Here’s a simple rule of thumb to live by if you’re a mixologist: you can’t have a high-quality cocktail without a high-quality syrup.
That is, of course, if the recipe calls for a syrup.
Let’s assume it does!
There’s nothing better than serving someone a killer cocktail using fresh ingredients that you made yourself. Consumers today appreciate homemade, DIY-inspired products, and while you, the mixologist, are most likely not legally authorized to concoct your own special homemade batch of gin, you certainly can create the mixes.
Dan Dufek, Breakthru Wisconsin’s Beverage Development Specialist, has cooked up four ways you can take fresh ingredients and turn them into incredible cocktail syrups that your customers will enjoy!
1) Stovetop Cooking Method
Dan Dufek: Best used for boiling/simmering fruits to develop the desired flavor of a syrup. Berries are great for stovetop boiling as you’ll get a candy-like sweetness that comes out of it during the cooking. Bring the berries to a boil and drain the liquid, which will be high in sugar. Any kind of berry, or hearty fruit like ginger or other hearty spices like cinnamon are good for stovetop cooking.
Raspberry Syrup
2 cups filtered water
½ pint fresh raspberries
12-16 oz. superfine sugar
Combine raspberries and water in medium saucepan over high heat. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from heat. Leave raspberries in water to allow continued infusion while cooling (about 10-15 minutes. Strain through a china cap or mesh filter to remove solids, then strain again through cheesecloth. Measure the amount of liquid remaining and add an equal amount of superfine sugar. Stir thoroughly until sugar is completely dissolved. Pour into glass bottle. Add 1 oz. vodka per 24 oz. syrup, as a preservative (optional). Refrigerate.
2) Juicing Method
Cucumber, watermelon, bell peppers, carrots and beets are perfect for juicing and make great syrups. Use a juice extractor or simply blend it. You’ll want to use superfine sugar so it will dissolve nicely into the juices.
Cucumber Syrup
1 cup fresh cucumber juice
1 cup superfine Sugar
Salt to taste
Combine Cucumber Juice, sugar, and salt in a pitcher or glass jar. Stir thoroughly until sugar is completely dissolved. Refrigerate. Optional: Add 1 oz. vodka per 24 oz. syrup, as a preservative.
3) Tea Method
Steep the ingredients in hot water and add sugar to make tea-style syrups. The main things you’d use here are dry herbs like hibiscus or lavender, which are really popular flavors right now in cocktails.
Lavender Syrup
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup hot filtered water
2 tbsp lavender buds
Pour hot water over lavender in a pitcher or jar. Allow to steep for 10 minutes. Strain through a mesh filter to remove lavender. Measure the amount of liquid remaining and add an equal amount of superfine sugar. Stir thoroughly until sugar is completely dissolved. Pour into glass bottle. Refrigerate. Optional: Add 1 oz. vodka per 24 oz. syrup, as a preservative.
4) Sous Vide Method
For those with sous vide equipment, you can slow cook ingredients at different temperatures, which brings out interesting flavors in fruits and breaks down dense ingredients like coconut.
Sous Vide Coconut Syrup
2 Tbsp dried toasted coconut flakes
1 cup superfine sugar
1 cup filtered water
Combine all ingredients in vacuum seal bag. Place immersion circulator in water bath and set temperature at 155 degrees. When water reaches temp, place bag in water and cook for two hours. Remove and place in ice water bath until cool. Strain, transfer to glass bottle, and refrigerate. Optional: Add 1 oz. vodka per 24 oz. syrup, as a preservative.