Sweet and sour bar mix, commonly referred to as sour mix, bar mix or sweet & sour among bartenders is a mixture of lemon juice and syrup. Basically, sour mix is a mere combination of sugar syrup and citrus juice. Sour mix forms a very important and essential ingredient at the bars and for home mixologists. It is normally used as a base for many drinks such as margaritas and also forms an integral component of numerous other drinks.
You can find an already pre-mixed sweet and sour bar mix in almost all bars or places where spirits and other alcoholic beverages are sold, and better still, you can easily make your own at home. The idea behind sour mix is one of efficacy, particularly in a busy work environment such as a huge party or a bar. By simply pre-mixing freshly pressed citrus juice and simple syrup, and then bottling up and storing in a cool dry place, you ease the boring and tiresome task of doing it every time for each drink ordered.
To prepare your own sour mix, it is advisable to use equal parts of simple syrup and citrus juice. You would require:
- 3 cups sugar
- 2 cups fresh lime juice
- 2 cups fresh lemon juice
- 3 cups water
- 2 eggs (optional)
The first step is to combine and mix evenly the sugar and water in a large saucepan as you bring to moderate heat. Meanwhile, combine lemon juice, lime juice and syrup in a pitcher and then add to the concoction and refrigerate. Before refrigerating, you may opt to add 2 egg whites for each liter of the concoction. The egg whites make the sour mix a little foamy. Note that you can adjust the ratios of sugar/juice to have the desired balance of sourness and sweetness.
Home made sweet and sour bar mix is far much better than the artificially processed ones. The drinks will turn out very tasteful and flavorful. The mix can be refrigerated for up to a week, in a tight lid container.
For professional mixologists, say those who work in a bar, a more complex sour mix cocktail recipe will not only help with efficacy but also taste marvelous. Apple Margarita, Golden Margarita and Frozen Margarita are the common cocktails that use sour mix. This recipe is a bit complex than the normal simple syrup/citric juice mixture; perhaps because the recipe deals with more than just the mixture's flavor. It deals with the overall texture created in the cocktail. Thus, additives like maltodextrin (natural sugars) are added to increase the thickness in addition to providing the capability of foaming.
Lime peels are also used to add flavor as the oils found in the peels get blended in the mix. Further, they augment a natural green color for your bar mix. On the other hand, citric acid helps make the final product consistent; bearing in mind that fruits can be very inconsistent at times. Corn syrup is used to assist the sugar not to re-crystallize. The preparation method is similar to that of simple sour mix.
Sweet and sour bar mix, commonly referred to as sour mix, bar mix or sweet & sour among bartenders is a mixture of lemon juice and syrup. Basically, sour mix is a mere combination of sugar syrup and citrus juice. Sour mix forms a very important and essential ingredient at the bars and for home mixologists. It is normally used as a base for many drinks such as margaritas and also forms an integral component of numerous other drinks.
