Simple Syrups

Recipes from Sips and Bitters

Simple syrups are key to making a good, balanced drink. The sugar is already dissolved in the water, so there’s no need to swirl around crunchy sugar granules. You can start with your own clear simple syrup for making mojitos and mint juleps, but why stop at just water and sugar? Why not make your own infused syrups for drinks? The recipe is pretty easy:

Classic Simple Syrup 
1 cup sugar
1 cup water

In a small saucepan, bring sugar and water to a boil; simmer until the sugar is dissolved, 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool completely.

Now let’s get the party started. Think about the types of flavors you like in cocktails. Citrus? Ginger? Spice? You can add quite a bit of flavor with a little bit of infusion.

For citrus simple syrups: using a vegetable peeler, carefully peel off the outer peel of an orange, lime, Meyer lemon, or grapefruit. For a strongly flavored syrup, I would choose 2-3 blemish-free, wax-free fruits, preferably organic. Avoid getting any of the white rind, as this is quite bitter. Place the peels in the sugar/water solution right after boiling and then pour the infusion into a glass jar. Infuse for 2 weeks and then strain the syrup and discard the peels.

For ginger simple syrup: Cut the skin off a 3-inch piece of ginger and slice into rounds. Place the ginger rounds in the sugar/water solution right after boiling and then pour the infusion into a glass jar. Infuse for 2 weeks and then strain the syrup and discard the ginger rounds.

For herbal simple syrups: Get creative here. You can use thyme (for a pear-thyme vodka-based cocktail), mint (for extra minty mojitos), lemon verbena (for a fragrant lemon drop), lemongrass (for an exotic mojito or caipirina)… the sky is the limit! Use organic herbs and make sure they are clean. Place the herbs — fresh or dry, but remember that the dry will be more concentrated –  in the sugar/water solution right after boiling and then pour the infusion into a glass jar. Infuse for 2 weeks and then strain the syrup and discard the herbs.