Fresh Guava Syrup

Store in a sealed glass bottle in the refrigerator for up to two weeks. Guava's high pectin content may cause the syrup to thicken or gel slightly on refrigeration — stir or shake before use. Keep refrigerated.

Pink or red-fleshed guavas produce a dramatically more aromatic, complex syrup than the white-fleshed varieties commonly available at supermarkets — seek out pink guavas at Latin American or Asian grocery stores if possible. Guavas can be used with seeds — the seeds soften during cooking and strain out cleanly — or scooped clean of seeds before use, which produces a smoother, less pulpy result. The finished syrup will be thick and slightly opaque due to the fruit's high pectin content; this gives a pleasant, creamy mouthfeel in cocktails. A small amount of lime juice in the finished syrup brightens and balances the naturally sweet, perfumed character of guava.

Guava (Psidium guajava) is native to Central America and northern South America, where it was cultivated by Indigenous peoples of the region for thousands of years before European contact. Spanish and Portuguese colonizers spread guava throughout the tropical world during the 16th century, and it is now grown widely in Central and South America, the Caribbean, Southeast Asia, and India. In Latin American cuisine, guava is one of the most beloved fruits — used fresh, in pastes (pasta de guayaba), jams, and beverages. Guava nectar is the base of numerous Caribbean cocktails and punches, and the fruit's tropical floral character — described as a combination of strawberry, pear, and tropical fruit — has made guava syrup increasingly popular at craft cocktail bars specializing in Caribbean, Latin American, and tiki-inspired drinks.

A guava-chili syrup, made by adding one sliced jalapeño during simmering, creates the classic Latin American sweet-heat pairing — a natural match for mezcal and tequila cocktails. A guava-lime syrup, made by adding the zest and juice of two limes to the finished warm syrup, produces a bright, tropical cocktail modifier excellent in rum-based drinks. For a guava-ginger syrup suited to tropical highballs, add one tablespoon of fresh ginger juice to the finished cooled syrup.

No common top-eight allergens. Naturally vegan and gluten-free. Guava allergies are rare but documented in tropical climates where the fruit is consumed in large quantities.