Cocktails

Coffee Sour

Coffee Sour is a cocktail made with Coffee-Flavored Brandy, Lemon Juice, Powdered Sugar, and Egg White. The listed recipe is shaken and served in a Sour Glass.

Reviewed by the WhatDrink Editorial TeamHow we calculate nutritionSuggest a correction

Cocktailalcoholic8.3% ABV4 ingredients

At a Glance

290 kcalCalories

8.3%ABV

35.5gSugar

42.7gCarbs

0.83Std Drinks

Estimated from parsed ingredients and typical ingredient nutrition.

On this page

How hard is it to make?

Moderateshaken drink

Why: 4 ingredients, shaken drink, requires shaker

Estimated from the ingredient count and technique.

Ingredients

2.0 ozCoffee-flavored brandyBase Spirit
1.0 ozLemon JuiceJuice
1.0 ozPowdered SugarSweetener
2.0 ozEgg WhiteEgg Or Foamer

Contains an egg ingredient. Prepare with a fresh, safe egg; those who should avoid raw egg may prefer to skip it.

How to Make It

Shake with ice and strain into Sour glass.Shaken

How to Serve

Glass: Sour Glass
Temperature: Chilled
Ice: Ice
Method: Shaken

Served Chilled

Serving tips

Serve Coffee Sour cold and taste the citrus balance before adding extra sugar. Fresh citrus usually makes the biggest difference. It is commonly matched with seafood, ceviche, salads style pairings.

Taste

What does Coffee Sour taste like?

Coffee Sour is bright and tart, with citrus carrying much of the first impression. Sweetness and dilution need to balance the sharpness.

Primary flavours

Sweet

Supporting notes

Citrus Fruit Oak Vanilla Tart

Flavor tags are derived from ingredient-level flavor mappings.

Estimated sensory profile

StrengthLight – Strong

BodyLight – Full

SweetnessDry – Sweet

AcidityFlat – Crisp

FruitinessEarthy – Fruity

Noticeably sweet
Bright and citrusy

What do these dimensions mean?

Practical notes

When to choose it

How to decide if Coffee Sour is right for you

Coffee Sour is best when you want brightness and a clean tart edge. Choose it if citrus balance matters more than richness, creaminess or heavy sweetness. The listed serve is about 8.3% ABV, so strength is part of the decision.

Skip if

Skip Coffee Sour if...

Skip Coffee Sour if tart citrus is not what you want. Sour-style drinks rely on acidity, so they can feel sharp when you are looking for richness or sweetness.

When to serve

After DinnerSuggested from the drink's flavour and serve.

Occasion tags are inferred from drink style, serving format, flavour profile, food-pairing theme, recipe metadata, and strict multi-signal supplemental rule matches.

Diet & lifestyle

Compatible, based on the listed ingredients

Gluten-Free Vegetarian

Not compatible

KetoLow-CarbLow-SugarVegan

Find vegan-compatible cocktails

Diet tags are ingredient-level and nutrition-estimate based. Product brands, preparation methods, quantities, and substitutions may change compatibility.

Alternatives to try

Choose an ingredient to see reviewed substitutions, or filter for a different preference.

Reviewed ingredient substitutions

Lemon Juice1.0 oz

Lime JuiceWorks, with a noticeable change

How much to use: Start with the same amount, then adjust sweetness if the drink tastes too sharp.
What changes: Lime juice can usually replace lemon juice, but the drink becomes sharper and more tropical.

Vegetarian-compatibleGluten-free-compatible

Powdered Sugar1.0 oz

Superfine SugarWorks, with a noticeable change

How much to use: Dissolve well; sweetness may need a small adjustment.
What changes: Superfine sugar can replace powdered sugar in many shaken drinks.