Sugar Syrup Ratio Calculator

About this calculator

Simple syrup is made at a 1:1 ratio of sugar to water by weight (or volume, since both are close to equal density), yielding roughly 50° Brix — meaning the syrup is about half sugar by weight — while "rich" simple syrup uses a 2:1 ratio of sugar to water, yielding around 66° Brix and a noticeably thicker, sweeter, longer-lasting syrup because the higher sugar concentration resists mold better.

Bartenders and mixologists choose between the two ratios based on how much sweetness and body a drink needs without diluting it further — rich syrup lets you add strong sweetness with less added liquid volume, which matters in spirit-forward cocktails, while simple syrup is easier to dissolve cold and blends more readily into shaken drinks. The Brix reading is also a practical shelf-life indicator, since higher-sugar syrups resist spoilage for weeks longer than 1:1 syrup.

This calculator takes your desired syrup type and finished volume, and returns the exact sugar and water quantities along with the resulting Brix.