# Why use "Simple Syrup" when making a drink? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 28, 2018, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-use-simple-syrup-when-making-a-drink/811309 "2018-03-28T01:37:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2018, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-use-simple-syrup-when-making-a-drink/811309/41 "2018-03-29T16:07:43Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > No, you’re right. I’ve got my glass of finally completely dissolved 2:1 sugar:water simple syrup, not boiled, and it has the color of a chardonnay. Definitely not clear. Definitely yellowish. You’d make a very good bar-man. Definitely. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![salinqmind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3ec8ea/32.png) [@salinqmind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/salinqmind)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2018, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-use-simple-syrup-when-making-a-drink/811309/42 "2018-03-29T16:13:37Z")
> [@Finagle](#): > > In the summer, I usually have hummingbird nectar in the fridge (4 parts water, 1 part sugar), so I just use that. Not quite as sweet, but really, if it makes a hummingbird happy… I put some home-made nectar in a smaller water bottle till I could make a big batch. Guess who forgot that, grabbed it and took a good big swig? 😛 ---
**Author:** ![wolfman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/a8b319/32.png) [@wolfman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfman)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2018, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-use-simple-syrup-when-making-a-drink/811309/43 "2018-03-29T16:15:04Z")
> [@QuickSilver](#): > > You’d make a very good bar-man. Definitely. 😉 Only if he leaves it out till it ferments into rum wash and distills it. ---
**Author:** ![zombywoof](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/9e8a1a/32.png) [@zombywoof](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zombywoof)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2018, 11:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-use-simple-syrup-when-making-a-drink/811309/44 "2018-03-30T23:38:53Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > When I put honey in my tea, I often find that the bottom fraction of an inch is sweeter than the rest of the cup was. To make it more dissolvable (if that’s a word), you can make honey syrup in the same way as simple syrup (heated 1:1 with water) - it’s used in cocktails like the Bees’ Knees. ---
**Author:** ![Ukulele\_Ike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/df788c/32.png) [@Ukulele\_Ike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ukulele_Ike)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2018, 11:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-use-simple-syrup-when-making-a-drink/811309/45 "2018-03-30T23:44:41Z")
> [@QuickSilver](#): > > Another reason to make a simple syrup by dissolving sugar in hot water is my: Old Fashioned Earl Grey. When making the simple syrup, I first steep a couple good Earl Grey tea bags in the hot water. Once chilled I essentially have a very sweet and very strong iced Earl Grey tea simple syrup. The rest of the recipe is per the traditional Old Fashioned cocktail. > > Yes, _I_ invented this version of the Old Fashioned and I won’t hear otherwise. It’s all yours, friend. I can’t stand Earl Grey, or any other application of bergamot. Off topic, are tea-based booze drinks a real thing out there in the real world? Along the lines of an Irish Coffee? ---
**Author:** ![Arrendajo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e0b2c6/32.png) [@Arrendajo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arrendajo)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2018, 12:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-use-simple-syrup-when-making-a-drink/811309/46 "2018-03-31T00:03:01Z")
I use it in iced coffee drinks. Granulated white sugar takes forever to dissolve in cold drinks. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2018, 12:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-use-simple-syrup-when-making-a-drink/811309/47 "2018-03-31T00:21:59Z")
> [@Ukulele\_Ike](#): > > It’s all yours, friend. I can’t stand Earl Grey, or any other application of bergamot. > > Off topic, are tea-based booze drinks a real thing out there in the real world? Along the lines of an Irish Coffee? Oh, sure. Hot toddies can often be made with tea (and that’s how I usually make mine.) There’s also spiked iced tea type of drinks, too. ---
**Author:** ![Ukulele\_Ike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/df788c/32.png) [@Ukulele\_Ike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ukulele_Ike)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2018, 1:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-use-simple-syrup-when-making-a-drink/811309/48 "2018-03-31T01:11:30Z")
Groucho: “I could have been in a warm bed now with a hot toddy…that’s a _drink._” Chico: “Atsa too bad.” [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-use-simple-syrup-when-making-a-drink/811309.md?page=2)