Cranberry Whiskey Sour: Sweet and Sour

Does cranberry go with whiskey? Yes, cranberry and whiskey is a perfect combination as you’ll taste in this cranberry whiskey sour. This slightly sweet and very tart cocktail is sure to dazzle your taste buds.

What is a Cranberry Whiskey Sour?

A cranberry whiskey sour is a combination of whiskey, cranberry juice, lemon juice and simple syrup. It is full of tart cranberry flavor with a hint of smooth caramel from the whiskey. It tastes like a cranberry infused sour cocktail.

There are a wide range of sour cocktails such as an amaretto stone sour and a regular whiskey sour. The main link between all of them is sour mix combined with a single liquor and sometimes an additional flavor.

Whiskey is a dark gold colored liquor. It is made by fermenting grains such as barley or rye and then distilling them. That is then aged in barrels commonly made of oak but sometimes other wood.

There are a variety of different whiskeys like bourbon, Tennessee whiskey and Canadian whiskey. Any whiskey variation works well in this cocktail.

The best cranberry juice to use for this cocktail is fresh and 100% cranberry juice. Oftentimes in the store, you’ll find cranberry cocktail which is a mix of cranberry juice and other juices. While you can use that in this drink you’ll lose some of the tartness and pure cranberry flavor.

To turn this drink into a sour you need sour mix. In this recipe we simply use lemon juice and simple syrup. However, you can use store-bought sour mix in place. It just doesn’t tend to taste quite as fresh.

Occasions to make this drink

This bright red easy to make cocktail is the perfect sipper for many occasions including:

Possible variations

If you want to change this drink up a little, here are a few ways to do it:

• Make your own cranberry juice. Although this will entail a little more time than buying cranberry juice, it will ensure that your juice is perfectly fresh and very tart.
• Use store-bought sour mix. Recipe below is lemon juice and simple syrup. However, you can buy pre-made sour mix in the store.
• Change up the whiskey. As mentioned above, there are variety of different whiskeys available. They all have slightly different flavor profiles. Try out a couple different ones for this recipe and use your favorite.
• Play with garnishes. Garnishes not only add to the overall look of the drink, but they can also add a little flavor as well. Try adding some fresh cranberries on top of the drink or a lemon wedge or even a sprig of rosemary.

How to make this drink:

This cocktail is really easy to make with only four ingredients needed. It’s a simple cocktail that can be shaken up in 5 minutes or less. Simply toss all your ingredients in a cocktail shaker and you’re good to go.

Equipment:

• Rocks/Scotch/Bourbon glas
• jigger
• cocktail shaker
• Hawthorne strainer
• bar spoon

Ingredients:

• 2 oz whiskey
• 1 oz lemon juice
• .75 oz simple syrup
• 3 oz cranberry juice
• Ice
• optional garnish – rosemary sprig, cranberries, or lemon wedge

Instructions:

Step one

Start out by making sure you have everything necessary to make this drink including a rocks glass, jigger, ice, cocktail shaker, Hawthorne strainer, cranberry juice, lemon juice, simple syrup and whiskey.

Step two

Grab your glass and your cocktail shaker and fill them both with ice. Both should be filled almost completely to the top.

Step three

Pick up your cranberry juice. Use your jigger and measure out 3 oz of cranberry juice and toss it into your shaker.

Step four

Pick up your whiskey. Use your jigger and measure out 2 oz of whiskey and toss it into your shaker with the cranberry juice.

Step Five

Pick up your lemon juice. Use your jigger and measure out 1 oz of lemon juice and toss it into the shaker with the whiskey and cranberry juice.

Step six

Pick up your simple syrup. Use your jigger and measure out 0.75 oz of simple syrup and toss it in the shaker with the lemon juice, whiskey and cranberry juice.

Step seven

Shake it all up. Place the lid on your cocktail shaker and shake it. This should take around 15 or 20 seconds or until the shaker is cold and has ice crystals on the outside.

Step eight

Remove the shaker lid and place a Hawthorne strainer over the top of the shaker. Then, pour your cocktail from the shaker into your rocks glass.

If you’d like to add a garnish now is the time to do so. You can toss a couple cranberries on top or stick them with a cocktail pick. Or, add a sprig of rosemary to the side of the glass. Or, add a lemon wedge on the rim of the glass.

Recipe