Message 18313 of 39188 in General Discussion

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> I went to two liquor stores last night for sour mix and they didn't 
> have any.  They've never even heard of it!!
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Thank Goodness!

Using store bought sour mix in your cocktails, is like making Paella using 
Minute Rice.

Any recipe that lists "sour mix" as an ingredient (without also providing the 
directions for how to make it from scratch) should be immediately tossed into 
the trash. (and yes, this is a personal opinion :-)

If a recipe calls for:

1/2 ounce sour mix

then replace that with:

1/4 ounce fresh lemon juice
1/4 ounce simple syrup

And you'll make a far better cocktail.

If you really, really, want to use sour mix, then you can easily make it from 
scratch using the following recipe:

1 part lemon juice (or lime juice, or a combination thereof)
1 part simple syrup

And to make simple syrup, use the following recipe:

1 part water (simmering)
2 parts sugar (I like 2 parts, some folks prefer 1 part)
- Stir until totally dissolved
- Allow to cool
- Store in a squirt bottle
Optional: Add 1 1/2 ounce vodka per pint of simple syrup to make it shelf 
stable. Otherwise store in a refridgerator.

-Robert Hess
 www.DrinkBoy.com
 www.MuseumOfTheAmericanCocktail.org