It’s that time of week when we answer the questions you’re too drunk or shy to ask…This question comes from Stephen:I’ve noticed honey syrup and agave nectar on many drink menus. I’ve seen agave at Whole Foods and I know it’s an alternative sweetener, but why would a bartender want to use it in a cocktail?Have you ever been at some hippie cafe and had to put honey in your drip coffee instead of sugar? It tastes different. Honey is sweeter than sugar and carries its own flavor, whereas sugar just tastes sweet. You either like it or you don’t. Agave nectar is sweeter still than honey but not as gloopy, so it’s easier to dissolve, and it also can add its own flavor to drinks. Bartenders are proving it’s not just for Whole Foods shoppers anymore. Agave nectar comes from any member of the agave family (which includes the blue agave used to make tequila). The plant is a large succulent that looks similar to an aloe plant, with long, pointy leaves. Agave nectar has increased in popularity for many reasons. It’s high in fructose, the sweet “-ose” that doesn’t effect insulin production as much as sucrose. (Refined table sugar is sucrose, a combo of fructose and glucose.) Vegans use the nectar instead of honey, and health nuts and raw foodies use it instead of refined white sugar. Bartenders use it because it is readymade and can easily dissolve in cold beverages. I’m not the biggest fan of simple syrup (table sugar + water); it adds no flavor, just sweetness, so I use it sparingly. I’ll normally use strong local honeys to make syrups for my drinks because I use honey in other things and have it around, but I do like the flavor that a dark agave nectar can impart in a drink. The color of the agave nectar will be a clue to its taste; the darker the agave, the more caramel flavor it will add to your drink. I use agave nectar most in infinite variations of reposado tequila mixed with fresh juices, namely pineapple and grapefruit. Adding agave nectar is like turning up the bass, giving a little depth and richness to a drink. If the booze or fruit in a drink recipe sounds like it might match well with agave’s caramel notes, by all means switch out your boring simple syrup for this exotic sweet.Got a question for the bartender? Email me at msavarino@seattleweekly.com.