Tis the Season for this Perfect Fall Pear Sour

Last Updated on November 29, 2021 by Heather Wibbels

Pears are often overlooked in cocktails, but I aim to change that with this fall pear sour. Pears aren’t bright and flashy like strawberries or blueberries, and they’re not as popular as apples, but in a fall cocktail with whiskey, they can be a revelation.

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What’s in a Whiskey Sour

A basic whiskey sour is a combination of whiskey, simple syrup and lemon. In some cases, an egg white or aquafaba is added to create a silky mouthfeel and a lovely layer of foam on top. If you’d like to learn more about the whiskey sour head to How to Make a Classic Whiskey Sour. And if you’re interested in the creamy, silky version with egg white or aquafaba, go here – How to Make a Boston Sour.

How to Add Fall Flavors to a Whiskey Sour

Remember that fall (triple) simple from earlier this week? Well combine it with rye, pear and lemon and you have the best iteration of a fall sour you’ve ever had all week. Or month. Or year. I didn’t get a perfect picture, but it was a great cocktail.

This fall triple simple syrup is a combination of white sugar, brown sugar and honey infused with ginger. Paired with the pear brandy by Belle de Brillet and some fresh lemon juice it is the taste of fall to me. It’s as if you’re taking a bite of a warm pear tart with just a touch of cream on top from the egg white foam at the top of the cocktail.

How to Get a Great Layer of Foam on Your Pear Whiskey Sour

My secret to a great foam layer for your whiskey sour is an electric latte whisk. When you create the cocktail, do the following steps.

1. Add all ingredients to the mixing tin.
2. Add ice. Shake for 10-12 seconds.
3. Strain into a clean tin or mixing glass.
4. Use the latte whisk for about 15 seconds.
5. Open pour into the cocktail glass and garnish.

This creates a lovely layer of foam on any kind of Boston Sour and saves your arms from one to two minutes of vigorous shaking.

Flavors for a Perfect Fall Pear Sour

Pear brandy and rye whiskey are a combination that always works for me. Something about the different mouthfeel and slight pepperiness of rye melds so well with the pear I end up dropping bourbon for rye almost every time.

For citrus, I stayed with lemon as it plays better with whiskey than lime.

And when thinking of the best bitters for this fall pear cocktail I stayed with the tried and true fall cocktail bitters – Black Walnut Bitters.

How to Garnish a Pear Sour

And a brûléed pear slice for a garnish makes the presentation and flavor that much better. You get the scent of caramelized sugar and pear each time you lift the glass up to your lips.

To brulee a pear slice, take a slice of pear and place it on a heat-safe surface. If the pear slice is too thin, it will become floppy after being brûléed. Too thick and it won’t soften enough to nibble on as you sip the cocktail.

Sprinkle brown sugar on the top of the ripe pear and use a kitchen torch to apply heat until the sugar browns and crystalizes. Cut a small slit in the slice and use it to garnish the edge of the cocktail.

While you could make this without egg white or aquafaba, it might be rough around the edges. In that case, choose a little lower proof alcohol and tweak the sour to sweet ratio in the cocktail.

FALL AWAY – a Perfect Fall Whiskey Sour

Heather Wibbels

Celebrate all things fall with this pear whiskey sour featuring a honey ginger simple syrup, rye whiskey, pear brandy and lemon juice. Some cinnamon and black walnut bitters round out the flavors for the season with a gorgeous pear garnish.

5 from 2 votes

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Total Time 4 minutes mins

Course Drinks

Cuisine rye cocktail

Servings 1

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 1.5 oz rye whiskey I used New Riff Rye
• 0.5 oz pear brandy I used Belle de Brillet
• 0.5 oz fall triple simple syrup go here for recipe
• 0.75 oz lemon juice
• 16 drops smoked cinnamon bitters
• 2 dashes black walnut bitters
• 1 egg white
• Garnish: brûléed pear slice

Instructions

 

• Combine rye, pear brandy, fall triple simple syrup, lemon juice, egg white and bitters in a shaking tin.
• Add ice and shake for 10 to 15 seconds.
• Double strain into a chilled cocktail glass and garnish with a brûléed pear slice.

Keyword black walnut, brown sugar, cinnamon, ginger, honey, lemon, pear, rye whiskey

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!