After trekking Peru's Colca Canyon independently, I was back in the volcano-framed town of Arequipa when I tried my first-ever Pisco Sour. It was a beautifully sunny day, and I'd managed to find a table on a plant-filled terrace, spending half of my minuscule daily backpacking budget on this one delectable cocktail. When it arrived, smaller than I’d anticipated, the elegant cocktail glass was filled with Pisco, lime juice, and egg white with that unmistakable dash of Angostura bitters sitting atop the fluffy foam—it turned out to be pure joy and a drink I've returned to time and time again—certainly worth breaking my budget for.
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| Pisco Sour at Hotel B Lima |
During my month-long stay in Peru, I learnt more about Pisco, finding it to be the third most popular alcoholic drink in Peru, following wine and beer. And its distinct flavour hasn’t been ignored elsewhere in the world; the last few years have seen a huge rise in Pisco consumption with increased exports heading to the US, Spain, and the Netherlands.
Lima, Ica, Arequipa, Moquegua, and Tacna are the only authorised Pisco-producing regions in Peru, and within these regions, eight grape varieties can be used to make Pisco. Some varieties of Pisco are made with just one of these grape varieties, resulting in ‘pure’ Pisco, while others can be mixed to create different aromatics.
During my next trip to Peru, as well as seeking out the best restaurants in Lima, I was eager to find out more about the country's beloved tipple and how to make the best Pisco Sour, so I headed to Hotel B in Lima’s Barranco neighbourhood to take one of their Pisco cocktail-making classes. Here's how we mixed the most delicious Pisco Sour...
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| Hotel B Lima |
The best Peruvian Pisco Sour recipe
To make one cocktail, you will need:
- Pisco 100 or Pisco Guillermo Ferreyros (66ml)
- Fresh lime juice (44ml)
- Simple syrup (44ml)
- Egg white (33ml)
- a dash of Angostura Bitters
- a cocktail shaker
- Ice
- cocktail strainer
- your prettiest cocktail glass
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| Making Pisco Sours |
Method:
1. Add the Pisco, lime juice, egg white, and simple syrup in a cocktail shaker
2. Add five cubes of ice, shake vigorously for a couple of minutes until the outside of the shaker becomes very cold
3. Strain the liquid into a glass; there should be a good amount of white foam on the top of the liquid
4. Add a few dashes of Angostura Bitters
5. Enjoy!
Hotel B's cocktail experience costs $70 per person and lasts 1h30. Follow Hotel B to find out more.
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