How to Use the Sugar Syrup Concentration Calculator
Simple syrup for cocktails, fruit syrups for sodas, and cake-soaking syrups all come down to one ratio: sugar to water. This calculator takes the amount of water you're using and your target sugar concentration, then tells you exactly how much sugar to dissolve in and how much finished syrup you'll end up with.
Different uses call for different strengths. A "simple syrup" for drinks is usually made at a 1:1 ratio, which works out to about 50% concentration, while a "rich syrup" used for longer shelf life or thicker sweetness runs closer to 60-66%. Lower-sugar syrups spoil faster and are best kept refrigerated and used within a couple of weeks.
The result assumes sugar fully dissolves into the water with no meaningful volume change, which holds true at a simmer on the stovetop. If you're working with fruit, keep in mind that the juice it releases will slightly dilute your final concentration below the calculated number — a refractometer is the best way to confirm the exact reading.
Frequently Asked Questions
The concentration here is the percentage of the syrup's total weight that is sugar, which is essentially the same measurement as Brix. For precise readings, a refractometer is the most accurate tool.
Water weighs about 8.345 oz per cup, so the calculator converts your water volume to weight using that ratio before figuring out the sugar needed.