Also, just a tip about storing simple syrup for your readers… Like you, I make a small batch for home and store in the fridge, but the container I use is the OXO Good Grips Salad Dressing Shaker. It has a serving spout top that also has a leakproof seal that closes airtight when not in use and it’s dishwasher safe.

Thanks so much for this and your gallon margaritas recipe! I unexpectedly found myself having to make margaritas for a picnic and my usual go-to reference (my dad) is travelling out of the country. I’m so relieved to find such an easy and good recipe that so many people love. During my searches, I discovered that most recipe sites either have non-alcoholic margaritas punch recipes or, worse, fruity-flavoured recipes that made me cringe just reading them. When I came across your recipe, I was worried about “simple syrup” because I’ve never heard of it before and in my tiny desert town, it is very hard to find things in the stores. Thank you for including a link to this recipe there; otherwise, I’d be heading to the store right now in search of some sub-standard margaritas mix that would surely mean no-one enjoyed themselves at the picnic!

Cheers!
Melanie

Simple syrup is a subject on which I feel qualified to make a contribution.

I make simple syrup in quart batches and I find that it keeps indefinitely.

I also double the ratio to 2 parts sugar to 1 part water. It creates a “thicker” syrup, but I’ve found through unscientific experimentation that 2 cups of sugar will produce 2 cups of syrup whether you use 1 cup or 2 cups of water, so my deduction is that the end product is equally sweet by volume, just less watery.

I also infuse my syrups with flavor by simmering the syrup along with bunches of mint, basil or chopped habanero.

I think this is a case of both Jeff and Zeph being “right”:

Here’s the deal: if you put sugar in boiling water and let it go for a while, you –will– sterilize it. If you put it in a –sterilized– (not just clean, but kill the little critters) bottle, there won’t be any little critters in there and it should last for quite some time.

You might introduce a few microbes by opening and pouring, but I think the kicker is putting it into a sterilized bottle. Jams and jellies definitely go into sterilized containers. Either use a glass container and boil it or, perhaps, use some homebrew sanitizers.

Best,
Mark

Cheers.

Pa C – No, use lemon to flavor your drinks, not your simple. If you’re hell-bent on making a flavored simple syrup, use herbs, roots, spices, things like that. Think vanilla bean, think lavender, think cinnamon.

I’m not exactly sure how long simple syrup will stick around, it doesn’t last long at my work. At home, I make very small batches that I know will be gone in less than a week.

My guess would be that you won’t want to keep it around for much longer than a week.

Jeffrey

I’m going to make non-alcoholic versions of drinks and stumbled upon your simple syrup recipe above. You mention storage in the fridge of the simple syrup but not how long you can store a batch. I don’t plan on making gallons of it obviously but curious as to a rule of thumb…