Types of Sugar for Drinks

Sugar in a drink does more than sweeten. It adds weight to the tongue, rounds off acid and bitterness, and, depending on how refined it is, brings flavors of caramel, toffee or molasses. Choosing the right sugar is one of the easiest ways to make an Old Fashioned taste richer or a lemonade taste cleaner.

This guide compares the sugars you are most likely to reach for, explains how each behaves in syrups and in the glass, and gives practical weights so you can measure accurately instead of by the scoop.

Refined white sugars

Granulated white sugar is nearly pure sucrose with a clean, neutral taste. It makes a clear syrup and lets fruit, citrus and spirits speak for themselves. Superfine or caster sugar has smaller crystals that dissolve faster, which is handy when you build a drink directly in the glass without syrup.

Powdered or confectioners' sugar is finely ground white sugar mixed with a little starch to prevent clumping. It dissolves instantly but can leave cloudiness and a slightly chalky texture, so keep it for dusting garnishes rather than mixing.

Raw and less refined sugars

Demerara and turbinado are light brown, large-crystal sugars with a touch of molasses left on them. They give a soft toffee note that flatters bourbon, rum and coffee. Light and dark brown sugars are white sugar with molasses added back; dark brown has more and tastes stronger.

Muscovado is minimally refined, moist and sticky, with a deep, almost licorice molasses flavor. Use it in small amounts or blended with white sugar, since it can overwhelm a delicate drink.

• Demerara or turbinado: gentle caramel, good for Old Fashioneds and Irish coffee
• Light brown: soft molasses, good for brown sugar syrups and milk tea
• Dark brown: stronger molasses, good for hot buttered drinks
• Muscovado: intense and moist, best in small amounts

Unrefined cane and palm sugars

Piloncillo and panela are cones or blocks of unrefined cane sugar common in Latin American drinks such as café de olla. Jaggery is a similar product in South Asia. Palm sugar, made from palm sap, is used across Southeast Asia and tastes of butterscotch.

These sugars are hard and need to be grated or chopped before they dissolve. Simmer them with water to make a syrup and strain out any fibers or grit.

Liquid sweeteners

Honey, agave syrup and maple syrup all count as sugar sources with strong personalities. Honey is thick and sweeter than sugar by volume, so it is usually thinned with warm water before mixing. Agave is runny and pairs naturally with tequila. Maple adds a woody sweetness that works with whiskey and in autumn coffee drinks.

Because they vary in sweetness, swap them by taste, not by exact volume. A good starting point is to replace 22 ml of 1:1 simple syrup with about 15 ml of honey syrup made 3:1 or about 15 ml of agave.

Weights, syrups and ratios

Cup measures for sugar are unreliable because crystal size and moisture vary. Weigh sugar when you make syrups and the result will be the same every time. Simple syrup is equal parts sugar and water by weight; rich syrup is two parts sugar to one part water.

Rich syrup made with demerara is a favorite for stirred whiskey drinks, adding body as well as flavor. Brown sugar syrup suits milk teas and iced coffee. White 1:1 syrup is the workhorse for sours and lemonades.

• Granulated white sugar: about 200 g per cup
• Brown sugar, packed: about 210 to 220 g per cup
• Powdered sugar: about 120 g per cup
• 1:1 syrup: 200 g sugar plus 200 g water gives about 320 ml

Storing sugars and syrups

Keep dry sugars sealed to stop white sugar from caking and brown sugars from drying out. A slice of bread or a terracotta disk in the container keeps brown sugar soft. Syrups belong in the refrigerator in a clean, sealed bottle; a 1:1 syrup typically keeps 2 to 4 weeks and a 2:1 syrup somewhat longer. Discard any syrup that turns cloudy, smells fermented or shows mold.

Common questions

Can I use brown sugar instead of white in a cocktail?

Yes, as long as the flavor suits the drink. Brown sugar adds molasses notes that work in whiskey, rum and coffee drinks but can muddy a bright gin or tequila sour.

Why won't my sugar dissolve in a cold drink?

Sugar dissolves slowly in cold liquid, especially with alcohol present. Make a syrup ahead, or use superfine sugar and stir it with a little liquid before adding ice.

Is raw sugar less sweet than white sugar?

By weight, demerara and turbinado are very close to white sugar in sweetness. They taste richer because of the molasses, not because they are less sweet.