Sidecar Drink

Let’s learn to make a classic Sidecar cocktail. This well-balanced sour drink has been loved for more than 100 years. Made with a mixture of brandy, orange liqueur and lemon juice this tasty recipe is a classic to have on your home bar menu.

More classic cocktails: Cosmo, Manhattan, Gimlet, Whiskey Sour, Amaretto Sour, Margarita, Daiquiri, Negroni, Old Fashioned, Rusty Nail, Bee’s Knees, Vieux Carré, Negroni Sbagliato.

History of a Sidecar

The Sidecar cocktail is a prohibition era cocktail. It became famous in the golden age of cocktails in the early 1900s. In 1922 Harry MacElhone, owner of Harry’s Bar New York Bar in Paris, credits the original Sidecar recipe to Pat MacGarry in this book Harry’s ABC of Mixing Cocktails.

There are two popular stories of how the Sidecar cocktail got its name. The first is that it was first served to a guest who arrived riding in the sidecar of a motorcycle. The second is that the drink was served with the extra in a shot glass on the side. When a cocktail is served with a shot of the same to the side that smaller drink is called “the sidecar”. The Sidecar became one of the more popular drinks to order at fashionable bars in Paris and London during the 1920s.

Ingredients in a Sidecar

• Cognac this classic recipe uses Cognac, which is a type of French Brandy. 
• Orange Liqueur such as Cointreau, Triple Sec or Grand Marnier.
• Lemon Juice freshly squeezed is a must for this recipe. 
• Orange Twist optional garnish 
• Sugar Rim use superfine sugar or granulated sugar for a sugared rim (optional).

The choice of cocktail glass to serve a Sidecar in is a coupe glass.

How to make a Sidecar

1. Prepare your glass by coating one outer side of the rim with sugar. This is an optional step. 
2.  Pour cognac, orange liqueur and lemon juice into a cocktail shaker filled with ice and shake for 10-15 seconds until very well chilled. 
3.  Strain the drink into your prepared glass. 
4. Garnish with a lemon twist or lemon slice if you wish. Cheers!

How to choose a Cognac

For the sidecar cocktail the best choice of Cognac is a mid-priced option. Cognac is a type of Brandy. Popular brands include Hennessy, Pierre Ferrand, Camus, Rémy Martin and Courvoisier.

There are different grades of cognac that designate how long it’s been aged: VS (2 years), VSOP (4 years), Napoléon (6 years), and XO (10 years). XO Cognac is the most expensive (often $200 or more per bottle). For a Sidecar cocktail we recommend choosing a VS or VSOP.

Sidecar Variations

• Amaretto Sidecar If you enjoy Amaretto, try swapping the Cognac for Amaretto for a sweeter sidecar cocktail.
• Bourbon Sidecar If you want a stiffer, less fruity variation try swapping out the Cognac for Bourbon bringing out notes of vanilla and oak.
• Boston Sidecar Rum lovers may enjoy trying the rum variation of the sidecar. Replace cognac with rum and lemon juice for lime juice to try this variation.
• Swapping Liquor You can try variations with any liquor replacing the congnac including gin, vodka or tequila.
• Citrus Sidecar If you thought you had lemons but find you only have limes, oranges, or grapefruit, that can work well in a pinch, although the final flavor will be different.

Tips for Making

• Add a sugared rim for a special touch.
• Experiment with different Congnac brands and different orange liqueurs to find the combination you enjoy most.
• Garnish with a lemon twist or a lemon slice.

If you love this drink, try a paper plane cocktail next. Thanks so much for reading! Emma

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4.75 from 8 votes

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Get the Recipe

Learn to make a classic Sidecar cocktail.

Yield 1 cocktail

Prep 5 minutes mins

Ingredients

1x2x3x

• ▢ 1 ounce lemon juice
• ▢ 1 ounce triple sec
• ▢ 2 ounces cognac

Equipment

• ▢
  1 cocktail shaker
• ▢
  1 coupe glass

Instructions

• In a cocktail shaker filled with ice, add these ingredients.
• Shake well, until your hand begins to freeze to the shaker. Strain into a coupe or martini glass.
• Garnish with a lemon wedge, twist, or Luxardo cherry.

Notes

• Add a sugared rim for a special touch.
• Experiment with different Congnac brands and different orange liqueurs to find the combination you enjoy most.
• Garnish with a lemon twist or a lemon slice.

© Author Emma Chapman

Course Drinks

Cuisine American, French

Keywords sidecar, sidecar cocktail

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts

Sidecar Cocktail

Amount per Serving

Calories

225

% Daily Value*

Fat

 

0.2

g

0

%

Saturated Fat

 

0.04

g

0

%

Polyunsaturated Fat

 

0.04

g

Monounsaturated Fat

 

0.01

g

Sodium

 

3

mg

0

%

Potassium

 

39

mg

1

%

Carbohydrates

 

11

g

4

%

Fiber

 

0.1

g

0

%

Sugar

 

10

g

11

%

Protein

 

0.1

g

0

%

Vitamin A

 

2

IU

0

%

Vitamin C

 

11

mg

13

%

Calcium

 

2

mg

0

%

Iron

 

0.1

mg

1

%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Notice: Nutrition is auto-calculated, using Spoonacular, for your convenience. Where relevant, we recommend using your own nutrition calculations.