Aperol Sour: Two Variations
This Aperol Sour is a refreshing cocktail that combines the bitter and sweet flavors of Aperol with the tartness of lemon juice and a touch of of simple syrup. Add in some gin and an egg white foam for a more complex Aperol gin sour.
Regardless of which Aperol variation you make, the result is a zingy cocktail that’s perfect for sipping by the pool or sharing with friends at your next dinner party. So grab your cocktail shaker, jump to the recipe, and let’s go mix it up!
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Ingredients
These two bright orange Aperol sour recipes follow the classic sour cocktail formula seen in this vodka sour. One sour, a light and refreshing version, uses only Aperol, lemon juice, and simple syrup. The other is a Aperol gin sour variation that uses gin, Aperol, lemon juice, simple syrup, and an egg white to give you a richer, smoother, more sophisticated sour cocktail.
About Aperol
Aperol is an Italian aperitivo like Campari. Aperol is less bitter than Campari and slightly sweeter with herbal and orange flavors. It’s also much lighter than Campari with only 11% alcohol by volume compared to the 24% of Campari.
The classic Aperol cocktail is an Aperol spritz, made in a classic spritz formula using Aperol, prosecco, and soda water. But you can make other Aperol drinks by substituting Aperol in any cocktail where you might find Campari. The obvious substitution is the Aperol Negroni or an Aperol soda.
Please see the recipe card below for complete information on ingredients and quantities.
Variations and substitutions
The sour is a classic cocktail made with two ounces of spirit, three quarters of an ounce of freshly squeezed citrus juice, and three quarters of an ounce of simple syrup. If you can remember only one cocktail formula, it should be the sour.
Make your sour sweeter or more sour by using a quarter of an ounce more or less of your citrus or simple syrup. Make it with rum and lime juice, and it’s a daiquiri. Change it to tequila, use orange liqueur instead of sugar syrup, and you have a margarita. Make it with gin and lime, and it’s a gimlet.
You can vary the flavors with different simple syrups, juice, or liqueurs. The cosmo is a vodka sour made with cranberry juice and orange liqueur. The mojito adds soda water. The popular Porn Star martini is actually a passion fruit sour and not a martini.
Recipe tips and tricks
Making simple syrup
Simple syrups are extremely easy to make. Simply (see what I did there?) combine equal amounts of granulated sugar and water in a pot over low heat until the sugar dissolves.
Shaking your cocktail
The sour is a shaken cocktail. Normally I don’t recommend you fuss about shaking your cocktail, but these two sour variations use two different styles of shake!
Tip from the wise quacker: The general teaching is that cocktails with citrus juices should be shaken, but cocktails with only alcohols should be stirred.
Simple aperol sour
For a simple Aperol sour cocktail or the gin version without egg white, add your ingredients to your cocktail shaker with ice. Shake for 10 to 20 seconds to chill and strain.
You can serve this Aperol sour variation straight up in a chilled coupe or in a lowball glass with a large ice cube. Those large ice cubes are slower to melt, so they don’t dilute your drink as much as smaller cubes. Garnish with a lemon twist or dried orange slice.
Aperol gin sour: the dry shake
For an Aperol gin sour with an egg white foam, you’ll do a dry shake. Like in this creamy espresso martini or gin espresso martini, the dry shake allows you to shake longer to create a foamy top for your Aperol gin sour but doesn’t over-dilute your drink.
First, add the gin, Aperol, lemon juice, simple syrup, and egg white to your cocktail shaker without ice. Hold it tight (I dry shake over my sink just in case). Shake hard for 20 to 30 seconds. Now add a cup of ice to the shaker, shake another 10 to 20 seconds to chill, and strain into your chilled glass.
What to serve with an Aperol sour
Both of these Aperol sours are light and so best sipped on their own or enjoy with a light meal like:
- A salad like this rainbow salad bowl or peach burrata Caprese.
- A light pasta like ricotta and lemon pasta or orzo pesto salad.
- Simple roast like these cast iron chicken breasts.
- Ooni pizza night!
Recipe FAQs
We don’t know. Aperol‘s super secret recipe supposedly made with “orange, herbs and roots with a touch of vanilla.”
There are effectively four different types of gin. London dry gins are heavy on the juniper. Common examples of dry gins are Tanqueray, Bombay Sapphire, and Beefeater.
Liqueurs are actually made with sugar and aren’t labeled from dry to sweet like sparkling wines are labeled based on their residual sugars. But considering that the sweetest wines have over 50 grams of residual sugar per liter, and Aperol has over 300 grams per liter, it’s fair to say that Aperol is sweet.
If you are concerned about food-borne illness from consuming raw eggs, you can skip the egg white in this Aperol sour cocktail or use pasteurized egg whites or aquafaba.
Related cocktail recipes
Love Italy? Check out my limoncello lemon drop and the rest of the list of Ugly Duckling Bakery cocktails for other delicious drinks inspired by classic Italian cocktails:
Love cocktails and want to explore more? Read all about classic cocktails and bartender basics, check out my list of essential bar tools for cocktails at home, and join this year’s 52 weeks of cocktails challenge!
Love this recipe? Please leave a 5-heart 💜💜💜💜💜 rating in the recipe card below. Let me know how much you loved it, or any problems you had, in the comments section further down.
Recipe
Aperol Sour
Equipment
- 1 Cocktail shaker
Ingredients
Simple Aperol sour
- 2 ounces Aperol
- 1 ounce simple syrup
- ¾ ounce lemon juice
- lemon twist for garnish
Aperol gin sour with egg white
- 1 ounce Aperol
- 1 ounce dry gin e.g. Tanqueray
- ¾ ounce simple syrup
- ¾ ounce lemon juice
- 1 egg white optional
Instructions
Simple Aperol sour
- Combine the ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake for 20 seconds and strain into a chilled coupe or a rocks glass with a large ice cube.2 ounces Aperol, 1 ounce simple syrup, ¾ ounce lemon juice
- Garnish with the lemon twist.lemon twist
Aperol gin sour with egg white
- Combine all the ingredients into a cocktail shaker without ice. Hold tightly to the shaker and shake for about 20 seconds.1 ounce Aperol, ¾ ounce simple syrup, ¾ ounce lemon juice, 1 egg white, 1 ounce dry gin
- Add ice to the shaker, shake again briefly, and strain into a coupe.
Notes
Nutrition
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I tried the Aperol Gin Sour last weekend. It is a great alternative to the classic Aperol Spritz. I find the different styles of shaking very fascinating. Thanks for the detailed article.