Sweeteners: Flavorful Simple Syrup Alternatives

Simple syrup is considered an essential ingredient behind the bar, and it has long been used in cocktail recipes old and new. However, around the world “healthy” is trending and our white sugar based simple syrup is falling victim to this trend. One of the main problems with this is that most customers don’t realising that this destroys the balance of a perfectly crafted recipe.

Navigating this problem can be difficult, but one of the best methods is to use natural alternatives, often given the title of “healthy alternatives”, when creating your signature cocktails. They can be used in classics, however they will affect the flavor profile. Below are some of these natural sugar alternatives and how they’ll affect your drinks.

Agave Nectar

Agave nectar has grown in popularity over the past few years, especially as agaves main product, tequila, has grow in popularity. This natural sugar is fluid enough to be mixed into cocktails without being needed to be made into a syrup. Agave nectar is, however, quite a bit sweeter than simple syrup, so care must be taken when swapping out the later for the former. It doesn’t have a potent flavor, unlike the other sweeteners in this article, but it can be quite floral. Agave nectar works best with tequila and mezcal.

Honey

Naturally derived, honey is one of peoples first goto’s when they want to eliminate processed sugars from their diet. For use in cocktails, honey is best mixed into a syrup using a 1:1 ratio, the same as you do when making simple syrup. Honey has the same relative sweetness as white sugar, and it works well with whiskies, brandies and light rums. Honey can have a range of flavors, from citrusy to malty, and this all depends on where the bees have collected their nectar. This information can usually be found on the container.

Maple Syrup

Maple syrup has long been a well known sweetener, although, probably due to its price point, it is less often used in cocktails. This is a shame because the different grades offer a huge variety of flavors to the bartender. Flavors range from vanilla, in the lighter grades,  to the more expected maple flavor in the darker grades. Maple syrup has about half the sweetness of white sugar and, due to its viscosity, it needs to be made into a syrup; usually at a much higher ratio -2:1 syrup to water- than your traditional simple syrup. Maple syrup works best with American whiskies and dark rums.

Upon seeing simple syrup in an ingredients lists some guests will immediately discard those cocktails from their selection process; thus lessening their expereince at your bar. Encourage your bartenders to use the above alternative to create unique, simple syrup free signature cocktails. Incorporating the flavors profiles above will present them with a challenge and it will also provide your drinking guests with a drinking experience they probably can’t find anywhere else.