Original Orgeat Cocktail Syrup

At BG Reynolds, we specialize in the tiki cocktail. Some of those can be obscure: your Cobra's Fangs, Jet Pilots, Pi-Yis, and whatnot. But if there's one cocktail that pushed its way through from secretive notebooks and into the mainstream, it's the Mai Tai. And what makes a Mai Tai? Well, some combination of aged rums (a much discussed and highly objective subject), a good Orange Curaçao, lime juice, and the critical ingredient, Orgeat.

What is Orgeat? First, let me ensure we're on the same page with the history and pronunciation. It's the French word for barley, used to make barley milk a nutrition-rich drink and often flavored with almonds. Eventually, someone decided to skip the barley and enjoy a simple, rich, sweetened almond milk, but it kept that name, Orgeat. So, how do you pronounce Orgeat? OAR… yes, like the thing you'd row a boat with, and then ZSA, like biting down on a J and letting it go. OAR ZSA. Not OR GEET, OR GIT, or OR JEET.

At BG Reynolds, we've taken a unique and meticulous approach to crafting our Original Orgeat. Our mission is to simplify and enhance tiki drinks, and creating our own Orgeat was a natural step in this direction. We've strived to ensure that a delicious Mai Tai is always within reach, and our Original Orgeat is the intriguing result of that inspiration. This unwavering commitment to quality ensures that every sip of your cocktail is as delicious as the first.

It's been asked a time or two, if Orgeat is just sweetened almond milk, and there are so many other Orgeats on the market that are milky white, why is BG Reynolds Orgeat a rich golden color? We've done the sweetened almond milk thing, and it's okay. You can add a touch of Orange Blossom water, though it doesn't make or break the drink. During our recipe development, we found that the best rich almond flavor came from keeping the skin on the almonds as we cooked up the Orgeat. The skin adds a touch of a bitter element you may not taste straight in the syrup but goes into the cocktail to provide more balance than you'd get with artificially flavored almond milk. We also use brown sugar in our recipe to give every cocktail a touch of molasses backbone, so it doesn't just sweeten. It balances the drink and brings out the best in your rum blend of choice.

But the appeal of BG Reynolds Original Orgeat extends beyond the realm of Mai Tais. In the world of classic tiki cocktails, it adds an unforgettable twist to a FogCutter. It can also elevate non-rum drinks with its unique flavor profile, like the Eastern Sour. Even the classic Amaretto sour is transformed with just a dash of BG Reynolds Original Orgeat, giving it a rich, velvety texture. This adaptability opens up a world of possibilities for any mixologist or cocktail enthusiast, sparking creativity and innovation.

How about Orgeat in coffee? BG Reynolds makes for a fantastic flavor that doesn't overwhelm the senses with awful artificial flavors. Pour it over pancakes to give a nutty richness to your breakfast. You can even add a splash to almond milk to give it that extra oomph of flavor. Whatever uses come to mind, we say, go nuts!

Our Original Orgeat is more than just a flavored simple syrup. It's a carefully crafted blend with a rich ratio of more sugar to less water, ensuring a more flavorful and textured drink experience. The taste of our Original Orgeat is a perfect balance of the sweetness of natural cane sugar with rich, nutty whole almonds. Each bottle of BG Reynolds syrup is sealed tight after bottling, guaranteeing its freshness and quality. For the best taste, we recommend storing it in the refrigerator and using it within a year.