Sugar is what turns sour citrus and strong spirit into a balanced drink. In cocktails it is almost always added as syrup, because granulated sugar dissolves poorly in cold liquid. Syrups are cheap, quick to make and keep well in the fridge. This guide covers the five you will need most often, with simple methods for each.
Simple syrup (1:1)
The standard sweetener in most recipes on this site.
- Combine equal weights of white sugar and water, for example 250 g sugar and 250 g water.
- Stir over low heat until the sugar has fully dissolved. It does not need to boil.
- Let it cool, pour it into a clean bottle and refrigerate.
You can also make it cold by shaking sugar and water in a closed jar until clear. Simple syrup keeps for about two weeks in the fridge. Throw it out if it turns cloudy.
Rich syrup (2:1)
Two parts sugar to one part water by weight. Rich syrup is sweeter, so you need less of it, which means slightly less dilution. It also has a silkier texture and keeps longer, often around a month in the fridge. When a recipe calls for simple syrup and you use rich syrup, use about two thirds of the amount. Rich syrup made with demerara or other raw cane sugar adds a caramel note that suits the Old Fashioned and aged rum drinks.
Honey syrup
Pure honey is too thick to mix with cold ingredients. Thin it with warm water: a ratio of 3 parts honey to 1 part water is common, and some bartenders prefer 2:1 or 1:1. Stir until smooth, cool and refrigerate. Honey syrup is the sweetener in the Bee's Knees, the Gold Rush and the Penicillin, where it is combined with fresh ginger. The flavour of the honey matters: a mild blossom honey is the safest choice, while strong honeys like chestnut can dominate.
Grenadine
Real grenadine is a pomegranate syrup, not a red cherry-flavoured sugar solution. Many commercial products contain little or no pomegranate. Homemade grenadine tastes fruitier and less cloying:
- Warm 250 ml unsweetened pomegranate juice gently.
- Stir in 250 g sugar until dissolved.
- Optionally add a few drops of orange blossom water for aroma.
- Cool and refrigerate. It keeps for about two weeks.
Grenadine gives colour and fruit to the Tequila Sunrise, the Jack Rose, the Clover Club (in some versions), the Shirley Temple and many tiki drinks.
Orgeat
Orgeat is an almond syrup, traditionally scented with orange blossom or rose water. It adds nutty sweetness and a creamy texture and is essential for the Mai Tai and many tiki drinks, as well as the Japanese Cocktail. Good commercial orgeat is available, but a simple homemade version works well:
- Blend 200 g blanched almonds (lightly toasted for more flavour) with 400 ml water.
- Let it stand for an hour, then strain through a cloth, squeezing well.
- Dissolve roughly the same weight of sugar in the almond milk over low heat.
- Add a small splash of orange blossom water and, if you like, a little vodka or brandy to help it keep.
Store it in the fridge and shake before use. Use it within about a week or two, and discard it if it smells sour.
Which sugar to use
White sugar gives a neutral sweetness that lets the other ingredients speak, which is why it is the default. Light raw cane sugars such as demerara or turbinado add gentle caramel and toffee notes. Dark muscovado is very intense and best used sparingly, for example in hot drinks. Brown sugar from the supermarket is usually white sugar with molasses added and works in a pinch. Whichever you choose, weigh sugar and water rather than measuring by volume, because a cup of sugar and a cup of water do not weigh the same.
Why syrup rather than sugar
A few drinks traditionally use sugar directly. In the Caipirinha, granulated sugar is muddled with lime, and its slight grit helps extract oil from the peel. The Old Fashioned was originally made with a sugar cube muddled with bitters and a little water. In almost every other drink, syrup is more practical: it mixes instantly, it measures accurately and it gives a consistent result.
Other syrups worth trying
- Agave syrup: thinned slightly with water, it is the sweetener in the Tommy's Margarita.
- Ginger syrup: simmer fresh sliced ginger in simple syrup or use fresh ginger juice with sugar. Adds heat to the Penicillin and to alcohol-free highballs.
- Cinnamon, vanilla or spiced syrups: steep the spice in hot simple syrup, then strain.
- Raspberry syrup: fresh raspberries cooked briefly with sugar and water, then strained. Traditional in the Clover Club.
Tips for storage and use
- Use clean bottles, ideally rinsed with boiling water, and label them with the date.
- Always keep syrups in the fridge.
- A small amount of neutral spirit, around 15 to 30 ml per bottle, extends shelf life a little.
- Measure syrups as accurately as spirits: 5 ml makes a noticeable difference.
- Commercial syrups from the shop are fine as a start, but compare the sweetness, since they are often sweeter than a 1:1 homemade syrup.
You can find every syrup in our ingredients section along with the recipes that use it. For alcohol-free drinks, a good syrup is often the ingredient that makes the difference, so it is worth looking at our mocktails too.
