Wajos Osterol - Tonic Syrup. Bitter orange, gentian and quinine, bittersweet and orangey – the syrup that turns sparkling water into an alcohol-free spritz.

Wajos Osterol - Tonic Syrup is a syrup for making a refreshing, quinine-containing drink, made from sugar, citric acid, natural orange and gentian aromas, and quinine flavoring, colored with concentrates of safflower, lemon, carrot, and blackcurrant, 200 ml from Dohr on the Moselle. Not a ready-made tonic, not a liqueur, not an orange juice syrup, but a bittersweet concentrate with bitter orange that you mix with water yourself. Vegan, non-alcoholic.

Osterol - Tonic Syrup by Wajos is the answer to the question of what the designated driver and the fifteen-year-old should drink when everyone else is holding an orange aperitif on a summer evening. The comparison is obvious: the same bittersweet orange taste, the same color in the glass, the same ice, and the same orange slice – just alcohol-free. A splash of syrup, cold sparkling water, done. For us, it’s the bottle we mix for everyone on the terrace in summer – including those who have to drive later.

Orange up front, gentian and quinine for bitterness, plenty of sweetness in between

The syrup is thick, bright orange, and very sweet on its own – it only really unfolds once mixed with water in a glass. First comes the orange, aromatic and slightly tart like a bitter orange, then the gentian with its dry, rooty bitterness, and finally the quinine, which is what defines a tonic. Honestly: the flavor comes from natural aromas rather than orange juice, and sugar is the first ingredient – 63 grams per 100 milliliters, diluted accordingly in the finished glass. The color comes from plant concentrates rather than dyes. Osterol is not suitable for those expecting a classic, clear tonic for gin – in that case, the Pink Grapefruit Tonic Syrup is a better fit.

As an alcohol-free spritz, with sparkling wine, in a Gin & Tonic, and in a carafe

The standard: a splash of syrup in a glass, top up with cold sparkling water, plenty of ice, an orange slice – start with a little syrup and add more until it’s bittersweet enough. Using dry sparkling wine or Secco instead of water turns it into an alcoholic spritz, or use alcohol-free sparkling wine for a non-alcoholic version. Combined with gin, it makes a Gin & Tonic that tastes like orange: four centiliters of gin, syrup, ice, soda. For guests, you can pre-mix a carafe with water, syrup, ice, and orange slices; it only takes a minute. This syrup is not suitable for coffee, tea, or desserts – the bitterness clashes there.

Our tip: Osterol with sparkling water and a splash of Pêche Rouge Vineyard Peach Secco non-alcoholic – our aperitif for a summer evening where no one has to drive, yet no one has to drink alcohol.

An alcohol-free syrup from the company that started with liqueur

Behind Wajos is the Oster family: Walter Josef Oster, founder of a wine-growing family from Ediger-Eller with 15 generations of viticulture history, opened a liqueur manufactory next to the vineyard in the 1980s. From the 2000s onwards, his son Peter Oster and Ulf Schwichtenberg developed it into the Wajos brand in Dohr near Cochem on the Moselle, today with over 80 employees, their own stores, and a laboratory that tests the products. The fact that a company that started with liqueur also blends non-alcoholic syrups is the logical addition.

The bottle for summer evenings, drivers, and the home bar

Osterol is for everyone who wants a non-alcoholic aperitif that tastes tart rather than juicy, and for hobby bartenders who like to vary their Gin & Tonic. As a gift, it pairs well with a bottle of Botanical Gin or as a set with the other tonic syrups found on our Wajos page. Store in a dry, cool, and dark place; 200 milliliters is enough for about twenty glasses. It is not suitable for those who avoid quinine or for those looking for a sugar-free syrup.

Bitter orange, gentian, and quinine, topped up with sparkling water – the tonic syrup from the Moselle that saves our non-alcoholic summer evenings.