Why do I shake without ice first?

The dry shake builds the foam. Ice in the shaker from the start chills and dilutes the drink before the foam forms, and the head comes out thin.

How long does an opened pack last behind the bar?

Opened liquid is kept at 2 to 6 °C and used within 3 to 4 days. Write the opening date on the carton.

Does the powder follow the same sheet?

Yes. Make up 1.3g of powder with 20 ml of water per drink before service, chill it, and follow the same five steps.

Can I add the aquafaba to my pre-batch?

No. Batch the pisco, lime and syrup, and add the aquafaba to each shaker at the shake, one drink at a time.

Process sheet

How to shake an aquafaba pisco sour: the step-by-step sheet

A good pisco sour has a very particular rhythm: build, dry shake, ice, shake again, strain. When that rhythm slips, you see it straight away in the head. This sheet sets out the five steps to work from, along with the signs to look for when the foam starts coming out thinner than it should. Updated: 5 October 2026.

Process sheet

#	Step	Reference
1	Build	40 ml pisco, 20 ml lime, 20 ml syrup, 20 ml VERY AQUAFABA, chilled
2	Dry shake	Hard, without ice: the liquid turns pale and thick
3	With ice	8 to 10 cubes, shake again: the shaker frosts on the outside
4	Strain	Into an old fashioned glass: the head rises and sits firm
5	Garnish	A slice of dried lemon on the foam

Powder: for one drink, 1.3g of VERY AQUAFABA powder + 20 ml of water, made up before service and chilled.

Checks

What you see	Why	Fix
Thin head	Ice went in from the start	Dry shake first, ice second
Slow, slack foam	Aquafaba at room temperature	Keep it chilled until the shake
No height by mid-service	Aquafaba was added to the pre-batch	Batch the base only, add aquafaba per drink
Foam drops before it reaches the guest	The drink waited on the pass	Shake to order and serve at once

Source: VERY AQUAFABA cocktail recipes (October 2026)

When a pisco sour comes out flat

Keep the sheet with the bar specs, next to the pisco sour method. When a head comes out thin or drops early, compare the drink with the five steps in order. Start with two simple checks: was the aquafaba chilled, and did the ice only go in after the dry shake?

Set the station before the first order

Aquafaba cold. The pack lives in the fridge, and an opened one is used within 3 to 4 days at 2 to 6 °C.
Powder made up. If you work with the powder, make up what the night needs and chill it.
The opening date on the pack. Write it on the carton the moment it's opened.
The base batched. Pisco, lime and syrup in one bottle; the aquafaba stays apart.

Read the drink as you go

After the dry shake the liquid looks pale and thick, almost like a milkshake. After the shake with ice the shaker is frosted on the outside. In the glass the head rises as it settles and sits firm enough to hold the dried lemon slice. If one of these signs is missing, the checks table above shows which step to fix. To plan a full night, the pisco sour quantity calculator gives every quantity for the number of drinks you expect.