Homemade Gum Syrup

Store in a sealed glass jar in the refrigerator for up to four weeks. Gum arabic acts as a preservative and extends shelf life beyond plain simple syrup. The syrup may thicken when cold; bring to room temperature before measuring.

Dissolve the gum arabic powder in cold water first and let it hydrate for at least thirty minutes before adding to the sugar syrup — adding it to hot liquid can cause lumping. Gum arabic powder is available from specialty baking suppliers and online; ensure it is food-grade, not the craft supply variety. The finished syrup should pour visibly slower than plain simple syrup and feel silky on the fingers.

Gum syrup — also called gomme syrup — was the standard bar sweetener of the pre-Prohibition era, appearing in virtually every cocktail manual from Jerry Thomas's 1862 Bar-Tender's Guide through Harry Johnson's 1882 Bartender's Manual. The recipe dissolves gum arabic, a natural emulsifier sourced from the Acacia senegal tree of sub-Saharan Africa, into rich simple syrup. The gum arabic creates a silky, emulsified texture that gives cocktails a velvety mouthfeel absent from plain simple syrup. After Prohibition, the technique nearly vanished from American bars as simpler sugar syrups became standard. It was revived by craft bartenders in the early 2000s — most notably through the advocacy of cocktail historians like David Wondrich and Ted Haigh — who recognized that restoring gum syrup restored the textural dimension of Victorian and Edwardian cocktail recipes. Classic drinks like the Old Fashioned, Whiskey Sour, and Martinez benefit noticeably from the added body.

**Rich Gum Syrup** — Use a two-to-one sugar ratio for a thicker, denser syrup that adds even more body to stirred cocktails. **Gum Syrup with Orange Flower Water** — Add one teaspoon of orange flower water per cup for a floral note that complements gin and cognac-based classics. **Demerara Gum Syrup** — Use demerara or turbinado sugar for a golden, molasses-tinged version that pairs particularly well with aged rum and rye whiskey.

Free from all top-8 allergens. Gum arabic (acacia gum) is generally well tolerated but may cause digestive discomfort in very large amounts; at cocktail quantities this is not a concern for most individuals.