1. Boil water with sugar 2 parts water: 1 part sugar, stir occasionally.
2. Turn heat to medium. Add in crushed oranges / coffee beans and mint / whatever fruit or herb you want the liquor to have. The more you add, the stronger it is (obviously). For fruit put in equal parts of sugar : crushed fruit. For Mint and coffee, put in 1/4 cup crushed (not ground) coffee beans per cup of sugar and 2 TBSP crushed mint per cup of sugar.
3. bring to a rapid boil, then diminish to a simmer until sugar is completely mixed in, stirring occasionally.
4. IF CONSUMED DAY OF: Fill pitcher or bowl with ice (yes fill, you want the dilution and the mixture from the pot to be cooled) mix equal parts rum to mixture (this should leave you with 1 part mixture, 1 part rum, 5 parts water / ice).
5. IF CONSUMED LATER: Fill jar with 1/2 Everclear, 1/2 mixture, store in cool dark place for 3 months.