The Simple Method Used To Float Red Wine Over A Whiskey Sour

If you've ever seen or ordered a drink that has clean layers of color, then you might be familiar with a float. While layered drinks have several different colors stacked within the glass, a float has just two blocks of color created by pouring one additional liquid on top of the rest of the drink below (via Wine Enthusiast). And one such example of a float is a New York Sour. In a New York Sour, red wine is floated over a whiskey sour, according to MasterClass. 

But adding that single layer of alcohol on top of a mixed drink is not as easy as simply pouring it on top. To float an additional liquid on top of a drink is a specific technique that calls for its own set of steps. However, when you follow bartenders' methods, you can successfully float a cocktail right at home. Best of all, you likely already have every piece of equipment that you will need.

To float red wine on top of the whiskey sour to create the striking visual of a New York Sour, you will first need a spoon. The easiest way to use the spoon to successfully float the wine is to slowly and carefully pour the wine over the back of the spoon, according to Wine Enthusiast. Make sure the spoon is just touching or very close to the top of the whiskey sour, so the red wine has as little distance to fall into the drink as possible. By pouring the wine over the back of a spoon, it slows its fall as it crosses the area of the spoon which helps prevent the wine from sinking.

While you can use other types of bar spoons such as a Guinness Spoon or a bar spoon with a twisted handle, the method remains very similar to that of using a regular spoon. If you float the red wine and notice that the layer is a little jagged in some places, don't worry. Wine Enthusiast explains that the red wine will even out on its own with a little time. If you are not sure what kind of red wine you should use for a New York Sour, MasterClass suggests a dry, fruity red like syrah. You could also try it with a pinot noir or even grenache.