How to make simple syrup and flavoured syrups at home: ratios and storage

TUREFF• •0

Simple syrup is the most useful thing you can make for a home bar. It costs almost nothing, takes five minutes and sweetens a cold drink evenly, which granulated sugar cannot do. Once you have the basic version, flavoured syrups are just a small step further, and they are just as useful in alcohol-free drinks, iced tea and coffee.

Why use syrup instead of sugar

Sugar dissolves slowly in cold liquid, so a drink sweetened with granules is gritty at the bottom and sour at the top. Syrup mixes straight in, and because it is measured by volume, you get the same balance every time.

The two basic ratios

Simple syrup (1:1): equal parts sugar and water by volume or by weight. This is what most cocktail recipes mean by "simple syrup".
Rich syrup (2:1): two parts sugar to one part water. It is sweeter, so you use less, adds a slightly fuller texture, and keeps longer in the fridge.

Check which one a recipe expects. Swapping rich syrup into a recipe written for 1:1 makes the drink noticeably sweeter.

How to make it

Put the sugar and water in a pan.
Warm gently, stirring, until all the sugar has dissolved. It does not need to boil; boiling evaporates water and changes the ratio.
Let it cool, then pour it into a clean bottle or jar with a lid.

For 1:1 syrup you can skip the heat: shake sugar and hot water from the kettle in a sealed jar until clear.

Different sugars

White sugar: neutral; lets the spirit and citrus lead.
Demerara or light brown sugar: a caramel, toffee note that suits whisky and aged rum.
Honey syrup: honey loosened with warm water, often around 3:1 or 2:1 honey to water, so it pours. Lovely with gin, whisky and lemon.
Agave syrup: often thinned a little with water; pairs naturally with tequila.

Flavoured syrups

The method is the same; you add flavour while the syrup is warm, let it steep, then strain.

Ginger: simmer sliced fresh ginger in the syrup, steep, strain. Strong and warming; great with whisky, rum or soda water on its own.
Cinnamon or other whole spices: break up sticks or crush pods lightly, steep in warm syrup.
Herbs (mint, basil, rosemary, thyme): add after the pan comes off the heat; boiling makes delicate herbs taste stewed.
Citrus: steep strips of peel (no white pith, which is bitter) in warm syrup.
Fruit: simmer berries or chopped fruit gently, then strain through a fine sieve.
Tea: brew strong tea, then dissolve sugar into it.

Taste as it steeps and strain when it is right; longer is not always better.

Storage

Keep syrup in a clean, sealed bottle in the fridge.
Plain 1:1 syrup keeps for a few weeks; rich 2:1 syrup keeps longer because the higher sugar content slows spoilage.
Flavoured syrups, especially those with fruit or fresh herbs, spoil faster, so make small batches.
Label each bottle with what it is and the date.
Throw it away if it turns cloudy, grows anything, smells off or starts to ferment. When in doubt, make a fresh batch; it costs almost nothing.

Some bartenders add a small splash of a neutral spirit to help syrup keep. If the syrup is meant for alcohol-free drinks or for someone avoiding alcohol, leave that out.

Using it well

Start with less than you think, taste, and add more. A sour drink that is slightly too tart is easier to fix than one that is too sweet. What is your favourite homemade syrup, and what do you use it in? Share your recipes in the comments.