The Bourbon Sidecar is a sophisticated craft cocktail, a popular variation of the classic sour recipe that swaps cognac brandy for American whiskey.
Bourbon, orange liqueur, fresh lemon juice and simple syrup are shaken with ice until chilled, producing a citrusy whisky-forward drink.
After being strained into a coupe glass, the Whiskey Sidecar is garnished with an elegant lemon peel. With its balance of bourbon, citrus and hint of sweetness, its the perfect sipper to serve any day of the week!
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What Is A Bourbon Sidecar?
The Sidecar is any cocktail traditionally made with cognac brandy, orange liqueur such as Cointreau, and fresh lemon juice. In its ingredients, the drink is most closely related to the vintage brandy crusta, which differs both in presentation and in proportions of its components.
Like the daiquiri, the sidecar evolved from the original sour formula, but sidecars are often drier than sours.
The exact origin of the sidecar is unclear, but it is thought to have been invented at the end of World War I in either London or Paris. The drink was directly named for the motorcycle attachment, which was very commonly used at the time.
The iconic Ritz Hotel in Paris claims origin of the drink. The first recipes for the sidecar appear in 1922, in Harry MacElhone’s Harry’s ABC of Mixing Cocktails and Robert Vermeire’s Cocktails and How to Mix Them. It is one of six basic drinks listed in David A. Embury’s The Fine Art of Mixing Drinks.
Our Bourbon Sidecar cocktail is a rift on the classic French cocktail, swapping Cognac brandy for spicy American whiskey.
You may also enjoy our tasty recipes for a Grand Marnier Sidecar or Hennessy Sidecar.
Best Bourbon For A Sidecar
An American whiskey, bourbon is always made from sweet corn.
In fact, to be called bourbon whiskey, the spirit needs to be made from at least 51% corn, aged in a new oak barrel and produced in America. It has no minimum aging period and needs to be bottled at 80 proof or more.
Conduct a taste test with bottles of Canadian rye whiskey, Scotch, Irish Whiskey and Bourbon and you’ll find the latter has a sweeter finish thanks to the use of corn mash in the distillation process.
Popular Bourbon brands we love to use when making a Whiskey Sidecar include Ezra Brooks, Wild Turkey, Maker’s Mark, Evan Williams, Larceny, and Elijah Craig.
Ingredients
This easy 5-ingredient cocktail recipe features Bourbon whiskey, orange liqueur, fresh lemon juice, and simple syrup, which are shaken with ice in the perfect proportions then garnished in a coupe glass with a lemon twist.
- Bourbon Whiskey: we tested this recipe with Evan Williams, Larceny and Yellowstone bourbon.
- Orange Liqueur: flavour the bourbon with sweet orange using Cointreau or Triple Sec.
- Lemon Juice: always use fresh lemon juice instead of citrus concentrate as it is off putting and overly tart.
- Simple Syrup: sweeten the cocktail to balance out the tartness of the lemon juice.
- Garnish: decorate the coupe glass with an elegant lemon twist.
Directions
This Sidecar recipe is so easy to make at home, ready to serve in under 5 minutes!
- PREPARE THE GLASS: Begin by preparing your cocktail glass. If desired, you can rim the glass with sugar for an extra touch of sweetness. Simply moisten the rim with a lemon wedge, then dip it into a plate of sugar until evenly coated. Set the glass aside while you prepare the drink.
- COMBINE THE INGREDIENTS: In a shaker filled with ice, combine the bourbon, triple sec or Cointreau, and freshly squeezed lemon juice. The quality of the ingredients is key here, so opt for high-quality bourbon and fresh lemon juice for the best flavour.
- SHAKE & STRAIN: Secure the lid on the cocktail shaker and shake vigorously for 30-40 seconds. This step is essential for chilling the ingredients and ensuring proper dilution. Once shaken, strain the cocktail into your prepared glass, either straight up or over fresh ice, depending on your preference.
- GARNISH & SERVE: To garnish your Bourbon Sidecar, twist a strip of lemon peel over the surface of the drink to release its aromatic oils, then drop it into the glass as a finishing touch. This not only adds visual appeal but also enhances the cocktail’s citrus notes.
Full recipe instructions are in the recipe card below.
Whiskey Sidecar Cocktail Recipe Tips
- We suggest serving a Bourbon Sidecar in an elegant couple glass.
- While we like to use bourbon when making this Sidecar you can substitute for Scotch, Irish Whiskey, or Canadian Rye.
- We’ve shaken and strained this cocktail but if you like ice in your glass to keep it cool feel free to plop a few cubes into a rocks glass before serving.
- Our recipe serves one person. If you’re hosting a large gathering feel free to multiply the ingredients by the number of guests and muddle the drink in a festive punch bowl or jug rather than a cocktail shaker.
- Feel free to add a few drops of your favourite bitters to give the drink additional depth of flavour.
- Add a splash of soda water for a fizzy twist to make the drink less boozy and more refreshing.
- An hour or two before you’re planning on serving drinks we suggest placing the bourbon and Cointreau bottles in the freezer so they are well chilled.
- We like to garnish the glass with a lemon twist but you can also use a dehydrated lemon wheel.
- You can also add a sugar rim to the glass like a classic sidecar cocktail if you have a sweet tooth.
Best Bartender Tools & Cocktail Equipment
Before hosting a swanky Bourbon Sidecar cocktail party you’ll need to ensure you have the best bartender tools and cocktail equipment.
- Cocktail Kit: cocktail kits are the perfect gift for newbie mixology fans as they include basic bartender tools like a jigger, shaker and spoon.
- Cocktail Shaker: a bartender’s best friend. Purchase a premium cocktail shaker to muddle or shake up your favourite pink gin cocktails.
- Cocktail Glassware: make sure your bar is stocked with a selection of unique glassware to show off your favourite cocktail creations.
- Hawthorne Strainer: this unique strainer features tightly wound coils and perforated holes. It keeps ice and other large ingredients like lime wedges in your cocktail shaker rather than in the glass.
- Bar Spoons: slender and long bar spoons are a must-have when stirring drinks.
- Bottle Opener: easily open bottles of beer or cider with the flick of your wrist or purchase a corkscrew for fine wine.
- Pouring Spout: once you’ve opened a new bottle of gin insert these affordable pourers to make cocktail assembly a breeze.
- Cutting Board: purchase a petite cutting board for your bar to slice garnishes or citrus wedges like lime, orange, lemon or grapefruit.
- Ice Bucket: chill bottles of gin quickly in an ice bucket or keep by the bar when muddling gin mixers into cool creations.
- Ice Crusher: fans of the Mint Julep love an ice crusher.
- Ice Cube Kit: we suggest purchasing a selection of ice cube trays. Silicone styles are our favourite as they’re easy to clean and are available in various shapes and sizes.
- Jigger: use a jigger to accurately measure spirits, juices, syrups and shrubs.
- Juicer: invest in an electronic juicer or buy an affordable hand-held to easily juice fresh citrus like lemons and limes.
- Muddler: fans of the Mojito love a sturdy muddler to mix mint and lime. Muddler’s are handy for any cocktail featuring ingredients that need a pounding like fresh herbs or citrus wedges.
- Citrus Peeler & Zester: adorn your craft cocktails with a thick citrus peel or finer ribbons of lime or lemon zest.
- Rimmer: Bloody Mary and Caesar lovers should outfit their bar with a handy rimmer for salting and sugaring glassware.
You May Also Enjoy These Whiskey Cocktail Recipes….
- Kentucky Bourbon Whiskey Margarita Cocktail
- Maple Bourbon Sour Whiskey Cocktail
- Classic Boston Sour Cocktail
- Bourbon Manhattan Cocktail
- Bourbon Blackberry Bramble Cocktail
- Apple Cider Bourbon Mule Cocktail
- Cranberry Whiskey Sour Cocktail
- Blackberry Bourbon Whiskey Smash Cocktail
- Bourbon Kentucky Mule Cocktail
- Brown Sugar Old Fashioned Cocktail
- Peach Whiskey Sour Cocktail
When To Serve a Bourbon Sidecar
This classy and refreshing cocktail can be enjoyed any time of year. We love to serve it as a:
- Cocktail hour drink served with snacks like Hawaiian Creamy Coconut Shrimp, Creamy Spanakopita Dip or Sigara Börek Crispy Turkish Feta Cheese Filo Cigar Rolls.
- Sophisticated guys or girls night beverage
- Pre-drink at home before meeting friends at your local bar
- Dinner party cocktail served with dishes that compliment the citrusy flavour of the drink like Sherry Cream Sauce Lemon Chicken or Ndunderi Amalfi Lemon Ricotta Gnocchi.
More Sour Cocktails
Sours are a family of cocktails featuring a base spirit, sour (citrus), and sweet elements like simple syrup or honey. There are many variations of a classic sour cocktail, here are some favourites we know you’ll love:
- Mojito: the classic Cuban cocktail features rum balanced with lime and fresh mint.
- Daiquiri: another Caribbean cocktail features rum muddled with lime and sweetener.
- Tom Collins: also known as a gin sour, its light and bubbly thanks to the addition of soda.
- Southside Cocktail: a refreshing gin drink prepared with fresh mint, lemon juice and lime. You could also call it a Gin Mojito!
- Gin Fizz Cocktail: sweet, tart and tangy, it often has a foamy egg white topping like a Boston Sour.
How To Make A Bourbon Whiskey Sidecar Cocktail
Bourbon Whiskey Sidecar Cocktail
Equipment
- Jigger
- Cocktail Shaker
- Coupe
Ingredients
- 2 oz Bourbon Whiskey
- 1 oz Cointreau
- 0.5 oz Lemon Juice
- 1 tsp Simple Syrup
- Lemon Peel garnish
Instructions
- Place all ingredients in an ice filled cocktail shaker. Shake for 15-20 seconds until cold.
- Strain into a coup glass. Garnish with lemon peel.
Nutrition
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