Cold-Smoked Simple Syrup
You can use a smoking gun lapsang souchong tea or even smoked salt to achieve this effect. Each method creates slightly different results.
You can use a smoking gun lapsang souchong tea or even smoked salt to achieve this effect. Each method creates slightly different results.
- 2 tablespoonslapsang souchong tea(for tea method)
- 1 cupwater
- 1 cupwhite sugar
- 1Repeat smoking 2-3 times for stronger flavor.
- 2For smoked salt method: Substitute smoked salt for some of the sugar.
- 3Bottle and refrigerate for up to two months.
Store in a sealed glass jar in the refrigerator for up to four weeks. The smoke flavor mellows slightly over time; make in small batches when the most intense result is needed. Keep refrigerated.
If using a smoking gun, pipe smoke into a sealed container with the warm syrup and let it sit for five to ten minutes before opening — more contact time means deeper smoke penetration. For the tea method, steep two to three Lapsang Souchong bags for five minutes in the hot syrup; this gives consistent, replicable results without specialized equipment. Smoked salt (one-quarter teaspoon per cup) is the fastest method but produces a saltier, less nuanced result best used sparingly.
Cold-smoking as a preservation and flavor technique predates written history across cultures worldwide — from smoked meats in Scandinavia to tea-smoked preparations in China. In cocktail culture, smoke entered the mainstream through mezcal's rise in the early 2000s and the tableside smoke presentations pioneered by innovators like Tony Conigliaro at 69 Colebrooke Row in London. Cold-smoked simple syrup provides a way to add smoky complexity to drinks without mezcal's alcohol or the logistics of live smoke service. The technique became particularly popular in craft bars as a shelf-stable way to build smoky cocktails at volume. Three primary methods exist: a smoking gun with wood chips, Lapsang Souchong tea (a Chinese black tea dried over pine fires), or smoked salt — each producing a slightly different smoky character.
**Hickory-Smoked Syrup** — Use hickory chips in the smoking gun for a BBQ-forward, bourbon-friendly version. **Lapsang Souchong Syrup** — Steep three bags of Lapsang Souchong tea in the hot simple syrup for reliably smoky results without specialized equipment. **Smoked Honey Syrup** — Replace white sugar with wildflower honey and cold-smoke for a complex, amber-hued sweetener perfect for mezcal and aged rum cocktails.
Free from all top-8 allergens. If using Lapsang Souchong tea, note that some individuals have tea sensitivities. Smoked salt versions are free from common allergens but increase the sodium content of the syrup.