The recipe
for your table
Want a sugar rim? Rub a lemon wedge around the rim of the glass, then dip it in superfine sugar.
Shake cognac, Cointreau, and lemon juice with plenty of ice for 12 seconds.
Double-strain into a chilled coupe.
Squeeze a zest over the glass and hang it on the rim.
The story
Paris, shortly after the First World War. At Harry’s New York Bar — or was it the Ritz after all? — an American army captain who habitually arrived in the sidecar of a motorcycle asked for a warming drink. The bartender mixed cognac with Cointreau and lemon, and named the result after his customer’s mode of transport: the Sidecar. The story is probably too good to be entirely true, but the cocktail became the emblem of the Paris cocktail scene during the Roaring Twenties and is part of the absolute canon.
The right glass
The Sidecar belongs in a coupe: the low, wide champagne glass on a stem that was the cocktail glass of the 1920s. Its shape perfectly matches the art deco character of this drink and gives the citrus aroma plenty of room. Choose a coupe from 20 to 30 cl — a sugar rim completes the presentation. A set of stylish coupes is an investment that will pay for itself across dozens of classics. If you’d prefer to serve it in a smaller glass with less risk of spilling, take a look at our Nick & Nora glasses.
Lehmann Paris Champagne Glass / Coupe 20 cl (6 pieces)
Luigi Bormioli Meravigliosi Coupe 30 cl (6 pieces)
Both sets — just €101.90, free shipping from €50.
Variations & twists
With bourbon instead of cognac, it’s called a Bourbon Sidecar; with calvados, an Apple Car. The ratio is an age-old debate: the “French school” pours equal parts, while the “English school” gives the cognac the leading role. Taste both and choose your side—the sugar rim softens either result. Looking for more inspiration? Browse all 80 cocktail recipes.
Serving tip
The classic ratio is 2:1:1, but taste and adjust: a young VS cognac calls for slightly less lemon than a round VSOP. Serve as a digestif after a good dinner.
The ratio: French or English school
Two schools, two results. The English school uses a 2:1:1 ratio—here, 5 cl of cognac to 2 cl of Cointreau and 2 cl of lemon juice—and puts the cognac front and center. The French school pours equal parts, about 3 cl of each, making the cocktail sweeter, rounder, and much more approachable. Both are defensible; what doesn’t work is wavering somewhere in between without measuring. Use a jigger, because half a centiliter of extra lemon is immediately noticeable in nine centiliters of liquid. In the glass, you end up at around 25 percent ABV.
Sidecar or White Lady: the same template
Put the two side by side and you’ll see the same formula with a different base. The Sidecar uses 5 cl of cognac, the White Lady 4 cl of gin, and both are topped up with Cointreau and fresh lemon juice. Cognac makes the whole drink warm, round, and fruity; gin makes it drier and more herbal. Replace the base with light rum and you have a Between the Sheets. Three classics from one template, then—and the quickest way to taste the difference is to make all three in one evening.
Which cognac should you choose: VS or VSOP
Nothing is hidden in a three-ingredient cocktail. A VS has spent at least two years aging in wood and is fresh, sharp, and direct; a VSOP matures for at least four years and is rounder, fuller, and woodier. For a Sidecar, a VSOP costing around thirty euros works best, because it can stand up to the lemon without disappearing itself. An XO would be a waste: shaking destroys those nuances. If you do choose a young VS, half a centiliter less lemon juice is enough to restore the balance.
The sugared rim, step by step
You do not make a sugared rim by dipping the glass into a saucer. Run a lemon wedge along the outside of the rim, covering about half its circumference, then roll that side through fine granulated sugar on a flat plate. This keeps the inside clean and lets your guest choose whether to drink through the sugar. Do this before shaking and chill the glass for a few minutes so the sugar adheres better. Powdered sugar clumps; fine granulated sugar gives the neatest rim.
Frequently asked questions
What is in a Sidecar?
A Sidecar consists of 5 cl cognac, 2 cl Cointreau and 2 cl fresh lemon juice, shaken with plenty of ice and double-strained into a chilled coupe. Optionally, give the glass a sugared rim and garnish with a squeezed orange or lemon zest on the rim.
What is the correct ratio for a Sidecar?
The classic ratio is 2:1:1: two parts cognac, one part Cointreau and one part lemon juice. The French school uses equal parts, making it sweeter and rounder, while the English school gives the cognac the leading role. Taste and adjust: a young VS calls for slightly less lemon than a VSOP.
Which cognac do you use for a Sidecar?
Choose a cognac you would also drink neat, because in a three-ingredient cocktail you taste everything. A VS is fresh and sharp, while a VSOP is rounder and fuller-flavoured. More expensive does not automatically mean better, but a bottle from the lowest price range gives itself away immediately here.
Which glass do you use for a Sidecar?
A 20 to 30 cl coupe: the low, wide-stemmed glass that was the quintessential cocktail glass in the 1920s. Its shape gives citrus aromas plenty of room and showcases the sugared rim beautifully; preferably choose a model with a thin rim, such as our champagne coupe glasses.
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