Classics syrup
Rich Simple Syrup (2:1)
Two parts sugar, one part water. Silkier drinks, less dilution, months in the fridge.
- 8 min total
- 1¾ cups + 2½ tbsp450 ml
- Keeps 3 months
Quick answer
Rich simple syrup is two parts sugar to one part water by weight: 400 g sugar dissolved in 200 ml hot water. It's sweeter and thicker than 1:1, so use about two-thirds as much, and it keeps around 3 months in the fridge.
Bartenders reach for 2:1 when they want sweetness without extra water: an Old Fashioned stays silky, a Daiquiri keeps its punch, and the bottle lasts far longer because there's less free water for microbes.
Measure by weight if you can. Two cups of sugar to one cup of water is close, but it lands nearer 1.7:1. That's fine for coffee but slightly thin for cocktail specs that expect true rich syrup.
Tastescleandense sweetnesssilky body
The recipe
Rich Simple Syrup (2:1)
Ingredients for 1¾ cups + 2½ tbsp450 ml
You’ll need: small saucepan, kitchen scale, cane sugar, swing-top bottle, mini funnel, jiggersmall saucepan, kitchen scale, cane sugar, swing-top bottle, mini funnel, jigger
Method
-
Heat the water
Bring the water to a bare simmer in a small saucepan, then turn the heat down to low.
¾ cup + 1½ tbsp200 ml water
-
Dissolve the sugar
Add all the sugar and stir steadily until the syrup turns completely clear, 3–5 minutes. Keep it below a simmer, because boiling drives off water and pushes the ratio past 2:1.
2 cups400 g granulated sugar
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Check for crystals
Tilt the pan. If you see grains on the bottom or a crust on the sides, keep stirring and wipe the walls with a wet pastry brush. One stray crystal can seed a grainy bottle later.
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Cool covered, then bottle
Cover the pan and let it cool to room temperature. The trapped steam rinses the walls. Funnel into a sterilized bottle, date it and refrigerate.
Storage. Keeps about 3 months sealed in the fridge, often longer in a sterilized bottle. If crystals form, stand the bottle in hot water and shake until they melt. Discard if it turns cloudy, fizzy or sour-smelling.
Per 1 tbsp (15 ml): about 52 kcal, 13.3 g sugar (estimate).
How to use it
Old Fashioned
1 barspoon (5 ml) with 2 oz (60 ml) bourbon or rye and 2 dashes Angostura. Stir over ice; express an orange peel.
Full recipe and historyDaiquiri
½ oz (15 ml) with 2 oz (60 ml) white rum and 1 oz (30 ml) fresh lime. Shake hard and serve up.
Full recipe and historyWhiskey Sour
½ oz (15 ml) with 2 oz (60 ml) bourbon, ¾ oz (22 ml) lemon and an optional egg white. Dry-shake, then shake with ice.
Full recipe and historyTi' Punch
1 barspoon (5 ml) with 2 oz (60 ml) rhum agricole and a coin of lime peel, stirred in the glass.
Full recipe and historyIced coffee & cold brew
1 tbsp (15 ml) sweetens a 12 oz glass with less watering-down than 1:1 syrup.
Classic drinks with Rich 2:1 syrup
SoursClassic
Daiquiri
Jennings Cox, Daiquirí, Cuba, 1898
Collinses and fizzesClassic
French 75
Paris, 1927
SoursClassic
Gimlet
Britain, 1928
Collinses and fizzesClassic
Gin Fizz
United States, 1876
Old Fashioned familyGum Syrup
Improved Whiskey Cocktail
Jerry Thomas, United States, 1876
Coffee drinksClassic
Irish Coffee
Buena Vista Cafe, San Francisco, 1952
Gear for this recipe
ThermoWorks ThermoPop 2 Instant-Read Thermometer
Fast, accurate readings take the guesswork out of caramel and keep tea or flower steeps below bitter temperatures.
Best for Caramel and temperature-sensitive steeps
Tovolo King Cube Silicone Ice Molds (2-pack)
Best for Stirred drinks and iced coffee
Escali Primo Digital Kitchen Scale (11 lb)
Best for Exact ratios, every batch
Otis Classic 16 oz Swing-Top Glass Bottles (6-pack)
Best for Storing and gifting any syrup
More gear for this recipe (4)
OXO SteeL Angled Measuring Jigger
Best for Measuring syrup into drinks
Norpro Stainless Steel Mini Funnels (set of 3)
Best for Filling bottles cleanly
Wholesome Organic Cane Sugar (10 lb)
Best for Classic and flavored syrups
Cuisinart Chef's Classic 1.5 qt Stainless Saucepan with Lid
Best for Every stovetop syrup
Tips for the best batch
- Swap rule: ½ oz (15 ml) rich syrup does the work of about ¾ oz (22 ml) simple syrup. In practice, use two-thirds of what a 1:1 recipe calls for.
- No superfine sugar? Blitz granulated sugar in a blender for 20 seconds. It dissolves noticeably faster at this concentration.
- A tiny squeeze of lemon juice (about ¼ tsp per batch) converts a little of the sugar and makes recrystallization in the fridge much less likely.
- Wipe the bottle neck before capping. Dried syrup on the threads is the most common place crystals start.
Variations
Rich demerara
Use demerara sugar for toffee and raisin notes. It's the default for rum and whiskey Old Fashioneds.
Rich honey (3:1)
Stir 3 parts honey into 1 part warm water by weight for a Gold Rush or Bee's Knees with real body.
Infused rich syrup
Steep cinnamon sticks, citrus peel or a split vanilla bean in the hot syrup for 30 minutes, then strain. The higher sugar keeps infused versions fresh longer than 1:1.
Questions people ask
What is rich simple syrup?
A syrup of two parts sugar to one part water, usually measured by weight. It's about 67% sugar versus 50% for regular simple syrup, so it's thicker, sweeter and lasts longer.
How do I substitute rich simple syrup for regular simple syrup?
Use roughly two-thirds as much: ½ oz rich replaces ¾ oz simple, and a barspoon replaces ¼ oz. Less water also makes the drink slightly stronger, so taste and adjust.
Why did my rich simple syrup crystallize?
Usually undissolved grains, sugar crusted on the pan walls or bottle neck, or boiling it too hard. Rewarm gently, stir until perfectly clear, cool it covered, and add a drop of lemon juice next time.
How long does rich simple syrup last?
About 3 months in the fridge in a clean, sealed bottle, and often up to 6. Throw it out if it turns cloudy, smells sour or starts to fizz.
Can I make rich simple syrup without heat?
It's slow. Sugar will eventually dissolve at 2:1 with a blender or repeated shaking, but it can take hours. A few minutes of gentle heat is far easier.