What is an oleo-saccharum, and how does it differ from a simple syrup? Both simple syrups and oleo-saccharums are used as an ingredient to sweeten cocktails. Simple syrup is made by dissolving equal parts of sugar and water together. A flavored simple syrup is usually made by adding fruit or an herb to the water and sugar mixture as the water dissolves, with any fruit, pith or herbs strained out. Oleo-saccharum, however, is a mix of fat or oil and sugar, and it’s a syrup technique that’s been around for hundreds of years. Here, no water is needed. It is made when muddling a citrus peel or zest along with sugar, leaving the oil from the citrus and the sugar to mix together as the sugar dissolves. Muddling of the citrus is important to help release the oils from the citrus rind. It creates a much more concentrated syrup that is very aromatic. In other words, a little goes a long way. 

Unless a recipe calls for zest, citrus rinds are bitter and often discarded without use. If you have citrus at home that you’re using for other purposes, for example if you’re squeezing grapefruit, oranges, lemons or limes to make fresh juice, then making an oleo-saccharum is actually a great way to give purpose to the rind that would otherwise be thrown away. Instead of juicing with the rind on, carefully remove the rind first and then you'll have extended the use of your citrus!

Recently, our Burlington Tasting Room bartender Given Campbell created an oleo-saccharum using grapefruit, which he integrated into a delicious riff on an Old Fashioned using our Straight Bourbon combined with the slightly bitter Cynar and grapefruit flavors, as well as Angostura Bitters.

Here, Given shares how to make a grapefruit oleo-saccharum and his Old-Fashioned-inspired recipe called Yesterday’s Sunshine:

GRAPEFRUIT OLEO-SACCHARUM

Ingredients:
-6-8 grapefruits
-demerara sugar

Instructions:
Rinse the grapefruits really well. Peel the grapefruit to get as much of the outside peel as possible, while avoiding too much pith (as pith will add bitterness to the flavor). Weigh the grapefruit peels, then weigh out the same amount of grams of demerara sugar, and add both to a Mason jar. Muddle the sugar into the grapefruit peels. Then, shake the contents every day until the sugar is completely dissolved. Strain the peels from the liquid, and store the oleo-saccharum for up to one week in the refrigerator.

YESTERDAY’S SUNSHINE COCKTAIL

Ingredients:
-1.5 oz. of Straight Bourbon
-1/2 oz. of Cynar
-1/4 oz. of Grapefruit Oleo Saccharum
-3 Dashes of Angostura Bitters

Instructions:
Combine all ingredients in a mixing glass. Add ice, then stir well to incorporate. Pour over a large ice cube in a rocks glass. Garnish with an orange twist.

Most oleo-saccharum recipes can be made in 24 hours or less, so while it does require a little preparation, you don’t have to wait too long to get a highly flavorful and aromatic citrus syrup that adds a ton of flavor to your cocktails. If you need a bottle of our Straight Bourbon to make this cocktail at home, visit our website or stop by one of our Tasting Rooms. If you need Angostura Bitters, we carry those at our Burlington Tasting Room, as well. Cheers!

Recipe by Given Campbell for Mad River Distillers. Written and published by Brianne Lucas on February 17, 2025.