Classic cocktail · Guided recipe

Sidecar

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Cognac, orange liqueur and lemon in balance — the template for every brandy sour. Bright, warming and elegant.

Preparation~2 minEasyStrengthStrongabout 31% ABVMethodShaken7 guided stepsIngredients3Coupe or martini glass

Sour

In the glassCognac · Triple sec / Cointreau · Fresh lemon juice

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Make it with guidanceOne clear action at a time, with timers built in.

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What goes in

Ingredients

An empty clear coupe glass with a shallow rounded bowl and slender stem. — Serving glassCoupe glass

Set up before you pour

Use a coupe glass.

The stem keeps your hand away from a cold drink, while the rounded bowl makes an up serve easy to sip.

Standard size: 200 ml6¾ oz
Ice & serve: Chill it first; serve without ice.
If you don’t own one: Use a small martini glass or stemmed dessert glass.

Tools to set out

cocktail shaker
strainer (or a small sieve)
jigger or measuring spoon

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Scale to your coupe or martini glassWe’ll remember this glass size.

Cognac50 ml
Triple sec / Cointreau20 ml
Fresh lemon juice20 ml

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From bottle to glass

Method

01
Measure into the shaker
Pour 50 ml cognac into your shaker
- Cognac
02
Measure into the shaker
Add 20 ml triple sec / cointreau
- Triple sec / Cointreau
03
Measure into the shaker
Add 20 ml fresh lemon juice
- Fresh lemon juice
04
Ice the shaker
Fill the shaker with ice
Why it mattersFill it right up — more ice chills faster with less watering down.
05
Seal and shake
Seal and shake hard
Why it mattersCold hands mean it’s working. Shake until the tin frosts over.
06
Strain cleanly
Strain into a chilled glass — no ice
Why it mattersPour through the strainer so the spent shaker ice stays behind.
07
Finish the drink
Finish it — add a lemon twist

Know your drink

About the Sidecar

A Sidecar, amber brandy rocks drink and bright brandy highball in a hotel bar.

Two 1922 books

Both London and Paris claim this one, and the argument has never been settled. It appears in two cocktail books from 1922. Robert Vermeire's credits a bartender at Buck's Club in London. Harry MacElhone's own book came out that year, and Harry's New York Bar in Paris has claimed the drink for generations. Ratios split along the same line: equal thirds in the French telling, two parts cognac to one each of the others in the English.

Cointreau is the difference between a good Sidecar and a sticky one. At 40% ABV it carries the orange without much sugar behind it, while bargain triple sec runs half that proof and leans on syrup instead, which flattens the whole glass. Cognac can be a plain VS. Older bottlings lose their oak character under lemon, so save the VSOP for a snifter.

Common questions

Sidecar FAQ

Does a sidecar need a sugar rim?

Optional — it began as an American softening of a bracing French drink. Made to modern spec (50/20/20) the balance is already there; try it naked first, and rim half the glass with sugar if you want the dessert edge.

What ingredients are in a Sidecar?

A classic Sidecar calls for 50 ml (1.75 oz) Cognac, 20 ml (0.75 oz) Triple sec / Cointreau, 20 ml (0.75 oz) Fresh lemon juice. That single-serve spec scales cleanly — the recipe above converts it to oz and multiplies it for 2–4 drinks.

How strong is a Sidecar?

A standard Sidecar is roughly 31% ABV once mixed (before ice melt softens it further). That makes it spirit-forward — closer to a Martini than to a beer, so sip it slowly.

Is a Sidecar shaken or stirred?

A Sidecar is shaken — the rule of thumb is to shake anything with citrus juice. About 13 seconds with plenty of ice chills and dilutes it correctly.

What glass do you serve a Sidecar in?

Serve a Sidecar in a chilled coupe glass, well chilled — this drink is served without ice, so a cold glass keeps it cold.

How many calories are in a Sidecar?

One Sidecar has approximately 180 calories, estimated from the standard spec above. Bigger pours, extra syrup or sweetened mixers raise that number quickly.

Sharpen the technique