Sage Infused Simple Syrup
Swap the plain simple syrup with this Sage Infused Simple Syrup to spruce up your favorite cocktails and hot herbal teas any time of the year!
Fresh sage has a savory, peppery taste with minty-evergreen aromas. When infused into simple syrup, it lends an almost smoky flavor to the sweet syrup, and that combination of sweet and savory flavors is incredible in tart drinks and cocktails.
Ready to mix up craft cocktails with simple sage syrup from the comfort of your home? Let’s do it!
🌿 Ingredients
To make sage-infused simple syrup, you will need the following ingredients:
- Water: Water adds liquid to the syrup. As the sugar dissolves, the water thickens into a syrup.
- Sugar: Granulated sugar or caster sugar is best for simple syrups, as the sugar granules are tiny and will dissolve quickly.
- Sage Leaves: This fresh herb tastes fabulous infused in simple syrup, giving it a pleasant savory taste and peppery-herbal aroma.
- Recommended Tools: We recommend using a medium saucepan with a pour spout for making simple syrups. Airtight syrup jars are also vital for storing your syrups safely.
📖 How to make (step-by-step photos)
1️⃣ Step One: Dissolve sugar:
In a medium saucepan, add water and sugar. Bring liquid to a simmer over medium heat, stirring often until the sugar has completely dissolved.
2️⃣ Step Two: Steep sage leaves in simple syrup:
Add the sage leaves and simmer for 1 to 2 more minutes. Remove the saucepan from the heat and allow the sage leaves to steep for 30 minutes to an hour. Taste periodically and continue steeping until the strength of the sage flavor is to your liking. Strain the sage leaves and reserve the syrup.
3️⃣ Step Three: Cool and store:
Let the syrup cool completely and then transfer to an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
💡 Questions + quick tips
Dried herbs are a bit trickier to use in simple syrup infusions because the leaves are much more delicate and harder to strain. To use dried sage instead of fresh, fill a silicone tea infuser or reusable tea bags with dried sage and steep until the simple syrup is infused with flavor to your liking.
Yes, you can dissolve brown sugar in water to make simple syrup. However, it will take longer to dissolve because of the added molasses and larger sugar granules. Keep in mind, simple syrup made with brown sugar will also have a deeper, more caramelized flavor.
It’s highly recommended. Refrigerating homemade simple syrup extends the shelf-life and keeps it stable.
Essentially any fresh herb can be infused with simple syrup. You could try rosemary, mint, thyme, bay leaf or a delicious combination of a few fresh herbs.
🥃 Sage Cocktail Recipes
Check out these sage-infused cocktails we’ve crafted with sage simple syrup (each recipe makes one serving):
- Blackberry Sage Old Fashioned: In a rocks glass, muddle 4 to 5 fresh blackberries with a 1/2 tablespoon of sage simple syrup and a splash of water. Then, fill the remainder of the glass with ice and add 1.5 ounces of your favorite bourbon. Gently stir the cocktail to combine muddled ingredients with bourbon. Garnish with a fresh sage leaf and a couple of fresh blackberries.
- Sage Cape Cod: Fill a tall glass with ice and add 1.5 ounces of your favorite vodka and 1/2 tablespoon of sage simple syrup. Fill the remainder of the glass with cranberry juice and stir. Garnish with a fresh sage leaf and a couple of fresh cranberries.
- Gin & Sage Cooler: Fill a tall glass with ice and then add 1.5 ounces of your favorite gin, 1/2 tablespoon of sage syrup and 1/2 tablespoon of lemon juice. Fill the remainder of the glass with tonic or club soda. Garnish with a fresh sage leaf and a lemon wheel.
🧊 How to store
To extend the shelf-life of your homemade syrups:
- Refrigerator storage: Pour syrup into a sanitized glass container with a tight-fitted lid and store it in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
- Freezer storage: Simple syrups can be frozen for up to 2 months and thawed for later use. We suggest freezing simple syrups into small ice cubes in silicone ice trays that can be thawed for single servings.
👉 More simple syrup recipes
Looking for more quick, simple syrup recipes to flavor your cocktails and mixed drinks? Check out the flavored syrups below:
- Blueberry Simple Syrup
- Pineapple Ginger Syrup
- Brown Sugar Syrup
- Ginger Lemon Simple Syrup
- Honey Lavender Simple Syrup
- Jalapeno Infused Simple Syrup
- Lemongrass Infused Simple Syrup
Sage Infused Simple Syrup
Ingredients
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup fresh sage leaves
Instructions
- In a medium sauce pan, combine water and sugar. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring often. Cook until sugar has dissolved completely.
- Add sage leaves and simmer for 1-2 minute. Remove from heat and allow leaves to steep for 30 minutes to 1 hour. (Taste periodically and steep longer, depending on how strong you want the infusion to be.) Strain the leaves and reserve the syrup.
- Transfer the cooled syrup to an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.
