This rosemary sage simple syrup recipe is an easy way to add some herbal warmth to your favorite cocktails. Simply use it in place of traditional simple syrup to put your own fall spin on a classic cocktail.
Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links. If you buy a product via my affiliate link, I will receive a commission. This is at no additional cost to you. I only recommend products I actually like!
I mentioned in my last post that one of the easiest ways to put your own twist on a cocktail recipe is to switch out the simple syrup.
Seriously, once you master making your own simple syrups, the sky’s the limit for your cocktail concoctions.
I created this rosemary sage simple syrup specifically to use in the Cowboy Cure-All, but I think it would bring some amazing autumnal warmth to classics like the Gimlet and the Lemon Drop.
When it comes to making simple syrups, I prefer to make it in smaller batches so that I’m able to use it all up before it goes bad. Most simple syrups last 2-4 weeks in the fridge but you can also add a splash of vodka to them to help them last a little longer.
I’ve always got several different simple syrups hanging out in the door of my refrigerator. Jars like these make it easy to store them all.
Add sugar and water to a small saucepan. Heat until the sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat. Add the sage and rosemary. Allow the herbs to steep for 15-20 minutes. Once the syrup is cool, pour the syrup into a small, lidded container. You can remove the herbs from the syrup or leave them in for added flavor. The syrup should keep for about 2 weeks in the fridge.
Rosemary Sage Simple Syrup
This rosemary sage simple syrup recipe is an easy way to add some herbal warmth to your favorite cocktails. Simply use it in place of traditional simple syrup to put your own fall spin on a classic cocktail.
The Hibiscus Negroni is a sweet, floral riff on the Negroni, a classic cocktail known for its bitter bite. The hibiscus syrup made by SimplyGala makes it easy to incorporate the hallmark flavor of hibiscus without the fuss of having to make it yourself.
This post is sponsored by SimplyGala. All opinions are my own.
Y’all know that my passion is to get you (yes you, dear reader) hyped about making cocktails at home. I definitely want you to make *my* drink recipes but I also really want you to try your hand at coming up with your own. Perhaps you’ve already read through my Cocktails 101 post and my 5 Tips for Making Cocktails at Home but you’re still hesitant to actually start experimenting on your own. I get it. I feel ya. No one wants to waste precious ounces of alcohol in a mystery recipe that could end up tasting nasty.
Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links. If you buy a product via my affiliate link, I will receive a commission. This is at no additional cost to you. I only recommend products I actually like!
One of the easiest ways to start experimenting with cocktail recipes is by exploring the wide world of syrups. If you’re not comfortable trying to come up with a totally new recipe, just put your own spin on a classic by adding a flavored simple syrup. I’ve got several recipes on this blog for ones you can make yourself (you can browse them all here), but my friends over at SimplyGala have several flavors that you can purchase.
I recently discovered SimplyGala syrups and am so glad I did. I make a lot of my own simple syrups for two reasons: 1) I’m picky about ingredients, and 2) I’m pretty frugal. SimplyGala syrups are the answer to my penny-pinching, artificial-flavor-spurning prayers. They have a wide range of flavors at affordable prices with 0 bad ingredients. I recently made a passion fruit Paloma recipe using their passion fruit syrup and woo-wee, it was goo-ood. You can check out that post to learn more about SimplyGala as a company, too.
SimplyGala sent me their hibiscus syrup and I was easy to try it. My first thought was to use it in a Gin Campari Sour. But then I remembered that this week is Negroni Week.
Negroni Week was instituted in 2013 by Imbibe Magazine and Campari as a way to raise money for charities. This year, though, all the funds raised will go towards supporting our friends in the hospitality and restaurant industries. So many bars and restaurants are really hurting due to new COVID rules and restrictions and now we have an easy opportunity to help them. You can read more about #negroniweek and donate by clicking here.
What is a Negroni though? It’s a classic cocktail made with 3 ingredients: gin, Campari, and sweet vermouth. I’d go as far as to say that it’s the most polarizing cocktail out there. You either hate ’em or love ’em. I fell in the first category for a long time until I taught myself how to like Campari (you can check out this post to read more about how I did that). A Negroni is still not my preferred way to enjoy Campari… but this Hibiscus Negroni has changed my tune.
Negronis are loved/detested because they’re incredibly bitter. I wanted to balance this flavor and thought that hibiscus syrup would be a great way to do that. If you’ve never tried hibiscus before, it’s got a tart, almost cranberry-like flavor. Using it in syrup form means I could also introduce some needed sweetness to the classic drink. The Hibiscus Negroni still has the signature bitter notes of a traditional Negroni but it’s offset a bit by the tartness and sweetness of the hibiscus syrup. I’m a fan.
One thing I love about SimplyGala’s hibiscus syrup is that there are only 3 ingredients: pure cane sugar + water + hibiscus flowers. No artificial colors, artificial flavors, chemicals, or preservatives. Unfortunately, that can’t be said about other hibiscus syrups out there on the market.
Just browse all the different SimplyGala syrup options— they’re sure to inspire many of your own cocktail creations. If you’re wanting some recipe inspo for your new syrups, check out these 17 easy cocktail recipes that can easily be altered by changing the syrup flavor. Who knows, this time next month I could be reading your new cocktail blog.
If you’ve previously scorned Negronis, give this one a try and tag me on Instagram!
Add all ingredients to a mixing glass with a couple large ice cubes. Stir to incorporate. Strain into a lowball glass filled with a large ice cube. Garnish with a lemon peel.
The Aroi Mak Mak is a Thai-inspired lemongrass and coconut milk sake cocktail that is light and refreshing. The delicate flavor of the sake is complemented by tangy lemongrass, spicy ginger, mellow cucumber, and creamy coconut milk. If you’re needing an escape, the Aroi Mak Mak will take you there.
Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links. If you buy a product via my affiliate link, I will receive a commission. This is at no additional cost to you. I only recommend products I actually like!
“Aroi mak mak” means “very, very delicious” in Thai; a fitting name for this lemongrass and coconut milk sake cocktail if I do say so myself. I worked at a Thai and sushi restaurant throughout high school and picked up a few phrases here and there. “Aroi mak” is one phrase almost guaranteed to be heard in a Thai restaurant.
I really enjoyed my time as a waitress. I’ve found that a lot of other people who’ve spent time in the restaurant industry detested it. But I loved it. I think a lot of the reason I had such a positive experience is that the restaurant was family-owned. And if you were employed there, you were part of the family. We had huge feasts anytime someone had a birthday. And no matter what, I always knew that my manager and the owners had my back.
Another reason I loved my years as a waitress at that restaurant is because of the FOOD. Every night I could order [almost] anything on the menu to eat there or take home. Sometimes the owners would even make special dishes that weren’t on the menu. Those were my favorite nights. I could also drink Thai iced tea whenever I wanted. Ughhh just inject that stuff into my veinnssss because I love it so much. One day I *will* make a boozy Thai tea cocktail. Mark my words.
Working at the Thai restaurant made me develop a deep love for Southeast Asian cuisine. The flavors are so bright and fresh. Tangy lemongrass… creamy coconut milk, bright lime and cilantro… I could eat Thai food every day for the rest of my life and never get tired of it. I also love the taste of Thai chilis. Even though the “medium” spicy rating on a Thai dish is enough to melt a hole in the table, the flavor is SO DANG GOOD. Gimme Thai chilis over jalapeños any day. One day I’ll make a cocktail with those, too.
It may be September but here in TX, it’s still pretty hot. I was wanting to make a cocktail with a lower ABV that was bright and fresh. Sake immediately came to mind. Then I realized I’ve yet to post a cocktail recipe made with sake. I typically enjoy sake on its own– it’s got such a subtle complexity and richness that I love to savor. But the more I thought about it, the more I wanted to challenge myself to mix a drink with this delicate alcohol.
What is sake, though? Sometimes spelled saké, it’s a fermented alcoholic beverage made from rice. It’s Japan’s signature alcohol and is sometimes referred to as rice wine. That’s a bit misleading, though; it’s more similar to beer than wine, due to the brewing process. It’s been around for centuries (think 8th century & maybe even earlier) and can be enjoyed hot or cold.
Typically, the lower quality the sake is, the warmer you want to serve it. However, it comes down to personal preference. If I’m gonna enjoy it with a meal, I love drinking it warm. The heat awakens the aroma and highlights the savory notes. And yes, I do also love the little cup and pitcher they’re served in when you order it warm. Not gonna lie.
Sake’s flavor is pretty light and delicate. I wanted to make sure I didn’t mask it by adding competing flavors. This is what brought me to Southeast Asian cuisine. Those dishes really know how to balance softer flavors with bolder ones.
I’m pleased with how the Aroi Mak Mak recipe turned out. It’s light and bright and refreshing. And drinkable. Super drinkable. But since most of the alcohol in this cocktail recipe is sake, you don’t have to worry about what might happen if you drink it *too* fast.
While family-owned restaurants are fresh on my mind, be sure to support your local bars & restaurants in these COVID times. In fact, go ahead and order some green curry or pad kee mao from your local Thai restaurant. They’d both pair nicely with this cocktail.
Ingredients for an Aroi Mak Mak – Lemongrass and Coconut Milk Sake Cocktail
1/2 oz full-fat coconut milk (canned will lend a richer taste but from a carton will work, too)
2 inches of lemongrass, chopped into smaller pieces
*Add 2 oz of vodka to a small mason jar. Dice about 2 inches of lemongrass and add to the vodka. Allow the vodka to infuse for 24-72 hours. Once the vodka has reached the level of lemongrassiness that you want, remove the lemongrass. Store in an airtight container until ready for use. Should keep for months.
**To make the ginger-lemongrass simple syrup, follow the directions in the ginger simple syrup post and add 2 inches of chopped lemongrass in with the ginger.
How to Make an Aroi Mak Mak – Lemongrass and Coconut Milk Sake Cocktail
Add the vodka and fresh lemongrass pieces to a mixing glass. Muddle well with a muddler (I mean really smash the stuff). Add in the sake, cucumber juice, coconut milk, ginger-lemongrass simple syrup, and ice. Stir well to combine. Strain into a lowball glass that’s been filled with ice. Garnish with additional cucumber or lemongrass.
Aroi Mak Mak
A cocktail inspired by the delicious flavors found in Thai cuisine. The delicate flavor of sake is complemented by tangy lemongrass, spicy ginger, mellow cucumber, and creamy coconut milk. If you're needing an escape, the Aroi Mak Mak will take you there.
Add the vodka and fresh lemongrass pieces to a mixing glass.
Muddle well with a muddler (really smash the stuff).
Add in the sake, cucumber juice, coconut milk, ginger-lemongrass simple syrup, and ice.
Stir well to combine.
Strain into a lowball glass that's been filled with ice.
Garnish with additional cucumber or lemongrass.
Notes
*Add 2 oz of vodka to a small mason jar. Dice about 2 inches of lemongrass and add to the vodka. Allow the vodka to infuse for 24-72 hours. Once the vodka has reached the level of lemongrassiness that you want, remove the lemongrass. Store in an airtight container until ready for use. Should keep for months.**To make the ginger-lemongrass simple syrup, follow the directions in the ginger simple syrup post and add 2 inches of chopped lemongrass in with the ginger.
The Isla del Sol cocktail is a passion fruit Paloma that’s packed with flavor. It’s not overly sweet and has got just the right amount of tropical vibes so you can sip on summer all year round.
This post is sponsored by SimplyGala. All opinions are my own.
I follow a lot of other mixologists on Instagram and my feed has been filled with passion fruit this and passion fruit that for months. Now, if you’re familiar with my style of cocktail-making, I don’t do fake syrups or drink mixes. I just can’t stomach artificial flavors. Plus a lot of commercial syrups are cloyingly sweet. That’s why I’ve admired all the passion fruit cocktail recipes from afar. I assumed they were using artificial passion fruit syrup and I wanted nothing to do with that.
Shame on me for not doing some research into passion fruit syrups because if I HAD I would’ve discovered much earlier on that SimplyGala syrups are anything but artificial.
If you’ve been around from the early days of Girl & Tonic, you may remember that I’ve actually made a Passion Fruit Paloma recipe before. That one was made with beet simple syrup and passion fruit sparkling water, making it preeetty light on the passion fruit flavor.
Quality ingredients in cocktails make ALL the difference. Most cocktail recipes, especially the ones on this site, are 5 ingredients or less. If you’ve got a sub-par ingredient in the mix, it’s gonna ruin the whole thing. I can’t tell you how many drinks I’ve ruined by trying to cut corners. That’s what happened with the first Passion Fruit Paloma recipe I made. I didn’t wanna spend money on passion fruit syrup so I used the passion fruit sparkling water instead. Now, it’s not a bad drink. I enjoyed it. I’d make it again. But calling it a Passion Fruit Paloma was probably not the right call.
This Isla del Sol recipe is definitely a passion fruit Paloma though. Y’all. It is BURSTING with flavor. Traditional Palomas can leave much to be desired taste-wise but the SimplyGala passion fruit syrup packs the tropical punch it’s asking for. I was honestly shocked at how delicious the syrup was when I took my first taste. I could straight up put a straw in the bottle and call it a day. But seeing as how this a cocktail blog and all, I figured I couldn’t post a recipe that said “Open bottle. Insert straw. Sip & enjoy.” So I lived out my previous passion fruit Paloma fantasy and was not disappointed this time.
But like I mentioned earlier, quality ingredients make all 👏 the 👏 difference 👏 in a cocktail.
When I Googled “passion fruit syrup” I was shocked to see that all the name brand ones have artificial colors, high fructose corn syrup, “natural flavors” (another way to say they didn’t use passion fruit- read this article to see how companies manufacture the passion fruit flavor “naturally”), and other things that shouldn’t belong in a cocktail like titanium dioxide and sulfur dioxide.
Umm… I’m sorry, is it too much to ask for it to just be made with passion fruit? Thankfully the SimplyGala passion fruit syrup has answered the call. You know what’s on their ingredient label? 3 things. Pure cane sugar. Water. Passion fruit pulp. *cue Hallelujah chorus set to a tropical tune*
That’s what sets SimplyGala apart from other syrup companies. They make it their goal to create quality products with real ingredients at an affordable price.
If you’re like me you’re still a little hesitant to invest your hard-earned money in a product you’re not sure you’ll like. (Hello, that’s why I used freakin’ passion fruit WATER instead of SYRUP. Don’t let me cut corners like that ever again.) It’s even harder to buy something from a company you’ve never heard of before. Trust me. I feel you. But I’ve had the privilege of getting to know the owner of SimplyGala for a few weeks now so I can bridge that gap for you.
Gala has had a long love affair with food and flavors. She attended culinary school and cooked professionally for awhile before switching to a job that was a little more suitable for a working mom. When her kids were done with their schooling career, she picked her culinary career back up–this time on the beverage side of things. Her knowledge of cocktails fueled her passion for quality cocktail ingredients, so she started making her own. She first sold them on Etsy and at farmers’ markets across California; now, SimplyGala equips people like you and me across the country with high-quality syrups to take our #happyhourathome to the next level.
She’s also been gluten-free for years like me, so we bonded over that. It’s always nice to know that products are not only gluten-free but are also handled by someone who actually knows what that means!
Using SimplyGala syrups in your cocktails means you’re not going to have to compromise on flavor in order to afford them. And THAT is music to my frugal ears.
1+ oz grapefruit soda (or grapefruit sparkling water for less sugar & calories)
How to Make an Isla del Sol (Passion Fruit Paloma)
Add ice, tequila, grapefruit juice, and SimplyGala passion fruit syrup to a cocktail shaker. Shake well, about 20 seconds. Strain into a lowball glass that’s been filled with ice. Top off the rest of the glass with grapefruit soda or sparkling water. Garnish with additional grapefruit.
Isla del Sol – Passion Fruit Paloma
The Isla del Sol cocktail is a passion fruit Paloma that's loaded with flavor. It has just the right amount of tropical vibes so you can sip on summer all year round.
The Mother Mule is a spicy ginger Moscow Mule variation made with Other Mother Vinegar Ginger Honey Shrub. It’s easy to create at home and good for you, too, thanks to the gut-boosting bacteria found in the shrub.
Chances are if you like cocktails, you’ve ordered or made a Moscow Mule. It’s a true classic cocktail recipe that’s inspired many other drinks. Moscow Mule variations are common these days and I’m not complaining. Vodka, lime, and ginger beer are a perfect foundation for building more flavors on top of. I’ve posted a few Moscow Mule variations here on Girl & Tonic: the Irish Mule (made with whiskey), a Dark & Stormy (my forever go-to drink), and an Orange Cassidy (my own AEW-inspired riff on a Moscow Mule).
Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links. If you buy a product via my affiliate link, I will receive a commission. This is at no additional cost to you. I only recommend products I actually like!
I’m really excited about today’s Moscow Mule variation for two reasons: 1) it’s good for you, and 2) it can be easily made into a mocktail or alcohol-free cocktail.
Okay, okay. I can practically hear you rolling your eyes at me when I say that this Mother Mule cocktail recipe is good for you. Hear me out. I know vodka isn’t necessarily an elixir of health. BUT one of the main ingredients in this drink is pure health in liquid form. It pretty much counterbalances the whole alcohol & sugar thing.
Okay. Maybe I’m exaggerating a bit when I say it’s bottled-up health. But Other Mother Vinegaris really good for you. Allow me to inform you.
Other Mother Vinegar is a “live vinegar”, meaning each bottle contains millions of healthy bacteria that will give the microbiome in your intestines a boost. Live vinegar is packed with other benefits, too: can lower blood pressure and blood sugar levels, helps with indigestion and acid reflux, and is chock-full of antioxidants. You can read more about the benefits of drinking vinegar here.
I’ve actually made another cocktail and mocktail recipe using the raspberry OMV shrub shot. It’s called the Rowdy Mother (are you sensing a theme in the names yet). If you’re not down for a ginger honey shrub, their raspberry shrub or the turmeric one would also work really well in this recipe!
I mentioned early that one reason I’m excited about this recipe is that it can be easily made into a mocktail or alcohol-free cocktail. I love easy, 3-ingredient cocktails like the Moscow Mule. But when 1/3 of those ingredients is alcohol, the drink becomes rather empty if you’re going alcohol-free that night. When you use a vinegar shrub as one of your ingredients, your drink will be anything but bland.
Another perk of using shrubs as a drink ingredient is that you don’t need to use citrus. While you definitely can use a fresh lime (like I did), you don’t need to. After all, shrubs were originally used as a substitute for fresh citrus back in the colonial days.
I lied earlier when I said I was excited about this recipe for two reasons. I actually have a third. As of yesterday, those of you living in the grand state of Texas can find Other Mother Vinegar at H-E-B!!! *cue the Hallelujah chorus & start thanking Jesus for the gift that is H-E-B* Over 85 locations are stocking their shelves with OMV shrub shots– check your Healthy Living Department to see if you’re one of the lucky several.
Do you love Moscow Mules? Let me know what your favorite Moscow Mule variation is down below and, as always, tag me if you make this one! (@girlandtonic_).
Ingredients for a Mother Mule
1 1/2 oz vodka (leave out for mocktail version)
1/2 oz ginger honey shrub (check out OMV’s sample size here)
How to Make a Mother Mule (a Moscow Mule Variation)
Add ice to a copper mug or a lowball glass. Pour in the vodka (skip if going alcohol-free), ginger honey shrub, and squeeze the lime wedge into the mug. Top off the rest of the mug with your ginger beer. Stir to combine. Garnish with an extra lime wedge.
Mother Mule
A spicy and healthy Moscow Mule variation made with a ginger honey vinegar shrub.
