Drink Guides
Sour Glass Cocktails
The sour glass is a small stemmed glass — a slim, footed bowl — traditionally used for sour-family drinks served without ice. Like a small delicate wine glass, it presents a shaken, strained sour at the right chilled temperature.
18 cocktailsstemmed cocktail
A sour served 'up' relies on a shaken chill and, often, an egg-white foam. The small stemmed bowl keeps the drink cold, supports the foam head and presents the sour in its classic delicate serve — distinct from the modern rocks-glass sour.
Sour-family cocktails served without ice — Whiskey Sour, Amaretto Sour, Pisco Sour and similar shaken-and-strained sours.
How drinks are included: Best for shaken, strained sours where the foam and chill matter; a rocks glass over ice is the alternative modern serve.
Sour Glass characteristics
- Small, stemmed, footed bowl.
- Modest capacity (around 120–150 ml).
- Served 'up' — chilled, strained, no ice.
- Traditional home of the Whiskey Sour and kin.
Highest-rated
- Brandy FlipSour Glass · highest-rated
- Bronx Golden CocktailSour Glass · highest-rated
- Bronx SIlver CocktailSour Glass · highest-rated
- Cherry FlipSour Glass · highest-rated
- Chocolate CocktailSour Glass · highest-rated
- Chocolate FlipSour Glass · highest-rated
- Coffee CocktailSour Glass · highest-rated
- Coffee FlipSour Glass · highest-rated
- Coffee SourSour Glass · highest-rated
- Ice Cream FlipSour Glass · highest-rated
- Mandarine SourSour Glass · highest-rated
- Montreal Gin SourSour Glass · highest-rated
Cocktails served in a sour glass
- Brandy FlipServed in a sour glass.
- Bronx Golden CocktailServed in a sour glass.
- Bronx SIlver CocktailServed in a sour glass.
- Cherry FlipServed in a sour glass.
- Chocolate CocktailServed in a sour glass.
- Chocolate FlipServed in a sour glass.
- Coffee CocktailServed in a sour glass.
- Coffee FlipServed in a sour glass.
- Coffee SourServed in a sour glass.
- Ice Cream FlipServed in a sour glass.
- Mandarine SourServed in a sour glass.
- Montreal Gin SourServed in a sour glass.
- PradoServed in a sour glass.
- Royal Clover Club CocktailServed in a sour glass.
- Royal CocktailServed in a sour glass.
- Sevilla CocktailServed in a sour glass.
- Sloe Gin FlipServed in a sour glass.
- Whiskey FlipServed in a sour glass.
Sour Glass — common questions
- What is a sour glass?
- A small stemmed glass for sour-family cocktails served 'up' — chilled and strained without ice, such as a Whiskey Sour or Pisco Sour. The stem keeps the drink cold and supports the foam head.
- Is a sour always served in a sour glass?
- No. The classic serve is 'up' in a stemmed sour glass, but many bars serve sours over ice in a rocks glass. Both are common; the sour glass is the traditional presentation.
- Why do sours have a foam on top?
- Many sours include egg white (or aquafaba), which when shaken creates a silky foam. The small stemmed sour glass presents that foam head neatly on a chilled, un-iced drink.