Demerara Gum Syrup is a game changer in the cocktail world. Its unique flavor profile adds depth and richness that simple syrup just can't match. The less refined nature of Demerara sugar introduces a delightful burnt sugar and caramelized flavor, making it an ideal sweetener for a variety of cocktails. In this blog, we will explore the Top 8 Cocktails that showcase the versatility of Demerara syrup.
Before we get started on our Top 8 Demerara Cocktails, it'd be good to do a side-by-side comparison, and there's no better way to do that than with the Old Fashioned. This cocktail is a fantastic way to experience the difference that Demerara syrup makes. The burnt sugar notes of the syrup enhance the bourbon or rye, creating a rich, flavorful drink.
To make a Demerara Old Fashioned:
- Pour ¼ oz of Demerara Gum Syrup into a mixing glass.
- Add 2 oz of bourbon or rye and a few dashes of aromatic bitters.
- Add ice and stir for about 20 seconds to chill and dilute.
- Strain into a rocks glass and garnish with a branded cherry and an expressed orange peel.
This cocktail is a perfect introduction to the world of Demerara syrup.
➑ Flannel Shirt
The Flannel Shirt cocktail is a warm and inviting drink perfect for fall and winter. It captures the essence of cozy evenings with its blend of apple cider, Scotch, and Demerara syrup. Jeffrey Morganthaler says this is one of his best recipes and a perennial fan favorite at Clyde Common.
Ingredients:
- barspoon Demerara Gum Syrup
- 1 ¾ oz scotch whiskey (blended recommended, as opposed to single malt)
- ½ oz amaro (Averna recommended)
- 1 ½ oz apple cider
- ¼ oz lemon juice
- ½ barspoon allspice dram
- 2 dashes aromatic bitters
Instructions:
- Add all ingredients to a cocktail shaker
- Add ice and shake hard for 20 seconds
- Strain into a chilled rocks glass filled with ice
➐ Sazerac
Number seven on our list is a venerable classic. This one comes to us courtesy of New Orleans, one of the great cocktail cities in the whole world. This is the Sazerac.
It is a spirit-forward cocktail that traditionally uses a split base of brandy and rye whiskey. Demerara sugar stands out in this cocktail because of its robust, burnt molasses flavor, which complements the strong aromatic flavors of Peychaud's bitters and absinthe. This combination provides a rich depth to the drink, balancing the high notes of the bitters and absinthe and adding a unique twist to an already classic cocktail.
Ingredients
- ¼ oz Demerara Gum Syrup
- 1 oz rye whiskey
- 1 oz brandy
- 3 dashes Peychaud's bitters
- barspoon absinthe
Instructions:
- Rinse a chilled rocks glass with absinthe
- Add remaining ingredients to a mixing glass with ice
- Stir 20 seconds and strain into the rinsed glass
- Express a lemon peel and garnish.
➏ Sidecar
The Sidecar is another classic cocktail that shines with Demerara syrup. The syrup provides a rich backbone that enhances the bright flavors of lemon and orange liqueur.
Ingredients:
- barspoon Demerara Gum Syrup
- 1 ½ oz brandy
- ¾ oz lemon juice
- ¾ oz orange liqueur
Instructions:
- Add all ingredients to a cocktail shaker
- Add and shake for 10 seconds
- Strain into a chilled coupe
➎ The Golden Gun
At number five, we have the Golden Gun, a Tiki cocktail that beautifully showcases the blend between Demerara syrup and rum.
Demerara shines in tiki applications because burnt sugar molasses, those dark toffee caramel flavors, go perfectly with rum. They also, surprisingly, really balance out those high-hitting fruit flavors that you often find in tiki cocktails. Acid, fruit, stone fruit - all of these different components really benefit from that base layer provided by demerara sugar.
Ingredients:
- ½ oz Demerara Gum Syrup
- 1 oz light rum
- 1 oz aged rum
- ½ oz apricot liqueur
- ½ oz grapefruit juice
- ¾ oz lime juice
INSTRUCTIONS
- Add all ingredients to a cocktail shaker
- Add ice and shake for 10 seconds
- Strain over ice into a highball glass
- Garnish with a grapefruit wedge and mint sprig.
➍ Café Racer
The Café Racer is a delightful twist on the espresso martini, blending bourbon, cold brew coffee, and crème de cacao. The Demerara syrup adds a rich, dark flavor that elevates this drink to a new level.
Ingredients:
- ½ oz Demerara Gum Syrup
- 2 oz bourbon whiskey
- 1 oz cold brew coffee
- ¼ oz crème de cacao
Instructions
- Add ingredients to a mixing glass with ice
- Stir 20 seconds and strain into a chilled glass
- Express an orange peel and garnish
➌ Blue Suede Shoes
Coming in at number three is the Blue Suede Shoes, courtesy of our friend Dustin Popp over at Elusive Moose Drinks.
What we've essentially got here is a whiskey sour - lemon juice, whiskey, and sugar, but in this instance, we're combining honey syrup with demerara, which gives a lot more richness and flavor complexity than your typical simple syrup.
This blueberry, honey, and demerara combination with lemon juice and bourbon is just a very nice, balanced cocktail. It's perfect in cool weather months.
Ingredients:
- barspoon Demerara Gum Syrup
- 2 oz bourbon
- ½ oz honey syrup
- ¾ oz lemon juice
- 1 dash aromatic bitters
- 3-4 blueberries
- 1-2 oz club soda
INSTRUCTIONS
- Muddle blueberries and syrup in a shaker tin
- Add all but club soda and shake for 10 seconds
- Double strain into a rocks glass filled with ice
- Top with club soda
➋ Aku Aku
Our silver medal winner, the Aku Aku, is a vibrant Tiki cocktail that combines tropical fruit flavors with aged rum and Demerara syrup. The interplay between the syrup's caramel notes and the bright fruit is truly magical.
Ingredients:
- ½ oz Demerara Gum Syrup
- 1 ½ oz aged rum
- 1 oz pineapple juice
- ¾ oz lime juice
- ½ oz peach liqueur
- mint
Instructions
- Add all ingredients to a cocktail shaker
- Add ice and shake hard for 20 seconds
- Strain into a chilled cocktail glass
- Garnish with fresh mint
➊ Queens Park Swizzle
Finally, we arrive at the number one cocktail: the Queens Park Swizzle.
This cocktail has all the components of a classic tiki drink. It's got mint, Demerara rum, lime juice, and the swizzle technique, which is really fun to do in a cocktail.
The drink was invented at the Queen's Park Hotel in Port of Spain, Trinidad, around the turn of the 20th century. It’s a classic and historic beverage.
The mint and lime juice combination, made famous for cocktails like this or the Mojito, offers a bright flavor that, when combined with the dark, deep rum and Demerara gum syrup, and then using the swizzle technique (which creates a beautiful alcoholic snow cone or slushy), makes for a beautiful drink. It highlights the rustic character of Demerara sugar.
Ingredients:
- ½ oz Classic Gum Syrup
- 2 oz demerara rum
- ¾ oz lime juice
- 4-6 dashes of aromatic bitters
- 5-8 mint leaves
INSTRUCTIONS
- Muddle mint and syrup in a mixing glass
- Add rum, lime and ice then mix for 20 seconds
- Strain into a chilled highball glass
- Garnish with a mint sprig
The rich flavor of Demerara syrup shines through in these eight cocktails. Whether you prefer a classic like the Sazerac or a Tiki-inspired drink like the Aku Aku, there is a Demerara cocktail for everyone to enjoy. Cheers!
Interested in how we do it? Watch this video on YouTube.
