Honey Syrup

One 12oz Honey Bear

.33 Cup Hot Water

.5oz Vodka

Stir ingredients together, bottle and refrigerate. The vodka is an optional preservative.

Penicillin

The first time I had this lovely concoction it was 2 am, yet still 95 degrees outside. I was at Gramps in the Wynwood neighborhood of Miami with a couple of colleagues, blowing off steam from a conference. The first sip was a revelation -- refreshing and bracing at the same time. The perfect drink for 2 am Miami in May. The night continued on for many hours, with at least one more Penicillin, and lots of talk about psychedelics -if that tells you anything.

2oz Blended Scotch 

.75oz Islay Scotch -I go with a full ounce if I'm feeling frisky.

.75oz Lemon Juice

.25oz Honey Ginger Syrup

To make the honey ginger syrup combine .5 cup honey, .5 cup water, 1 inch piece of freshly peeled and thinly sliced ginger. Bring to a boil. Let steep over night. Strain. Cool.

Build the drink in the glass. Add a large cube. Garnish with a slice of ginger. Enjoy. 

Grenadine

1 Cup POM Wonderful Pomegranate Juice

1 Cup White Sugar

1oz Pomegranate Molasses

.5tsp Orange Blossom Water

2-3 Drops Rose Water

.5oz Vodka

Stir everything but the vodka in a saucepan on low heat until the sugar is dissolved. Allow to cool. Add vodka and bottle.

Gin & Tonic (Syrups)

There are complicated drinks on this blog and then there are simple classics. Since it's technically the unofficial start of summer, whatever that means in 2020, let's explore the Gin & Tonic. 

We're not talking about your standard bar G&T, or even the version with the fancy tonic like Fever Tree or Q. Today we're focusing on tonic syrups. Once you try them, you'll never go back. Don't get me wrong, I love a classic Gin & Tonic, but the syrups are where it's at. They are funkier and fun. And each syrup is different. I have four in the house now. 

The best is Jack Rudy Co. Elderflower. The Elderflower brings a nice floral edge (note to self: next time I'm going to experiment making a Gin & Tonic with fancy tonic and an once of St-Germain, but that's a different post). My advice -- buy a couple different syrups and play around.

You can use the same proportions for all tonic syrups.

2oz London Dry Gin

.75-1oz Tonic Syrup

3-4oz Club Soda

Lime wedge

Build in a rocks glass over a big cube cracked with a bar spoon. Stir. Drink.

Lime Cordial

Gin Gimlets made with fresh lime juice are no good -too sweet, sharp and sour. And Rose's sure isn't anything to brag about. So here's my take on Jeffrey Morgenthaler's recipe for easy homemade lime cordial.

250g Sugar

1.5oz Lime Juice

1.5oz Zested Lime Peel

.75oz Citric Acid

7oz Hot Water

Stir everything but the water in a bowl; cover and let sit for two to three hours. Combine mixture with hot water in a blender and blend on medium for 30 seconds. Filter out the bits of lime peel with a fine mesh strainer and bottle. 

Orgeat

Whether you like your Mai Tai traditional, Hawaiian or a modern variation, orgeat is the vital component.

8oz Sliced Almonds

32oz (by weight) Sugar

16oz Water

.25tsp Orange Flower Water

1-2 Drops Rose Water (optional)

1tsp Amaretto

1oz Vodka

Toast almonds on medium low heat until they start browning. Pour almonds into a food processor then pulse until a course sand consistency then add to a pot. Add the sugar and water, then bring to a boil. Remove from heat and let steep over night.

Pour through a mesh strainer or nut milk bag to remove solids. Add remaining ingredients and stir. Store in refrigerator, should keep for a month or so.

For an instructional video see Distinguished Spirits.