We all have used simple syrup while mixing up our favorite cocktails. But what we don’t pay attention to is what effect does simple syrup have in cocktails.
So what effect does simple syrup have in cocktails? The answer is quite simple, just like the name suggests. It makes the cocktails sweeter. Simple syrups are a mixture of water and sugar. It acts as a sweetener to your favorite cocktails for it is easier to blend and dissolve in them than regular sugar. It also can be used to add certain flavors to the cocktail based on the flavoring of the syrups. Since the basic formula is quite straightforward and easy, adding flavors to it is not just possible, it is rather encouraged.
By using flavored simple syrups, one can balance the taste of the drink in many innovative ways. It becomes much easier and fun to experiment with the different tastes of a cocktail- creating many forms of the same base liquor concoctions.
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How To Use It
Simple syrup is used mostly in cocktails but that’s not all, simple syrup has a lot of other uses like:
- Sweetener for Lemonade, Iced Coffee, or Iced Tea
- Poaching fruits like pears
- Dressing plain yogurt
- Drizzle over pancakes or waffles instead of maple syrup
- Can be added in your marinate mix for sweet-savory mix ingredient
- Moisten cake with this syrup
- Dressing for fruit salad
Basic Simple Syrup Recipe
| Equipment | Ingredients |
| Medium Saucepan
Glass Jar or Bottle to store simple syrup |
1 Cup Water
1 Cup Sugar (White Sugar for traditional delicate taste) (Brown Sugar for richer more intense flavor) |
Details To Learn About: What Effect Does Simple Syrup Have In Cocktails
What Is Simple Syrup?
The term ‘simple’ in the name simple syrup explains a lot about its nature. It is simply a mixture of sugar and water, which is molten together to give it its liquid form which is easier to use than sugar, in the making of sweetened drinks like; iced tea, coffee, iced coffee, lemonades, cocktails, mocktails, etc. it is also used for sweetening food and desserts. It can be used in the making of toppings and decorative pieces of baked items like cakes and doughnuts. You do get simple syrups that are all ready to be purchased and used straight out of the bottle, you can make it easily at home with minimal efforts and maximum cost-effectiveness.
Making Simple Syrup
Making simple syrup is probably the easiest thing to do in the kitchen. All you need to do is to boil water and sugar in the ratio of 2:1 or 1:1. You need to keep in mind that the end result has to be half the size of the initial size of the liquid. Once the sugar has melted completely, put the mixture on lower heat and let it simmer for about 8 to 10 minutes. Store the mixture in a cool and dry place and it should last you for 6 months. If you need it to last longer than that, add half a shot of vodka to every 1 cup as a preservative.
Why Make It?
Why should we make simple syrup when it is readily available in every store for purchase?
- It is incredibly easy and economically friendly to your pockets if you make it.
- You can also make it as per your requirement, be it in regards to its quantity or its flavor.
- It also is much fresher if you make it at home rather than purchase it.
Varieties Of Simple Syrup
It might seem that it is okay to switch out the type of sugar while making simple syrup since it only has sugar and water as the only two ingredients. By doing so, the flavor and the texture of the end product will get modified. It may not always be one of those mistakes which are for the better. Demerara syrup, also known as the rich simple syrup gets its name from the type of sugar, i.e. Demerara sugar, that is used to make it. It is a variant of brown sugar with a rich taste and intense flavors, which is more preferred by some.
The brown color of the sugar makes the syrup a light shade of brown as well, hence using it while making light-colored or clear drinks will cause the drinks to get affected by the brown tint in the syrup. Some parts of Japan and North America use a different variant of simple syrup which contains gum arabic – which is nothing but the hardened sap of two different species of the acacia tree. What this does is help the syrup contain sugar and water to a higher ratio without the fear of them getting crystallized. The addition of gum arabic makes the drinks silkier and smoother, hence changing the texture of the drinks to the slightest.
For a lighter and easier version of simple syrup, you can make bar simple syrup. It is made without the usage of any heat. You simply mix together sugar and water in a 1:1 ratio and either shake them in a bottle or stir them together until all of the sugar dissolves. Although this is quite the easier way to make simple syrup, it won’t give you that thick and rich feeling of a simple syrup that is made by boiling.
Sometimes simple syrup is turned into something called the simple syrup gel. This is done by simply adding pectin to the sugar and water mixture. They are either used plain or are flavored according to need and demand. These gels are used while making different kinds of desserts, fruit-based dishes, baked items, etc.
Flavors Of Simple Syrup
Flavored simple syrups are more common than plain unflavoured ones. The flavor of the syrup is added by adding a solid ingredient while making the syrup. It is then later strained out of the syrup. Frequently seen flavors are mint, lemon, vanilla, hazelnut, etc. they are great for making desserts like ice creams, fruit salads, and drinks, it adds to the existing flavors and blends well into them. These are almost a necessity in various cafes and dessert places.
You can flavor your home-made syrups by simply adding in flavoring ingredients like;
Vanilla
A vanilla-flavored simple syrup is a great addition to hot and cold drinks. It can be used in the most versatile way out of all the other flavors. It goes well with coffee, tea, iced tea and coffee, alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks, etc. it also is a great way to flavor your desserts like cakes, ice creams, baked desserts, etc. it can also be used as a topping for waffles and pancakes.
Coffee
Coffee-flavored simple syrup is an excellent addition to your desserts, ice creams as well as drinks of all sorts.
Cinnamon
By adding a pinch of cinnamon to your simple syrup is an excellent way to make your own cinnamon-flavored simple syrup. You can use it to add sweetness and some flavor to drinks like coffee or tea, iced drinks like cocktails and mocktails.
Lemon
A lemon simple syrup pairs well with fruits, desserts as well as drinks. You can add some to your bowl of fruit to give your tastebuds a kick of citrus. You can add it over various desserts to do the same. It can be used t make various kinds of refreshing alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks. You can go a step ahead and add it alongside ginger to enhance its flavors and give it a variance.
Lavender
Adding a splash of lavender simple syrup to your drinks will add a floral edge to your drinks.
Pomegranate
It can be a great addition to baked desserts, ice creams, pancakes, etc
Rose
Although it can be used for a lot of drinks, it pairs best with tangy drinks. It is also a great way to give desserts a hint of floral flavors.
Eucalyptus
You can use eucalyptus simple syrup to create your own innovative drinks.it pairs well with some alcoholic drinks as well, giving it the capability to create a few new cocktails.
Strawberry
It is a good way to add as a topping for pancakes, waffles, ice creams, cakes, muffins, etc.
More About Simple Syrup
Do You Need To Refrigerate Simple Syrup
Buying simple syrup comes with the worries about if you need to refrigerate them or not. These syrups contain preservatives that help them maintain their fresh nature for long periods of time. Hence it isn’t necessary for you to refrigerate them once they are opened. Keeping the syrups in a cool dark place, away from sunlight should work perfectly fine, although you refrigerate them if you wish to. Make sure that the cap of the syrup bottle is properly secured and air-tight.
If you decide to make your own syrup at home, using sugar and water, then you will have to store it in the fridge for there won’t be any preservatives present in the concoction. Syrups that we purchase the last form somewhere between six months to a year, although you’ll find that the flavor of the syrups does perish with time. You may need to keep checking up on how much flavor they have left in them.
Does Simple Syrup Go Bad? How Long Does Simple Syrup Last?
Since simple syrup is completely made up of water and sugar, one might think that it doesn’t get spoiled easily. Which to an extent is true. But that doesn’t mean that it never gets spoilt. The homemade simple syrup should last you up to 6 months without any issues. But the important factor here is that you store the syrup in an airtight container, in a cool, dark place.
Make sure that the container is properly cleaned and dried before you pour in the syrup. Any existing food particles may cause mold to grow. Whereas when the syrup is made in the 2:1 ratio and with a shot of vodka, it can be stored for more than 6 months. When simple syrup is made in the 1:1 ratio, it needs to be stored in the refrigerator and for one month only.
Using the boiling method to make the syrup will make it last longer than the no-heat method. The heat here acts as a spaying agent aiding in its preservation.
Preventing Sugar Crystals in Simple Syrup
While making simple syrup we must have faced the common problem of it crystalizing right in front of our eyes. We all must have wondered whether there were any ways to prevent this phenomenon.
If the sugar molecules stick to each other while making the syrup, then the syrup crystallizes. When we make the syrup in the 2:1 ratio, the chances of the above-mentioned happening are higher than usual. Adding cream of tartar or lemon helps prevent this, but that is required in such large amounts that they end up changing the flavor of the syrup altogether. But this also tells us that the acidic nature of these ingredients prevents the sugar molecule to turn into fructose and glucose and hence stops the crystalization.
Further experimentation revealed that exposure to heat for a longer amount of time had similar effects on the sugar molecules. Instead of just bringing the sugar to a boil, it is advised to simmer it for 8 to 12 minutes. This will not only prevent the crystalization but will also keep the flavor intact.
Other Things To Do With Simple Syrup
Create Custom Infusions
The possibilities to create your own simple syrup flavors are infinite. You can use any flavoring of your preference to create your own unique concoctions. You can mix and match flavors according to your taste buds’ preferences. While you do create your own flavors, what you’ll learn about making simple syrups is that they are incredibly easy to make. It is probably the easiest thing to do in the kitchen. You can use these custom simple syrups to make your unique cocktails and topping for all sorts of things. You can have some friends over and also make it into a big custom cocktail party with DIY simple syrup-making stations where you can go the no heat simple syrup-making route.
Candy And Cure Citrus Fruits
You can use simple syrup to make half candied citrus fruits like tangerines, oranges, etc. All you need to do is blanch the fruits in salted water which will cut the bitterness and balance out the sweetness which comes from the syrup. You can do this to orange and lemon zest and use them as a garnish for your desserts to add some va-va-voom to them.
Few Famous Cocktail Recipes
Old Fashioned
Ingredients
- 60ml bourbon or rye whiskey
- 1 sugar cube or 1 teaspoon sugar
- 2 dashes of Angostura bitters
- An orange twist garnish
Method
- Put the sugar into a glass
- Add in the dashes of angostura bitters, covering the sugar
- Pour in the whiskey and stir to dissolve the sugar
- Add in the ice and stir
- Serve.
Margarita
Ingredients
- 60ml silver tequila
- 30ml lime juice
- 30ml Cointreau
- Salt for the rim
Method
- This recipe needs to be shaken for it consists of fresh fruit juice.
- Make sure it is served in a glass with a salted rim and over ice.
- Serve
Cosmopolitan
Ingredients
- 45ml citrus vodka
- 30ml Cointreau
- 15ml lime juice
- 15ml cranberry juice
Method
- Add in all of the ingredients into a shaker
- Add in the ice and shake
- Strain it into a martini glass
- Use lime zest or a lime wheel for garnish
- Serve
Martini
Ingredients
- 90ml gin or vodka
- 15ml dry vermouth
- Lemon peel or olive
Method
- Add all the ingredients into a mixing glass
- Add ice and mix everything together
- Use a chilled martini glass to pour it into after straining
- Squeeze some lemon zest into the glass or use olives as garnish
- Serve
Mojito
Ingredients
- 60ml white rum
- 25ml lime juice
- 3-5 mint leaves
- 15ml simple syrup
Method
- Use a shaker to muddle some mint into
- Add the ice along with all the other ingredients and shake well
- Strain the mixture into a highball glass with ice
- You can add some club soda to top it off, as per your taste, and wish
- Use mint as garnish
- Serve
Gimlet
Ingredients
- 60ml gin or vodka
- 25ml lime juice
- 25ml simple syrup
Method
- Add all the ingredients into a shaker
- Add ice and shake well to mix everything together
- Strain the mixture into a cocktail glass
- serve
Martinez
Ingredients
- 45ml Old Tom gin
- 15 ml Luxardo maraschino liqueur
- 45ml sweet vermouth
- 2 dashes of Angostura or orange bitters
Method
- Add all the ingredients into a mixing glass
- Add ice and mix everything together
- Stran it into a cocktail glass or a martini glass
- Serve
