"Every white will have its black, And every sweet its sour." -Thomas Percy

I think we can all agree that the most common mixer behind the bar is sweet and sour. Slings, Fizzes, Collins, and countless contemporary cocktails all call for the sour base.  The “Sour” is a classic cocktail recipe dating back to the 1850s and the key to the longevity of the sour is it’s simplicity. A liquor, lemon juice, sugar, over ice. The sour is most often seen in the form of a whiskey or brandy sour and the inexperienced drinker will take their sour with amaretto. 

Sweet and Sour Mix can be purchased anywhere liquor is sold and even your local supermarket.  But since sour mix is so simple why buy it when you can make your own? Store bought mixers are often overly sweet, tart, high in caloric content and can quickly overpower any drink when not used in moderation. 

Home made sweet and sour mix is simple, cheap, and far more flavorful than any retail variety. Plus the home mixologist looks pretty fancy pulling out their own personal sweet and sour mix rather than that unsightly plastic jug of Finest Call. 

Ingredients:

1 cup simple syrup (see tips and techniques)

1 cup lemon

1 cup lime

splash of soda water

This recipe makes about ¾ bottle of mixer (obviously 3 cups).  Double, triple, quadruple as needed and volia! Your drinks are guaranteed to taste 100% better when using your own mixers, so it's worth the extra time and effort.  Trust me. 

Cheers Ya'll