simple syrup | The Oxford Companion to Spirits & Cocktails

is sugar dissolved in water, used to sweeten cocktails because loaf or granulated sugar dilutes poorly in spirits. It was first called “simple” by pharmacists to differentiate it from compounded syrups, made with medicinal plants. It is also the base of flavored syrups. It can be made by stirring or shaking both ingredients cold or by simmering them on a stove until dissolved. Simple syrup can be made in equal parts (frustratingly, recipes rarely specify whether by weight or by volume), but it is often more concentrated, with two or more parts of sugar to one of water. Exact proportions naturally impact the sweetness of the syrup.