Avoid A Common Homemade Cocktail Syrup Mistake By Paying Attention To Your Pan

Simple syrup is a key ingredient in many cocktails, and for good reason: it helps balance intense, cutting flavors and livens up concoctions that need a hit of sweetness. As the name implies, it's quite simple to make, so long as you don't step away from the stove for too long. We spoke with Jordan Hughes, a cocktail expert who goes by High-Proof Preacher on Instagram and author of "Twist: Your Guide to Creating Inspired Craft Cocktails" to get his advice on getting simple syrup right every time. He shares that home cocktail makers frequently make the mistake of "allowing too much liquid to evaporate" by accidentally or unwittingly boiling the syrup.

Hughes continues, "When making a simple syrup, there is no need to heat the syrup until it boils, as this can change the consistency and liquid-to-sugar ratio in your syrup. When making syrups, simply heat enough to get the sugar to melt and dissolve into the liquid but cut the heat before boiling." And if you find the simple syrup is reaching a boil too quickly, just lower the heat.

To make simple syrup you're going to need two ingredients: water and sugar. To make things even easier, use equal amounts of both. Take one cup of sugar and one cup of water and combine in a mid-sized saucepan on moderate heat. Stir regularly and remove from the heat after the sugar has dissolved, but before the mixture reaches a boil. After your simple syrup has cooled and been jarred up, store it in the fridge to ensure it's safe to consume for a few weeks. You can use it for loads of classic drinks like a French 75 or Daiquiri or to sweeten up stronger drinks like an Old Fashioned cocktail.

If you're crafting cocktails on the fly, try incorporating ¼ to ½ ounce of simple syrup per serving, while keeping in mind the flavor profiles of other ingredients. If your drink has already got juice or a sweet liqueur the addition of syrup might not be necessary. If you're solely relying on the simple syrup to sweeten your beverage, ½ an ounce might make more sense. 

Once you've got a classic recipe down, try infusing your simple syrup. Be sure to add additional ingredients to the water and sugar before it's brought to heat then continue with your classic recipe, straining if desired. When deciding on what to infuse your simple syrup with think about what flavors you'd like to see more of in your cocktail. Think mint-infused syrup to enhance a mojito's already minty profile or jalapeño simple syrup to spice up a margarita.