Cocktail guide
How to make a pisco sour with aquafaba
Some drinks are remembered for their flavour. A pisco sour is remembered for the moment it lands: that pale, lifted head sitting above the glass before the first sip even happens. Swap the egg white for 20 ml of VERY AQUAFABA and you keep the look that makes the drink unmistakable, along with the bright lime and the soft, silky body underneath. What matters then is not changing the recipe, but getting the shake right, so this guide walks through the build, the order of the two shakes, and the checks that keep the foam looking the part. Updated: .
What goes in the shaker
- 40 ml pisco
- 20 ml fresh lime juice
- 20 ml cane sugar syrup
- 20 ml VERY AQUAFABA, chilled
- An old fashioned glass, and a slice of dried lemon for the garnish
There is no new cocktail to learn here. The only change is the foaming ingredient: use 20 ml of VERY AQUAFABA and keep the rest of the spec as written.
How to shake it
If you already know a sour, this will feel familiar. What matters is doing the two shakes in the right order.
- Build everything in the shaker: pisco, lime, syrup and the aquafaba straight from the fridge.
- Shake hard without ice. This dry shake is where the foam is made. When you open the shaker the liquid should look pale and thick, almost like a milkshake.
- Add 8 to 10 ice cubes and shake again until the shaker frosts on the outside. This shake chills the drink and dilutes it.
- Strain into the old fashioned glass. The head rises as it settles, so give it a few seconds before you garnish.
- Lay the dried lemon slice on the foam.
Tips for a pisco sour with aquafaba
The dry shake has one job: build the foam before the drink is chilled and diluted. Once that head has formed, the second shake with ice brings the drink to serving temperature. Reverse the order and the head comes out thinner.
You can take most of the measuring out of service by batching the pisco, lime and syrup before doors open. Keep the aquafaba separate in the fridge and add 20 ml to each shaker when the order comes in. The foam is still made one drink at a time, but the build becomes much quicker, and the pisco sour process sheet keeps every step on one page for the station.
Fixing a thin head on a pisco sour
| What you see | Why | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| A thin head, or none at all | Ice went in before the dry shake | Dry shake first, ice second |
| A slow, slack foam | The aquafaba was at room temperature | Keep the pack in the fridge until the shake |
| The foam drops before the drink reaches the guest | The drink waited on the pass | Shake to order and serve at once |
| No height by the middle of service | The aquafaba went into the pre-batch | Batch the pisco, lime and syrup only, and add the aquafaba per drink |
How many pisco sours leave your bar?
A 1L Tetrapak gives you 50 pisco sours. Once opened, it stays at 2 to 6 °C and is used within 3 to 4 days. If 50 drinks fit comfortably into that rhythm, liquid is the straightforward option: fridge, measure, shaker.
If pisco sours are occasional orders, powder gives you more flexibility. Use 1.3g with 20 ml of water per drink and keep the opened pouch dry and closed between services. The pisco sour quantity calculator scales the full spec when you know how many drinks you are planning.
Where to buy VERY AQUAFABA
Please drink responsibly
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