The Best Way To Add A Fresh Upgrade To Your Next Pisco Sour

If a pisco sour is your drink of choice, then you already know the cocktail has a balance of sweet, sour, and citrusy notes from ingredients like simple syrup and fresh lime juice. You might also want a way to freshen up the cocktail the next time you crave a refreshing drink or want to switch up your order at a swanky bar. Luckily for you and your boozing needs, Saeed "Hawk" House, owner and bartender at Cocktails By Hawk LLC, has a delicious idea that will give the cocktail a fresh take at home or out at a bar.

"Exotic fruits are my go-to when making cocktails with pisco," he says. "For instance guava, passion fruit, pineapple, and kiwi are all great options." Pisco itself can be floral and fruity, depending on the type you add to the cocktail shaker. That means the addition of fresh fruit like passion fruit or kiwi will liven up the drink with fruity, acidic, and mildly sweet flavors. You can also add coconut to a pisco sour to go in the same fruity direction with more of a tropical vibe.

The easiest way to add the flavors of tropical fruits to a pisco sour like Saeed "Hawk" House suggests is with juice. Making fresh fruit juice is always best, but you can use bottled juice or flavored syrup if you need to save time — be mindful of the sugar levels, though. You can start with a classic pisco sour cocktail recipe, which already calls for fresh lemon and lime juices, then add your additional fruit juice of choice. For a better balance of flavors, stick with just lemon or lime juice, then replace the second with the other selected fruit juice. To use passion fruit, for example, just an ounce of the juice will give the cocktail that fresh boost.

Though similar, a pisco sour is different from a pisco punch mainly because the punch includes more fruit juice and skips the egg white. You certainly don't have to skip the egg white to use fresh fruit juices, but it's an option to keep the elevated cocktail vegan-friendly. If you do want to omit the egg white, and guava banana sounds like the perfect combo, check out the pisco punch recipe House posted to his Instagram. Either way, consider a garnish of fresh fruit to match the juice that you add to your next pisco cocktail. Another easy way to upgrade the beverage is to use Amargo Chuncho, a Peruvian type of bitters, to lean into the origins of the drink.