The recipe
for your table
Place the coupe glass in the freezer for half an hour.
Put all the ingredients in the shaker without ice and shake for 20 seconds - the dry shake.
Add plenty of ice and shake for another 15 seconds until the shaker is frosted.
Double strain into the chilled glass and let the foam set for half a minute before serving.
The story
The Pink Lady is named after a 1911 Broadway musical and became popular during Prohibition, when gin was of dubious quality and grenadine provided a welcome disguise. That association would later be its downfall: in the second half of the twentieth century, the cocktail was considered bland and old-fashioned, precisely the kind of drink serious drinkers looked down on. Unfairly so - with a good London dry gin, fresh lemon and real grenadine, it is a full-fledged sour, in which the egg white provides a texture you cannot achieve any other way. In recent years, it has returned to the menus of classic cocktail bars.
The right glass
A coupe or coupette of 16 to 22 cl is the right choice here, and that has to do with the foam: the wide, shallow bowl gives you a large surface area, which is exactly where the foam head forms. In a narrow glass, you get a thick lump of foam instead of a smooth layer. The coupe is also historically accurate - this is a cocktail from an era when no one had even heard of a martini glass. Always chill the glass first; this cocktail is served without ice.
RCR Melodia Coupette Glass 16 cl (6 pieces)
Lehmann Roma Champagne Glass / Coupe 22 cl (6 pieces)
Together € 103,90.
The right tool
For a Pink Lady, besides the glass, you need a shaker, a jigger for precise measuring, a fine strainer for double straining and a citrus juicer. These are the bar tools we use ourselves; you can find everything in our bar tools & cocktail sets.
Glass set (our choice 01) + 4 bar tools — together € 87,75.
Variations & twists
Add a splash of apple brandy and you have the historically accurate version, as it appears in the earliest recipes. Using cream instead of egg white makes it a smoother, dessert-like cocktail. Replace the grenadine with raspberry syrup for more fruit and less sweetness. If you like the foam but do not want egg, try the Clover Club with aquafaba. Find more inspiration in all cocktail recipes.
Serving tip
The dry shake is not optional: shaking without ice first whips up the egg white without cooling it down immediately. If you shake everything with ice at once, you get a thin layer instead of a foam cap. Use fresh eggs and keep them cold. Prefer no raw egg? Aquafaba — the liquid from a can of chickpeas — works almost as well; allow 2 cl.
Frequently asked questions
Which glass do you use for a Pink Lady?
A 16 to 22 cl coupe or coupette, chilled beforehand. View our coupette glasses.
How do you get a good foam cap?
Dry shake for 20 seconds without ice, then for another 15 seconds with ice. Double strain and let the glass stand for half a minute before serving.
Can it be made without raw egg?
Yes. Aquafaba gives a similar foam, and there are also plant-based foaming agents specially made for cocktails. Allow 2 cl aquafaba per glass.
Which gin do you use?
A classic London dry works best: the juniper stands up to the sweet grenadine. A floral or citrus gin fades too much into the background.
Everything for your bar,
to one address
Glasses in hospitality quality, supplied per set. Ordered today, delivered quickly.
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