Pink Lady

Also known as Pink Shimmy

A frothy, blush-colored gin sour with a tart bite and a soft, creamy head.

frothytartpomegranateappleginsourcreamybrunch

ABV

Difficulty

Overview

What this drink is like

The first sip is tart and fruity from the lemon and pomegranate, followed by the dry bite of gin and a subtle apple warmth from the applejack. It finishes soft and slightly sweet, with the egg white smoothing out all the sharp edges.

Who will like it

For people who like tart, frothy sours like a Whiskey Sour or Clover Club but want something lighter and fruitier.

When to drink

A great brunch or early evening drink when you want something pretty but with a real kick.

Ordering tip

Ask your bartender if they use applejack in their Pink Lady—if they do, you're in for a drier, more interesting drink.

Ice: NoneTemp: ColdCost: $2–$4Glass: CoupeHome bar friendly

Flavor

Taste profile

This drink hits you with bright lemon and sweet pomegranate up front, backed by the dry bite of gin and a subtle, funky apple note from the applejack. The egg white turns what would be a sharp, thin sour into something soft and velvety. It goes down easy, but the gin and applejack let you know it's a real cocktail.

Finish: The finish is medium-long, leaving a soft, tart trace of lemon and a hint of apple.

Primary tastes

soursweetfruity

Secondary

creamyherbal

Aroma

pomegranatecitrusjuniper

Bitternesslow bitterness
The grenadine and egg white smooth out any bitter notes from the gin.
Sweetnessmoderately sweet
The grenadine brings a clear sweetness, but the lemon and applejack keep it from being cloying.
Sournessmoderately sour
The lemon juice gives a sharp, bright tartness that balances the syrup and egg.
Strengthmoderately strong
The gin and applejack pack a solid punch, though the foam makes it feel lighter than it is.
Refreshingquite refreshing
The cold, citrus-forward profile makes it a crisp, thirst-quenching sip.
Creaminessquite creamy
The dry-shaken egg white creates a thick, velvety texture that coats the tongue.
Complexitymoderate complexity
The mix of gin botanicals, apple notes, and pomegranate adds some layers, but it stays approachable.

Recipe

Make it at home

Shaken · Coupe · equal parts on Gin. London Dry recommended

Before you start

Chill your coupe glass in the freezer for a few minutes beforehand. Make sure your egg white is fresh and fully separated from the yolk without any yolk broken into it.

Ingredients

GinBase SpiritLondon Dry recommended50ml
ApplejackOtherApple brandy works well too15ml
Lemon JuiceJuiceFresh squeezed15ml
GrenadineSyrupUse real pomegranate grenadine if you can10ml
Egg WhiteDairyAbout one large egg white20ml

Garnish: Apple slice, Maraschino cherry

Tools

Cocktail Shaker · Shaking
For shaking the drink and creating the foam
At home: Mason jar with a tight lid
Hawthorne Strainer · Straining
To catch the ice while pouring the drink
At home: Lid of the shaker with a small gap
Jigger · Measuring
To measure the liquids accurately
At home: Measuring spoons or a small shot glass
Coupe Glass · Serving
To serve the drink and show off the foam
At home: Any small stemmed glass
Fine Strainer · optional · Straining
To catch small ice shards or egg bits when pouring
At home: Tea strainer

Steps

1
Add the gin, applejack, lemon juice, grenadine, and egg white to your shaker without any ice. Put the lid on tight and shake hard for about 10 seconds. This whips the egg white into a thick foam, which you'll feel as a heavier resistance in the shaker.
~10s
!Skipping the dry shake leaves the drink flat and watery instead of frothy.
2
Open the shaker, fill it to the top with ice, and seal it again. Shake hard for another 10 to 12 seconds until the outside of the shaker feels very cold and frosty. This chills and dilutes the drink while setting the foam.
~12s
!Shaking too softly won't chill the drink enough or wake up the ingredients.
3
Pop the lid off the shaker and fit your Hawthorne strainer over the top. Pour the drink through a fine mesh strainer into your chilled coupe glass to catch any ice chips or egg bits. The glass should be filled with a thick layer of pink foam on top.
!Pouring too fast can break the foam and leave you with a messy top.
4
Take a thin slice of apple or a cherry and gently place it on top of the foam. Serve it right away while it's icy cold and the foam is holding.
!Dropping the garnish from too high can punch a hole through the foam.

Serve

Serve immediately in a chilled coupe. The drink should look pale pink with a thick, white foam cap.

Variations

Ingredient substitutions

Each row shows what you can swap in place of an original ingredient, and how the drink changes.

Swap options for Applejack

ApplejackApple Brandy
Match
Specialty availability
Applejack → Apple Brandy: Richer and slightly more oaky, adding depth to the apple flavor.
ApplejackCalvados
Match
Specialty availability
Applejack → Calvados: A bit more refined and less harsh, with baked apple notes.

Swap options for Grenadine

GrenadineRaspberry Syrup
Match
Common availability
Grenadine → Raspberry Syrup: Shifts the flavor from pomegranate to berry and makes it slightly sweeter.

Swap options for Egg White

Egg WhiteAquafaba
Match
Common availability
Egg White → Aquafaba: Creates similar foam without egg, though slightly less rich.

Similar cocktails

Cousin drinks that share DNA with this one — each profile stands on its own.

Similar cocktail

Clover Club

Clover Club uses raspberry syrup instead of grenadine and omits the applejack.

Match

Both are frothy pink gin sours, but the Pink Lady has a drier, more grown-up edge from the applejack and grenadine.

In common: Gin sour with egg white foam, Fruity and tart

Ingredients

Both share

Gin, Lemon Juice, Egg White

Only in Pink Lady

Applejack, Grenadine

Only in Clover Club

Raspberry Syrup

The Pink Lady swaps raspberry for pomegranate and adds applejack, giving it a drier, more complex backbone than the Clover Club.

Flavor

Shared flavors

Tart, frothy, gin-forward, Soft mouthfeel from egg white

How Clover Club differs

Pink Lady is drier and has an apple note, Clover Club is more purely berry-sweet

View recipe & details →

Similar cocktail

Whiskey Sour

Uses whiskey instead of gin and applejack, and uses simple syrup instead of grenadine.

Match

The Whiskey Sour is a cold-weather classic with deep warmth, while the Pink Lady is a brighter, crisper sip.

In common: Sour family, Egg white foam

Ingredients

Both share

Lemon Juice, Egg White

Only in Pink Lady

Gin, Applejack, Grenadine

Only in Whiskey Sour

Bourbon Whiskey, Simple Syrup

The Whiskey Sour is a simpler, richer sour built on whiskey, while the Pink Lady is lighter with gin and flavored syrups.

Flavor

Shared flavors

Tart citrus and velvety foam

How Whiskey Sour differs

Pink Lady is lighter and fruitier, Whiskey Sour is heavier, warmer, and more caramel-forward

View recipe & details →

Similar cocktail

Aviation

Aviation uses crème de violette and maraschino liqueur instead of grenadine and egg white.

Match

Both are classic gin sours, but the Aviation goes floral and dry while the Pink Lady goes fruity and frothy.

In common: Gin sour base, Vintage classic

Ingredients

Both share

Gin, Lemon Juice

Only in Pink Lady

Applejack, Grenadine, Egg White

Only in Aviation

Crème de Violette, Maraschino Liqueur

The Aviation is a drier, floral sour without foam, while the Pink Lady is a frothy, pomegranate-forward sour.

Flavor

Shared flavors

Bright gin and lemon tartness

How Aviation differs

Pink Lady is creamier and sweeter, Aviation is floral, nutty, and sharper

View recipe & details →

History

Origin

The exact origin is disputed, with some crediting Harry MacElhone at Harry's New York Bar in Paris and others pointing to the Savoy Hotel in London. The name was popular in the 1920s for any pink drink, but the classic version with applejack was cemented by David Embury in 1948.

Era: 1920s
Confidence

The classic Embury recipe includes applejack, though many modern versions omit it. The origin is disputed between Paris and London.

Practical

Tips & pitfalls

What works at home and what to skip when making this drink.

Tips

Worth knowing before you pour

Use real pomegranate grenadine for a tart, not syrupy drink.
Dry shake first to get the egg white foamy before adding ice.
Chill your glass in the freezer while you make the drink.

Avoid

Common mistakes

Using cheap neon-red grenadine makes it cloyingly sweet.
Forgetting the dry shake leaves you with a flat, watery texture.
Over-shaking the wet shake waters down the foam.