There are few things that are more refreshing in the summer than a cold mojito or mojito mocktail on the patio on a Friday or Saturday evening. Unfortunately, mint can bruise easily from muddling which results in a bitter, grassy taste. Getting the flavor just right in a drink canister for batch mojitos can be hard! Either you’re muddling each one before serving (what we did at our wedding – do not recommend) or ending up with drinks that taste more like lime seltzer. Thankfully, we’ve figured out a secret to big batch mojitos that have a bright burst of mint flavor and can be made the night before. It’s perfect for weddings or your next party or backyard bbq!

The solution? Mint-infused simple syrup.

We love infused simply syrups to add herbal notes to otherwise traditional cocktails (this homemade lavender syrup is one of our favorites). I don’t know why it took us so long to test this technique with the mint for mojitos!

The syrup is incredibly easy to make. You start with preparing the simple syrup, then once it is done and while still warm, remove from heat and steep the mint in the syrup like a tea. Strain out the mint right when it starts to wilt to avoid the bitter, “grass” flavor. The mint-infused simple syrup will stay good in the fridge for 1-2 weeks, so it’s easy to make in advance of a party to minimize the prep work on the day-of.

We serve ours with mint sprigs on the side for guests to add to their own glass. (If you want to seem especially fancy, use master Mixologist Ryan Chetiyawardana’s technique for brightening up the mint aromas before serving, detailed here.)

The syrup is great in big batch mojitos (recipe below) or in my favorite mojito mocktail – infused syrup, lime juice, and Topo Chico or other sparking water. You could also use the mint simple syrup in a Moscow Mule, Mint Julep, or Southside.