📰 The Wolfsden Dispatch- Issue #5

Skip the factory syrups!  Take a close look at what this “Grenadine Syrup” manufacturer mixes together and calls “a special flavor”.

Grenadine??? Where’s the pomegranate juice then? Instead, I see high fructose corn syrup, Red 40 and Blue 1 (what is that for?), and sodium benzoate as a preservative. When sodium benzoate mixes with acids (like citrus), it can form benzene, a known carcinogen.

This is exactly why we craft ours fresh at The Wolfsden — and I’ll show you step-by- step how to make your own syrups yourself in this issue and in upcoming videos on my YouTube channel. They will not only be healthier, they will be much more delicious! A few fresh ingredients and a short pour of your time give you unmatched taste and control — that’s the type of move that sets a true home bar apart.

🐺 Welcome back to The Wolfsden Dispatch, where cocktails meet cameras — and where we believe every home bar ought to be stocked with the same care and quality as any proper shop. This week we’re shifting focus to the backbone of most of our specs: homemade crafted syrups. They’re simple to make, full of flavor, and give total control over sweetness, weight, and character in a way no store-bought, high fructose corn-syrup imposter can.

These are the 7 syrups we rely on regularly at The Wolfsden, with notes and links so you can easily make them at home!

🍹 7 Amazing Wolfsden Homemade Syrups

1️⃣ Turbinado Simple (2:1)
 2 cups turbinado sugar
 1 cup water.
Warm over medium heat, stir until dissolved. Don’t boil. Cool, bottle, and store in the fridge. Brings gentle molasses warmth, and smoothes out sharp edges, giving your cocktail a rich, satisfying finish.

2️⃣ Grenadine
1 cup pure POM pomegranate juice
1 cup turbinado sugar 
½ tsp orange blossom water
¼ tsp rose water 
Warm the juice, stir in sugar until dissolved. Remove from heat, add orange blossom and rose water. Bottle and refrigerate. Brings a floral, slightly tart layer that sits well with everything from tequila to whiskey.

3️⃣ Orgeat (Almond Syrup)
2 cups of unsweetened almond milk
1½ cups of turbinado sugar
½ teaspoon almond extract
½ teaspoon rose water
1 teaspoon orange blossom water
Heat the milk and turbinado sugar over medium heat, stirring until it starts to bubble lightly — don’t let it roll into a full boil. Remove from heat and add the other ingredients, stirring well. Let cool, then bottle it up and refrigerate.
It’s creamy, nutty, and softly floral — makes a Mai Tai taste as it should!

4️⃣ Citrus Peel Syrup
1½ cups citrus peels
1½ cups turbinado sugar
1½ cups water
¼ cup fresh citrus juice (after straining).
Bring peels, sugar, and water to a slow boil, reduce to simmer ~12 min. Muddle a bit, strain, stir in fresh citrus juice while warm. Bottle, refrigerate. A clean way to pull the oils and juice together. Adds a bright top note to any sour.

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5️⃣ Honey Syrup (2:1)
2 cups honey
1 cup water
Stir ingredients over medium heat until fully blended. No need to boil. Cool, bottle, fridge. Keeps the raw floral edge of the honey but makes it easy to work into any spirit-forward cocktail that needs a bit of taming.

6️⃣ Strawberry Syrup
1½ cups sliced strawberries
1½ cups turbinado sugar
1½ cups water
Bring to a gentle simmer for 10-12 min, muddling berries lightly as you stir. Do not boil the mixture. Strain well. Cool, bottle, refrigerate. Bright, honest, delicious strawberry — built for daiquiris, spritzes, or to twist up a classic sour.

7️⃣ Blackberry Syrup
1½ cups blackberries
1½ cups turbinado sugar
1½ cups water.
Same process as strawberry syrup. Simmer 10-12 min, mash slightly, strain.
Cool, bottle, fridge. Bold, a little rugged, and right at home in whiskey, and even more! Deep blackberry flavor with an earthy bite that hits best in whiskey sours, rye ld fashioneds, or even a bold gin smash.

The following are the exact tools I use in my endeavors here at The Wolfsden, crafting syrups — from our rich turbinado simple to homemade grenadine and orgeat. I’m providing affiliate links for your convenience. If you make a purchase through one of these links, The Wolfsden may earn a small commission, at no extra charge to you.

Dual Burner Hot Plate — Keeps syrup-making right at the bar, without tying up the kitchen.

Stainless Steel Heavy-Bottom Saucepan — Prevents scorching and distributes heat evenly for consistent syrups.

Fine Mesh Strainer — Essential for removing fruit solids, rinds and pulp, or citrus zest.

Funnel — Makes transferring syrups into bottles clean and effortless.

Storage Bottles — Swing-top or Boston rounds keep your syrups fresh and professional.

Citrus Press — For fresh lemon, lime, or orange juice right into your builds.

Glass Measuring Beakers — For precise pours and easy scaling of your 2:1 ratios.🐺 What do you want to see next at The Wolfsden?

What do you want to see next from The Wolfsden? If there’s a cocktail build you’re after, a bar skill you’ve been curious about, or a camera angle you want broken down, just let me know. Reply to this email, drop a comment on the latest video, or even send a note by mail. It helps me keep the Wolfsden Home Bar focused on what matters most to you, and to the other members of the Pack.

🐺 This Week’s Shoutout: Jim Barnhill from Salty Squid

This week’s shoutout goes to Jim Barnhill, an Army veteran and owner of Salty Squid- an e-commerce business that offers specialty craft items. Jim generously gifted The Wolfsden with a fantastic Artisan Ice Cube Maker that produces stunning 2-inch crystal-clear cubes, perfect for Old Fashioneds, Rusty Nails, Negronis, and more. We are thankful for his service, his business acumen, and his generosity. Thank you, Jim!

#WolfsdenWeeklyShoutout📍 Connect with The Wolfsden:

• Subscribe to The Wolfsden Home Bar on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@WolfsdenHomeBar

•  https://thewolfsdenhomebar.com/ is under construction, but coming soon!

• Treewolf Photography: https://treewolfphoto.com 

• 🏕 The Wolfsden Outpost is opening soon!!! — your one-stop spot for gear, merch, and exclusive Pack swag. You will be able to stock up and fly your colors, so keep your eyes on the trail…

📸 🍸 🐺💛 Support the Den

If you enjoyed this issue, please share it with a friend.

If you believe in what we’re building—clear methods, beautiful cocktails, and a creative space for real people—you can help keep the bar stocked and the cameras rolling.
Support gifts of any kind are appreciated:

🍸 A bar tool or memento
📬 A personal note
 💵 A contribution toward gear, ingredients, or editing time
Every bit helps us pour into this craft and share it with the world.

📫 Mail to:
The Wolfsden Home Bar
PO Box 101
Eastport, NY 11941

Scan the QR code below, or support the Pack!

Or you can choose to help keep the cocktails flowing with our custom checkout!

Some of the links in this Dispatch are affiliate links. If you use them to make a purchase, we may earn a small commission — at no extra cost to you. Thanks for supporting The Wolfsden! 🐺

Thanks for stepping into the craft. —Treewolf West

Please enjoy… and if you drink, drink responsibly.