The most amazing Maple Boston Sour

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Indulge in a decadent Maple Boston Sour cocktail, a delicious fall twist on the classic cocktail with rich maple syrup to balance the tart lemon and toasted oak bourbon. A must-try fall cocktail for your next happy hour or autumn dinner party.

The Boston Sour is a classic pre-prohibition cocktail and a derivative of the more common Whiskey Sour. The difference? Egg White. The addition of the lofty foam is what distinguishes the two. It adds a smooth full mouth feel to the drink and an elevated visual appeal.

In this Maple Boston Sour, I am using Noble Tonic 01 as the sweetener instead of simple syrup. This decadent maple syrup is aged in charred American oak barrels giving it a distinctive bourbon flavor with rich notes of vanilla and caramel. This one ingredient takes this cocktail from pretty darn good to amazing.

Why you need to try a Maple Boston Sour:

ELEGANT. This cocktail not only looks elegant…it tastes elegant too. This sweet-tart libation is sure to impress your guests at your next cocktail party.

FALL FLAVORS. Maple syrup is a staple of fall baking and a flavor that goes hand in hand with autumn’s abundance. Pair it with the rich caramel and toasted oak flavors of Bourbon and you can sip on fall all season long.

SIMPLE. With just four simple ingredients you can whip this up in no time. Fresh quality ingredients are what make this cocktail stand out. Don’t skimp, I promise it makes a difference!

Ingredients for a Maple Boston Sour:

• BOURBON. A good quality Bourbon such as Woodford Reserve, Pendleton, or Bulleit (one of my favorites) will make this drink stand out.
• MAPLE SYRUP. Use grade A Dark maple syrup (formerly known as grade B), as it is the most flavorful. For the ultimate experience, I highly recommend Noble Tonic 01 maple syrup. This has been matured in charred American oak barrels which gives it a distinct bourbon, maple and oak flavor. It’s not cheap, but worth every penny in my opinion!
• LEMON JUICE. Freshly squeezed, please.
• EGG WHITE. I recommend organic free range for the best quality and flavor. If you aren’t into eggs you can use Fee Brothers “Fee Foam” which is an egg-free substitute. It works amazingly well and is much easier than cracking an egg. It adds a nice lofty foam and won’t alter the flavor of the drink.
• ANGOSTURA BITTERS. This is optional. I use this for the aromatics and as a subtle “garnish” in the foam.

Tools you will need:

• JIGGER. This copper jigger from Cocktail Kingdom is my go-to.
• BOSTON SHAKER OR COBBLER SHAKER. A good quality shaker is a staple for any bar.  My new favorite cocktail shaker is the YETI Rambler. Unlike most cobbler shakers it is neither fussy nor flimsy. The seal on this shaker is phenomenal. No messes! I highly recommend it.
• BAR STRAINER. You won’t need this if using a cobbler shaker.
• COUPE GLASS. This is an “up” drink so you’ll want to use a stemmed coupe glass. The Jean Harlowe Coupe is a perfect option for this classic cocktail.

How to make a Maple Boston Sour:

1. Pre-chill your glass first.
2. Add all of the ingredients to a Boston shaker and dry shake with the egg white (or Fee Foam) for at least 30 seconds.
3. Add ice and shake again vigorously.
4. Strain into your chilled coupe glass.
5. Optional: add 3 dashes of aromatic bitters and swirl with a toothpick through the foam.

What is a “dry shake”?

Dry shaking is a cocktail technique used with recipes that include egg whites. It involves shaking the ingredients without ice first allowing the ingredients to emulsify, which produces more aeration resulting in a thicker foam.

How to chill a cocktail glass:

These are two tried and true ways to quickly chill a glass:

Option 1: Rinse the inside of the glass with water and put it in the freezer for 5 minutes. This method will chill your glass the fastest.

Option 2: Add ice and water to the glass and let sit while you make the drink. This is the best method for multiple glasses if you are low on freezer space.

More Fall Cocktails to try:

• Delicious Apple Cinnamon Bourbon Sour
• Mouth-Watering Cranberry Cinnamon Whiskey Sour
• Festive Aperol Gin Cinnamon Spritz Cocktail
• Festive Cranberry Thanksgiving Margaritas