Sidecar recipe
Cognac, citrus, and orange liqueur — Parisian elegance in a glass.
Method: Shake ·
Glass: Coupe glass, sugar rim ·
Time: 3 min ·
Difficulty: Intermediate ·
Family: The Sidecar Family
Ingredients
- 2 oz Cognac (VS or VSOP — Rémy Martin, Pierre Ferrand)
- 0.75 oz Cointreau
- 0.75 oz Fresh Lemon Juice
How to make a Sidecar
- Optionally rim half the coupe with sugar.
- Add cognac, Cointreau, and lemon juice to a shaker with ice.
- Shake for 10-12 seconds.
- Double strain into the prepared coupe.
- Express an orange peel over the drink and place on the rim.
Garnish
Sugar rim (half) and orange peel.
Pro tip
The Sidecar is the template for the entire family — once you understand the 2:1:1 ratio of spirit:liqueur:citrus, you can create dozens of cocktails by swapping the base spirit.
History of the Sidecar
Created during World War I, either at the Ritz Paris or Harry's New York Bar in Paris. Named after the motorcycle sidecar that a regular customer used to arrive at the bar. The drink became a symbol of the roaring twenties and Parisian café culture.
Flavour profile
Rich, Citrus, Orange, Warm
Variations
- Between the Sheets — Split base: 1 oz cognac + 1 oz white rum
- Brandy Crusta — Add 0.25 oz maraschino, sugar-crusted lemon peel spiral
Practise making the Sidecar in the free Virtual Bar game.