Ingredients
Cocktail
- 60 mlguaro (Cacique or another Costa Rican cane spirit, 30% ABV)
- 30 mlfreshly squeezed lime juice
- 20 mlsimple syrup (equal parts sugar and water, cooled)
- 1egg white or 15 ml aquafaba, optional, for foam
- Cubed ice, for shaking
Glass and garnish
- 1chilled old fashioned or coupe glass
- 1large ice cube, if serving on the rocks
- 1lime wheel
- A dash of Angostura bitters, optional
Directions
- Chill the glass first, either in the freezer or filled with ice and water while you mix.
- Squeeze the limes fresh; bottled lime juice is flat and slightly bitter and there is nowhere for it to hide in a three-ingredient drink.
- Combine the guaro, lime juice and simple syrup in a shaker.
- If using egg white, add it and dry-shake hard with no ice for 15 seconds to build the foam; without ice the proteins whip properly.
- Fill the shaker two-thirds with cubed ice and shake hard for 12–15 seconds, until the outside is frosted and painfully cold to hold. Cubed ice chills without over-diluting.
- Taste from a straw: it should be sharply sour and clean, with the sugar just balancing the lime, not covering it.
- Strain into the chilled glass over a single large cube, or double-strain into a coupe if you want it up and silky.
- Garnish with a lime wheel and, if you like, three drops of bitters onto the foam. Drink cold and fast; a sour goes dull as it warms.
Technique
- Guaro is a clean, lightly sweetened sugarcane spirit, usually 30% ABV. It is deliberately neutral, which is why it takes lime and sugar so well and why Costa Ricans drink it in shots at parties.
- The classic sour ratio here is 2:1:0.7, spirit to citrus to syrup. Guaro is lower in alcohol than most white spirits, so a rum-strength ratio makes the drink watery.
- Cacique, made by FANAL, is the national brand and comes in a plain and a ‘Guaro Sour’ pre-mixed bottling; the fresh version is a different drink altogether.
Substitutions
- No guaro? Use a light white rum or a blanco tequila cut to 30% with water; cachaça is closer in cane character but grassier.
- Aquafaba replaces egg white one for one and foams almost as well.
Variations
- A chile guaro, the standard bar shot, mixes guaro with tomato juice, lime, salt, Lizano and hot sauce, served in a shot glass with a chilli slice.
- Adding 20 ml passionfruit or tamarind pulp makes the tropical variants poured all over Guanacaste.
History
Built on Cacique, the state-licensed cane spirit, and the standard bar cocktail of Costa Rica.
Frequently asked questions
What is Guaro sour?
Guaro sour is a cocktail from Costa Rica: cane guaro shaken with lime juice and sugar, served over ice. Built on Cacique, the state-licensed cane spirit, and the standard bar cocktail of Costa Rica.
How long does Guaro sour take to make?
Guaro sour takes 5 min of preparation and None of cooking. The recipe makes 1 cocktail. It is rated easy to make.
What can I substitute in Guaro sour?
Yes, within limits. No guaro? Use a light white rum or a blanco tequila cut to 30% with water; cachaça is closer in cane character but grassier. Aquafaba replaces egg white one for one and foams almost as well.
What is the most important thing to get right in Guaro sour?
Guaro is a clean, lightly sweetened sugarcane spirit, usually 30% ABV. It is deliberately neutral, which is why it takes lime and sugar so well and why Costa Ricans drink it in shots at parties.
