Baltimore Bang
Bourbon, apricot liqueur and lemon, shaken. A 1930s bourbon sour sweetened with apricot — soft, fruity and sharper than it sounds.
Built to the standard modern spec; not yet tested in our kitchen. How we test.
The recipe.
Scaling adjusts quantities only. Prepare shaken drinks in individual portions.
Let’s make a good drink.
Chill a coupe or sour glass.
Add the bourbon, apricot liqueur, lemon juice and syrup if using to a shaker.
Fill with ice and shake hard for 10 to 12 seconds.
Double strain into the chilled glass and garnish with a lemon twist.
A thoughtful finish
- A dry apricot liqueur; with a sweet 'apricot brandy' the drink is syrup. Drop the syrup entirely if yours is sweet.
- A high-proof bourbon stands up to the liqueur.
- Egg white makes a silky version in the Boston Sour manner.
Common mistakes
- Sweet apricot brandy plus syrup.
- Too little lemon.
- Sour mix.
A few good questions.
What does a Baltimore Bang taste like?
A bourbon sour with apricot — tart, fruity, with the whiskey's vanilla underneath.
Why Baltimore?
A name; nothing connects the drink to the city.
What apricot liqueur?
A dry one — Marie Brizard Apry, Rothman & Winter, Giffard. Avoid sweet 'apricot brandy' labels.
Can I use rye?
Yes; drier and spicier. Bourbon's sweetness suits the apricot.
Variations
- Whiskey Sour — Bourbon, lemon and sugar.
- Frisco Sour — Rye, Bénédictine, lemon and lime.
- Gold Rush — Bourbon, lemon and honey.
- Charlie Chaplin — Sloe gin, apricot liqueur and lime.
Where it comes from
c. 1930s · United States
Contested. More than one origin is claimed for this drink. We show the competing accounts rather than pick one.
The Baltimore Bang turns up in American bar books of the 1930s and 1940s — bourbon with apricot brandy and lemon juice, shaken — one of the apricot sours the era liked, from the years when apricot liqueur was as common on the back bar as orange. The city is a name; no Baltimore bar claims it. It is a Whiskey Sour with apricot liqueur for the sugar, and with a dry apricot liqueur it is a drier, more interesting sour than the plain one, in the way the Frisco Sour is with Bénédictine.
Sources
- Patrick Gavin Duffy, The Official Mixer's Manual, 1934 (book)
- Difford's Guide, Baltimore Bang, 2015 (reference)
- Gary Regan, The Joy of Mixology, 2003 (book)
Strength. About 1.8 US standard drinks at an estimated 23% ABV, estimated from the ingredients and technique, not measured. What that means.
A little character in every sip.
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