Basic Syrups

Basic syrups are easy to make ones that involve mixing a sugar base with water. In a cocktail, sugars play an important role in balancing the alcohol and acidic flavors, and can also be a vehicle to introduce new flavors into a drink. An interesting tidbit is that colder temperatures dull our taste of sugar, so drinks that are shaken with ice typically need more sugar than drinks that are only stirred with ice. Beyond table sugar, you can also play around with brown sugar, molasses, honey, and maple syrup. Below is the most common 2:1 simple syrup recipe that I use. You can follow the same process for any of the syrup recipes listed on this page.

Jump to syrup recipes

Basic Syrups All: Sorghum, Honey, Maple Syrup, Table Sugar

2:1 Simple Syrup aka Rich Syrup Recipe (makes a little more than 2 cups)

2:1 Simple Syrup Ingredients: 2 cups sugar, 1 cup water

  • 2 cups of granulated sugar
  • 1 cup and 2 tablespoons of water

Equipment

  • Mason jar
  • Electric kettle or pan
  • Bar spoon
  • Funnel (optional)

Directions

  1. Boil the water using either an electric kettle or pan
  2. Pour 2 cups of sugar into the mason jar (tip: use a funnel to avoid spills)
  3. When the water is at a rolling boil, remove from the heat and pour directly into the mason jar
  4. Use the bar spoon to stir continuously for 2-3 minutes
  5. Let cool for about 30 minutes, place the airtight cap on, and store in the fridge

2:1 Simple Syrup: Sugar and water

Basic Syrup Recipes

  • 2:1 Rich Syrup: 2 cups of sugar and 1 cup of water
  • 1:1 Simple Syrup: Equal parts granulated sugar and water
  • Honey Simple Syrup: Equal parts honey and water
  • Maple Simple Syrup: Equal parts maple syrup and water
  • Sorghum Simple Syrup: Equal parts maple syrup and water