Homemade Cola Syrup
Make your own cola with cola syrup to make the best ever Cuba Libre!
Servings 24 servings
Calories 219kcal
Ingredients
Cola Flavoring
- 4 drops wild orange essential oil
- 2 drops cinnamon essential oil
- 6 drops lemon essential oil
- 1 drop coriander essential oil
- ¼ teaspoon orange blossom water
- 2 ounces vodka
- 2 grams gum arabic
Cola Formula
- 3-4 dried bay leaves
- 12 leaves fresh basil
- 1 ounce vodka
- 6 pods vanilla extract
- 6 cups sugar
- 4 cups water
- ½ cup honey
- ½ cup lime juice
- 1 teaspoon citric acid
- 6 ml cola flavoring recipe below
- 5 g caramel coloring
- 2.75 g powdered caffeine optional
For a Cuba Libre
- 2 ounces light rum
- 1 ounce cola syrup
- 4 ounces club soda
- lime wedge for garnish
Instructions
Make the Cola Flavoring
- Combine the oils and vodka. Slowly whisk in the gum arabic. The mixture will turn cloudy yellow in color. If the oils and vodka still separate when the mixture rests, add a small amount of gum arabic until the mixture is emulsified.
Make the Cola Formula
- In a jar with a lid, infuse the bay leaves, basil leaves and vodka. Let sit for 48 hours. Reserving the liquid, strain out the leaves.
- Score vanilla pods lengthwise with the tip of a knife. Using a spoon or knife, carefully scrape the seeds from the pods. Discard the pods or save for a later use.
- In a pan over medium low heat, warm the vanilla seeds, sugar and water. Stir until sugar is dissolved, about 5 minutes. Stir in the honey. Heat for 25 minutes more. Strain the liquid through a fine mesh strainer or a cheesecloth.
- In a large bowl, combine 3 1/2 ounces of the vanilla syrup, the lime juice, citric acid, Cola Flavoring, citric acid and caffeine powder, and 1/2 teaspoon of the basil and bay leaf infusion. Stir until combined.
- Stir the mixture back into the vanilla syrup. Decant into a glass bottle and store in the refrigerator for up to 1 month.
Make the Cuba Libre
- In a highball glass filled with ice, add rum, cola formula and soda water. Garnish with a lime wedge.
Notes
Cooking times do not include 48 hours for the basil & bay leaf infusion in the Cola Formula.
Adapted from the Cuba Libre recipe in The Curious Bartender: The Artistry and Alchemy of Creating the Perfect Cocktail by Tristan Stephenson.
Nutrition
Serving: 1ounce | Calories: 219kcal | Carbohydrates: 56g | Protein: 0.1g | Fat: 0.2g | Saturated Fat: 0.001g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.003g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.001g | Sodium: 3mg | Potassium: 12mg | Fiber: 0.04g | Sugar: 56g | Vitamin A: 16IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 3mg | Iron: 0.1mg
