Tonic syrup that isn't nasty
January 2, 2011 7:46 AM Subscribe
Where can I an alternative to SodaStream tonic water syrup?
My dad received a SodaStream for Christmas and is very excited to use it for his nightly gin and tonic. He tried the SodaStream tonic syrup and found it way too sweet and "nasty."He's looking for a source (online or real-life) for tonic syrup that might produce tonic water similar to Q Tonic or Fever-Tree.
Notes:
1. He tried just adding less syrup to his club soda, but still found the taste unpleasant.
2. He has found many recipes for making your own tonic water but is completely uninterested in learning to do this himself.
3. One of his other problems with the SodaStream syrup is that even the non-diet version contains splenda. He's looking for something made entirely with sugar, agave, or even corn syrup, but containing no artificial sweeteners (even if they are derived from natural ingredients).
My dad received a SodaStream for Christmas and is very excited to use it for his nightly gin and tonic. He tried the SodaStream tonic syrup and found it way too sweet and "nasty."He's looking for a source (online or real-life) for tonic syrup that might produce tonic water similar to Q Tonic or Fever-Tree.
Notes:
1. He tried just adding less syrup to his club soda, but still found the taste unpleasant.
2. He has found many recipes for making your own tonic water but is completely uninterested in learning to do this himself.
3. One of his other problems with the SodaStream syrup is that even the non-diet version contains splenda. He's looking for something made entirely with sugar, agave, or even corn syrup, but containing no artificial sweeteners (even if they are derived from natural ingredients).
The only other tonic syrup I've ever seen is from a Czech company called Linea. I have no idea how you can buy it.
If you want to go all out and make your own tonic water:
from the op:
2. He has found many recipes for making your own tonic water but is completely uninterested in learning to do this himself.
posted by oneirodynia at 9:41 AM on January 2, 2011
If you want to go all out and make your own tonic water:
from the op:
2. He has found many recipes for making your own tonic water but is completely uninterested in learning to do this himself.
posted by oneirodynia at 9:41 AM on January 2, 2011
Response by poster: Is there any way for a non-restaurant entity to buy the syrups they use in restaurant soda fountains? They must sell schweppes syrup to restaurants and bars, right?
posted by samsarah at 10:27 AM on January 2, 2011
posted by samsarah at 10:27 AM on January 2, 2011
You could probably get a box of syrup from a restaurant supply store. But really if you want anything decent you're going to need to make it at home.
posted by Jawn at 10:47 AM on January 2, 2011
posted by Jawn at 10:47 AM on January 2, 2011
I've used flavored syrups such as those intended for mixing in coffee and liquor with success. Another great thing is to use milk, soda, and Bosco chocolate syrup to make egg creams.
posted by bq at 10:48 AM on January 2, 2011
posted by bq at 10:48 AM on January 2, 2011
you can buy a gallon of tonic concentrate at Sam's Club and also ebay!
posted by vespabelle at 11:29 AM on January 2, 2011
posted by vespabelle at 11:29 AM on January 2, 2011
Best answer: John's Premium. If you have a friend with access to a supplier like Sam's Club etc. you could certainly buy a quantity of the stuff, but probably in the gallon range.
posted by nanojath at 11:54 AM on January 2, 2011 [2 favorites]
posted by nanojath at 11:54 AM on January 2, 2011 [2 favorites]
(I'm not sure if your dad is interested, but there are lots of natural and artisinal type soda syrups out there if you look around. Home soda makers intersect the wine/beer homebrewing community so you could look around those resources IRL and online/mail order, though I don't recall seeing small batch/consumer scale tonic syrups or concentrates before - though I never really looked, that John's premium I stumbled across just looking around out of curiosity just now, I couldn't speak for its quality).
posted by nanojath at 12:01 PM on January 2, 2011
posted by nanojath at 12:01 PM on January 2, 2011
I went to our local homebrew store looking for exactly this, and was told that if it existed, they had not been able to find it yet. YMMV.
posted by Gilbert at 2:13 PM on January 2, 2011
posted by Gilbert at 2:13 PM on January 2, 2011
If he drinks more than 2 serves per day and is willing to pay a fairly significant lump sum, I'd try asking a local restaurant or bar with a soda fountain to order you a box (they are bags in boxes (BIB) where I live).
Keep in mind that a 5l BIB makes about 30l of finished beverage or around 175x 170ml serves... The life of the syrup is usually around 8 - 12 weeks, so there may be significant wastage if you have less than 2 serves a day.
posted by dantodd at 2:22 PM on January 2, 2011
Keep in mind that a 5l BIB makes about 30l of finished beverage or around 175x 170ml serves... The life of the syrup is usually around 8 - 12 weeks, so there may be significant wastage if you have less than 2 serves a day.
posted by dantodd at 2:22 PM on January 2, 2011
This thread is closed to new comments.
http://www.jeffreymorgenthaler.com/2008/how-to-make-your-own-tonic-water/
posted by suedehead at 9:05 AM on January 2, 2011 [2 favorites]