syrups

I met Allison Goldberg, the creator of Fruitations, while I was in New Orleans this past July for the annual Tales of the Cocktail festival. Even after only a few minutes of chatting with her over the thumping music playing at Harrah’s Casino, I could tell she was whole-hearted about her enterprise. Her vision started in her home kitchen while making syrups for soda. Why not try them with spirits? She did and discovered that the all-natural, three ingredient fruit syrups she was making worked beautifully in cocktails.

Each is crafted using only whole fruit, water and cane sugar.

Cranberry: Nice and tart with a natural cranberry flavor. Reminds me of Thanksgiving. The sugar is held back to allow the cranberry to really shine here. Definitely a nice change from the usual cranberry cocktail which always is much too sweet and diluted. Try this in a Cape Codder, or mix an ounce with an ounce of water and add three ounces of 80 proof bourbon on the rocks. GSN Rating: A

Grapefruit: Grapefruit is one of those flavors that gets short shrift in the cocktail world, and especially red grapefruit. Yet, it definitely has its place in mixology. I like it in tiki drinks and with vodka, tequila and light rums. Here, the flavor of the red grapefruit is very good, but the cane sugar seems a little heavy. I would have liked a more bitter edge with a bit more fruit flavor. Try this in a Paloma or a Greyhound. GSN Rating: B

Tangerine: Why not try tangerine instead of orange when making a cocktail? There is a brighter and more vibrant flavor in tangerines which boosts the citrus edge. Fruitations tangerine has a great flavor which has quite a long finish. Again, there seems to be a bit more sugar here than I was expecting, but the fruit holds it own. There’s even a slightly tart tang which is a welcome change from the usual orange juice based mixer. Try this in a Mimosa or Harvey Wallbanger for a brighter and more intriguing experience. GSN Rating: B+

For more information go to: Just Add Fruitations