Simple syrup in any ratio, by weight or by cup
Simple syrup is just sugar dissolved in water, and bartenders, bakers and coffee makers use it because it mixes into cold drinks instantly. The confusion is the ratio. “1:1” by weight and “1:1” by volume are not the same syrup, and “rich” syrup is usually 2:1. This simple syrup ratio calculator gives the sugar and the water for the amount you want to make, in grams, ounces, cups and millilitres, and shows how strong the result is in degrees Brix.
Pick 1:1, 1.5:1, 2:1 or your own ratio, say whether it is measured by weight or by volume, and enter how much syrup you want. The result also compares sweetness per ounce so you can swap one syrup for another in a recipe. Everything runs in your browser; nothing is uploaded.
How to use the Simple Syrup Ratio Calculator
- Choose a ratio, or Custom and enter the parts of sugar per part of water.
- Choose whether the ratio is measured by weight or by volume.
- Enter the amount of syrup you want, in ml, litres, fl oz or cups.
- Read the sugar and water, dissolve the sugar in warm water, cool and refrigerate.
Simple Syrup Ratio Calculator features
Weight and volume
A cup of granulated sugar weighs about 200 g, less than a cup of water, so the volume answer differs.
Brix shown
The syrup’s strength as percent sugar by weight: 50 for 1:1 by weight and 66.7 for 2:1.
Yield-based
You give the finished volume; the tool allows for the extra volume sugar adds when it dissolves.
Sweetness
Grams of sugar per 30 ml and the same in teaspoons.
Copy button
Copy the recipe for a note or a batching sheet.
How the numbers are worked out
By weight the maths is direct: 1:1 means equal grams of sugar and water, so the syrup is 50% sugar (50 °Brix). 2:1 means two parts sugar to one part water, which is 66.7%. By volume the answer changes because granulated sugar is lighter than water per cup: about 200 g against 237 g. A 1:1 syrup by volume therefore contains 45.8% sugar and is a little thinner than 1:1 by weight.
To size the batch the tool needs the weight of the finished syrup, which depends on its density. It uses the standard relation for sucrose solutions, the same one that links °Brix and specific gravity, so a 500 ml batch of 1:1 syrup by weight weighs about 615 g and holds about 308 g of sugar. The density is good to about 0.2%, which is far less than kitchen measuring error.
Which ratio to use
- 1:1 is the usual bar syrup and the easiest to pour; it suits iced coffee, lemonade and most cocktails.
- 2:1 (rich) is thicker, sweeter per millilitre and lasts longer, and it dilutes the drink less. Use about half the quantity that a recipe asks for in 1:1.
- Between the two (1.5:1) is a compromise for syrups you want to pour easily but keep for longer.
- Recipes from different countries may mean volume or weight. Check which, then pick it above.
Storage and limits
Syrup is not a tested preserve. In a clean bottle in the fridge, 1:1 syrup is often kept for a few weeks and rich syrup for a few months, but sugar solutions can still grow mould and yeast, so judge it by smell and clarity and throw it away if it is cloudy or fuzzy. Nothing here applies to honey, agave, brown sugar or sugar substitutes, which have different densities and sweetness; see the sugar substitute converter. For drinks served at a party use the batch cocktail calculator, and for syrup temperatures in candy-making the candy temperature chart.
Simple Syrup Ratio Calculator FAQ
What is the ratio for simple syrup?
The classic ratio is 1:1: one part sugar to one part water. Rich simple syrup is 2:1. State whether you mean weight or volume, because 1:1 by weight is 50% sugar and 1:1 by volume is about 46%.
Should I measure simple syrup by weight or volume?
Weight is more accurate and gives repeatable results. By volume, remember that a cup of sugar is lighter than a cup of water, so use the volume setting if your recipe uses cups.
How much sugar for 1 cup of simple syrup?
For a finished cup (237 ml) of 1:1 syrup by weight you need roughly 146 g of sugar (about three-quarters of a cup) and 146 ml of water. The calculator gives the exact amounts for any ratio.
What is 2:1 simple syrup used for?
It is a rich syrup for cocktails and cold drinks where you want sweetness with less dilution. It is also less likely to spoil, but it can crystallise if it is stored cold for long.
How long does simple syrup keep?
Commonly a few weeks in the fridge for 1:1 and longer for 2:1, but that is a rule of thumb, not a tested figure. Discard it if it is cloudy, smells off or shows mould.
Do I have to boil the water?
No. Warm water dissolves the sugar quickly; a hard boil only evaporates water and changes the ratio. Cold water works if you shake the bottle for a few minutes.