# Bulk Syrup formula/measurements



## Vance G (Jan 6, 2011)

Three gallons of water and a 25 lb bag of sugar are what I call 1:1. Hot tap water dissolves that amount of sugar.


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## MissMollyTN (Feb 19, 2017)

Hi, I hope that if you're thinking of adding a preservative, you will research whether this might be harmful for hummingbirds. They are very sensitive to seemingly-benign additives. 
Also, although the generally-known ratio of water to sugar for hummingbird nectar is 4:1, I've seen discussions about stronger mixes- the strongest being 2:1. With mixes stronger than 4:1, there's a danger of the birds becoming dehydrated in warmer weather- so I hope you will have additional water near the feeders for them.


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## Rader Sidetrack (Nov 30, 2011)

Beekeepers refer to sugar-water syrup ratios with the "sugar" listed first. So 2:1 is two parts sugar to 1 part water. It is very difficult to get a syrup mixture with much more sugar than 2:1 as the sugar doesn't dissolve, or if it does, it is likely to precipitate back out as the mixture cools.

4:1 would be closer to a "sugar block" recipe, although I'd say that is a bit too much water for a good block. 1:2 is a weak sugar syrup mixture that is sometimes suggested for getting bees to draw wax.


Michael Palmer has a fairly straightforward method of preparing 2:1 syrup ... 


Michael Palmer said:


> You know, you don't have to weigh or measure...
> 
> Make mark inside a 5 gallon bucket. Fill to mark with granulated sugar. Fill to mark with hot water. Stir well. Top off with water to mark. Stir well until sugar is dissolved. 65% syrup every time.


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## iabeesteve (Mar 12, 2017)

I should of been more clear hummers will get their own mix just using the same supplies and process my appologies. 
Thanks for the info I'll just make 5gal and keep refrigersted


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## dputt88 (Jul 27, 2013)

I just fill the 5 gal bucket with 2 gal of water and then add sugar until it's up to 4 gal. 

A gal of sugar is pretty much 8 lbs and a gal of water is 8.4 lbs. I just call it 8 across the board so to make 5 gal you'll need 20 lbs sugar.


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## AR Beekeeper (Sep 25, 2008)

One pint of water weighs about one pound. Ten pounds of sugar mixed in ten pints (5 quarts) of water will make two gallons of 1:1 syrup. Nothing needs to be added to invert the sugar, if the syrup is not fed the same day it is mixed add a teaspoon of house hold bleach for each gallon of syrup.


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## bw200314 (Sep 3, 2015)

i use 28 lbs of sugar and and 2.5 gallons of water.


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## aunt betty (May 4, 2015)

For 1;1 syrup I put 5 quart jar fulls of water into the big stock pot on high heat. 
Ten pounds of sugar goes into the bucket. When the pot boils it gets dumped into the bucket then stirred with a paint mixer on a cordless drill.


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## Groundhwg (Jan 28, 2016)

dputt88 said:


> I just fill the 5 gal bucket with 2 gal of water and then add sugar until it's up to 4 gal.
> 
> A gal of sugar is pretty much 8 lbs and a gal of water is 8.4 lbs. I just call it 8 across the board so to make 5 gal you'll need 20 lbs sugar.


I do the exact same thing except the opposite  I use my one gallon pitcher, fill and dump sugar twice so real close to 16 pounds. Then one gallon of hot tap water, stir just a bit and then a second gallon of hot water and finish stirring. This all done in a 5 gallon bucket and makes just a little more than 4 gallons of 1:1 sugar water. Which is all I want to carry at a time with my bad back? Use the same pitcher to then feed one gallon into each of my four top hive feeders.

No idea if it would work for hummingbirds but I doubt they would turn up their beaks to the free groceries. Oh the main reason I use my pitcher to pour the sugar in first is once wet I can not get all the sugar out of the pitcher. :no: If you do not buy sugar in larger bags, 25# or greater, it is easy to just measure the sugar by using 4 pound bags – two bags to a gallon of water. For me it is just cheaper to buy a 25# bag which again is not too much for me to carry.


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## DeepCreek (Jan 23, 2015)

Take a 5 gallon bucket and pour in a 25lb. bag of sugar, take a marker or electrical tape and make a circle around the outside of the bucket at the sugar line, dump out the sugar, fill the bucket with hot water to the line, pour in sugar, mix with a paint stirrer in the drill, done with your 1 to 1.


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## EastSideBuzz (Apr 12, 2009)

I just use 5 gallons hot water and 50lb bag of sugar in a garbage can. Mix and put back into jugs. Sometime I add a gallon or two of more water to thin it to go farther in my pouring back into hives. That works awesome.


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