Other

Ginger Syrup

October 14, 2016 by Jennifer

labeled-syrup

No, I’m not doing a cocktail today. I know this is a little out of the ordinary, but every so often I like to break protocol and provide a recipe for a mixer instead of the cocktail itself. A mixer is an ingredient that’s an important part of the cocktail and turns straight tequila into a Tequila Sunrise or margarita. The mixer is just as important as the liquor as it can make or break the drink.

If you’ve been following my blog of late, you know I’ve been on a ginger beer kick. (No, I didn’t make my own ginger beer.) See, the spiciness of the ginger reminds me of fall, but the bubbles are perfect for those warm evenings when summer just isn’t ready to disappear. Well, the warm weather has faded, but I’m still craving those fall flavors and that spicy ginger I adore so much.  So, while the ginger beer may not be the ideal mixer right now, I can still get the ginger flavor with this delicious ginger syrup.

sliced-ginger

If you’re wondering why you should make your own ginger syrup when you can just buy it at Bevmo or Total Wine and More, I can tell you that the homemade version is going to be a million times better. It’s super simple to make as it only takes three ingredients: water, sugar and fresh ginger; and since you’re using your own ginger, you can decide how spicy to make it. Like my ginger beer, I like the syrup to have more kick so I tend to use more ginger (six ounces actually), but if you’re not a fan of spice, you can easily use half.

This syrup is great in cocktails. But if you’re not that much of a drinker (or just don’t want to use it in cocktails), it’s delicious with a little club soda and ice too.

close-up

Ginger Syrup (adapted from David Lebovitz)

Ingredients:

  • 6 oz. fresh ginger
  • 2 cups water
  • 1 cup sugar

Directions:

  1. Slice the ginger into thin slices, then chop into smaller pieces.
  2. Place all the ingredients in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and let simmer for 45 minutes.
  3. Remove from the heat and let cool. Strain the syrup through a strainer into a bottle. Store the strained syrup in the refrigerator, covered, until ready to use. The syrup should keep for at least two weeks in the fridge.