How To Choose The Right Sugar Syrup
What are they?
Under EU food law (Council Directive 2001/111/EC), sugarmakers dissolve sugar in water to make white sugar syrup. It stays pure and light in colour, with very little broken‑down sugar. The EU does not legally define brown sugar syrup. But in everyday use, people make it brown in colour and give it the flavour of molasses, similar to brown sugar, which consists of white sugar mixed with molasses.
What are the different types?
We stock two different types: brown and white.
1) Brown Sugar Syrup
Neither EU nor UK law officially defines brown sugar syrup, but in everyday use, producers make it with molasses or give it a brown colour and caramel-like flavour. Essentially, they mix white sugar with molasses or let it retain some of the natural molasses from sugar production, which gives it a darker colour and richer taste.
These are mainly used in milk teas, specifically in brown sugar or classic milk teas to give it that caramel touch. At Taipec, we have a range of different brown syrups for slightly different aromas and textures. The choice between our various types depends on your personal preference.
- TJ-brand – for those seeking richness and aroma.
- TO-brand – for a more traditional and familiar flavour, the choice between the two is purely subjective.
- Smearing syrups – to achieve that beautiful aesthetic smearing effect on the sides of a cup as seen in Brown Sugar Milk Tea, the choice between the two is again purely subjective.
@taipec_uk Thai brown sugar milk tea 🧡🤎 #recipe #fyp #tiktokdrink #drinkrecipes #cafe
2) White Sugar Syrup
Producers dissolve sugar (sucrose) in water to make this syrup. It stays very pure, light in colour, and keeps most of the sugar as normal sucrose rather than broken-down sugar. In practical terms, they create a sweet, clear, or slightly golden liquid by dissolving white sugar in water to a specific concentration.
It is used in all types of bubble tea to add sweetness. At Taipec, we also have various types of white syrups. The decision between them depends on your preference. Let's break it down in the table below:
| Sugar level | # of ladles |
| 0% | 0 ladles |
| 25% | 1/2 ladle |
| 50% | 1 ladle |
| 75% | 1.5 ladles |
| 100% | 2 ladles |
- Cane Liquid Sugar – for natural sweetness.
This is a sweet liquid made by dissolving sugar that comes specifically from sugarcane in water. It retains the natural flavour of sugarcane and often has a slightly golden colour. It can be used in baking, drinks, and cooking where a subtle, natural sugarcane taste is desired. Like other types, it may be clear or lightly coloured depending on how much of the natural molasses remains.
- Invert Sugar Syrup – for a Kosher-certified, locally manufactured, cost-effective option without compromising on quality.
This type is sugar dissolved in water that has been partly “split” into two simpler sugars, glucose and fructose. This happens naturally over time or can be done on purpose through a process called hydrolysis. Because of this split, the syrup is sweeter than regular sugar syrup and tends to stay liquid longer, which makes it useful in baking, confectionery, and beverages. Read our blog to learn more about what invert sugar syrup is.
Summary
What are sugar syrups? These are liquids made by dissolving sugar in water. They come from different sources, such as white sugar, sugarcane, or partially broken-down sugars. Syrups vary in sweetness, flavour, and colour depending on the type of sugar used and whether natural molasses or chemical processes, like inversion, affect them. People commonly use them in beverages, desserts, and cooking to add sweetness and improve texture.
What are the differences between white and brown sugar syrup? White sugar syrup is a clear or slightly golden liquid made from pure sugar, either from sugarcane or sugar beet, with most of the sugar remaining as regular sucrose. It tastes neutral and mainly sweetens drinks and food. Brown sugar syrup, in contrast, contains molasses or retains natural colour and flavour from sugarcane, giving it a richer, caramel-like taste. People mostly use it in milk teas to create that signature caramel touch and darker colour.
At Taipec, we vary our sugars to suit different tastes, beverages, and presentation needs. Our white syrups differ mainly in sweetness level and concentration, and we use them in all types of bubble tea and other drinks, providing guidance with ladles ranging from 0% (no ladle) to 100% (two ladles) for precise control over sweetness. Our brown syrups differ in aroma, flavour, and visual effect: the TJ-Brown Sugar Syrup delivers richer and more aromatic notes, the TO-Brown Sugar Syrup provides a traditional, familiar flavour, and the Smearing Brown Sugar Syrup creates decorative streaks on the sides of cups, as seen in Brown Sugar Milk Tea. Customers choose between these syrups based on personal preference and the sweetness, flavour, or presentation they want to achieve.
By selecting the right syrup, you can control sweetness, texture, aroma, and appearance.