Simple syrup or superfine sugar? - Tiki Drinks and Food

T thejab Grand Member (1 year) Tradewinds Apartments, Alameda, CA Joined: Mar 25, 2002 Posts: 2992	T thejab Posted posted on Sat, Jan 28, 2006 10:13 AM Thanks for all the input. So far, from what I've heard, it seems the recipe for simple syrup varies a lot: 2 parts sugar and 1 part water, or 1 part syrup to 1 part water, and some use vanilla, some don't. And the stuff you can buy probably tastes different from homemade syrup. It seems to me that this variation would change the flavor (sweetness) of a drink quite a bit. On the other hand, superfine sugar is superfine sugar. If the exact amount is used that is called for, and the other ingredients (especially lime and lemon juices) are measured accurately, then the drink will always come out the same every time you make it. Furthermore, many old cocktail books specify granulated (superfine or bar) sugar in the recipes. I still have 2 questions that haven't been answered: Is there any good reason not to use superfine sugar? So far the only reason I can see is that it's more expensive than regular sugar. Alton Brown's advice seems to solve that problem, but it involves some more effort and cleanup, which is one reason why I use superfine sugar in the first place (less work than making syrup - yes, I'm that lazy). Is there any standard measuring ratio that can be applied when using superfine sugar in a drink that calls for syrup? For example, if the Grog Log calls for a teaspoon of simple syrup, how much superfine sugar would be used? My guess is that if the standard syrup recipe is 2 parts sugar to 1 part water, than a tablespoon of syrup is 2 teaspoons of sugar plus one teaspoon of water, so the equivalent of superfine sugar is 2/3 of the amount the recipe calls for. That makes it fairly hard to substitute, but using a smidgeon less may be good enough. The Esquire Drinks book says to use 2 parts simple syrup when substituting for sugar, so it seems somwhere between 1/2 and 2/3 is a good rule of thumb. I've never had a problem getting superfine sugar to dissolve, but just in case I often put the lime or lemon juice in the shaker first, followed by the sugar so a few stirs dissolves the sugar, then the rest of the ingredients, with the liquor in last (so if you screw up measuring the other ingredents you won't have to dump out good expensive booze). Finally, I add the ice after all the ingredients are in the shaker.

Thanks for all the input. So far, from what I've heard, it seems the recipe for simple syrup varies a lot: 2 parts sugar and 1 part water, or 1 part syrup to 1 part water, and some use vanilla, some don't. And the stuff you can buy probably tastes different from homemade syrup.

It seems to me that this variation would change the flavor (sweetness) of a drink quite a bit.

On the other hand, superfine sugar is superfine sugar. If the exact amount is used that is called for, and the other ingredients (especially lime and lemon juices) are measured accurately, then the drink will always come out the same every time you make it. Furthermore, many old cocktail books specify granulated (superfine or bar) sugar in the recipes.

I still have 2 questions that haven't been answered:

Is there any good reason not to use superfine sugar? So far the only reason I can see is that it's more expensive than regular sugar. Alton Brown's advice seems to solve that problem, but it involves some more effort and cleanup, which is one reason why I use superfine sugar in the first place (less work than making syrup - yes, I'm that lazy).
Is there any standard measuring ratio that can be applied when using superfine sugar in a drink that calls for syrup? For example, if the Grog Log calls for a teaspoon of simple syrup, how much superfine sugar would be used? My guess is that if the standard syrup recipe is 2 parts sugar to 1 part water, than a tablespoon of syrup is 2 teaspoons of sugar plus one teaspoon of water, so the equivalent of superfine sugar is 2/3 of the amount the recipe calls for. That makes it fairly hard to substitute, but using a smidgeon less may be good enough. The Esquire Drinks book says to use 2 parts simple syrup when substituting for sugar, so it seems somwhere between 1/2 and 2/3 is a good rule of thumb.

I've never had a problem getting superfine sugar to dissolve, but just in case I often put the lime or lemon juice in the shaker first, followed by the sugar so a few stirs dissolves the sugar, then the rest of the ingredients, with the liquor in last (so if you screw up measuring the other ingredents you won't have to dump out good expensive booze). Finally, I add the ice after all the ingredients are in the shaker.

Post #211036 by thejab on Sat, Jan 28, 2006 10:13 AM