For our non-U.K.-based listeners, we’d like to put you on to a popular phrase from across the pond coined in the mid-’90s. There was a manufacturing company called Ronseal that made stains, paints, and preservatives, the names of which were things like Ronseal Quick-Drying Wood Stain and Ronseal Clear Varnish. It was all pretty standard stuff, but the genius of Ronseal came from the brand’s television ad campaigns where it debuted the now-famous tagline, “Ronseal: does exactly what it says on the tin.” The slogan soon became both ubiquitous and synonymous with anything obvious or self-explanatory.
We mention all of this to introduce today’s cocktail: the Angostura Sour. It’s a Ronseal cocktail! Not literally, but it is indeed a sour and its hero ingredient is Angostura aromatic bitters.
Despite having such a simple formula, the Angostura Sour is a much more modern creation than you might expect, though it does enjoy something of a rich historical lineage. Joining us to explore that drink today is KJ Williams, a veteran bartender who these days works at New York’s Long Island Bar. Tune in for more.
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KJ Williams’ Angostura Sour Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 ounce grenadine
- ¾ ounce fresh lime juice
- 1 ½ ounces Angostura bitters
- ¼ ounce fresh egg white
Directions
- Add all ingredients to a cocktail shaker with no ice.
- Whip dry shake for 10-12 seconds.
- Add Kold Draft cubes and vigorously shake until chilled.
- Double strain into a chilled Coupe glass.
Charles H. Baker Jr.’s Gentleman’s Companion
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