This one is not a syrup. Close enough to belong here though... I felt like it was in the same spirit of making your own cocktail ingredients at home, and the same idea of adding something handcrafted to a drink that you couldn't get from a bottle off a shelf. But yeah, technically it's a tincture. A few drops or a full dropper rather than a measured pour.
My neighbor grows hops. They climb the fence between our yards, and at some point this summer I made the executive decision that what grows over my fence is fair game. I've been snipping off a few here and there to experiment with, but for this tincture specifically, all I needed was about 15 hops. No regrets. And hey, they are truly excellent neighbors who hopefully don't read this newsletter... and if they do, hope you're stoked regardless.
I added around 8 strips of fresh grapefruit peel to the mix, covered everything with Everclear, sealed the jar, and let it sit for just over 24 hours. You'll know the infusion is done when the solids look stiff and pale... they've given up everything they have. At that point, strain it out, bottle it in a dropper bottle, and you've got something genuinely interesting to work with.
That's really all there is to it! But if you want a detailed step-by-step, I still got you...
What You'll Need:
- 15 fresh hops, leaves torn from the vine (citra or similar citrusy, aromatic variety works well here)
- 6ā€“8 strips fresh grapefruit peel (just the outer peel... avoid the white pith)
- Everclear, enough to completely cover the solids in a jar
Instructions:
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Prep the hops. Pull the leaves off the central vine and add the hop flowers to a clean mason jar. Tear them apart slightly as you go to help the Everclear reach more surface area.
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Add the grapefruit peel. Cut 6ā€“8 strips of fresh grapefruit peel... a vegetable peeler works well here. You want the outer layer only. The white pith underneath is bitter in a way that doesn't help anyone.
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Cover with Everclear. Pour enough Everclear over the solids to completely submerge everything. Seal the jar.
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Infuse for 24 hours. Let it sit at room temperature. Give it a gentle shake occasionally when you walk past. After 24 hours, check the solids... if they look stiff and pale, the infusion is complete. They've given up their flavor and you're done.
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Strain and bottle. Strain through a fine mesh strainer, then filter through a coffee filter if you want it completely clear. Transfer to a dropper bottle for easy, controlled dosing.
A note on proof: Everclear works fast because of the high alcohol content. If you use vodka or something lower proof, plan for a longer infusion... likely 48 hours or more. Check the solids the same way. Pale and spent usually means done... then my liquid turned out this olive-green color (see below).
What Is a Tincture and How Do You Use It?
A tincture is a highly concentrated extract... basically flavor dissolved into high-proof alcohol. Because it's so concentrated, you use it in small amounts. Think of it the way you think about bitters. A few drops. A full dropper. Enough to add aroma, complexity, and a background note without taking over the drink... I would not recommend sipping or tasting it on its own if you use Everclear.
The dropper bottle is important here. It gives you control. Start with a few drops in a drink, taste it, add more if you want. You'll find your preferred dose pretty quickly.
A few ways to use it:
- A dropper in a long drink, or carbinated cocktail or anything with citrus and bitter notes
- A few drops in a gin and tonic... the hop character plays naturally with juniper
- A dropper in a wheat beer cocktail or shandy riff
- A few drops over a margarita or anything with grapefruit
- Stirred into a gin or vodka martini for a floral, slightly bitter edge
- A dropper in sparkling water with a squeeze of lime for a zero-proof option that actually tastes interesting
Final Pour
Tinctures are one of those ingredients that feel kinda cool advanced until you realize how simple the process actually is. High proof spirit, something worth infusing, time, and honestly, only a little patience. That's most of it.
The hop and grapefruit combination works because both ingredients share a natural bitterness and citrus character that amplify each. And using fresh hops (especially ones with a slightly questionable acquisition story) makes it feel like something that couldn't have come from anywhere else.
If you make this one, let me know what you put it in. And if you're experimenting with tinctures, infusions, or other homemade cocktail ingredients beyond syrups, the Cocktail Club is a good place to share what you're working on.
ā€”Jordan / High-Proof Preacher
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