Native to southeast Asia, ginger has been used in folk medicines for thousands of years. It first made its way to the West in the spice trade and was popular in ancient Rome. It’s brewed into ginger beer and tea across the globe and has been used in mixology since cocktails began. Of course, one of the most famous ginger cocktails is the Moscow Mule, which was popularized as a way to sell vodka to the American public - since the drink is so tasty, we don’t think anyone has complained yet.
When we started developing our Fiery Ginger Syrup, we knew we wanted a rounded, fresh ginger taste, full of zing and spice. Ginger is now grown around the world and we tried samples from Africa to China to Southeast Asia. Finally, we found what might be the world’s finest ginger with this organic yellow variety from the Amazon rainforest of Peru.
Once we found our perfect ginger, we learned that the best process it is press the whole fresh ginger root in order to capture its fully flavored juice. We then add pure cane sugar for the ideal balance of sweet heat and gum arabic for a silky texture. How to use this fiery syrup in your home bar? Combine it with club soda for a superior ginger ale - it shines in the Moscow Mule and its Peruvian cousin, the Chilcano. Try it in the classic Penicillin, for a smokey, spicy take on a whiskey sour.
See the previous post in this series: Gum Syrup: The Elevated Simple Syrup.
