The 8 MOST Essential Syrups for Tiki and Tropical Cocktails

[@madpotatoo]

Still don't know why this channel hasn't blown up yet. Awesome stuff!

[@bmac6591]

It will, give it time. It’s the only channel I will watch immediately once a video is released.

[@brwi1]

He’s on the cusp

[@FrobozzElectric]

As someone with extremely limited refrigerator and freezer space, I have been experimenting with making shelf-stable syrups. So far, I have had a bottle of simple syrup that was bottled on August 15th made with citric acid and sodium benzoate last on the shelf with no spoilage, and no discernable difference in taste. It is slightly runnier, which I regard as an additional upside. It's promising but needs some more time and experimentation.

[@arbeckWA]

You can add a tiny amount of potassium sorbate and sodium benzoate to your syrups. Many of the commercial syrups have them added and the FDA says they're safe up to .1%. I generally make a solution that is 10% each and 80% water to make dosing easy. If you were making 600g of syrup just replace 6g of water with that solution and you're at .1%. Or add 6g directly to your syrup (it only changes the brix by a decimal place). This will basically keep the syrup from ever going bad in the fridge. However the fruit syrups still do oxidize and I find that they're best used in a month or two.

[@tomrowe6432]

I use potassium sorbate as well. I make a solution of it. By the time it is in the syrup it works out at 1g per litre. Completely unnoticeable in the end result and does extend shelf life ad infinitum.

[@quentinemacsftw1815]

THANKS FOR DOING IT BY WEIGHT !!! As a european I hate trying to guess what a "cup" is or guess that youtuber's glass size

[@bruceharlick3322]

Fantastic round up, Derek. My favorite was the Maple! :) Thanks so much

[@rafalwieckowski]

Epic video Brother! Thank you so much for this stuff.

[@makeanddrink]

My pleasure!

[@breadbasket37]

Best KZbin channel ever!

[@77Brainfreeze]

You should revisit maple syrup. All Maple syrup is now Grade A in the US at least. The grading had nothing to do with quality A was not better than B. It had to do with how dark the syrup is and the flavor. It confused people so the classification got changed. The classifications of Golden, Amber, Dark or Very Dark is what you want to look for now. The flavor is vastly different between these.

[@makeanddrink]

It’s really just a buy and use whatever you prefer category. Recipes don’t generally specify what to use except calling to use real syrup.

[@77Brainfreeze]

​@@makeanddrink I totally get what you're saying but if you care enough to measure the brix of honey you should at least try some different darkness-es of maple syrup.

[@JeffreyPisarek]

Great vid! I especially like the sound of the vanilla syrup. 🤤

[@robmichaels4728]

So nice to have all of these together in one video. Nice, quick recap/ratios before making something like a passion fruit syrup, which I think I will make to have a Demerara Dry Float.

[@kevmc21]

Enjoying your orgeat recipe in coffee today. Thanks!

[@brentdnowicki]

Scale recommendation from a former cook, Escalie scales are fantastic.

[@MicaelJiggetts]

Your channel is the truth!

[@JanSkinnerup]

Awesome video as always! 😊😊 What are those bottles you pour the final syrup into? The ones with the cork top and the removable bottom? I don't see them on your list of equipment 😊😊

[@jackywhack]

They're Crew bottles from Crew Supply Co. - perfect for syrups!

[@JanSkinnerup]

@@jackywhack Thanks for clearing that up for me! Off to ordering... 😊😊

[@markusfreund6961]

Amazing! I just made a new batch of rich syrup and, being the noob I am, scratched my head at 230ml of water and 460g of sugar yielding only about 500ml of syrup instead of the expected 690ish. I'm also almost out of cinnamon syrup so that's definitely what I'll be making next. Still good on orgeat which I made to the recipe of Very Good Drinks. It's pretty much the same as yours in principle except they skip the almond extract (gonna have to try that with the next batch), use whole almonds, toast and blend them. Still looking for a feasible source of passion fruit puree over here. Cheers! 🥂

[@MrHavy09]

I have a Pomegranate Tree in my backyard, will leverage your recipe - thanks Derek. Anecdotally, one of my favorite syrups is BG Reynold’s Falernum Syrup but it probably wouldn’t be called for since Velvet Falernum Liqueur is typically called for

[@keithweiland]

I use your Orgeat recipe but I just use the same weight in blanched almonds instead of the Almond Milk Concentrate as I always have almonds in the house and haven't found any Almond Milk Concentrate in the UK. It just means blending a little longer and straining.

[@josht9518]

Honey also tastes radically different based on flowers/location. Honey from islands, specifically, has a salty taste that you could definitely utilize for certain cocktails

[@markcalhoun8219]

It would be interesting to talk to a food scientist to see what combination of say, citric or ascorbic acids or 190 proof addition would actually get you to shelf stability. I've had good results with adding 2oz of 190pf everclear to 1:1 or 2:1 syrups and they've lasted several weeks in clean bottles (not sterile). I definitely wouldn't trust just adding vodka. Freezing is a good option but I like to have my bar setup and just make a drink when I want one. The more stuff I can make shelf stable the closer I am to having a drink.

[@ahooks4474]

What is the ratio of ever clear to syrup?

[@markcalhoun8219]

@@ahooks4474 roughly 10% by volume.

[@christianbank393]

Great video! I have a couple questions. When you freeze your syrups, is it because you made a larger batch and are just freezing the extra amount you won't be using? Do you sanitize your bottles by boiling them? I was wondering if those labels you use on the bottles stay on during that process? Thanks for all you do!

[@makeanddrink]

I usually freeze because I know I won't use all of it before it goes bad. I do not sanatize my bottles. I run everything through the dishwasher which is good enough for me.

[@markavery2991]

My cinnamon syrup came out almost like applesauce consistency. Going to try again this afternoon maybe I made a mistake somewhere. Thought I followed your steps. I used cane sugar. 2:1 ratio weighed out. Cinnamon on low heat a couple mins. Added the water. Added the sugar. Turned up heat to high to bring to a simmer. Once it started bubbling I turned heat all the way down to low and covered for 15 mins. After 15 mins I took off the heat and let cool. Put in container in fridge over night. Strained next morning (but really didn’t yield much at all cause it was like applesauce the sugar crystallized a lot.) Thanks!!

[@makeanddrink]

You’ve probably lost too much water to evaporation when simmering. Check your volume before simmering and then again after. Add more water if needed.

[@markavery2991]

@ figured that was the case. This next round I was thinking of just taking off heat completely once I got it to a simmer and covering for 15 mins instead of keeping it on low. I’ll just keep eye on water line tho before and after and add water as needed like you suggested. Thanks!!

[@rignanroach1775]

There's a branch of orgeat that's made of malted barley. Thought that might be some ultra complicated stuff that I'm too lazy to do but would love to see a competent mixologist do. I love this non-grind almond method you concocted.... muuuuuch better on us lazy noobs.

[@makeanddrink]

Yes there is the original orgeat from France made from barley, but to my knowledge the orgeat that has been used in cocktails has always been made of almonds. So while historically there may be other versions, it doesn’t relate to classic or modern cocktails that I am aware of.

[@rignanroach1775]

@@makeanddrink I might have tried it back when I brewed beer. Don't tend to keep malted barley these days! Hehe

[@johnekare8376]

Hold up! What's that bottle with a screw off bottom you used for the Orgeat Syrup? Couldn't find them in the links or in the store. They look awesome for making sure you can clean them properly when they are empty.

[@bmac6591]

Also wanting to know!

[@makeanddrink]

They're from @crewbarware

[@bmac6591]

I checked the links and your Amazon list, but cannot find where those screw bottom cork bottles are. Can you please link them?

[@erickhines4121]

For longer lasting syrups... I recommend using distilled water over bottled or tape water

[@markusfreund6961]

Yup. I also boil my bottles and tools before bottling up my syrups. So far everything has been keeping for months -- except the orgeat seems to be developing a bit of a bubbly personality recently. But so far the ABV of my cocktails makes short work of whichever budding cultures are getting ideas above their station. 😉🥂

[@brentdnowicki]

​@@markusfreund6961I put some Korbel XS and OFTD in mine, it's doing well. Made the first and last Fog Cutter of the original recipe. I could see going back to it and balancing it with the modern palate, but I digress that will be a Reddit adventure.

[@markusfreund6961]

@@brentdnowicki That's bound to enhance the aroma quite nicely. However, unless you get the ABV well above 20% (resulting in amaretto rather than orgeat) it won't affect shelf stability. A 2:1 sugar ratio generally seems to do the trick.

[@cparks1000000]

I'd definitely avoid tape water. 😂

[@noachav]

I'm sure someone's already gotten this in the comments, already, but cassia cinnamon is usually just sold as "cinnamon" in the US, whereas true cinnamon is often sold as "Ceylon cinnamon" to distinguish it from the more common spice

[@makeanddrink]

It will largely depend on where you live and shop. Stores near me usually have at least 1-2 Mexican brand cinnamons labeled as canela and a brand that sells Saigon cinnamon, both of which are Ceylon. I used to buy the Badia brand not even realizing what kind it was.

[@noachav]

@@makeanddrink Badia is definitely cassia, as is Saigon cinnamon, if I recall correctly. (Edit: I looked it up and I was mistaken, Saigon cinnamon is in fact distinct from cassia, although it is not Ceylon cinnamon (C. verum) and is closer to the cassia, the latter of which is typically simply sold as "cinnamon," at least on the East Coast, where I live.) I don't know if they ship cross-country, but my local spice merchant, Christina's, in Cambridge, MA, has true cinnamon, cassia, Saigon, and korintje cinnamon in stock. I typically use Ceylon cinnamon for most applications, due to the lighter and more complex flavour.

[@aaronwilson4767]

Based on data.

[@dougswaim1835]

All right this has nothing to do with cocktails or your syrups but where are you buying your shirts at Tommy Bahama is astronomical in price