dried orange (for garnish)
Instructions
- Chill your glass and set it aside.
- Add all ingredients except for Angostura bitters into your shaker (without ice) and shake for 15 seconds.1.5 oz Iron Balls Gin, 0.75 oz Lemon juice, 0.5 oz Simple syrup, 0.5 oz Egg white, 2 dashes Peychaud's bitters
- Open the shaker, add ice cubes, and shake again for about 10 seconds.
- Remove the ice from your glass and strain the cocktail into your now chilled glass.
- Garnish with Angostura bitters and orange.Angostura bitters (for garnish), Candied orange or dried orange (for garnish)