It’s no secret that buying syrups is not something recommended in craft cocktails. That said, not all syrups are easy to make or something that you want to take the time to make. Pumpkin spice syrup has many iterations of varying difficulties. Some of these, like our own (used in the Basic Witch and Apple Spice Harvest) do not include puree, and are very easy to make. Others, include pumpkin puree, which are slightly more difficult. Since ours doesn’t include puree, we decided to see what the easy route was like, and try Pumpkin Real: Pumpkin Puree Infused Syrup
Pumpkin Real: Pumpkin Puree Infused Syrup
In addition to the above, my wife had a wonderful experience with syrup in a Pumpkin Pie Margarita at a Cleveland Cavalier’s game. So we didn’t enter this completely blind. Does it hold up when it isn’t free?
- Ingredients: Sugar, Pumpkin Puree, Glycerol, Water, Seasonings, Contains Sulfites, Sodium Alginate, Potassium Sorbate (To Preserve Freshness)
- Calories: 100 / 1 oz
- Total Sugars: 23g / 1 oz
Sight: Thick, rich, orangey-brown that looks like a liquid pumpkin pie.
Smell: The pumpkin pie filling characteristic carries forward here with clearly defined elements of roasted pumpkin, bright cloves, fresh ginger, and plenty of cinnamon. It honestly smells amazingly like pie filling.
Sip: It’s thick. Not like cream, like milkshake or smoothie thick. The flavors of pumpkin pie filling, from roasted pumpkin to all the baking spices (clove, cinnamon, ginger, et al) all come forward. There’s a nice caramelized sugar flavor that runs through the back. Unsurprisingly, it’s all quite sweet.
Savor: Pumpkin pie lingers deliciously with all the spice and sweetness.
Look – Pumpkin Real: Pumpkin Puree Infused Syrup is syrup. The vast majority of people aren’t going to drink this neat. That said, if you’re looking for pumpkin puree that tastes like pumpkin pie on it’s own, this syrup is very well made. Overall, it’s a very pleasant, pumpkin forward syrup that implies it would do well in cocktails.
In Cocktails
In everything we used it from, from Margaritas to Old Fashioneds, Pumpkin Real: Pumpkin Puree Infused Syrup has performed beautifully. It manages to convey great flavors of pumpkin puree and baking spices without overwhelming the base spirits. There are two very small issues we’ve seen with this syrup. First, it’s thick, and occasionally sticks in the shaker or mixing vessel. This thickness also impacts the texture of drinks slightly (how you feel about this will be personal preference, I think it’s quite nice). The second small issue is just the amount of it that drinks seem to require to get the amount of pumpkin flavor to where we like it (it’s quite a bit more than most syrups we use). These are the smallest quibbles in the grand scheme of things, as in general, it performs fantastically.
In Review – Pumpkin Real: Pumpkin Puree Infused Syrup
Pumpkin Real: Pumpkin Puree Infused Syrup is fantastic for the money. While I was initially doubtful, this pumpkin puree is wonderful for quickly turning out pumpkin flavored cocktails and other drinks. If you’re a fan of that profile, I can’t recommend it enough. You can pick one up from Amazon*.
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