Ep. 28 The best spirit you’re not drinking - Pisco Sour

Welcome to the episode 28 of The Art of Drinking with Join Jules and Your Favorite Uncle

What are we drinking?

One of the biggest blindspots in the spirits world is Pisco. The history is as complex and interesting as the spirit itself. You should be drinking Pisco, and if you’re not, now is the time to try it. In this episode we give you the BEST Pisco Sour cocktail recipe (you’ll ever have) and of course a Pisco Sour recipe with a Join_Jules twist, guava Pisco Sour.

Pisco Sour Recipe

Brad’s Classic Pisco Sour Recipe

  • Pisco Sour Cocktail Recipe

    Chill your coupe glass

    In your Boston Shaker (big side), add

    • 1 Egg white

    • 2oz. Pisco - small batch is best (I used Suyo Pisco No.1 - it’s amazing)

    • ½ oz lime

    • ½ oz lemon

    • ¾ oz simple

    Dry Shake for 30 seconds - HARD!

    In your Boston Shaker (small side), add

    • Copious amounts of ice to your shaker

    Shake for another 20 seconds

    Double strain into your chilled coupe glass and add

    • 5 dash Angostura bitters, pretend it’s connect the dots and you’re making the circle first, then take a toothpick and connect the dots

Jules’ Guava Pisco Sour

Guava Pisco Sour Cocktail Recipe

Chill your coupe glass

In your Boston Shaker (big side), add

  • 1 egg white

  • 2 oz Pisco

  • 3/4 oz lime juice

  • 1 oz guava nectar

  • 1/4 oz agave syrup

Dry Shake for 30 seconds - HARD!

In your Boston Shaker (small side), add

  • Copious amounts of ice to your shaker

Shake for another 20 seconds

Double strain into your chilled coupe glass and add

Did you know?

What is pisco (quality matters)

  • A clear spirit made from fermented grapes (wine) - you may also be saying, isn’t that cognac or brandy… yes

  • Pisco is a clear Brandy made in Peru or Chile and it MUST come from Peru or Chile

  • However, they are very different spirits

  • Peruvian Pisco never sees the inside of a Barrel, but it is aged in vessels that do not (and cannot) impart flavor or change the characteristics of the spirit

    • It is made from one or more of 8 specific grapes (4 aromatic and 4 non-aromatic) and comes in 3 varieties, puro, alcohado, and monte verde

    • And can only be distilled in 1 of 5 Peruvian regions

    • And can only be distilled once to the correct proof - you may not add water

  • Chilean Pisco can see the inside of a barrel and comes from 

    • 1 of 5 specific grapes 

    • made in 1 of 2 regions (Atacama or Coquimbo)

    • Can be distilled more than once and allows distillers to add water to proof

  • Continuous vs. semi-discontinuous (use the tails)

Get your Pisco Sour history & more by listening to the full podcast wherever you listen to your podcasts!

Tip: How to taste (sip) alcohol and what to look for  

  • Look for clarity: hazy or cloudy means sub par distillation (in most cases) 

  • Color: white should be white, brown should be brown. Look for shades

  • Aroma: swirl, a few sniffs, have a look at a flavor wheel and see what you pick up

  • Flavor: repeat

  • Finish: after you swallow… or spit it out, wait a few ticks to see how the flavors develop in your mouth. Sometimes the flavor continues (called a finish).