• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Flour Child logo

  • About Us
  • Recipes
  • Privacy
menu icon
go to homepage
search icon
Homepage link
  • Home
  • Recipes
  • Classic Cocktails
  • Dinners
  • About Us
    • Email
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • ×
    • A blue serving bowl of deviled egg salad with a spoon in it, next to a red and white checkered napkin and salt and pepper shakers.
      Fast and Easy Deviled Egg Salad Recipe with Macaroni
    • Rock Hudson's chicken casserole in a white serving bowl.
      Rock Hudson's Favorite Chicken Casserole Recipe
    • Two gingerbread squares stacked on a Christmas dessert plate.
      Frank Sinatra's Favorite Gingerbread Cake Squares
    • A slice of Sinatra spicy pumpkin pie with a dollop of whipped cream, on a white dessert plate.
      Frank Sinatra's Favorite Spicy Pumpkin Pie Recipe
    • A bowl of chasers chili with chopped onions and oyster crackers on top, and a slice of cornbread on the side.
      Elizabeth Taylor's Favorite Recipe -- Chasen's Chili
    • Chai Sugar Cookies on a white plate on top of a green red placemat, with pinecones and cinnamon sticks in the background
      Taylor Swift's Holiday Recipe for Chai Sugar Cookies
    • A white plate with a mound of spaghetti on it and a stem of basil leaves on top. A fork is holding spaghetti above the plate, a bottle of chianti is in the background.
      Audrey Hepburn's Spaghetti al Pomodoro Pasta Recipe
    • A slice of Elvis Presley's Favorite Pound Cake on a dessert plate, with whipped cream and a strawberry on top.
      Elvis Presley's Favorite Pound Cake Recipe
    • Frank Sinatra's Fettucine Alfredo in a white serving bowl, with a glass of white wine and a basket of breadsticks.
      Frank Sinatra's Favorite Fettuccine Alfredo Recipe
    • Slice of lemon pie on a dessert plate, with the whole pie behind it.
      Frank Sinatra's Favorite Lemon Meringue Pie Recipe
    • Spaghetti and meatballs on a white dinner plate with garlic bread and a glass of chianti.
      Frank Sinatra's Recipe for Spaghetti and Meatballs
    • A bowl of pasta fagioli witting on a red checkered tablecloth with a green napkin, a spoon, a bowl with slices of French bread, a glass of red wine, and a bottle of chianti in the background.
      Dean Martin's Favorite Pasta Fagioli Soup Recipe
    Home » Classic Cocktails » The Sidecar Cocktail, a sweet and sour classic

    Published: Jul 17, 2020 · Modified: Nov 2, 2023 by Kevin Mayfield · This post may contain affiliate links.

    The Sidecar Cocktail, a sweet and sour classic

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    The Sidecar sweet and sour classic cocktail is a refreshing ride down memory lane. Try both the British and the French versions of this mid century favorite.

    The sweet and sour Sidecar cocktail contains brandy, orange liqueur and fresh lemon juice for a refreshing drink.

    The drink's origin

    The cocktail originated in either Paris or London after World War I. There is some lore around different types of army units adopting it as their group drink. The army scouts rode motorcycles, which in those days had a sidecar. 

    What you'll need to make a Sidecar Cocktail

    Which bartender in which city you believe created the drink will influence how you make it. The French version has equal parts of all three ingredients, whereas the English version has more cognac. I’ve made them both ways and they’re both delicious.

    Ingredients Needed for a Sidecar

    Ingredients for a sidecar cocktail include bottles of brandy, orange liqueur and an orange shown on a black background.

    You'll only need a handful of ingredients to quickly whip this up:

    1. Brandy
    2. Orange Liqueur
    3. Fresh Lemon Juice

    How to drink it

    I’d also be remiss if I didn’t talk about which type of glass to use. This drink should be served in a cocktail glass because it is served with no ice. The reasoning is that the heat from your hand would warm it if you held it. Therefore, you want to hold it by the stem of a cocktail glass to keep your drink chilled longer.

    Tips for success

    Remember to do the following and you can't go wrong with this simple cocktail:

    1. Use fresh lemon juice
    2. Serve it in the proper type of glass
    3. Unless requested, do not sugar the rim of the glass

    Frequently Asked Questions

    What does a sidecar taste like?

    This cocktail is best described as sweet and sour. The lemon juice gives it a tangy flavor and the orange liqueur sweetens it up.

    What do you think of the Sidecar? Let me know if this drink works for you.

    The sweet and sour Sidecar cocktail

    Kevin Mayfield
    A post WWI classic cocktail that came into its own in the mid century. This cocktail contains fresh lemon juice and orange liqueur that compliments the brandy with a sweet and sour refreshing taste.
    5 from 2 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 7 minutes mins
    Total Time 7 minutes mins
    Course Cocktails
    Cuisine American
    Servings 1 Serving
    Calories 225 kcal

    Ingredients
     
     

    • 2 oz brandy
    • 1 oz Cointreau
    • 1 oz fresh squeezed lemon juice

    Instructions
     

    • Fill your cocktail shaker with two generous scoops of ice, and pour in all of your ingredients.
    • Shake vigorously for a few seconds, then strain into a cocktail glass.
    • Add a bit of lemon peel for garnish. Sugar the rim if desired.

    Notes

    Use fresh lemon juice rather than bottled to ensure you have a drinkable cocktail.
    To make the French version of this cocktail, use equal measures of each ingredient.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 225kcalCarbohydrates: 11gProtein: 1gFat: 1gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 3mgPotassium: 39mgFiber: 1gSugar: 10gVitamin A: 2IUVitamin C: 11mgCalcium: 2mgIron: 1mg
    Keyword British cocktails, English Cocktails, French cocktails, madmen cocktails, mid century cocktails, rat pack cocktails
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

    More Mid Century Classic Cocktails

    • Greyhound cocktail with a grapefruit wedge in a cocktail glass
      How to Make a Vodka and Grapefruit Greyhound Cocktail
    • Gin Gibson cocktail in a martini glass on a white bar napkin with an ice bucket in the background.
      How to Make the Best Classic Gin Gibson Cocktail
    • A closeup of a whiskey in a rocks glass
      How to Make The Easy Frank Sinatra 3-2-1 Cocktail
    • An apple butter old fashioned cocktail in a tumbler with apples and fall-related items in the background
      Sip into Fall: How to Make the Perfect Apple Butter Old-Fashioned Cocktail

    About Kevin Mayfield

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. K says

      October 08, 2024 at 12:37 am

      5 stars
      Another favourite!

      Have you by any chance a recipe for the classic Aviation cocktail?

      May I add, the details with the cocktail's history, which glass to use - just divine!

      Reply
      • Kevin Mayfield says

        October 08, 2024 at 11:07 am

        Thank you again K. I have heard of the Aviation and it is on the list of future cocktails. It looks like a wonderful Gin drink. The Crème de violette or Creme Yvette are a little hard to locate. But the next time I'm out picking up ingredients, I'll keep my eyes open.

        Reply
    5 from 2 votes (1 rating without comment)

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    Primary Sidebar

    Nancy and Bentley

    Hi, I'm Nancy! Welcome to Flourchild where I share classic mid-century recipes from the 1940's - 1970's. I feature many vintage handwritten recipes, and provide modern shortcuts and a variety of healthy and special diet-friendly versions whenever possible. Join me in exploring the delicious flavors and from-scratch cooking techniques of our past!

    More about me →

      Favorites

      • Tuna Noodle Casserole With Buttered Cracker Topping
      • Close up of a sloppy Joe on a bun
        World's Best Sloppy Joes From Scratch
      • Kentucky Style Biscuits and Gravy - A Southern breakfast favorite
      • Two large cinnamon apple pancakes on a black plate with apple topping and maple syrup running down the sides.
        Cinnamon Apple Pancakes with Apple & Brown Sugar Topping
      • Hot Toddy cocktail in a clear mug with a lemon wheel and 2 small cranberries for garnish
        How to Make an Easy Bourbon and Honey Hot Toddy
      • An apple butter old fashioned cocktail in a tumbler with apples and fall-related items in the background
        Sip into Fall: How to Make the Perfect Apple Butter Old-Fashioned Cocktail

      Popular Recipes

      • Pork tenderloin with bacon on top, sitting on a mid century serving platter with a side of French apple sauce.
        Easy Roasted Pork Tenderloin Holiday Dinner Recipe
      • A single square serving of stained glass jello on a white plate.
        Stained Glass Jello Recipe (Broken Glass Jello)
      • Boneless apple cider pork chops on a serving platter, topped with cooked apples and surrounded with fresh sprigs of parsley.
        Boneless Apple Cider Pork Chops
      • Candy Apple Salad with Apple Cider Vinaigrette

      • Email
      • Instagram
      • Pinterest

      Footer

      ↑ back to top

      About

      • Privacy Policy
      • Accessibility Policy

      Newsletter

      • Sign Up! for emails and updates

      Contact

      • Contact

      As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

      Copyright © 2025 Brunch Pro on the Brunch Pro Theme

      Rate This Recipe

      Your vote:




      Let us know what you thought of this recipe:

      This worked exactly as written, thanks!
      My family loved this!
      Thank you for sharing this recipe

      Or write in your own words:

      A rating is required
      A name is required
      An email is required

      Recipe Ratings without Comment

      Something went wrong. Please try again.