This cocktail starts with homemade jalapeño ginger syrup. The syrup makes enough for a dozen cocktails, and you can scale the ingredients in the cocktail recipe to serve as many people as you like. The mint garnish adds a little fresh cool down to this double-kick drink.
4 jalapeno chilies, sliced into thin rounds (seeds left in)
For each cocktail
2 ounceslight rum
2 ouncesjalapeno ginger syrup
½ ouncelime juice
6 ouncesReed’s Ginger Brew
Ice cubes
Mint, for garnish
Instructions
In a small (1½ quart) saucepan over medium heat, combine the sugar, water, ginger and chilies. Stir to combine. Bring up to a simmer (this will take 10–12 minutes), turn the heat down to low and let simmer for 5 minutes. Turn off the heat. Let the syrup steep for 30 minutes.Place a wire mesh strainer or colander over a bowl and line it with a double layer of cheesecloth. Pour the syrup through the strainer. Let it cool to room temperature, chill for at least 2 hours, and refrigerate until ready to use, up to 2 weeks.To make each cocktail: In a glass, stir together the rum, ginger syrup and lime juice. Add ice cubes. Pour in ginger beer and stir to combine. Serve garnished with a sprig of mint.