Quinine Syrup

Name: Quinine Syrup
Ingredients: 4 cups water; ¼ cup (1 ounce/20 grams) cinchona bark, powdered (a coffee grinder does this well); 3-4 cups rich simple syrup (by volume, two parts sugar to one of boiling water, stirred to dissolve); ¼ cup citric acid, also known as lemon salt; 3 limes, only the peeled zests; 3 lemons, only the peeled zests; 2 sour or Sevilla oranges, only the peeled zests (or peel of 1 grapefruit or pomelo); 1 cup chopped lemongrass (3-4 stalks); 9 whole allspice berries; 6 whole cardamom pods; ¼ teaspoon kosher salt; 1 tablespoon lavender

By Toby Cecchini

Updated May 28, 2026

Total Time: 30 minutes, plus 4 days' refrigeration
Rating: (0)
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Here is a recipe for homemade quinine syrup, which will take the staid gin and tonic up a few notches. The syrup is made from cinchona, the bark of a shrub originally from Peru but now cultivated in various tropical climes worldwide, from which is extracted the alkaloid quinine, the original anti-malarial medication. It is available at a well-stocked herb store or, as always, online.

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Ingredients

Yield:About 6 cups

4 cups water
¼ cup (1 ounce/20 grams) cinchona bark, powdered (a coffee grinder does this well)
3-4 cups rich simple syrup (by volume, two parts sugar to one of boiling water, stirred to dissolve)
¼ cup citric acid, also known as lemon salt
3 limes, only the peeled zests
3 lemons, only the peeled zests
2 sour or Sevilla oranges, only the peeled zests (or peel of 1 grapefruit or pomelo)
1 cup chopped lemongrass (3-4 stalks)
9 whole allspice berries
6 whole cardamom pods
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon lavender

Ingredient Substitution Guide

Preparation

Step 1
In a covered saucepan, bring all ingredients except the simple syrup to a boil and reduce heat immediately; simmer on low for a half hour, then remove from heat and allow to cool fully. Transfer to a carafe and chill for two days. Strain through a superfine chinois or cheesecloth, or by using a plunger press coffee maker. Return to carafe and refrigerate for a day or two, allowing sediment to accumulate on bottom. When layer seems stable, gently decant off the clearer liquid without disturbing the sediment “mud.” It should be about 3 cups at this point; add to this liquid an equal measure of rich simple syrup, mixing well. Funnel into a clean, cappable bottle and refrigerate. Makes roughly 6 cups or 1.5 liters.