Maple trees have long since given their sticky sap to us humans to transform into the satisfyingly sweet form of maple syrup. At Runamok Maple, they’ve further altered the syrup into culinary and mixology additives. Nestled in the postcard worthy slopes of Mount Mansfield (northern Vermont), Runamok spans a total of 1,350 acres with tap access to 81,000 trees. Aside from offering their traditional maple syrup, Runamok is constantly developing new, innovative recipes to stretch maple syrup’s usage. Currently, they offer three delicious, creative collections: Infused, Smoked, and Barrel-aged.
The Runamok Infusions start with their best organic maple syrup, which is then infused with a variety of fresh ingredients. Flavors presently available include Elderberry, Makrut Lime-Lead, Hibiscus Flower, Cardamom, and Cinnamon + Vanilla. Infusions are best incorporated into cocktails and other treats screaming for a unique flavor pop.
The Bourbon Confidential
2 oz bourbon
¼ lemon
½ oz Hibiscus Infused Maple
Put some ice in a glass and squeeze the lemon over it until all of the juice is rendered. Add the bourbon and Hibiscus Infused Maple and stir gently.
Pecan Wood is the lone ranger under their Runamok Smoked line at the moment. The prominent smoke flavor is perfect in a daring drink or drizzled over those BBQ favorites.
Smoke and Mirrors
1 oz rye whiskey
2 oz pear juice
½ oz Pimm’s
½ tsp Pecan Wood Smoked Maple Syrup
1 thick slice of fresh ginger
Put the first five ingredients in a glass. Muddle the ginger a bit with a spoon. Stir and add ice. Makes one showstopper of a drink.
Last, but certainly not least, Runamok Barrel-aged options utilize recently emptied barrels from local distillers to age their syrup for up to a year. The resulting, non-alcoholic product combines the pleasant flavors from Bourbon, Rye Whiskey, or Rum with the classic maple sweetness. Barrel-aged syrups want to be the star of the show and are most effectively poured over ice cream or pancakes.
