The Piscola Recipe

Posted in Brandy on March 5, 2014

The Piscola is a very simple to make cocktail and it can easily be adjusted to suit individual tastes. Its name is directly derived from its ingredients: pisco (South American brandy) and cola. The origins of pisco are surrounded by mystery. It is very popular in Chile and Peru and both countries claim to have been its inventors. The same happened with the Pisco Sour cocktail which is also claimed by both countries. The Piscola can be considered the Chilean equivalent of rum & coke. The only difference is that it does not use rum, but a traditional Chilean drink: pisco.

The great part about this cocktail is the fact that you can easily adapt the recipe to suit your individual tastes. More than that, if you decide to prepare it for a party, you can make each cocktail different, depending on how your guests prefer it. How is this versatility achieved?

The answer is simple: the Piscola is a combination between pisco and cola. You can choose the ratio for the ingredients in order to make stronger or lighter drinks. Some recipes call for a 1:1 ratio of pisco and cola. Others are lighter and use 1 part of pisco and 2 parts of cola. You can experiment with the ingredients and find the ratio that you like best. More than that, there are Piscola variations which can be made with Sprite, ginger ale or tonic. Even if you choose something else instead of cola, you can still play with the proportions and do the drink as strong or as light as you like it. Few cocktails are as versatile and as easy to adapt as the Piscola.

How to Make the Piscola at Home

You need the following ingredients:

• 1 ½ oz. of pisco.
• 3 oz. of cola.
• Ice cubes.
• A slice of lemon (optional).

As you have noticed, the above recipe uses a 2:1 cola pisco ratio. You can use equal parts or a 3:1 ratio, depending on your individual tastes.

The Piscola is served in a highball glass. For best results, you can chill the glass before preparing the cocktail. Then put some ice cubes in the glass and add the pisco. Pour the cola and also add a lemon slice if you want. You can skip the lemon slice and squeeze some lemon juice in the glass or you can eliminate lemon altogether from the recipe.  It’s all up to you. Enjoy!