Sherry Flip

Also known as Sherry and Egg Flip, Jerez Flip

A rich, velvety after-dinner drink made with sherry, egg, and sugar, shaken until frothy and smooth.

nuttycreamysherryeggdessertafter-dinnerrichwinterlow-abvspiced

ABV

Difficulty

Overview

What this drink is like

The first sip is soft and custardy, with the nutty, dried-fruit sweetness of the sherry coming right through. The middle is thick and warming, coating your tongue like a liquid dessert. It finishes with a lingering toasted walnut note and just a hint of baking spice from the bitters.

Who will like it

Great for people who like rich, dessert-like drinks with deep, nutty flavors and a creamy mouthfeel.

When to drink

Serve this after a heavy meal when you want something sweet but not cloying to wind down the night.

Ordering tip

Ask the bartender to use an oloroso or amontillado sherry if you want a drier, nuttier drink, or pedro ximénez if you have a real sweet tooth.

Ice: NoneTemp: ColdCost: $3–$6Glass: CoupeHome bar friendly

Flavor

Taste profile

This drink is all about texture and warmth. The egg and cream give it a heavy, pudding-like body that sits heavy on the tongue, while the sherry cuts through the dairy with a savory, nutty edge that keeps it from tasting like a plain milkshake. It is sweet but grounded, with the dried fruit and walnut notes of the wine playing off the baking spice of the bitters and nutmeg. There is no sharpness or bite to it, just a soft, rounded sip that goes down easy.

Finish: The finish is long and soft, leaving a lingering toasted nut flavor and the gentle warmth of the sherry on the back of your tongue.

Primary tastes

nuttysweetcreamy

Secondary

earthyspicy

Aroma

toasted walnutsdried figsfresh nutmegbaking spice

Bitternesslow bitterness
Only a faint bitter edge from the Angostura bitters, mostly hidden by the rich dairy and sugar.
Sweetnessmoderately sweet
Noticeably sweet from the syrup and sherry, but the egg and cream keep it from tasting like pure sugar.
Strengthlow strength
Sherry is a fortified wine rather than a full spirit, so the drink sits light and mellow rather than punchy.
Creaminessvery creamy
The whole egg and heavy cream whip into a thick, custard-like texture that dominates the mouthfeel.
Complexitymoderately complex
The layered nutty and oxidized flavors of the sherry give the drink depth beyond its simple ingredient list.

Recipe

Make it at home

Shaken · Coupe · equal parts on Sherry. Oloroso or Amontillado recommended for a dry, nutty profile

Before you start

Pull your sherry and cream out of the fridge so they aren't ice-cold, which helps the egg mix in easier. Crack your egg into a small bowl first to check for shell pieces.

Ingredients

SherryBase SpiritOloroso or Amontillado recommended for a dry, nutty profile60ml
Simple SyrupSyrup15ml
Heavy CreamDairy30ml
Whole EggDairy1
Angostura BittersBitters2 dashes
NutmegGarnishFreshly grated whole nutmeg is bestGrate on top

Garnish: Freshly grated nutmeg

Tools

Cocktail Shaker · Shaking
To shake the egg and cream thoroughly so the drink gets thick and frothy
At home: A large mason jar with a tight lid
Jigger · Measuring
To measure the sherry, syrup, and cream accurately
At home: A shot glass or measuring spoons
Fine Mesh Strainer · Straining
To catch any bits of egg white or shell before the drink goes into the glass
At home: A small wire kitchen sieve
Microplane · Garnish
To grate fresh nutmeg over the top of the finished drink
At home: The smallest holes on a standard cheese grater
Coupe Glass · Serving
To serve the drink; the wide bowl shows off the frothy top
At home: A small wine glass or shallow bowl

Steps

1
Pour 60ml of sherry, 15ml of simple syrup, and 30ml of heavy cream into your empty shaker. Crack the whole egg in there, then add 2 dashes of Angostura bitters. Don't add ice yet.
!Adding ice before the first shake will make the egg seize up and leave stringy clumps in your drink.
2
Seal the shaker and shake it hard for about 15 seconds with no ice inside. This dry shake whips the egg and cream together so they get thick and foamy before the cold hits them.
~15s
!Shaking too gently won't emulsify the egg, leaving the drink flat and watery instead of creamy.
3
Take the lid off, fill the shaker about three-quarters full with ice cubes, and seal it again. Shake hard for another 10 to 12 seconds until the outside of the metal shaker feels freezing cold and frosty.
~12s
!Shaking too short leaves the drink lukewarm and doesn't thin the foam enough for a smooth texture.
4
Pop the small cap off the shaker and pour the drink through your fine mesh strainer into a chilled coupe glass. The strainer catches any stray egg bits so you get a clean, smooth pour. The drink should fill the glass with a thick, pale cap of foam on top.
!Skipping the fine strainer can let tiny cooked egg strands slip into the glass.
5
Hold a whole nutmeg over the drink and grate it directly onto the foam, moving your hand in small circles to dust the whole surface evenly. The heat of the drink brings out the aroma of the fresh nutmeg right away.
!Using pre-ground nutmeg tastes flat and dusty compared to grating it fresh.

Serve

Serve it right away in a chilled coupe while the foam is still thick and the drink is cold. It doesn't keep well once it sits, so drink it before it warms up.

Variations

Ingredient substitutions

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

Swap options for Sherry

SherryPedro Ximénez Sherry
Match
Specialty availability
Sherry → Pedro Ximénez Sherry: Makes the drink much sweeter and adds a sticky, raisin-like depth that overpowers the egg.
SherryTawny Port
Match
Common availability
Sherry → Tawny Port: Adds more berry fruit and caramel notes, making the drink heavier and sweeter with less dry nuttiness.

Swap options for Simple Syrup

Simple SyrupSugar Cube
Match
Common availability
Simple Syrup → Sugar Cube: Gives a slightly grittier texture if not fully dissolved, but tastes about the same once mixed.

Similar cocktails

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

Similar cocktail

Brandy Flip

The Brandy Flip uses a full-strength spirit instead of fortified wine, making it noticeably stronger and less nutty.

Match

Both drinks feel like liquid custard, but the Sherry Flip is softer and more about toasted nut flavors, while the Brandy Flip hits you with sharper grape and alcohol heat.

In common: Shaken with egg, Creamy dessert-like texture, Dusted with nutmeg, After-dinner drink

Ingredients

Both share

Whole Egg, Simple Syrup, Angostura Bitters, Nutmeg

Only in Sherry Flip

Sherry, Heavy Cream

Only in Brandy Flip

Brandy

The Sherry Flip swaps out brandy for sherry and adds heavy cream, turning a stronger, spirit-driven drink into a lower-ABV, dairy-rich sipper.

Flavor

Shared flavors

Custardy egg texture, Sweet baking spice finish, Nutmeg aroma

How Brandy Flip differs

Lighter and nuttier, Lower alcohol warmth, Thicker mouthfeel from the cream

View recipe & details →

Similar cocktail

Port Flip

Port brings dark berry and chocolate notes instead of the dry, nutty character of sherry.

Match

The Port Flip leans into dark berry and chocolate flavors with a lighter body, while the Sherry Flip is drier, nuttier, and thicker on the tongue.

In common: Shaken with egg, Fortified wine base, Sweet and rich, Nutmeg garnish

Ingredients

Both share

Whole Egg, Simple Syrup, Angostura Bitters, Nutmeg

Only in Sherry Flip

Sherry, Heavy Cream

Only in Port Flip

Port

The Port Flip uses port wine instead of sherry and skips the heavy cream, resulting in a fruitier, slightly thinner drink.

Flavor

Shared flavors

Rich egg foam, Sweet fortified wine backbone, Spiced finish

How Port Flip differs

Fruitier and darker, Less creamy body, More jam-like sweetness

View recipe & details →

Similar cocktail

Eggnog

Eggnog uses a base of strong spirit like rum or bourbon and is served in a larger volume, often cold or warm rather than chilled and frothy.

Match

They share the same dairy and egg DNA, but the Sherry Flip is a tighter, drier sip with oxidized walnut notes, while eggnog is a sweeter, boozier, milkier drink.

In common: Egg and dairy base, Sweet and thick, Spiced with nutmeg

Ingredients

Both share

Whole Egg, Simple Syrup, Heavy Cream

Only in Sherry Flip

Sherry, Angostura Bitters

Only in Eggnog

Bourbon, Rum, Milk

Eggnog relies on a mix of full-strength spirits and milk in a larger serving, while the Sherry Flip uses lower-ABV sherry and bitters in a smaller, more concentrated format.

Flavor

Shared flavors

Custardy dairy texture, Sweet vanilla and nutmeg notes, Rich mouthfeel

How Eggnog differs

More concentrated and nutty, Less boozily sweet, Served cold and frothy instead of chilled or warm

View recipe & details →

History

Origin

Flips date back to the 17th century as hot, spiced drinks made with beer, spirits, and sugar, beaten with a hot iron. By the mid-19th century, the cold sherry flip appeared in Jerry Thomas's 1862 guide as a shaken mixture of sherry, egg, and sugar, dropping the beer and the hot poker entirely.

Era: 1860s
Confidence

The Sherry Flip recipe varies widely; some older versions skip the cream entirely, relying only on the egg for body. The cream-heavy version is the modern standard but is not an IBA official cocktail.

Practical

Tips & pitfalls

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

Tips

Worth knowing before you pour

Always do a dry shake first to get the egg foamy before adding ice.
Use an oloroso sherry if you want a drier drink, or pedro ximénez for dessert-level sweetness.
Grate the nutmeg right over the foam so the heat releases the aroma.
Wash your shaker right away; dried egg is hard to scrub out later.

Avoid

Common mistakes

Skipping the dry shake leaves you with a watery, flat texture.
Using pre-ground nutmeg makes the drink taste dusty and bland.
Adding ice before shaking the egg leaves stringy cooked bits in the drink.