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Cocktail History
The Lavender Sour is a spring cocktail that was created by JB Bernstein at Vernick Food & Drink in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Inspired by the flower fields seen in the warmer seasons, the recipe pairs an aromatic lavender syrup with the botanicals of gin, the sourness of lemon, the herbal qualities of Green Chartreuse, and the richness of egg white to make a frothy and floral beverage great for springtime sipping.
Cocktail Ingredients
To make this cocktail, you’ll need the following ingredients:
Gin: This is a spirit made by redistilling a neutral spirit with juniper berries and other botanicals to develop a distinctive, aromatic flavor.
Lemon Juice: This is the liquid extracted from the flesh of ripe lemons that has a sweet, tangy flavor and light yellow color.
Green Chartreuse: This is a liqueur made in France with a blend of 130 plants, bark, roots, spices, and flowers, distilled alcohol, water, and sugar, which are macerated, blended, and then aged to develop a complex, herbal flavor.
Lavender Syrup: This is a sweetener made with lavender buds, white sugar, and water, which are heated and infused into a syrup with a dry, floral flavor.
Egg White: This is the clear portion of an egg that’s separated from the yolk and used to add frothy texture to cocktails.
Dried Lavender Buds: This is the dried flower bud of a lavender plant.
Bartending Tools
To make this cocktail, you’ll need the following bar tools:
Jigger: This is used to measure and pour ingredients. I used the Japanese jigger from the A Bar Above 14-Piece Silver Bar Set.
Boston Shaker: This is used to shake ingredients. I used the Boston shaker from the A Bar Above 14-Piece Silver Bar Set.
Hawthorne Strainer: This is used to strain out ice and solid ingredients after the cocktail is shaken. I used the A Bar Above Hawthorne Strainer.
Paring Knife: This is used to cut ingredients. I used the OXO Good Grips 3.5 Inch Paring Knife.
Juicer: This is used to juice citrus. I used the ALEEHAI Manual Fruit Juicer.
Tasting Notes
This cocktail has the following flavor profile:
• Appearance: Faint yellow color
• Aroma: Fresh lavender and citrus
• Taste: Vibrant floral flavor combined with tart lemon and expressive botanicals
• Finish: Slightly bitter herbs and citrus
Kendall’s Take: “I honestly never would have thought to include lavender in a cocktail, but it is delightful! At first sniff, it feels a bit like you’re about to drink a frothy dissolved bath bomb, but the floral notes are light, airy, and not at all overwhelming when paired with the gin’s botanicals. I would call sipping the Lavender Sour the next best thing to standing in a lavender field like the ones in Door County here in Wisconsin.”
Recipe
This cocktail recipe was found in Saveur magazine.
Lavender Sour
Description
The Lavender Sour is a modern cocktail that was created by JB Bernstein at Vernick Food & Drink in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Inspired by the flower fields of spring and summer, the recipe pairs an aromatic lavender syrup with the botanicals of gin, the sourness of lemon, the herbal qualities of Green Chartreuse, and the richness of egg white to make a frothy and floral beverage great for warm weather sipping.
Ingredients
Method
Add gin, lemon juice, Green Chartreuse, lavender syrup, and egg white to a shaker.
Fill shaker with cubed ice.
Shake for 10-20 seconds.
Using tongs, remove ice from shaker.
Dry shake for 5-10 more seconds to emulsify egg.
Using a Hawthorne strainer, strain into a coupe glass.
Garnish with dried lavender buds.
