Post #750969 by Hurricane Hayward on Wed, Sep 16, 2015 12:26 PM

dfpratt09, it really depends upon your own personal taste. Also, what works best in the particular cocktails that you make most often.

I like to have several different syrups on hand with different levels of sweetness or intensity. My own personal preference has changed over the years, and I've also discovered that some cocktails benefit from a syrup that's at the sweet end of the spectrum, while another may work best with a more tart syrup.

For example, I just posted a revamped recipe for the Sidewinder's Fang at The Mai-Kai that works best with the super sweet Monin:
http://www.slammie.com/atomicgrog/blog/2012/05/10/mai-kai-cocktail-review-bring-a-friend-and-sink-your-teeth-into-the-classic-sidewinders-fang/#ancestor

But if I made a Rum Barrel, I'd probably use my homemade syrup, or something more tart. If you're not as obsessive as some of us, just make a homemade syrup that's somewhere in the middle of the spectrum and it should work fine.

FYI, I currently make my homemade syrup with 2 cups of organic sugar, 1 cup of purified water and 1/2 cup of thawed passion fruit pulp. I bring it to almost a boil and immediately reduce to a simmer and let it reduce for at least 10 minutes. I then let it steep for several hours before bottling and refrigerating. I like my syrup on the sweet side, and of course this works best in Mai-Kai cocktails.

I have no idea if this method is better than simply combining the pulp with a cooked simple syrup since I haven't tried that. I'm neither a chef nor a food chemist, but I suspect that letting the pulp and sugar come together while heating, along with letting it simmer, may make for a more cohesive and thicker syrup. It always seems to keep its syrupy consistency for quite a while with no additives.

The Week in Tiki * Mai-Kai Cocktail Guide

The official blog of The Hukilau

[ Edited by: Hurricane Hayward 2015-09-16 12:27 ]