Gomme Syrup (“gum syrup”) is a thick sugar syrup often found in classic cocktail recipes and reinvigorated with the classic cocktail bars cranking out beautiful silky cocktails. You’ll find that gum syrup gives you a great mouthfeel, not too unlike an egg white or a frothy pineapple juice. The best part? Making it isn’t that hard if you get yourself access to some Gum Arabic powder!
Our recipe suggestion:
Gum Syrup (phase-1)
- 1/4 cup (2 oz.) water
- 4 table spoons gum arabic powder
Rich Simple Syrup (phase-2) / aka Rock Candy Syrup
- 1/2 cup (4 oz). water
- 1 cup (8 oz.) sugar
Phase 1 Instructions
First, we must turn that powder into a liquid. Bring 1/4 cup of water to a near-boil (just before it starts rolling). While the water is warming up, grab a clean glass jar and add 4 table spoons of gum arabic powder. Once the water reaches a near-boil pour it over the gum syrup and whisk/stir the powder into the water until it looks like a liquid (white foam is okay). Now set it aside for 2.5 hours.
Phase 2 Instructions
Secondly, build a rich simple syrup. To do this, add your water and sugar together in a pot and bring it to a boil. Once the syrup moves from a cloudy milky color clear, take it off the heat. This is a rich simple syrup, so pay close attention as the water is heating so you don’t boil it too much and create a overly thick syrup or crystals.
Phase 3 Instructions
Once your rich simple syrup is finished pour it into the now 2.5 hour cooled gum syrup jar. Stir contents together, give it an aggressive shake or long stir to fully integrate. Allow the syrup to cool for a few hours (or put it into the fridge and bring it down in temperature). You’re done, time to make cocktails.
How Long Will Gomme Syrup Last?
You will find a rich simple syrup mixture can last a very long time, six months or more isn’t too abnormal as bacteria has a difficult time growing in such dense syrup. You can find some times at Alcademics on simple syrup, but as a general rule your gomme syrup is going to last six months or so in the refrigerator. If you want to gain additional time, add a half-ounce of vodka to your gomme syrup.
Thickness
You will find rich simple syrup, also known as rock candy syrup supersaturates the water it’s integrated with and creates a thick sugar almost the thickness of maple syrup. When you add the arabic powder it further thickens the syrup almost like a warm honey in consistency. The cold of your refrigerator will no doubt make it even thicker, so taking it out prior to use may make this easier to use. You may also find rock candy formations over time (hence the name “rock candy sugar”)
Utilization
You will find the richness of this syrup requires you to use half of what would be called for when needing a “simple syrup” to gain the same sweetness; keep that in mind when creating your cocktails.
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