Stone Sour Cocktail

By
Colleen Graham
Photo of Colleen Graham
Colleen Graham
Freelance writer and cocktail book author Colleen Graham is a seasoned mixologist who loves sharing her knowledge of spirits and passion for preparing drinks.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Updated on 05/13/21
Stone Sour Cocktail
Bruce James / Getty Images
Prep: 3 mins
Cook: 0 mins
Total: 3 mins
Serving: 1 serving
Yield: 1 cocktail

The stone sour is an incredibly simple cocktail recipe, offering an interesting taste that is similar to the apricot sour. This recipe differs by adding orange juice to the apricot brandy and sour mix combination and it pours each of the ingredients evenly. It has the classic styling of basic sour drinks, with the sour mix adding just a hint of sweetness to balance it

This cocktail makes an excellent brunch drink, pairing well with favorites like eggs benedict and French crêpes or dishes featuring garden-fresh ingredients like asparagus, mushroom, and tomato quiche. Be sure to use fresh ingredients in your cocktail to create the most complementary flavors for your food.

Ingredients

  • 1 ounce apricot brandy

  • 1 ounce orange juice

  • 1 ounce sour mix

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

  2. Pour the apricot brandy, orange juice, and sour mix into a cocktail shaker filled with ice.

  3. Shake well.

  4. Strain into a chilled sour glass.

  5. Serve and enjoy.

Tips

  • Fresh-squeezed orange juice is recommended for the stone sour because it is such a simple and transparent drink. The average orange should yield 2 to 3 ounces, which will be enough for a few drinks.
  • While you're squeezing citrus juice, whip up some homemade sour mix. It's an easy flavored simple syrup that requires lemon and lime juices or either, depending on your preference.
  • For the apricot brandy, you will find many options that are actually sweetened liqueurs. While true brandy (distilled from apricots and unsweetened) is typically recommended, this is one cocktail where the liqueur version will do some good because the extra sweetness will back up the sour mix and add to the cocktail's balance.
  • A sour glass is small and petite, similar to a miniature white wine glass, which makes a good alternative if you don't have the sour glass.
  • Chilling your glass before straining the drink will help keep your drink colder for a longer period of time. The quickest way to do it is to place a couple of ice cubes in the glass while you shake the drink.

Recipe Variations

  • You might want to try making your own apricot-flavored brandy. It is an easy infusion that lets you choose the brandy you'd like to use. Simply add chunks of apricot to the brandy and infuse it for about 1 week, checking the flavor after the third or fourth day.
  • Keep the stone fruit theme and mix the stone sour with peach brandy instead of apricot. The taste difference will be subtle, but pleasant.
  • Add a fresh sparkle to this drink with a splash of club soda or sparkling wine.
  • To transform this into a nonalcoholic drink, pour equal parts white grape juice and apricot nectar to replace the brandy.

How Strong Is a Stone Sour?

The stone sour is a pleasantly gentle cocktail. On average, it will shake up to just 11 percent ABV (22 proof), or the same as an average glass of wine.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
122 Calories
0g Fat
18g Carbs
0g Protein
×
Nutrition Facts
Servings: 1
Amount per serving
Calories 122
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 0g 0%
Saturated Fat 0g 0%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 2mg 0%
Total Carbohydrate 18g 7%
Dietary Fiber 0g 0%
Total Sugars 17g
Protein 0g
Vitamin C 19mg 96%
Calcium 5mg 0%
Iron 0mg 1%
Potassium 77mg 2%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

Recipe Tags: