Organic Elderflower Syrup

Elderflower syrup for Hugo and spring lemonade

Bacanha's organic elderflower syrup is a French floral syrup with elderflower aroma and organic lemon juice, crafted in a workshop near Paris. Floral, fresh, and delicately sweet. It is the foundation of every Hugo, and 400 ml is enough for about 20 glasses.

Elderflower syrup is the scent of spring in liquid form and belongs to the Sirop Brut range from the Parisian manufacturer Bacanha. Black elderberry only blooms for a few weeks in May and June, and once you have perceived the fragrance on a hedge, you will recognize it immediately in a glass.

Floral, fresh, and delicately sweet

Elderflower smells of honey and nutmeg, with a green note that brings to mind freshly mown meadows.

This triad is preserved in the syrup, supported by organic lemon juice, which keeps the floral note clear rather than letting it turn perfumy. The label lists organic cane sugar, water, elderflower aroma, concentrated organic lemon juice, and citric acid. On the palate, it is floral, juicy, and fresh, with a long finish.

Anyone who has made their own syrup knows the effort involved: cutting the umbels, shaking them out, soaking them in simple syrup, waiting two days, filtering, and bottling. And all that in the short window of time when the elder is actually blooming. This bottle saves you the work and can be opened all year round.

The Hugo needs it, absolutely

Two centiliters of syrup in a wine glass, Prosecco on top, soda water, a few mint leaves, and a slice of lime. The Hugo is ready, and without elderflower, it would just be a spritz.

Without alcohol, it works the same way with soda water alone, making it a perfect drink for an afternoon in the garden. The blossom is equally at home in cold green tea, drizzled over strawberries with mint, or in a sorbet.

It also performs surprisingly well where you wouldn't expect it. A splash in a vinaigrette for a leafy salad with goat cheese, a spoonful over roasted apricots, or a small amount in a lemon risotto. The blossom adds a sweetness that is hard to pin down.

In the kitchen, it belongs in fruit salads, cake batter, and anything involving berries. For a complete Hugo, you will also need organic mint syrup or fresh mint, and the organic lime syrup provides the necessary acidity.

A blossom with a short window of time

The syrups are mixed in a workshop in Saint-Soupplets, a good 40 kilometers northeast of Paris.

The aromas are created in Grasse in the hinterland of the Côte d'Azur, the city that has been considered the world capital of perfumery since the 16th century. With a blossom, every hour counts, because scents are volatile, and what is not extracted immediately after harvest is lost. Extraction, distillation, and enfleurage are the processes used to address this.

"Preserving the authenticity of the aromas," as the manufacturer describes their work, is the highest priority for flowers. The organic cane sugar comes from regenerative agriculture in Brazil; all varieties maintain a pH level below 4.5 and around 60 degrees Brix. We carry 25 varieties from the Bacanha range, from citrus to floral to spicy. Spring to keep on hand.

For the Hugo, a splash of soda at the end

For a Hugo, use 2 centiliters in a large wine glass, plenty of ice, then Prosecco, and finally a splash of soda. For lemonade, use a ratio of one part syrup to 8 to 10 parts water, plus a slice of lemon. Once opened, the bottle belongs in the refrigerator, where it will keep for 2 months. You can find more floral varieties in our syrup selection.

Organic control number FR-BIO-01 – French Agriculture