Simple Syrup
Equal parts sugar and water dissolved together. The foundation sweetener for countless cocktails, providing clean sweetness without granular texture. It’s used in 88 cocktails on Garnish.
Flavor Profile
History & Origins
Simple syrup became standard in cocktails during the 19th century when bartenders needed reliable ways to sweeten drinks without undissolved sugar crystals.
How It's Made
Equal parts sugar and hot water stirred until dissolved. Can be made with various sugars for different flavor profiles.
Pro Tips
- •Keeps refrigerated for up to 1 month
- •Rich simple syrup (2:1 sugar:water) lasts longer
- •Try different sugars: demerara, turbinado, or brown
- •Always cool before using in cocktails
Substitutes
Cocktails
Old Fashioned
The primordial cocktail—whiskey, sugar, bitters, and water—showcasing the base spirit in its purest, most aromatic form.
Espresso Martini
Dick Bradsell's caffeinated classic shakes vodka, coffee liqueur and hot espresso into a frothy, bittersweet nightcap.
Frozen Margarita
The blender classic—tequila, triple sec, and lime blended with ice; salt rim optional.
French 75
A crisp union of gin, lemon, sugar, and Champagne that delivers bracing bubbles with artillery-level snap.
Old Cuban
A modern classic—aged rum, lime, mint, and Angostura bitters shaken and topped with brut Champagne.
Sazerac
Rye, sugar, Peychaud's bitters, and an absinthe rinse compose this potent, aromatic New Orleans standard.
Bourbon Basil Smash
A modern classic that brilliantly marries American whiskey tradition with vibrant, herbaceous character. This descendant of the Gin Basil Smash swaps botanical gin for bourbon's rich vanilla and caramel, creating a refreshing yet complex cocktail.
Gin Basil Smash
A modern classic that showcases vibrant fresh basil with London Dry gin and lemon—intensely aromatic, refreshingly green, and beautifully balanced.
Jungle Bird
Malaysia's 1970s tiki gift: blackstrap rum, Campari, pineapple and lime shaken into a bittersweet tropical sipper.
Long Island Iced Tea
Equal parts vodka, gin, rum, tequila and triple sec shaken with lemon and cola for a famously boozy "iced" tea.
Mint Basil Smash
A modern classic that propelled fresh basil into the global cocktail lexicon. This vibrant, herbaceous gin cocktail marries muddled basil with gin, creating a drink that is both refreshingly simple and profoundly flavorful.
Classic Mojito
Cuba's iconic highball of rum, lime, mint, and sugar lengthened with bubbly soda for ultimate refreshment.
New York Sour
Whiskey sour crowned with a red wine float—bourbon or rye, lemon, and simple with a claret cap.
Purple Lemon Drop
A visually striking modern twist on the classic Lemon Drop, combining tropical passion fruit with vanilla sweetness and Empress 1908 Gin's color-changing magic for an Instagram-worthy experience.
Daiquiri
A crisp Cuban rum sour that showcases perfect balance—just rum, lime and sugar shaken icy cold.
Don the Beachcomber's Planter's Punch
Donn Beach's 1937 masterpiece that transformed the rustic Jamaican punch into a complex tiki classic with three distinct rums, falernum, grenadine, and Angostura bitters.
Whiskey Sour
A timeless blend of whiskey, lemon, and sugar shaken silky with egg white—template for the entire sour family.
Frozen Daiquiri
A blender classic—white rum, lime, and sugar blended smooth with ice.
Peruvian (Pisco Sour)
Peru's national cocktail and masterful blend of pisco, fresh lime juice, simple syrup, and egg white, crowned with aromatic bitters. A harmonious fusion of indigenous heritage and international influence.
Pisco Sour
Peru's frothy national cocktail blending grape brandy, lime, sugar, and egg white with a bitters finale.
Southside
Gin, lime, mint, and simple syrup. Chicago's answer to the mojito.
Tom Collins
Classic gin, lemon, sugar and soda highball—effervescent, citrusy, and named for its Old Tom gin roots.
Mint Julep
A Southern staple of bourbon, sugar, and mint served in an icy silver cup—official drink of the Kentucky Derby.
Minty Cucumber Cooler
A quintessential icon of the modern craft cocktail renaissance, fusing crisp cucumber, aromatic mint, and bright citrus over gin for the ultimate garden-to-glass refreshment.
Planter's Punch
Dark rum punch with citrus and spice—the Caribbean's signature party drink.
Strawberry Basil Smash
A modern classic cocktail that encapsulates the farm-to-glass ethos of 21st-century craft cocktail culture. A vibrant interplay of sweet strawberries, herbaceous basil, tart citrus, and botanical gin.
Amaretto Sour
Jeffrey Morgenthaler's modernized sour builds cask-strength bourbon into amaretto, lemon and rich syrup for a silky, nutty treat.
Ramos Gin Fizz
New Orleans' creamy showstopper of gin, citrus, cream, egg white, and orange blossom water shaken to a silky cloud.
Sangria
A Spanish staple—dry red wine brightened with brandy, orange liqueur, citrus, and a touch of sugar. Batched and chilled, served over ice with fresh fruit.
Southside Fizz
A timeless and refreshing cocktail that elegantly marries the botanical complexities of gin with the bright, aromatic notes of fresh mint and citrus, all lifted by the effervescence of soda water.
Basil Gimlet
A modern classic that elevates the traditional Gimlet with fresh basil—herbaceous, aromatic, and supremely refreshing with botanical complexity.
Lemon Drop Martini
A tart-sweet blend of citron vodka, orange liqueur, and fresh lemon juice shaken icy cold and served with a sparkling sugar rim.
Basil Virgin Mojito
A sophisticated, non-alcoholic interpretation of the classic Cuban Mojito that substitutes traditional mint with fresh basil, creating a more complex, herbaceous, and peppery flavor profile.
Gimlet
A crisp blend of gin and lime that began as a naval ration and evolved into a minimalist classic.
Muddled Bramble
A modern evolution of Dick Bradsell's 1980s classic, where muddled fresh blackberries elevate the gin sour with vibrant fruit complexity and aromatic depth.
Sherry Cobbler
A quintessentially 19th-century American cocktail that fundamentally altered the course of mixed drinks, popularizing crushed ice and drinking straws with its refreshing simplicity.
Vanilla Espresso Martini
A modern classic that elevates the original Espresso Martini with a layer of aromatic sweetness, bridging the gap between a pre-dinner stimulant and a liquid dessert.
Vodka Gimlet
A testament to the elegant power of simplicity, a clean and crisp variation of its gin-based progenitor that transforms a classic naval cocktail into a smoother, more approachable icon.
Brandy Old Fashioned
Wisconsin's state cocktail—brandy, sugar, and bitters built over ice, often finished 'sweet' or 'sour' with soda.
Eastside
A garden‑fresh cousin of the Southside—gin, lime, mint, and cucumber shaken bright and served up.
Boston Sour
A whiskey sour with a silky crown—bourbon, lemon, and simple syrup shaken with egg white for a classic foam.
Bramble
Dick Bradsell's 1980s London creation layers dry gin, fresh citrus and rich blackberry liqueur over a mound of crushed ice for a tart, jammy refresher.
French 125
Cognac‑based French 75—cognac, lemon, and sugar topped with brut Champagne for a richer sparkle.
French 95
Bourbon bubbles—whiskey, lemon, and sugar topped with brut Champagne for a richer French 75 variant.
John Collins
The bourbon take on the 19th‑century gin punch from Limmer's Old House—spirit, lemon, sugar and sparkling water built tall and fizzy.
Adios Motherf***er (AMF)
A neon cousin of the Long Island—vodka, gin, rum, tequila, and blue curaçao with citrus and lemon‑lime soda.
Midori Sour
Neon 80s icon—Midori melon liqueur shaken with lemon and a touch of soda for lift.
French 76
Vodka variation on the French 75—vodka, lemon, and sugar topped with brut Champagne for a crisp, modern sparkle.
Long Beach Iced Tea
A cranberry‑tinted LIIT—vodka, gin, rum, tequila, triple sec, lemon and cranberry over ice.
Southside Royale
An effervescent elevation of the classic Southside with Champagne. Where gin, mint, and lime meet celebratory bubbles for sophisticated sparkle.
Strawberry Virgin Mojito
A non-alcoholic interpretation of the classic Cuban Mojito, elevated with fresh strawberries. This refreshing mocktail combines muddled strawberries, fresh mint, lime juice, and sparkling water for a sophisticated alcohol-free experience.
Vodka Collins (Joe Collins)
A crystalline, effervescent highball representing the mid-20th century ascendance of vodka, offering a cleaner, more neutral canvas than the gin-based Tom Collins.
Cucumber Collins
A garden Collins—gin, lemon, and syrup shaken with muddled cucumber and lengthened with soda.
Berry Monkey
A modern whisky sour featuring Monkey Shoulder Scotch with berry preserves and orange bitters—fruity, smooth, and perfectly balanced.
Ramos Rum Fizz
A modern adaptation of the legendary Ramos Gin Fizz, substituting gin's botanical structure for rum's diverse sugarcane notes while maintaining the luxurious, cloud-like texture.
Southside Rickey
A sublime marriage of gin, mint, and lime lengthened with club soda. The effervescent intersection of the Southside and Gin Rickey.
Gin Old Fashioned
A botanical take on the template—gin stirred with sugar and bitters over a large cube.
Juan Collins
Tequila Collins—blanco tequila, lemon, and sugar lengthened with soda over ice.
Appletini
A neon-green vodka martini flavored with sour apple schnapps – sweet, tart, and playful.
Virgin Mojito
All the mint-lime sparkle of a Mojito minus the rum, a staple of modern mocktail menus.
Bramble Royale
A celebratory Bramble—gin, lemon, and crème de mûre topped with dry Champagne for a sparkling blackberry fizz.
Brandy Sour
A smooth, citrusy sour—brandy shaken with lemon, simple syrup, and optional egg white for a velvety cap.
Colonel Collins
A bourbon Collins—whiskey, lemon, and sugar lengthened with soda over ice.
Autumn Bramble
A seasonal spin on the Bramble—gin, lemon, and blackberry with a touch of allspice for fall warmth.
Brandy Collins
Brandy, lemon, and sugar lengthened with sparkling soda—an elegant, effervescent Collins variation.
Champagne Julep
An elegant sparkling variation of the classic mint julep, combining bourbon with champagne for a refined, celebratory cocktail.
Ron Collins
A deceptively simple and profoundly refreshing cocktail that marks a pivotal moment in the evolution of the Collins family of drinks. It transforms the gin-based Tom Collins into a distinctly Caribbean icon with Cuban-style rum.
Whiskey Smash
A quintessential American cocktail that marks a pivotal point in mixed drink evolution. This vibrant and refreshing libation bridges the Mint Julep and Whiskey Sour, embodying 19th-century innovation with its masterful balance of sweet, sour, and strong, elevated by the aromatic lift of fresh mint.
Ginger Beer Fizz
Zesty ginger beer brightened with lime and a hint of sweetness.
Sandy Collins
The Scottish adaptation of the classic Collins - a refreshing long drink that marries blended Scotch whisky with lemon, sugar, and soda for an approachable introduction to the nuanced world of Scotch.
Cucumber Cooler
Cucumber, lime, and soda for a crisp zero-proof cooler.
Chilean Pisco Sour
Chile's national cocktail featuring pisco, lime juice, and simple syrup – crisp, clean, and spirit-forward without egg white or bitters.
Spicy Lemon Drop
A modern evolution of the classic Lemon Drop that transforms the original's straightforward sweet-sour profile into a complex interplay of tart, sweet, and heat through chile-infused vodka.
Sparkling Berry
Mixed berry puree and bubbles for a vibrant mocktail.
Texas Tea
The bigger, bolder, bourbon-fueled cousin of the Long Island Iced Tea. With six spirits and a fresh sour mix, it epitomizes the 'everything is bigger in Texas' philosophy while maintaining surprising balance when crafted with quality ingredients.
Caribbean Espresso Martini
A tropical twist on the classic espresso martini, featuring rum instead of vodka for warm, molasses-rich complexity with coffee and vanilla notes.
Cinnamonitini
A warm, spiced martini-style cocktail featuring cinnamon flavors with vanilla vodka and cream – perfect for autumn and winter celebrations.
Tokyo Tea
A visually striking, vibrant green variation of the Long Island Iced Tea, distinguished by Midori melon liqueur. This potent disco-era cocktail prioritizes bold aesthetics and sweet melon flavor over subtle complexity.
Non-Alcoholic Lemonade Spritz
A modern temperance beverage that marries the timeless appeal of fresh lemonade with the effervescent sophistication of the classic Italian spritz, featuring fresh lemon juice, simple syrup, and sparkling mineral water.
Broken Plane
A darker, more complex cousin to the Aviation that adds Cynar and Amaro to create a bittersweet cocktail evoking the melancholy of grounded flights and mechanical failures.
Cognac Sazerac
The original incarnation of what is arguably America's first cocktail, a cornerstone of classic mixology born in the spirited heart of 19th-century New Orleans.
Frozen Ramos Fizz
A modern, textural reinterpretation of the iconic New Orleans classic, the Ramos Gin Fizz, transformed into a dense, chilled, sorbet- or slushy-like consistency.
Georgia Mint Julep
A historically significant variation of the classic Mint Julep, distinguished by the inclusion of peach, a nod to Georgia's identity as the 'Peach State'.
Gin Jungle Bird
A modern, sophisticated twist on the classic tiki-era Jungle Bird, substituting the traditional rum with the botanical complexity of gin.
Huckleberry Sparkler
A modern cocktail that captures the spirit of the American Northwest, celebrating the uniquely sweet-tart flavor of the wild huckleberry.
La Floridita #4
A pivotal evolution of the classic Daiquiri, created by Constantino Ribalaigua Vert at Havana's El Floridita bar in the 1930s, introducing the subtle, nutty sweetness of maraschino liqueur.
Maracuyá Sour
A vibrant and seductive twist on Peru's national cocktail, the Pisco Sour, showcasing the rich biodiversity of the Amazonian region through its use of passion fruit.
Meyer Lemon 75
A modern classic cocktail that reimagines the historic French 75 with the uniquely American ingredient that is the Meyer lemon, resulting in a more nuanced and aromatic drink.