Name: Trinidad Sour Cocktail Recipe
Ingredients: 1.5 ounces Angostura Bitters; 0.5 ounce Rye Whiskey; 0.75 ounce Lemon Juice (fresh); 1 ounce Orgeat Syrup; 1 Lemon Twist (for garnish)

a red-brown rye whiskey cocktail created by Giuseppe Gonzalez with lemon wheel garnish

How to Make the Trinidad Sour
History
Ingredients
Variations
Trinidad Sour Recipe

Alright friends, let’s talk about a cocktail that breaks nearly every rule of classic balance… and still manages to pull it off (kind of). The Trinidad Sour is one of the boldest drinks you’ll come across, and not just because of its interesting color.

This modern classic cocktail totally flips the script by using Angostura bitters—normally called for in just a few dashes here and there—as its base spirit.

I’ll admit it’s not my favorite drink. But it is a fascinating exploration in how far you can push flavor manipulation within mixology– and Chris loves it, and he’s much more of an expert than I am, for what it’s worth. So if you’re brave enough, come with us to explore this unique drink recipe.

How to Make the Trinidad Sour

This is one of those offbeat drinks that makes people raise an eyebrow when they see it made— and often makes them raise both eyebrows after the first sip.

Check out the video above where Chris demonstrates how to put it together and how unconventional proportions can still result in a delicious cocktail when done right.

top down view of a flavorful cocktail made with an ounce of orgeat syrup; it's a thick, red-brown cocktail with lemon peel garnish

Trinidad Sour History

The Trinidad Sour is a relatively new addition to the cocktail world, created by famed bartender Giuseppe Gonzalez in the early 2000s at the Clover Club cocktail bar in New York (a place named after Julia’s favorite drink!).

What makes this mixed drink a standout isn’t just its modern origin but the fact that it builds an entire cocktail around Angostura bitters—something that’s pretty unheard of. Let’s be honest: It’s kind of a wild cocktail ingredient to use as a base.

In an era where creative riffs on classics were taking center stage, the Trinidad Sour broke the mold and gave this background ingredient some major main character energy.

Why Is It Called a Trinidad Sour?

Angostura Bitters is actually made on the Caribbean island of Trinidad and Tobago, hence the inspiration for the name. And while it doesn’t exactly drink like a typical sour cocktail, this recipe does follow the formula of base spirit + citrus/acid + sweetener.

Trinidad Sour drink on a bar, surrounded by its ingredients: rye, a bottle of bitters, and almond orgeat

Trinidad Sour Ingredients

Here’s what you’ll need to make this head-turning cocktail:

(1.5 ounces) Angostura Bitters: Yes, you read that right. This heavy dose of an entire ounce and a half of aromatic bitters provides the cocktail’s signature spice and boldness. Note that a $10 bottle of Angostura is 4 ounces, so one bottle will only make two of these drinks– Not the cheapest ingredient, for sure.
Rye Whiskey: Although not the star, rye adds a little extra punch to counterbalance the intensity of the bitters.
Fresh Lemon Juice: Citrus is absolutely necessary to cut through the drink’s bitterness with bright acidity.
Orgeat: This almond syrup rounds everything out with a rich sweetness.

Despite the small pour of rye, this cocktail tastes more like a full-bodied Old Fashioned or Sazerac than a typical sour.

5 varying cocktail in different glasses, on a kitchen counter

Variations

Given how unique this Angostura bitters-based cocktail already is, it’s not a drink that lends itself easily to tweaks. However, bartenders have played around with a few other versions:

Reduce the Angostura for a more approachable version– Bring it down to 1 ounce and up the rye a bit. Or you can split it with a flavored bitters, like chocolate or lemon. Don’t be afraid to play with flavors. Remember, this can get expensive, so experiment with a smaller sample before committing to the whole cocktail.
Swap the base bitters with something more floral or herbal, like Peychaud’s or even a light Amaro.
Add 3/4 ounce of egg white or aquafaba (chickpea juice– I promise it’s better than it sounds) for a frothy texture that softens the bitterness.
Fat wash your bitters to smooth out the flavor a bit, making it more palatable. You don’t only have to use meat for fat washes; you can fat wash with truffle oil, coconut oil, and more– so don’t be put off if you’re a vegetarian or vegan.

bartender in a bar holding a drink and smiling, surrounded by a cocktail tin, cocktail strainer, and other bar tools and liquor bottles

A Bold, Bittersweet Cocktail Adventure

This cocktail recipe isn’t for everyone, but I guess that’s kind of the point. It’s an audacious drink that challenges expectations, plays with bitter intensity, and shows how balance doesn’t always mean subtlety.

Whether you love it or not (I lean towards “not,” but hey, I appreciate the idea of it– and again, I was in the minority at the A Bar Above studio), this bittersweet cocktail is worth trying at least once. It’ll stretch your palate and remind you that cocktail crafting is as much about experimentation as it is about tradition.

I’m really curious what you think about this one, so leave me a comment below to let me know. Cheers!