Simple syrup can sweeten the deal for any cocktail you make!

You don’t have to use just any plain, ol’ syrup though; some of your favorite cocktails could use some spicing up and a twist of herbs to really make your mixer better than ever before.

The basics of making simple syrup are easy, and once you’ve become a master mixologist, you can apply these same principles to make any flavored simple syrup for your next happy hour. See our recommendations below and test them out for your next swanky cocktail party!

How to Make Simple Syrup

Sure, you can buy simple syrup from the store but making your own at home can open up a variety of opportunities for your bar cart. Once you have the basics, you can play with flavors, combinations, and concoctions that might just stamp your name in cocktail history.

Starting simple with simple syrup is easy enough. For every cup of sugar you use, use one cup of water. Bring the mixture to a boil and stir every so often to let everything dissolve. Let it cool and thicken into a syrup before adding it to your favorite cocktail or store chilled in a jar, bottle, cup to save and use later. It should keep in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 weeks, depending on how much you make, and it’s easy to make when you need more!

Simple syrup can give your cocktail a weightier texture that’s easier to sip and enjoy. It’s easy to blend into cold drinks and mix in for a mild change in flavor or enhance other ingredients to pack a punch to your palette. 

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Simple Syrup Recipe:

1 part sugar (experiment for different flavors)

1 part water

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Visit our cocktail page for some drinks that call for simple syrup including the Wheyward Waste Not Sour ! 

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Homemade Flavored Simple Syrups

The essentials for simple syrup are, well, simple. You can also make it even better and elevate your favorite cocktails by flavoring your simple syrup at home. Remember your 1:1 ratio for sugar and water? Take that base and add your favorite fruit or juice to make your own unique combinations. Need ideas? Try our favorites in any Wheyward Spirit cocktail and taste the difference for yourself.

Fruit-Flavored Simple Syrup

We love a good garnish! Layering it into your cocktail by infusing your simple syrup with your favorite fruit is a great way to elevate your beverage, make happy hour happier and prevent food waste of over ripe produce!

Whether it’s berries (raspberries, cranberries, blackberries or strawberries), citrus juice + peel (oranges, limes, lemons), or even rhubarb just start with the base simple syrup recipe ratio adjust for added juice and add the fruit as you heat up the mixture on the stove. The flavors will continue infuse as it cools, leaving you with a colorful and naturally flavorful syrup without any additives, preservatives. Allow the syrup to cool and thicken then strain before storing in the refrigerator in between cocktails. Reduce the amount if you want a more subtle flavor or add more as you see fit! 

Visit our cocktail page for some fruit based simple syrup recipes trying blackberry simple syrup in the Wheyward Marionberry Basil Mule! 

Honey Simple Syrup

A staple of our Harvest Moon cocktail! Substitute honey for sugar and notice the smooth, sweet taste of liquid gold in your next drink. Perfect for autumn and winter drinks, honey simple syrup adds a new layer of flavor to your cocktails and has a more naturally sweet flavor than sugar. 

Honey on its own is thicker and may not easily mix into cold drinks. But, add it to water and put it on heat, and you have a more mixable, rich flavor option that will keep well for weeks in the refrigerator. Elevate this option further by adding herbs to emphasize the natural flavor profile of your local honey.

Visit our cocktail page for a honey simple syrup recipe!

Herb Infused Simple Syrups 

Lavender, mint, rosemary, sage, basil, thyme, tarragon — oh my! Herbal simple syrups can really ground your cocktail and work in a new world of flavor just using Wheyward Spirit, sugar (or honey), water, and your preferred herbs.

This is a fun idea to play with and find your favorite flavored simple syrup that’s right for you. When playing with new types of cocktails using simple syrups remember the rule of thumb that 2 oz Wheyward Spirit and equal parts sweet (your new syrup) and tart or bitter (ex: fresh lemon juice) is a good place to start.

We partially love honey and thyme together and use it to elevate a standard honey syrup in our Milk and Honey Cocktail.

Get a taste for them, dial in the sweetness of your cocktails and you play and have fun while drinking responsibly!

How to Become a Better Bartender at Home

At Wheyward Spirit, we’re big on empowering others to drink mindfully and make their own ‘whey’ in the world with cocktails that go against the grain. Join the herd and learn more mixology tips and tricks like the ones featured in this blog to be your own at-home bartender. Take the building blocks of your favorite beverages and put some magic behind them with our help. 

Whether you’re elevating a tried and true favorite, crafting your own unique creations, or need a spirit you know can please any guest, Wheyward Spirit will be your trusted bar cart staple for all your cocktail needs. Try these simple syrup recipes with your favorite cocktails. Not sure which cocktail to make? Take our Cocktail Quiz and give these new syrup recipes a go!