What is simple syrup?
Simple syrup is a mix of sugar and water, commonly in equal parts. Below we'll show you a few ways to customise it to your taste. It's super easy to make and quick. Yes you can buy it, our recommendation though is to make it yourself, you know exactly what's in it, it lasts for months and months (stored properly!), it's cheaper and has a better texture.
Why should I make simple syrup?
It's the most commonly used syrup in cocktail recipes. It will unlock a whole menu of cocktails you can make. It takes literally 5 minutes, and you can put it in cocktails or over pancakes. Most cocktails call for a straight 1:1 simple syrup.
Our recommendation though is to make a semi-rich simple syrup. We like the texture it adds, it's a little more syrupy and gives a silky quality to your drinks. Plus it stops them coming out thin. You can balance out the sweetness by using a little less of it in a recipe that calls for straight simple. You'll notice in our recipes we tend to call for a semi-rich. One of our favourites, the Bramble, is great with one.
One more thing: in tropical style drinks it holds up really well against all that crushed ice.
The three ratios
The only difference between the three is how much sugar you dissolve into the same amount of water. Weigh both, don't measure by volume, sugar settles differently depending on how you scoop it.
| Syrup | Sugar | Water | Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Simple | 500g | 500g | 1:1 |
| Semi-rich | 750g | 500g | 1.5:1 |
| Rich | 1000g | 500g | 2:1 |
Scale it up or down as you like, the ratio is the thing that matters. 500g of water is 500ml if you'd rather use a jug for that bit.
Ingredients
- Sugar, weighed to whichever ratio you're making from the table above. Caster combines quickest, standard granulated is fine, it'll just take a little longer
- Water
How to make it
- Prep time
- 1 minute
- Cooking time
- 3-4 minutes
- Total time
- 5 minutes
- 1Weigh out your sugar and water to whichever ratio you're making.
- 2Preheat a saucepan on a low heat.
- 3Add the sugar and water to the pan and stir to combine.
- 4Keep it on a low heat and stir constantly. Don't let it boil or simmer or you'll begin to make caramel.
- 5It will go clear as it combines. Keep stirring until all the sugar grains are gone.
- 6Once the grains are gone and it's nice and clear, you're done.
Storing your simple syrup
Store in the fridge in an airtight bottle that has been sterilised beforehand. Stored this way it will last two weeks to a month. The richer the syrup, the longer it keeps, since the sugar is doing the preserving.
Our tip, freeze it! It will last for months and months. Then decant a little syrup into a bottle in the fridge as you need it. Perfect, an indefinite supply of homemade simple syrup.
