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    Home » Recipes » Beverages

    Pear, Quince, and Elderflower Sour

    Published: Jan 11, 2019 · Modified: Jul 3, 2023 by Emily Laurae · This post may contain affiliate links.

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    This Pear, Quince, and Elderflower Sour is a sophisticated cocktail with a unique blend of flavors. It’s perfect for fall, winter, and garden parties!

    Pear Quince & Elderflower Sour.
    Jump to:
    • ⭐ Why You’ll Love This Recipe 
    • ❓ What is a brandy sour?
    • ❓ What is fruit shrub syrup?
    • 🍴Ingredients
    • 📖 Step by Step Instructions
    • ⚒️ Recommended equipment
    • 👩🏻‍🍳 Expert Tips and variations
    • More sour cocktail recipes
    • PEAR QUINCE & ELDERFLOWER SOUR
    • 💬 Comments

    ⭐ Why You’ll Love This Recipe 

    Just think of this Pear, Quince, and Elderflower Sour as the garden-fresh version of my Pear Brandy Sour. It’s a sophisticated cocktail made with pear brandy and elevated with quince shrub syrup and elderflower liqueur. You’ll be transported to a lush garden on a sunny day with each sip.

    Sour cocktail recipes are the perfect fit for any level of bartender. Many sours are made with gin (you can thank Empress gin for this Blood Orange Sour’s beautiful color) but I opted for pear brandy here because it pairs so well with the citrus and floral notes. Shake them all together with a raw egg white and you have a gorgeous frothy cocktail with a velvety finish. 

    ❓ What is a brandy sour?

    At its core, sour cocktails consist of spirits, sweeteners, and citrus. A traditional brandy sour is made with brandy, simple syrup, lemon juice, angostura bitters, and soda water. This recipe varies from the classic because it’s made with a wider flavor profile and shaken with an egg white to produce a frothy top.

    ❓ What is fruit shrub syrup?

    A shrub (AKA ​​drinking vinegar) is a non-alcoholic syrup used in mixed drinks or as a glaze or syrup for baked goods. It’s made from concentrated fruits, aromatics, sugar, and vinegar. 

    Quince shrub is one of my favorites from INNA Jam. Its concentrated quince flavor shines through in this cocktail and pairs so wonderfully with the pear brandy. If you can’t find storebought shrub, keep scrolling to learn how to make it at home!

    Happy hour tablescape with Pear Quince and Elderflower Cocktails.

    🍴Ingredients

    • Pear brandy - With so many natural variances, brandy is begging to be incorporated as a natural flavoring agent for cocktails. It’s often made with peaches, pears, elderberries, apricots, apples, or cherries. Pear brandy is my top choice in this cocktail but feel free to experiment with others.
    • Quince shrub - I highly recommend buying quince shrub online from INNA Jam. I first discovered them and their long list of custom shrub flavors when I was living in Seattle. It’s a unique ingredient that always leaves your guests impressed!
    • Elderflower liqueur - Elderflower has floral and fresh notes, similar to lychee. These light flavors make it the perfect partner to pear and quince. One of the most popular brands of elderflower liqueur is Saint Germain, which should be easy to find in most major liquor stores.
    • Lemon juice - Freshly squeezed lemon juice is always best!
    • Egg white - Egg whites have a magical ability to trap air and change the texture of your cocktails. It’s the secret to a frothy top and velvety smooth mouthfeel. And yes, raw egg whites are safe to consume once they’ve been shaken twice with the lemon juice, alcohol and other cocktail ingredients.

    📖 Step by Step Instructions

    Step 1: Dry shake the cocktail. Pour the pear brandy, quince shrub, elderflower liqueur, lemon juice, and egg white into a cocktail shaker. Shake vigorously for at least 30 seconds.

    Step 2: Shake again. Add the ice into the shaker, seal the lid on top, and shake until the outside is very cold.

    Step 3: Strain, serve, and enjoy. Strain the cocktail into a coupe glass and enjoy!

    How to make homemade shrub syrup

    Can’t find shrub syrup anywhere? No problem! All you need is any fruit you love, white vinegar, and white sugar to make it at home:

    1. Combine one part fruit, one part vinegar, and one part sugar into a sealed container. 
    2. Let them marinate together in the fridge for at least 3 days. 
    3. Afterward, strain and add more vinegar to taste, then enjoy!
    Pear Quince and Elderflower Cocktail on a table with a coaster.

    ⚒️ Recommended equipment

    Before starting your journey to becoming the best at-home mixologist, you’ll need to stock your kitchen with a few key pieces of equipment:

    • Cocktail shaker - Sour drinks are always shaken, never stirred. If possible, use a Boston or Parisian shaker. 
    • Bar strainer - Make sure you have a strainer that fits over your shaker.
    • Glassware - Sour cocktails are traditionally served in coupe glasses but a martini glass or old-fashioned glass will also work.

    👩🏻‍🍳 Expert Tips and variations

    • Play with the flavors - Feel free to substitute pear brandy for another fruity variation, use a different shrub flavor, or replace the shrub with a flavored simple syrup.
    • Instead of brandy - Replace it with whisky or gin.
    • Vegan sour cocktails - Instead of making the sour with an egg white, replace it with 2 tablespoons of vegan-friendly aquafaba.
    • The importance of a dry shake - Dry shaking is the action of shaking all of the cocktail ingredients together at room temperature. It’s an important step in egg white cocktails because it introduces air and emulsifies the egg white, producing the signature foam on top and a luscious mouthfeel.

    More sour cocktail recipes

    • Rose old fashioned cocktail on the counter near roses.
      Rose Old Fashioned Cocktail: A Floral Twist on a Classic Sip (Quick & Easy!)
    • Smoked old fashioned cocktail in a glass with smoke.
      Smoked Old Fashioned Cocktail (with Video)
    • Chocolate old fashioned in a rocks glass.
      Chocolate Old Fashioned Cocktail
    • Lillet bottle on the counter.
      Lillet Blanc Alternatives: What to Use When You're Out

    If you try the recipe for this Brandy Sour, please leave a 🌟 review and share your creation with me on social media! You can find me on Instagram, Facebook, Youtube and Pinterest - for more delicious recipes sent straight to your inbox, sign up for my newsletter! 📧 

    Pear Quince and Elderflower Cocktail

    PEAR QUINCE & ELDERFLOWER SOUR

    The Pear Quince & Elderflower Sour - a sophisticated yet simple beverage nuanced with a unique blend of flavors. 
    5 from 1 vote
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Rate Recipe
    Course: Cocktails
    Cuisine: American
    Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 5 minutes minutes
    Servings: 1 Cocktail
    Calories: 317kcal
    Author: Emily Laurae

    Equipment

    • Cocktail Shaker
    • Strainer

    Ingredients

    • 3 oz Pear Brandy
    • ½ oz Quince Shrub
    • 1 oz Elderflower Liqueur
    • ¼ oz Lemon Juice
    • 1 Egg White
    • Ice

    Instructions

    • In a shaker, combine the pear brandy, quince shrub, elderflower, lemon juice and egg white and shake without the addition of ice vigorously for 30 seconds.
      3 oz Pear Brandy, ½ oz Quince Shrub, 1 oz Elderflower Liqueur, ¼ oz Lemon Juice, 1 Egg White
    • Then, add ice and shake for another thirty seconds.
      Ice
    • Strain into a glass getting rid of the broken ice chips and... VOILA! You're finished!

    Notes

    Tips and variations
    • Play with the flavors - Feel free to substitute pear brandy for another fruity variation, use a different shrub flavor, or replace the shrub with a flavored simple syrup.
    • Instead of brandy - Replace it with whisky or gin.
    • Vegan sour cocktails - Instead of making the sour with an egg white, replace it with 2 tablespoons of vegan-friendly aquafaba.
    • The importance of a dry shake - Dry shaking is the action of shaking all of the cocktail ingredients together at room temperature. It’s an important step in egg white cocktails because it introduces air and emulsifies the egg white, producing the signature foam on top and a luscious mouthfeel.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 317kcal | Carbohydrates: 12g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 1g | Sodium: 51mg | Potassium: 58mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 11g | Vitamin A: 1IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 3mg | Iron: 1mg
    Enjoyed this recipe?Mention @emilylaurae or tag #emilylaurae!

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    About Emily Laurae

    Emily is the recipe developer, writer, and food photographer behind Emily Laurae. After finishing Pastry School and working as a chef in the restaurant industry, she created this blog to share those skills with home bakers and creators all over the world!

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