Cocktails with Orgeat (almond) syrup
Orgeat is a sweet, non-alcoholic almond syrup flavored with orange flower water or rose water.
Substitutes for Orgeat (almond) syrup
The practical rebuild is almond syrup with two or three drops of flower water, which puts back exactly the part that was missing. Orgeat is thicker and sweeter than most syrups, so match by taste rather than by volume.
Often confused with
Almond syrup
Sugar and almond flavor with no flower water and often no almonds. It sweetens the same way and misses the floral top note that makes orgeat recognizable — a few drops of orange flower water close most of the gap.
Almond-free orgeat
Made on apricot kernel or flavoring instead of nuts. It reads a shade thinner in the glass, so it is worth a barspoon more. It is not a guarantee for a nut-allergic guest: apricot kernel is a stone-fruit product made on shared lines, so read the label and let the guest decide.
Storage
Sealed and commercial, months; homemade, a week or two refrigerated, because real orgeat is a nut emulsion and behaves like one. Separation is normal and shakes back in; a sour smell or a fizz is not.
