Should simple syrup be refrigerated after opening?
We highly recommend, even insist, that you store your simple syrup in the refrigerator. Fridges are made to slow down the aging of food and to extend their shelf-life by preventing the growth of bacteria. The refrigerator will also help your simple syrup stabilize.
The use of heat acts as a sterilizer, giving the syrup a longer shelf life. Flavored simple syrup also results in a shorter shelf life. In addition, simple syrup stored at room temperature instead of in the fridge will last for 1-2 weeks.
Once you buy your syrups and open them up, you might be asking yourself, "Does store-bought simple syrup or snow cone syrup need to be refrigerated?" The simple answer is no. If you use only a little bit of your syrup, the rest of the bottle does not need to be refrigerated.
Homemade simple syrup should be stored in the refrigerator. When stored properly, it has a shelf life of up to one month.
Syrup can sometimes get moldy, but mold can grow in the refrigerator too. If you see mold, just throw it out.
(Syrup that is not hot-packed will not be shelf-stable.) When unopened, you can store hot-packed pure maple syrup for at least a year (or more) in the pantry at room temperature. Once opened, you'll need to store it in the fridge. If your syrup is not hot-packed, plan to store it in the fridge and consume quickly.
The difference is surprising. Simple syrup (1:1 ratio of sugar to water) will only stay good for about a month. But rich simple syrup, made from a 2:1 ratio of sugar to water, will last about six months before becoming cloudy.
Do you need to refrigerate the syrup once it's opened? Yes! It's okay to leave on the kitchen counter during a party. Just stick the bottle in the refrigerator overnight.
- In cocktails (some recipe ideas below)
- Sweeten cold drinks like iced tea, lemonade or iced coffee (since it is a liquid it blends quickly and well)
- To moisten cakes! ...
- Poaching fruit. ...
- Add it to a sorbet recipe.
- Drizzle over a fruit salad for some extra sweetness (especially if you've infused the syrup)
First, you can add an ounce of vodka to your syrup. The alcohol content and the sugar will help delay the growth of mold or bacteria. This can extend the life of your simple syrup by two to four weeks.
Why is my simple syrup yellow?
Ever experience yellow simple syrup? That's a result of caramelizing the sugar. The longer you let it boil, the more likely it is to pick up a golden hue.
Simple syrup crystallizes when enough of the sugar molecules stick to one another that they become insoluble in the water. In a syrup prepared with a high 2:1 ratio of sugar to water (often referred to as a rich syrup), the chance of sugar molecules clustering and crystallizing is high.
It's not sugar sand cloudiness, which is distributed evenly through the syrup, but "fluffy" particles floating in the syrup. They are not there when I first bottle it, but appear several months later. If the syrup is left undisturbed, they will eventually settle on the bottom and look like a fuzzy coating down there.
Once the container is open, maple syrup should be refrigerated. Once in contact with air, mold could develop if the product is not refrigerated. What's more, refrigeration tends to reduce evaporation which is usually followed by crystallization of the product.
At room temperature, mold and bacteria growth resumes almost immediately, and warmer temperatures can lead to an explosion of growth that rapidly degrades the food product.
Ketchup, mustard, mayonnaise, vinegar ― they don't all need to be refrigerated.
Unopened syrup stores easily, it does not need refrigeration just keep in a dry place at a room temperature or lower. However, prolonged (more than two years) storage may cause the color of maple syrup to darken and the flavor may deteriorate slightly.
Maple syrup does not have enough sugar to prevent mold and no preservatives, so like bread or wine, it can develop mold after 7 days or so, pending the environment. 1 or 2 days, not an issue.
If your syrup appears cloudy, has spots or mold on it, or in the cap/lid, it's time to toss the simple syrup and make another batch. You don't want your syrup to colonize molds or allow them to grow in it. Make sure to store your syrup in airtight containers and label them with the date and contents.
Can I store simple syrup in a plastic bottle? Yes, you can. To keep the syrup from oxygen exposure, store it in a sealed plastic container with a tight-fitting top and keep it in the refrigerator.