The surge in craft cocktails' popularity has inspired many bartenders and venues to develop their own homemade syrups and cordials to highlight a drink's ingredients and add more depth of flavour. 

Discover the essentials of homemade syrups and cordials, experiment with new flavours and learn how to make your own for extra special cocktails that will delight your customers and make them come back time and time again.

1. Simple Syrup: The backbone of many cocktails, made by dissolving sugar in water.
2. Herb-Infused Syrups: Incorporate ingredients like mint, basil or rosemary for a refreshing twist.
3. Fruit-Based Syrups: Think raspberry, blueberry, or citrus syrups, bringing a burst of fruity sweetness.
4. Spiced Syrups: Incorporate elements like cinnamon, cloves, or cardamom for a warming touch.
5. Tonic Syrup: A concentrated mix that, when combined with carbonated water, offers a homemade take on classic tonic water, with ingredients like quinine, citrus zest, and spices.
6. Ginger Beer Syrup: A spicy and sweet concoction that, once topped with sparkling water, mirrors the flavours of traditional ginger beer. 

1. Choosing Ingredients: Opt for fresh, organic ingredients to ensure the best flavour extraction and minimal chemical interference.
2. Alternative Sweeteners: Not all syrups have to be based on table sugar. Less refined sugars such as Demerara or Muscovado and sugar alternatives such as honey, maple syrup and agave syrup offer unique flavour profiles to your syrups.
3. Cold Infusion vs. Heat: While heat expedites the sugar-dissolving process and can help extract flavours, cold infusion (letting ingredients steep in the syrup over time) can yield a more delicate and nuanced flavour
4. Straining: Once your ingredients have infused to the desired level, use a fine mesh strainer or cheesecloth to separate solids, ensuring a clear and clean syrup. 

• Balanced Ratios: For most syrups, a 1:1 ratio of sugar to water is standard. However, some bartenders prefer a richer 2:1 mix for certain cocktails. This also applies if you add herbs, spices or other dry ingredients to a sugar and water combination. 
• Don’t Overcook It: If making a syrup where heat aids flavour extraction (i.e. a tea syrup), be sure not to boil it. Keep it below 100 degrees to avoid turning your syrup into a reduction. 
• Experimentation: The beauty of homemade syrups lies in customisation. Play with ingredients, ratios, and infusion times to create a signature blend. 
• Preservation Syrups ferment and go rancid over time but you can slow this process by keeping your syrups cold or adding a splash of high-proof spirit to the mix. Always use sanitised bottles cleaned in boiling, soapy water beforehand. Ensuring your syrups are clean and cold will keep them fresh for up to a few weeks. 
• Labelling: Always label your creations with the production date and ingredients to ensure freshness and proper pairing. 

Start by making a base cordial upon which to build your flavours.  

• Basic Components: Syrups are sugar-water solutions infused with various flavours, while cordials are more complex and include sugar, acids, salt, and multiple flavours. 
• Common Styles: Explore syrup styles like simple herb-infused, fruit-based or spiced to add diverse flavours to your cocktails. 
• Crafting Techniques: Choose fresh, organic ingredients, experiment with sweeteners and consider cold infusion for delicate flavours. Strain your syrups for clarity. 
• Best Practices: Maintain balanced sugar-to-water ratios, avoid overcooking, embrace experimentation, and clearly label your creations for freshness and pairing. 
• Practical Applications: Learn how to make syrups for classic cocktails. For example, make Ginger Beer Syrup for a Moscow Mule or Orgeat (Almond Syrup) for a Mai Tai. 

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