The Sidecar cocktail is on the sour side of cocktail life. Its ingredients give it a cheerful orange and yellow hue, perfect for a sundown treat. If you have brandy, lemon juice and Cointreau (a french orange liqueur) in your liquor cabinet you’ll be able to whip up this cocktail in no time.

What is in a Sidecar cocktail?

Knowing what goes into a Sidecar is the first step to making this cocktail at home:

Brandy

Perhaps the noblest of all spirits, brandy is made by distilling rudimentary fruit wine. A Sidecar cocktail takes two tots (50ml) of brandy, cognac, Armagnac or bourbon. We recommend 1st Principles Single Barrel Brandy: from single casks that are cut by pure water to 40% abv – nothing else. At maximum 500 bottles per cask, every bottle is numbered and marked with the single barrel number.

Lemon juice

Fresh lemon juice best complements the Sidecar. Pour 25ml into the shaker. This adds a tangy zing to the cocktail, making for the perfect drink to cool off on a hot summer’s day.

Orange liqueur

The Sidecar takes one tot (25ml) of premium orange liqueur like Cointreau. This sweetens the sour lemon juice, but not too much as the Sidecar cocktail is made to be on the slightly sour side of balanced.

Sugared rim

Moisten and dip the glass in coarse sugar for a decorative and flavourful garnish. You can also add a slice or twirl of lemon peel for a more sophisticated look.

Ice

Last but not least, remember to shake ice into the drink. Not only will it break down and add water to the drink, but marry the flavours for a smooth drink.

Follow this easy recipe to make your own Sidecar cocktail at home.