topic Re: QUESTION ABOUT SIMPLE SYRUP in Recipes

QUESTION ABOUT SIMPLE SYRUP

Tinkrbl44 — Sat, 28 Mar 2026 21:05:10 GMT

I've never understood this .... but believe this is a Southern thing.

I was looking at wine and whatnot in my grocery store's liquor department, and I also browsed the various mixes and whatnot.

I came across a bottle with a nice label ... it's called Simple Syrup. For a 12-ounce bottle, the cost was $8.99.

What???

I thought SS was just sugar and water, and it couldn't possibly cost more than twenty-five cents to manufacture, bottle included.

Your thoughts?

Re: QUESTION ABOUT SIMPLE SYRUP

Desertdi — Sat, 28 Mar 2026 21:10:25 GMT

Wouldn't that be something like Karo? $5 or less at the market...

Re: QUESTION ABOUT SIMPLE SYRUP

PA Mom-mom — Sat, 28 Mar 2026 21:12:53 GMT

@Tinkrbl44 I always thought simple syrup was one part water and one part sugar melted in a pan on the stove.

Re: QUESTION ABOUT SIMPLE SYRUP

RedTop — Sat, 28 Mar 2026 21:15:16 GMT

Yes, I make a simple syrup of white sugar and water to sweeten tea. I'm sure anything bottled contains more ingredients to justify the cost.

Re: QUESTION ABOUT SIMPLE SYRUP

kitcat51 — Sat, 28 Mar 2026 21:28:53 GMT

Bottled simple syrup is convenient, I use when I make iced coffees...caramel macchiato is my favorite.

Re: QUESTION ABOUT SIMPLE SYRUP

Group 5 minus 1 — Sat, 28 Mar 2026 21:56:53 GMT

I used it when I made Sangria.

Re: QUESTION ABOUT SIMPLE SYRUP

Tinkrbl44 — Sat, 28 Mar 2026 22:14:21 GMT

@RedTop wrote:
Yes, I make a simple syrup of white sugar and water to sweeten tea. I'm sure anything bottled contains more ingredients to justify the cost.

@RedTop

I looked at the label, and the only ingredients were water and cane sugar, no preservatives.

Seems to me that you could just add a teaspoon of sugar to the tea, or boil the mixture in a saucepan.

My shock was the price of the two ingredients. For that price, they should be giving you a gallon of the stuff.

Re: QUESTION ABOUT SIMPLE SYRUP

wagirl — Sat, 28 Mar 2026 22:35:14 GMT

Just plain water and sugar. I make this for the hummingbirds !!

Re: QUESTION ABOUT SIMPLE SYRUP

shoesnbags — Sat, 28 Mar 2026 22:47:25 GMT

@Desertdi wrote:
Wouldn't that be something like Karo? $5 or less at the market...

Nope

Re: QUESTION ABOUT SIMPLE SYRUP

september — Sat, 28 Mar 2026 22:58:28 GMT

As with a lot of things, it's cheaper to make at home, but people pay for ready made things for the convenience.

if I was staying at hotel or an air b&b, I might pick up such an item to make drinks in my temporary residence. It would still be far cheaper than ordering drinks in the hotel bar.

@Tinkrbl44 wrote:

I've never understood this .... but believe this is a Southern thing.

I was looking at wine and whatnot in my grocery store's liquor department, and I also browsed the various mixes and whatnot.

I came across a bottle with a nice label ... it's called Simple Syrup. For a 12-ounce bottle, the cost was $8.99.

What???

I thought SS was just sugar and water, and it couldn't possibly cost more than twenty-five cents to manufacture, bottle included.

Your thoughts?

Re: QUESTION ABOUT SIMPLE SYRUP

Zhills — Sun, 29 Mar 2026 00:18:21 GMT

We often pay more for the "making" and "packaging & shipping" than we do for the ingredients!

Simple syrup is sugar and water 1 to 1. It is mainly used for drinks because it is liquid!

Sugar doesn't dissolve well in cold drinks!

Re: QUESTION ABOUT SIMPLE SYRUP

JFD12 — Sun, 29 Mar 2026 00:56:08 GMT

@Tinkrbl44 My 2 cents worth... lol! Simple syrup is equal parts water and sugar... I just made some about an hour ago. Boil it on your stove, let it cool, and put it in a bottle and stick it in your fridge. No need to buy it in a store. 💜

Re: QUESTION ABOUT SIMPLE SYRUP

Tinkrbl44 — Sun, 29 Mar 2026 01:50:08 GMT

@Zhills wrote:
We often pay more for the "making" and "packaging & shipping" than we do for the ingredients!

Simple syrup is sugar and water 1 to 1. It is mainly used for drinks because it is liquid!

Sugar doesn't dissolve well in cold drinks!

@Zhills

ITA ... sometimes it's all about the convenience factor.

Re: QUESTION ABOUT SIMPLE SYRUP

sunshine45 — Sun, 29 Mar 2026 02:40:31 GMT

i make my own simple syrup.

i use 1 part boiled water to 1 part extra fine sugar.

i mostly use it for cocktails.

it is a great base for infusing other flavors also.

mint simple syrup, rosemary simple syrup, orange simple syrup, and it makes a great mix for tropical drinks and margaritas when you add in an equal part of freshly squeezed lemon or lime.

Re: QUESTION ABOUT SIMPLE SYRUP

Hoovermom — Sun, 29 Mar 2026 13:42:02 GMT

Simple syrup is easy to make, 1 part sugar (your choice) and 1 part water. We also use make old fashioned syrup using Damara sugar.........delicious.

Re: QUESTION ABOUT SIMPLE SYRUP

Dusty1 — Sun, 29 Mar 2026 14:31:33 GMT

@Tinkrbl44 My 12 year old grandson just made some simple syrup & made lemonade.

I will not tell him that people are willing to pay $9 a bottle for that.

He will start charging me.

Re: QUESTION ABOUT SIMPLE SYRUP

magicmoodz — Sun, 29 Mar 2026 22:43:53 GMT

I used to purchase bottled simple syrup when having guests for cocktails.

Then I realized I could eliminate all that sugar by making my own syrup by using "fake" sugar and water. Works for me!

Re: QUESTION ABOUT SIMPLE SYRUP

Tinkrbl44 — Sun, 29 Mar 2026 22:44:10 GMT

@shoesnbags wrote:
@Desertdi wrote:
Wouldn't that be something like Karo? $5 or less at the market...

Nope

@shoesnbags @Desertdi

Karo is pretty thick, I believe.

So ... DILUTED Karo syrup could produce the required consistency, right?

Re: QUESTION ABOUT SIMPLE SYRUP

Desertdi — Sun, 29 Mar 2026 22:55:09 GMT

@Tinkrbl44 wrote:
@shoesnbags wrote:
@Desertdi wrote:
Wouldn't that be something like Karo? $5 or less at the market...

Nope

@shoesnbags @Desertdi

Karo is pretty thick, I believe.

So ... DILUTED Karo syrup could produce the required consistency, right?

@Tinkrbl44

I really don't know. My mother and grandmother were the ones who used it for baking pies and other desserts. di

Re: QUESTION ABOUT SIMPLE SYRUP

shoesnbags — Sun, 29 Mar 2026 23:47:32 GMT

@Tinkrbl44

Karo syrup is corn syrup but simple syrup is made with sugar from sugar cane.

Fun fact: My brother was born in 1955 and I remember my mother making his formula with Karo syrup. I don't know if there were commercial formulas back then, but this was what the Dr recommended. There was a recipe he gave her to make it.