INGREDIENTS:

1000g water
1000g sugar
30g (1.5%) citric acid
30g (1.5%) lactic acid
60g (3%) malic acid

PROCEDURE:

Bring a volume of water greater than 800g to a boil. Weigh and combine remaining dry ingredients in a heatproof container large enough to hold the total volume of dry ingredients and water combined. When the water has come to a boil add 800g of boiling water to the dry ingedients, stirring to incorporate. Allow to cool. Label, date, and reserve. Will keep refrigerated 30 days (indefinitely, in theory).

What happens when you take the CLM 6% build and sweeten the deal? Why, you have a neutral cordial, or a nonperishable sweet and sour mix if you will. The applications for this process are practically limitless. Wondering what to do with all of those spent citrus hulls? Why not throw them in to this neutral cordial off the boil (add the boiling water and stir for about 10-20 seconds to bring the temperature down before tossing in the citrus) at around 20% by weight. Better yet, why not smoke them for a smoked citrus cordial? How about vac-sealing the spent citrus hulls with 2% kosher salt by weight for a week or so and then adding them in, making a preserved citrus cordial? Here’s what any of those might look like:

SPENT CITRUS HULL CORDIAL VARIANT

1000g water
1000g sugar
400g spent citrus hulls (20% any citrus, fresh, smoked, preserved, etc.)
30g (1.5%) citric acid
30g (1.5%) lactic acid
60g (3%) malic acid

Whatever you decide, the resulting cordial can be used in place of both citrus and simple syrup in a cocktail build, though I recommend starting with half of the total volume of both and going from there. Since this is essentially an acidified simple syrup you may also need to add additional acidity, so more CLM 6%, citrus, etc. (we recently can a preserved lime buck using .75oz of preserved lime cordial using the aforementioned variant and ended up adding .25oz CLM 6% to balance it out.

Also, when done properly, any variation of this recipe will be pasteurized and effectively shelf stable, making them ideal for use in a takeout cocktail program.

You do you.