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Tonic Syrup – Using Cinchona Bark to Make a Quinine Syrup for Gin and Tonics

Here is a recipe for homemade tonic syrup that’s perfect for making a gin and tonic. Aside from the cinchona, water, sugar, citric acid, and salt, feel free to modify this recipe to suit your tastes. This recipe provides the classic lime acidity with the added bitterness of grapefruit, and some supporting herbs and spices to give it a little backbone–I’m particularly fond of what the bay leaf adds.

To use it, simply add ¾ ounce of the syrup to 1½ ounces of gin. Add 2-3 ounces of club soda, top with ice, garnish with a lime wedge.

If you’re a gin and tonic fan, you’ll probably also enjoy this post where I ranked several popular tonic waters. In which case you’d just skip this recipe and cut to the chase. Or, if you want to do a little more mixing, I have one of the largest single reviews of tonic syrups on the internet. Check out my Ultimate Review of 19 Tonic Syrups.

Cheers!

citrus, lemongrass, clove, allspice, cardamom, cinchona
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Tonic Syrup

Course: Cocktail
Servings: 4 cups
Author: Andrew Saliga

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Combine all ingredients except sugar and bay leaf in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes.
  • Strain out solids and transfer back into saucepan.
  • Add and dissolve the sugar then add bay leaf. Steep for 15 minutes.
  • Remove bay leaf and bottle the syrup.

Notes

Caution: Measure cinchona bark precisely. Over consumption of quinine can cause cinchonism. You won’t die, but you could experience mild symptoms such as sweating, blurred vision, impaired hearing, abdominal pain, dizziness, and nausea to name a few. More severe symptoms could include temporary deafness, temporary blindness, and abnormal heartbeat.
It is safer to use the cinchona bark as opposed to cinchona powder. If you use quinine sulfate, use extreme caution and use a very accurate scale. This recipe is not intended to be used with quinine sulfate. For more info on the safety concerns of quinine, check out this article on Cocktail Safe.

 


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8 thoughts on “Tonic Syrup – Using Cinchona Bark to Make a Quinine Syrup for Gin and Tonics”

  • Andrew,

    We are really enjoying your tonic recipe! I can’t wait to experiment on my own. Also, I was able to carbonate the entire drink as per David Arnold’s instructions in Liquid Intelligence. You might enjoy his carbonating technique as well. Thanks for the recipe.

    Sincerely,

    Jacob

  • Yes. Pg. 311. I made two gin and tonics using the 5 1/2 oz rule and then added more carbonated water to my drink to suit my taste. Also, I squeezed my lime after carbonation as per his instructions. At the end of the day, I don’t think its as crucial to the drink as he does but I do think very cold, super carbonated water is Mandatory! I use my soda stream or unflavored Canada Dry carbonated water to get the most carbonation. Im tempted to buy a CO2 tank set up but thats getting pretty out there for a hobbyist. My wife is pretty sure I will do it at some point b/c Im crazy like that and we love carbonated water. If I figure out how to elegantly incorporate it into my countertops (chilled of coarse) as well as use it on the side to carbonate drinks then it will be a done deal. I spend a fortune on carbonated water every year even with a Soda Stream so it would pay for itself in no time. Have you ever thought about attempting the above or know someone who has? If so I would love to be pointed in that direction.
    Thanks, Jacob

    • Haha! I’m with you on things getting a bit on the extreme side for a home hobbyist. I’m definitely that way as well. I can’t think of any home hobbyists that have done such a thing. However, I know that Hodges Bend here in Tulsa has a legit setup. Their water goes through a special filtration system to achieve a specific pH and mineral content for brewing their coffee. They also have their own carbonation system using a decently sized CO2 tank for dispensing sparkling water from a tap.

    • Great question, Christopher.

      I’d say 1-2 months is well within the safe zone. Heating it well and straining into a clean bottle are necessary. Adding a bit of vodka to the bottle syrup is a common trick as well. Camper English has some good guidelines for syrups over at Cocktail Safe. Of course if it starts to smell off or if you see floaters in the bottle, it’s a good idea to ditch the batch.

      Of course, you could always use the function on the recipe card to scale down the yield from 4 cups to 1 cup. 🙂

      Cheers!

  • Just to be sure. Your recipe asked for lemon juice, lime juice, and grapefruit juice, and pith but without the peels, correct?

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