Recipe for tonic
We all know the drink Gin & Tonic, which is extremely popular—especially in the summer.
Did you know that you can actually make your own tonic?
The characteristic tonic flavor comes from quinine, which is either extracted from cinchona bark or, as is often the case today, synthesized. Quinine is known, among other things, for its ability to cure malaria. Today, the content of natural quinine in store-bought tonic water is much lower than it used to be.
We have this recipe from the book: “Gin – Recipes for Gin, Tonic, and Cocktails“, written by Jesper Schmidt, who says the following about the recipe:
“Tonic consists of a base syrup to which soda water is added. It’s easy, you won’t run out of tonic, and you get a tonic that costs you about 1 krone per drink. It’s the quinine that gives tonic its characteristic clear, bitter taste. The recipes use real quinine, and therefore the color is also a bit darker than in the tonic you buy. Tonic syrup can be made in different ways, but here you get a basic version:
This tonic is straightforward in flavor, and it is good in drinks where you would typically use an Indian tonic, such as a classic G&T. The recipe yields about ½ liter of finished syrup, which is enough for 20 large G&T’s. If you want a less bitter tonic syrup, you can use only 30 g of cinchona bark.”
Ingredients
- 40 gram China Bark dried - not powdered
- 0.5 liters Water cold
- 200 gram Cane Sugar
- 6 gram Citric Acid
Instructions
- Place the cinchona bark in a saucepan, pour water over it, and bring to a boil.
- Turn off the heat as soon as it boils, cover the pan, and let it steep for 20 minutes.
- Strain the liquid through a coffee filter.
- Add sugar and citric acid, and stir until the sugar is dissolved.
- Place it in the refrigerator.
- Pour the cold syrup into your sterilized container, and refrigerate.
- The syrup can be stored in the refrigerator for 2-3 weeks.
- Mixing ratio: 1 part tonic syrup to 3 parts soda water.