Fresh Grape Syrup
Concord grapes make the most intensely flavored syrup. Red wine grapes create a more sophisticated result.
Concord grapes make the most intensely flavored syrup. Red wine grapes create a more sophisticated result.
- 3 cupsgrapes(any variety - Concord is traditional)
- 1/2 cupwater
- 1 cupwhite sugar
- 1Add sugar to warm grape juice and stir until dissolved.
- 2Refrigerate and use within two weeks.
- 3For clearer syrup let juice settle and decant before adding sugar.
Store in a sealed glass bottle in the refrigerator for up to one month. Keep refrigerated.
Concord grapes produce the most intensely flavored, characteristically grape-scented syrup; Muscat grapes produce a more floral, complex result; dark wine grapes (Cabernet, Merlot, Nero d'Avola) produce a drier, more tannic syrup better suited to spirit-forward stirred cocktails. Simmering the grapes with their skins produces a deeper color and more tannin; straining early produces a cleaner, lighter result. The natural tartaric acid in grapes means this syrup needs no added citrus to balance, though a few drops of lemon juice brightens the finished flavor. For the most vivid color, press the cooked grapes firmly through cheesecloth.
Grape cultivation (Vitis vinifera) has one of the longest agricultural histories of any fruit, with domesticated grape vines documented in the South Caucasus region — modern Georgia, Armenia, and Azerbaijan — dating to approximately 6000 BCE. The spread of viticulture throughout the ancient Mediterranean world drove the development of trade routes, religious practices, and early pharmacopeias in which wine and grape preparations played central roles. The Concord grape (Vitis labrusca × Vitis vinifera hybrid), which makes the most intensely flavored grape syrup, was developed by amateur horticulturist Ephraim Wales Bull in Concord, Massachusetts, in 1849 by selecting seedlings from wild American fox grapes — it became the foundation of American grape juice production and the Concord-flavored candies and drinks that defined American grape flavor through the 20th century. Concord grape syrup has been used in classic cocktails including the Arbor Day and as a base for seasonal punch.
A Concord grape-thyme syrup, made by adding three sprigs of fresh thyme during the last five minutes of simmering, creates an unexpectedly elegant variation well suited to gin and vermouth-based cocktails. A wine grape syrup using red wine grapes produces a more refined, complex result with tannins and dried fruit notes excellent in Cognac and aged rum cocktails. For a Muscat-ginger variation, add one tablespoon of fresh ginger juice to the finished Muscat grape syrup for a floral, warming cocktail modifier.
No common top-eight allergens. Naturally vegan and gluten-free. Those with grape or wine sensitivities should use with caution. Concord grape syrup contains natural tannins.