How to use it
- Choose Set the sugar by: a ratio to the water, or a share of the syrup.
- Type the Water weight (grams).
- Type the Grams of sugar for each gram of water, or the Sugar (% of the whole syrup), depending on your choice.
- Read the Sugar to weigh out (grams) and the Total syrup weight (grams).
How the sugar is worked out
In ratio mode the sugar is the water weight multiplied by the number you type. In percentage mode the share is of the whole syrup, which includes the sugar, so the sugar is not a simple percentage of the water. The share is the same mass fraction used in the brine calculator (Wikipedia, Mass fraction (chemistry)).
ratio: sugar = water × ratio
percentage: sugar = water × p ÷ (100 − p)
syrup = water + sugar- A ratio of 1 gives equal weights of sugar and water.
- At 60 %, the sugar is 1.5 times the water: 500 g of water needs 750 g of sugar, not 300 g.
What this calculator does not cover
- Water that boils off while the syrup is heated. It changes the final weight, so weigh the syrup if you need an exact figure.
- The sweetness, thickness or boiling point of the syrup, which depend on the sugar you use.
- Honey, corn syrup and other sugars, which the calculator does not treat differently from sugar.
Worked example: 500 g of water at 60 %
Sugar = 500 × 60 ÷ (100 − 60) = 750 g. The syrup weighs 500 + 750 = 1,250 g.
Check: 750 ÷ 1,250 is 60 %.
| Result | Value |
|---|---|
| Sugar (grams) | 750.0 |
| Total syrup (grams) | 1,250.0 |
| Sugar in the syrup (%) | 60.0 |
Frequently asked questions
Is a ratio of 1 the same as 50 %?
Yes. Equal weights of sugar and water make a syrup in which the sugar is 50 % of the whole, so a ratio of 1 and a share of 50 % give the same sugar.
Why is the sugar more than the percentage of the water?
The percentage is a share of the whole syrup. At 60 %, the sugar is 1.5 times the water, because 60 is 1.5 times 40.
Does the syrup weigh the same after cooking?
No. Water that boils off while the syrup cooks lowers the weight, so the weighed total is less than the sum of the ingredients.
Can I use honey or another sugar with this calculator?
The calculator works on weights only and does not check the sugar. A different sugar may give a different sweetness, so taste the syrup and follow the recipe you use.
Sources
Figures and text last checked on Thursday, November 12, 2026.