London dry gin, classic sour template · British
Gin Sour (Gin, Lemon & a Silky Foam)
The crisp, botanical sour: gin balanced with fresh lemon and a little sugar, shaken hard with egg white for a cloud-soft top. The clean, aromatic cousin of the whiskey sour — and the backbone of half the gin canon.
Published July 11, 2026
Cultural context
The gin sour is the sour at its most transparent: gin, lemon, sugar, in balance. It predates and underpins a whole shelf of classics — add soda and it's a Tom Collins, add egg white and cream and soda and it's a Ramos, top with sparkling wine and it drifts toward a French 75. On its own, shaken with egg white, it's crisp, aromatic and endlessly drinkable.
The Gin Sour is the sour stripped to its brightest: gin, fresh lemon and a little sugar, shaken hard — with egg white for a cloud-soft top. Crisp and botanical where the whiskey version is warm, it’s the quiet backbone of half the gin canon.
The template underneath the classics
Add soda and it’s a Tom Collins; add cream, soda and orange-flower water and you’re near a Ramos Gin Fizz; top with sparkling wine and you drift toward a French 75. Learn the sour and all of them open up.
Foam optional
Egg white (or aquafaba) gives the silky cap; leave it out for a cleaner, sharper drink. Dry-shake first, then shake with ice.
One of the sours
It’s the crisp end of the sour family — spirit, citrus, sugar, in balance.
Ingredients
- 60 ml (2 oz) gin A juniper-forward London dry keeps it crisp; a floral contemporary gin makes it softer.
- 30 ml (1 oz) fresh lemon juice
- 22 ml (3/4 oz) rich simple syrup Adjust to taste and to how tart your lemons are.
- 1/2 egg white (about 15 ml) For the silky foam. Aquafaba (15 ml) makes it vegan; optional either way.
- lemon peel, to garnish
- ice
Method
Tap a step’s number to check it off as you go.
-
Add the gin, lemon juice, syrup and egg white to a shaker and dry-shake hard for 10–15 seconds without ice.
Why: The ice-free shake whips the egg white into a thick, stable foam before dilution sets in.
-
Add ice and shake again for 10–15 seconds until very cold.
Why: The second shake chills and dilutes the drink and firms up the foam.
-
Double-strain into a chilled coupe (or over fresh ice in a rocks glass); express a lemon peel over the top.
Why: Double-straining keeps the foam smooth; the lemon oil brightens the gin's botanicals.
A quick, anonymous tap — no review needed.
Variations
- Tom Collins
Skip the egg white, build over ice and top with soda water for the tall, fizzy cousin.
- New Orleans Gin Fizz
Add cream and orange-flower water, shake hard, and top with soda for a Ramos-adjacent treat.
- The sour family
Swap the base — bourbon for a Whiskey Sour, pisco for a Pisco Sour, amaretto for an Amaretto Sour.
Serving & Storage
A bright, botanical aperitif. Its clean acidity wakes up the palate before a meal.
Pairs with: Oysters, Fried calamari, Green salad, Goat cheese.
Storage: Make to order; egg-white drinks must be served fresh and cold.
Nutrition
Per serving (1 drink (~110 ml))
- Calories
- 180
- Protein
- 1 g
- Carbs
- 16 g
- Fat
- 0 g
- Fiber
- 0 g
- Sugar
- 15 g
- Sodium
- 10 mg
Estimated using standard ingredient data. Values vary with brands and substitutions.
Frequently Asked Questions
How is a gin sour different from a Tom Collins?
They share a base of gin, lemon and sugar. A gin sour is shaken (often with egg white) and served short and foamy; a Tom Collins is built over ice and lengthened with soda water, so it's tall and fizzy. Same DNA, different format.
Do I have to use egg white?
No — it's for texture, not flavour. With egg white (or aquafaba for a vegan version) you get a silky, cloud-topped drink; without it you get a cleaner, sharper sour. Both are classic.
Which gin is best?
A juniper-forward London dry gives a crisp, classic sour. A floral or citrus-led contemporary gin makes a gentler, more perfumed drink. Choose to taste.
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