Do-It-Yourself Cocktail Syrups

A really delicious way to elevate your home bar is by offering natural, homemade syrups that are the perfect additional to homemade cocktails or fruit punches. These syrups are incredibly simple to make, and stay fresh for three to four weeks when refrigerated. There is a lot of flexibility, so I encourage you to think about all your favorite flavors and how to best incorporate them into flavorful foods and beverages.

Outside of cocktails, there are plenty of uses for these tasty syrups depending on the flavor made. For example, a peppermint syrup could liven up a hot cocoa, or flavor a holiday themed coffee. A fruit flavored syrup, like strawberry or blueberry, would be great on top of pancakes or over ice cream. Another really tasty use for homemade syrup is making your own soda. Simply mix in your preferred flavor or flavors into some soda water and there you have it, just that easy. You will find that homemade fruit sodas are much healthier than traditional sodas, that have a number of ingredients that are hard to pronounce. Letting children make their own flavor is so fun that they won’t even miss their old favorites.  

The recipe for making your own simple syrups are essentially the same for all. You will want to mix equal parts table sugar and water, with an added fruit or herbs for the flavor. If you want to make a few smaller batches, giving your guests multiple options, simply cut the recipe down from two cups of sugar and water, to just one each.

Rosemary Simple Syrup

2 Cups of Granulated Sugar

2 Cups of Water

4 Sprigs of Rosemary

Strawberry Simple Syrup

2 Cups of Granulated Sugar

2 Cups of Water

2 Cups of Strawberries (remove leaves and stems)

Peppermint Simple Syrup

2 Cups of Granulated Sugar

2 Cups of Water

4 Sprigs of Peppermint

All the syrups require the same preparation. You will first need to bring the water and sugar to a boil in a small saucepan. Whisk it through to dissolve the sugar. Add the herbs or fruit, depending on which recipe you are making. Let simmer for 1-2 minutes, then remove from heat, letting the mix steep for 30 minutes to an hour. Strain the syrup and store in the refrigerator.

We have included a recipe for a delicious, easy to make, holiday themed take on a moscow mule. The grapefruit rosemary mule uses just a few ingredients, and does not require any special bar tending techniques or tools. An even easier option would be a champagne cocktail, just pour some of your favorite flavored syrup on the bottom of the glass and then top with your preferred champagne or prosecco.

Grapefruit Rosemary Mule

2 Ounces of Vodka

2 Ounces of Freshly Squeezed Grapefruit Juice

½ Ounce of Freshly Squeezed Lime Juice

3 Ounces of Chilled Ginger Beer

½ Ounce of Rosemary Syrup

1 Sprig of Fresh Rosemary

First, fill a tall glass or copper mug with ice cubes. From there, you can add the vodka, juices, ginger beer and of course the rosemary syrup. Stir your drink to blend, and garnish with a fresh sprig of rosemary, along with a small slice or two of the grapefruit.