Honey Syrup

Before you start

Straight honey seizes into a sticky lump when it hits ice, so cocktails like the Bee's Knees, Gold Rush and Brown Derby use honey syrup instead: honey thinned with warm water so it blends instantly. A 1:1 ratio by volume is the standard; a richer 3:1 syrup is popular for spirit-forward drinks because it adds more honey flavor with less dilution.

The choice of honey matters more than in most syrups, because there is no other flavor to mask it. Mild clover or orange blossom honey suits citrus drinks. Darker honeys like buckwheat are strong and malty and can overpower a cocktail. Use warm, not boiling, water: high heat dulls the floral aromas that make honey worth using.

Ingredients

• 120 ml (½ cup) honey — mild clover or orange blossom
• 120 ml (½ cup) warm water — about 60°C (140°F), not boiling

Method

1. Heat the water until it is hot to the touch but not boiling, about 60°C (140°F). Small bubbles at the bottom of the pan are a good sign to stop.
2. Measure the honey into a jar or measuring cup. A quick spray of oil or a rinse with hot water helps it slide out of the measuring cup.
3. Pour the warm water over the honey and stir or whisk for 30 seconds, until fully blended with no streaks at the bottom.
4. Let it cool to room temperature, then funnel into a clean bottle, label with the date and refrigerate.

Tips for success

• Use honey syrup measure-for-measure where a recipe calls for honey syrup. If a recipe calls for straight honey, use about 1.5 times as much 1:1 syrup.
• For a Bee's Knees, a typical spec is 60 ml gin, 22 ml lemon juice and 22 ml honey syrup, shaken hard.
• Try a 3:1 syrup (3 parts honey to 1 part water) in stirred drinks or a Gold Rush for bolder honey flavor.

Substitutions

Clover honey

Wildflower honey has more complexity; buckwheat is dark and molasses-like and best used in small amounts in whiskey drinks.

Water

Brew a strong chamomile or ginger tea and use it warm for an infused honey syrup. Refrigerate and use within 2 weeks.

Honey

For a vegan version, use agave nectar thinned 2 parts agave to 1 part water. It is sweeter and more neutral in flavor.

Variations

Ginger honey syrup

Blend in 1 tbsp freshly pressed ginger juice per 240 ml for a Penicillin-style syrup. Refrigerate and use within 1 to 2 weeks.

Rich 3:1

Use 180 ml honey and 60 ml water for a thicker syrup that keeps longer.

Troubleshooting

Honey sinks to the bottom of the bottle

It was not fully blended. Shake well or warm the bottle in hot water and stir again.

The syrup crystallized

Honey crystallizes naturally in the cold. Warm the bottle in a bowl of hot water until clear.

It tastes flat or cooked

The water was boiling. Use water around 60°C (140°F) to preserve floral notes.

Storage

Refrigerate in a clean, sealed bottle. A 1:1 honey syrup typically keeps about 2 to 4 weeks; a 3:1 syrup lasts longer. Discard if it turns cloudy, fizzes, smells sour or shows mold.

Safety notes

Do not give honey or honey syrup to infants under 12 months old, because it can carry spores that cause infant botulism. When using honey syrup in cocktails, remember that alcoholic drinks are only for adults of legal drinking age.