Ingredients
- 50 mlCypriot brandy (KEO, LOEL or ETKO)
- 25 mllemon squash cordial, the thick Cypriot kind
- 4dashes Angostura bitters
- 100–120 mlsoda water, chilled
- cubed ice, to fill
- 1lemon slice and 1 maraschino cherry, to garnish
Directions
- Chill a tall highball or Collins glass and fill it to the brim with hard, dry cubed ice. A Brandy Sour is a long drink and it has to stay cold for an hour.
- Pour the lemon squash over the ice first, so the heaviest, sweetest element sits at the bottom.
- Add the brandy and stir briefly with a bar spoon to start the dilution.
- Shake 4 dashes of Angostura straight onto the ice. The bitters are not decoration; they give the drink its pale amber, iced-tea colour and its spice.
- Top up with chilled soda water, pouring down the back of the spoon so you do not knock the fizz out.
- Stir once from the bottom, lifting, for no more than two turns. Over-stirring flattens it.
- Garnish with a lemon slice on the rim and a cherry, and serve with a straw.
Technique
- Cypriot brandy is distilled from local grapes, usually Xynisteri and Mavro, and it is lighter and drier than Cognac, which is why it takes soda so well.
- The drink was created in the 1930s at the Forest Park Hotel in Platres. The story told on the island is that it was mixed for King Farouk of Egypt so he could drink in public without appearing to.
- Cypriot lemon squash is a sweetened concentrate, not lemonade. Getting the sugar-acid balance right is what separates a Brandy Sour from a brandy and soda.
Substitutions
- No lemon squash: use 15 ml fresh lemon juice plus 15 ml simple syrup. Sharper and cleaner, but recognisably the same drink.
Variations
- Some village kafeneia build it with lemonade instead of soda and drop the syrup entirely.
History
Created at the Forest Park Hotel in Platres in the 1930s, reportedly so King Farouk could drink discreetly.
Frequently asked questions
What is Brandy Sour?
Brandy Sour is a cocktail from Cyprus: cypriot brandy with lemon squash, bitters and soda, long and pale. Created at the Forest Park Hotel in Platres in the 1930s, reportedly so King Farouk could drink discreetly.
How long does Brandy Sour take to make?
Brandy Sour takes 3 min of preparation and 0 min of cooking. The recipe makes 1 tall drink. It is rated easy to make.
What can I substitute in Brandy Sour?
Yes, within limits. No lemon squash: use 15 ml fresh lemon juice plus 15 ml simple syrup. Sharper and cleaner, but recognisably the same drink.
What is the most important thing to get right in Brandy Sour?
Top up with chilled soda water, pouring down the back of the spoon so you do not knock the fizz out.
