Preparations

In a drink with citrus, the sweet element is what balances the acidity. These are the syrups and infusions that come back across several recipes, and all of them come out of your own kitchen. Each one makes far more than a drink or two, so feel free to halve it.

• Sugar syrupThe most common cocktail sweetener: equal parts sugar and water, heated until it dissolves.
• Demerara syrupA richer syrup with a caramel note. A good swap for sugar syrup in rum- and whiskey-based drinks.
• Orgeat almond syrupA rich almond syrup, the backbone of tiki drinks like the Mai Tai. Simplified version, no toasting almonds from scratch.
• Raspberry syrupSugar syrup with fresh raspberries breaking down in it, to carry the real fruit into the drink.
• Honey syrupStraight honey doesn't blend well into a cold drink. Thinned with water, it mixes in smooth, the same way sugar syrup does.
• Rich honey syrupMuch less diluted than regular honey syrup: more honey, less water. Sweetens without watering down the drink when a recipe calls for just a little.
• Ginger syrupGrated ginger steeped in hot water, then turned into syrup. No juicer required.
• GrenadineReal grenadine is made from pomegranate, not just red syrup. This version is simple, no pomegranate molasses.
• Black pepper vanilla syrupVanilla syrup with a spicy edge underneath. The pepper doesn't take over, it just shows up at the back of the sip.
• Saline solutionThe most discreet bar tool there is: a few drops bring a whole drink into focus, without making it taste salty.