Recommended syrups for espresso drinks

[bobndeb]

...split from Post a pic of your home espresso setup by moderator...


Some really nice set up's guys mine is too small to post atm but one day I will have a nice setup.
I noticed in some of the pics people have bottle's of stuff beside them is that different flavoring? My wife would really like some type of flavoring if someone could point me in the right direction to get some that would be great.

[gadflea]

Some really nice set up's guys mine is too small to post atm but one day I will have a nice setup.
I noticed in some of the pics people have bottle's of stuff beside them is that different flavoring? My wife would really like some type of flavoring if someone could point me in the right direction to get some that would be great.

My advice would be, "don't get her started." Using syrup is like handicapping an espresso drink; and that means it will prohibit development of both her palate and your skills. But not all here would agree with me. If you must, go for the vanilla bean syrup from http://www.sonomasyrup.com, it is brewed with real vanilla beans and is about as legit as a syrup can get.

[networkcrasher]

My advice would be, "don't get her started." Using syrup is like handicapping an espresso drink; and that means it will prohibit development of both her palate and your skills. But not all here would agree with me. If you must, go for the vanilla bean syrup from http://www.sonomasyrup.com, it is brewed with real vanilla beans and is about as legit as a syrup can get.

But there's nothing wrong with appeasing a guest when they come by and letting them have their cappa the way they like it!

I use Torani (and sugar free at that - the sugar filled ones are pretty sweet!) and it isn't quite organic/fair trade, but it's readily available and I think it tastes just fine.

[sweaner]

I have used these flavoring drops with some success. They only add flavor, not sweetness. The bottles are small and it only takes a few drops per cup.

http://capellaflavordrops.com/

[roblumba]

My advice would be, "don't get her started." Using syrup is like handicapping an espresso drink; and that means it will prohibit development of both her palate and your skills. But not all here would agree with me. If you must, go for the vanilla bean syrup from http://www.sonomasyrup.com, it is brewed with real vanilla beans and is about as legit as a syrup can get.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but all the popular vanilla syrups use real vanilla beans. I've compared Monin and Torani and Monin uses pure Madagascar Vanilla Beans Extract and Pure Can Sugar and Torania also uses Pure Vanilla Extract and Pure Cane Sugar. Pure Cane Sugar is a non GMO sugar that I think most organic people would be much happier to eat than Corn Syrup. Pure Can Sugar tastes much better than Corn Syrup and is not genetically modified like Corn Syrups. You also have to be careful that the sugar you use is Pure Cane, because some of the cheap super market sugars out there are now made of genetically modified beets. And those sugars don't taste so good and are genetically modified of course.

The Monin Syrup is much more concentrated and each Monin bottle contains about 25% more. So you pay a little more, but I think you get about 50% more bang for your buck with each Monin bottle, seeing that it's both more concentrated, more per bottle, and the vanilla beans are madagascar, with a better flavor.

But both Torani and Monin are excellent and pair well with coffee if you ask me. I think Monin syrups are very good at allowing the coffee flavors to take more center stage, but still have a nice sweetness and vanilla flavoring. BTW, vanilla is commonly used in chocolate to enhance the flavor. It's not surprising that it pairs well with coffee. I think the coffee purists out there are a little overboard to suggest that it's bad to flavor your coffee with vanilla. Top Chefs throughout the ages have been pairing ingredients that match well for centuries and there have always been flavors that marry well together. I think vanilla and coffee are a very good marriage of flavors. Hazelnut is probably another strong candidate although I haven't cared too much for many of the hazelnut syrups out there and I think most of them are actually artificial flavors, and not hazelnut extract.

Also look at the Barista Competitions, the signature drinks are all about blending flavors and aromas together. It's considered very special to make a drink that marry's flavors together in unique ways. Vanilla, Espresso, Steamed Milk and Sugar are just a very common recipe that many people like. There's really nothing signature about it since it common. Perhaps one day, many years ago, a Barista came up with this combination and it was a signature drink for a time. Now it's a classic.

[VS_DoubleShot]

I always used to have two bottles of Torani syrup - vanilla and caramel. Since I've moved in the last year I can't find any and I didn't want to order any so I got the local coffee place to sell me a bottle of Monin caramel and instead of vanilla I just mix up some thick simple syrup for sweetening.

[gadflea]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but all the popular vanilla syrups use real vanilla beans. I've compared Monin and Torani and Monin uses pure Madagascar Vanilla Beans Extract and Pure Can Sugar and Torania also uses Pure Vanilla Extract and Pure Cane Sugar.

I should have been more clear. Sonoma uses real vanilla beans in addition to a vanilla extract. The bottle has little black vanilla seeds from the pod floating around in the syrup. The label on a Monin bottle says it uses, "natural vanilla extract, natural vanilla flavor." The difference in taste is appreciable.

[ttotobono]

Don't know if you consider this syrup but we use Jacquin's Anisette/ or Romana Sambvca, The anisette my dad used back in the 40's/50's/60's, until we discovered the Sambvca, now I use both, "not together". I like the Sambvca best.