Pear, Quince, and Elderflower Sour

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!

Jump to:

• Pear brandy sour recipe with quince and elderflower
• What is a brandy sour?
• What is fruit shrub syrup?
• Ingredient notes
• How to make a pear brandy sour
• Recommended equipment
• Tips and variations
• More sour cocktail recipes
• PEAR QUINCE & ELDERFLOWER SOUR

Pear brandy sour recipe with quince and elderflower

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!

Ingredient notes

• 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.

How to make a pear brandy sour

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!

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.

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

• Lemon Lavender Gin Sour
• Aperol Negroni Sour Cocktail
• Blood Orange Pisco Sour
• Clementine & Blood Orange Gin Sour

As always, I love seeing your creations and hearing from you! If you try this brandy sour recipe, please 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!