Basic Cocktail Syrups

A simple an easy way to stretch a 11 bottle bar and incorporate endless creativity is to craft your own syrups! Not only are homemade syrups simple, easy, and delicious, they are also way cheaper and better tasting than the store bought counterpart.

Here are 4 of my favorite basic syrups I use to spice up some classic cocktails!

1:1 Simple Syrup

Ok, starting slow and very non spiced up, we have simple syrup. I thought about not even including simple syrup, there’s no secrets here and this recipe exists 1000 times over the internet. But the fact simple syrup exists in the super market, it’s better to be safe than sorry. Never under any circumstance purchase simple syrup from a store, or worse, online.

1:1 defines the weight ratio of granulated white sugar to water. It’s extremely easy to upsize or downsize for your needs. I made this batch with 1 cup sugar with 1 cup water.

Instructions:

1. Add 1 part water to sauce pan.

2. Add 1 part granulated white sugar to the pan.

3. Turn heat to medium.

4. Constantly stir until sugar cannot be seen any more and the liquid is translucent like water.

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3:1 Honey Syrup

Another very basic recipe that’s a must for any home cocktail bar is honey syrup. Honey by itself is far too viscous for cocktail crafting. A thick layer sticks to every inch of your jigger making measuring impossible. Cocktails are also cold and alcoholic, two ingredients that prevent dilution. All of this means you must pre-dilute your honey into a syrup form before using honey in cocktails.

3:1 means 3 parts honey for 1 part water. 2:1 and 1:1 honey syrups are also very common, but I prefer 3:1.

Instructions:

1. Add 1 part water to sauce pan.

2. Add 3 parts honey to the sauce pan.

3. Turn heat up to medium.

4. Stir until honey is completely dissolved into the water with no honey chunks.

Mint Syrup

Ok, we are finally on our way into some more unique and flavorful syrups. Up first is mint syrup which can be used to turn the mint flavor up to 11 in a Mojito or Mint Julep. Mint syrup can also be used to add an extra layer of flavor in a wide variety of cocktails!

Ingredients:

• 2cups white sugar

• 1cup water

• 10 sprigs fresh mint.

Instructions:

1. First make a rich 2:1 simple syrup. 2 cups of sugar dissolved into 1 cup of water.

2. Add rich simple syrup to a blender.

3. Bring a pot of water to a simmer.

4. Drop mint sprigs into the boiling water for 15 seconds.

5. Pull mint out of the boiling water and drop into an ice bath for 1 minute.

6. Pat dry mint. Pull leaves off all of the sprigs.

7. Toss leaves into the blender with the simple syrup. Blend together for 1 minute.

8. Strain syrup though a fine mesh strainer or cheese cloth.

Coffee Syrup

So you want to make a White Russian but you don’t have Kahlua? Just make this coffee syrup and combine with a white or aged rum! Homemade coffee liqueur! This recipe is also delicious in an old fashioned.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup strongly brewed coffee (or just boil down leftover normal coffee a little).

• 1/2 cup white sugar

• 1/2 cup light brown sugar

• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions:

1. Add coffee to a sauce pan with heat on medium.

2. Dissolve in light brown sugar and white sugar.

3. Finally add in vanilla extract.