Feedback on Tate and Lyle's syrup recipe, please.

[DavidDetroit]

I made this syrup using the recipe below (from the Internet) and got syrup. It was good, I guess, but I have nothing to compare it to since I'm only familiar with actual maple syrup and fake maple syrup. I have no idea if it duplicates Tate and Lyle's which is what the recipe calls for.
Does anyone have experience with making a really close version, is this one fine or should I just pay the extra cash and buy the authentic product?
I'm making, for the second time, Gale's Prize Old Ale clone.
Thank you for your insight.

"Vickys Homemade Golden Syrup UK (like Tate & Lyles)
Ingredients
4 servings
200 grams white sugar (1 cup)
50 ml water (3 tbsp + 1 tsp)
1000 grams white sugar (5 cups)
600 ml boiling water (2.5 cups)
2 thick slices of lemon

Method
50 mins
Pour the 1st lot of sugar and water into a large pan. Let the sugar caramelize on a medium heat until it's a gorgeous dark golden colour
Add the 2nd lot of sugar, the boiling water and the lemon and boil on low for 40-45 minutes until thick, don't stir
At this stage don't be tempted to boil longer, the syrup will always look thin when hot but once it cools it will thicken. After cooling if you do think it's not thick enough, just put it back in the pan and boil again for another 5-10 minutes"

 

[MyQul]

Golden syrup is so cheap here, I dont think anyone would bother making it, except for perhaps the 'project' value.

What yeast are you using for your clone Btw

 

[DavidDetroit]

It's $7 for 325ml (11oz) so not cheap, at least, to me it's not cheap.
I am going to use two packs of US-04. I'm not married to it but I find dry yeast very friendly toward me. I checked my notes and that's what I used last time. I got a 9.7% ABV. I also noted at three months that it was a "beauty," so I'll have to trust "past me" and hope he was correct and not being a braggart.
I didn't record the fermentation temperature but it would be whatever my basement is in November (high 50s (14-15 C) more than likely ).
By the way, do you guys know Fahrenheit well? If so, I won't bother adding conversions. I only know 0C and 100C. I'm okay with liters.

 

[Dutto]

Most of us old 'uns are fully conversant with Fahrenheit (albeit a bit rusty).

The syrup recipe sounds good. The secret is in the word "golden" which is what the finished product should look like so the advice about accepting that it will look "thin" is good because you don't want it too dark; especially if you are brewing a Pale Ale or a Bitter.

The price you quoted is truly amazing! I normally buy it in the 907g tins from a supermarket that is marginally cheaper than the £1.95 ($2.53) that Tesco charge ...

https://www.tesco.com/groceries/en-GB/products/254851415

As you are in Detroit, it looks as if you may be in for a hard winter; especially if you are a Lions fan!

Surely, there's no hope for any team that gets stuffed by the Browns?

 

[ACBEV]

I can't help you with making golden syrup. Although I would use brewers invert No.1, which would be a good substitute...

Full instructions making brewers inverted sugars can be found here...
http://www.unholymess.com/blog/beer-brewing-info/making-brewers-invert

But you can buy 64oz (4 x 16oz) of Golden syrup from Amazon for $14.65...
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B005CMABCS/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

 

[ACBEV]

A bit off topic... If you do go the brewers invert route. Make some No. 3 and some brewers caramel too, then you can brew one of my favorite beers... Adnams XXXX...
http://barclayperkins.blogspot.com/2016/12/lets-brew-wednesday-1949-adnams-xxxx.html

Brewers Caramel Instructions...
http://www.unholymess.com/blog/beer-brewing-info/making-brewers-caramel

 

[MyQul]

As you'll see from the figures Dutto posted T&L GS just isnt worth bothering to make. If you buy the supermarket own brand it's even cheaper (which is what I bought last time I used it)

US-04 is a good choice as the both this and the Gales strain is derived from the Whitbread B dry strain (Whitbread A is the sweeter strain). Im guessing you can't get hold of a bottle of Gales HSB, as that is bottle conditioned?. When Fullers took over the Gales brewery, they kept the yeast and carry on using it for HSB. I use this strain at the mo as my English beer strain.

Im going to be attempting to dry yeast soon (going try it out on some US-05 slurry first) but if i'm successful I'll dry some Gales yeast too and I'll send you some if you like making the Prize Ale. The yeast makes a huge difference in beer like this

 

[Dutto]

..............

Full instructions making brewers inverted sugars can be found here...
http://www.unholymess.com/blog/beer-brewing-info/making-brewers-invert

...........

The lad in this link is hard of Candi Sugar and has quite obviously never used it because he then goes on to explain how to make a version of it!

I used this link ...

https://joshthebrewmaster.wordpress.com/2010/11/27/how-to-make-belgian-candi-sugar/

... to use the temperatures on a bottle of Cane Syrup ...

... to produce this ...

... which I used in a brew.

Two things about the latter photograph:

1. The resulting brew was a superb red colour.
2. I weep a little when I look at that glass. Inherited from my brother, broken by SWMBO it held a 650ml bottle of beer!

Every supermarket in France sells bottles of Cane Syrup at a lot cheaper rate than this ...

https://www.tesco.com/groceries/en-GB/products/265252094

Good news: Producing a Candy Syrup from a liquid Cane Syrup is easy plus you still have a bottle to save it in.

 

[ACBEV]

The lad in this link is hard of Candi Sugar and has quite obviously never used it because he then goes on to explain how to make a version of it!

I think he is saying Belgian candi sugar isn't the same as Britsh brewers invert sugar. Although methods and ingredients are similar, they are not the same.

 

[DavidDetroit]

Most of us old 'uns are fully conversant with Fahrenheit (albeit a bit rusty).

The syrup recipe sounds good. The secret is in the word "golden" which is what the finished product should look like so the advice about accepting that it will look "thin" is good because you don't want it too dark; especially if you are brewing a Pale Ale or a Bitter.

The price you quoted is truly amazing! I normally buy it in the 907g tins from a supermarket that is marginally cheaper than the £1.95 ($2.53) that Tesco charge ...

https://www.tesco.com/groceries/en-GB/products/254851415

As you are in Detroit, it looks as if you may be in for a hard winter; especially if you are a Lions fan!

Surely, there's no hope for any team that gets stuffed by the Browns?

Most of us old 'uns are fully conversant with Fahrenheit (albeit a bit rusty).

The syrup recipe sounds good. The secret is in the word "golden" which is what the finished product should look like so the advice about accepting that it will look "thin" is good because you don't want it too dark; especially if you are brewing a Pale Ale or a Bitter.

The price you quoted is truly amazing! I normally buy it in the 907g tins from a supermarket that is marginally cheaper than the £1.95 ($2.53) that Tesco charge ...

https://www.tesco.com/groceries/en-GB/products/254851415

As you are in Detroit, it looks as if you may be in for a hard winter; especially if you are a Lions fan!

Surely, there's no hope for any team that gets stuffed by the Browns?

I saw the comment at the end but first things first.
Yeah, I got lucky the first time with the color. Didn't use a thermometer (will this time) and it "cracked" which I think is the sugar-making term for turning it solid. I did low heat and added tiny amounts of water and it was great (as far as I know without a comparison).

Wow! "Having a go" at me about American football? Did I use that phrase correctly? I did not see that coming.
Fortunately, I'm not too invested emotionally but it did sting a little. I can console myself with that recent loss by saying, "Preseason games don't matter and the starters aren't on the field the entire time."
With the money involved, draft picks, trades, coaches and a bunch of "etceteras," an NFL team can appear to be a different animal one season to the next (besides the New England Patriots, of course, who win year in and out).

 

[DavidDetroit]

If you buy the supermarket own brand it's even cheaper (which is what I bought last time I used it)

US-04 is a good choice as the both this and the Gales strain is derived from the Whitbread B dry strain (Whitbread A is the sweeter strain). Im guessing you can't get hold of a bottle of Gales HSB, as that is bottle conditioned?.

Im going to be attempting to dry yeast soon (going try it out on some US-05 slurry first) but if i'm successful I'll dry some Gales yeast too and I'll send you some if you like making the Prize Ale. The yeast makes a huge difference in beer like this

You know, I've never seen syrup like T&L GS here. Not to say there isn't one, since it might be a baking item. I thought I looked at the time (It's been over a year).
That is generous of you to offer. I am going to continue to make the Prize Ale clone for the foreseeable future and would definitely use it. I never heard of Gale's before a couple years ago, much less tasted one.
I'm sure I'm making a version of an English beer but who knows which one, right? It's good though.

 

[DavidDetroit]

I can't help you with making golden syrup. Although I would use brewers invert No.1, which would be a good substitute...

Full instructions making brewers inverted sugars can be found here...
http://www.unholymess.com/blog/beer-brewing-info/making-brewers-invert

But you can buy 64oz (4 x 16oz) of Golden syrup from Amazon for $14.65...
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B005CMABCS/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

Thanks for the info.
The price I quoted was from the home brew shop which, with some items, can be pricey.
I checked Amazon back then but when I saw a tin and not a bottle, it threw me off as I wasn't sure if I would be buying the correct product. But that price on Amazon puts buying it in the "reasonable" category certainly.

 

[ACBEV]

I saw a tin and not a bottle

The tin is the old fashioned packaging and the plastic squeezy bottle is the newer type. Contains the same stuff.

 

[AdeDunn]

Next time I buy some, I'm getting a ruddy bottle! Darned tins are a nightmare as the stuff goes everywhere.... lol

 

[MyQul]

When I first cultured up the Gales strain from the bottle, I did a lot of internet research on it. The esters are said to impart a Dundee cake (a type of fruit cake) flavour. Normally I make lower alcohol beer so made some Ordinary and Best bitters with the yeast. It made nice beer but I couldnt detect any fruit cake flavour. Then I decided to make and 5% ESB wth it. All of a sudden the fruit cake flavours came through. It was definately one of the better bitters I've made

 

[Dutto]

............ an NFL team can appear to be a different animal one season to the next (besides the New England Patriots, of course, who win year in and out).

I hope not!!!

My favoured team The Texans (we have long time friends who live in Houston who took us to a match when we visited)
face The Patriots a week tomorrow as their first game of the season proper!

However, I live in hope ...

... rather than expectation!

 

[DavidDetroit]

I hope not!!!

My favoured team The Texans (we have long time friends who live in Houston who took us to a match when we visited)
face The Patriots a week tomorrow as their first game of the season proper!

However, I live in hope ...

... rather than expectation!

that's cool. when I was in Germany a long time ago, I was able to keep abreast by watching these super-edited clips. It was the whole game but just the actual plays.
Soccer is big here now, as opposed to twenty years ago, and getting bigger. Rugby, still not.
The reason I don't mind the Patriots dominating is their coach. He doesn't pander to the press and does his own thing which is admirable.

 

[MyQul]

that's cool. when I was in Germany a long time ago, I was able to keep abreast by watching these super-edited clips. It was the whole game but just the actual plays.
Soccer is big here now, as opposed to twenty years ago, and getting bigger. Rugby, still not.
The reason I don't mind the Patriots dominating is their coach. He doesn't pander to the press and does his own thing which is admirable.

I enjoy Amercian football and annually watch the BBC American Football shows (super edited clips). But what has always confused me is why American football is called football. Only the kicker or the punter ever actually touches the ball with their feet?
It's like Baseball and the world series, when there's only American and Canadian teams competing are for it. Two of the biggest misnomers ever

 

[DavidDetroit]

When I first cultured up the Gales strain from the bottle, I did a lot of internet research on it. The esters are said to impart a Dundee cake (a type of fruit cake) flavour. Normally I make lower alcohol beer so made some Ordinary and Best bitters with the yeast. It made nice beer but I couldnt detect any fruit cake flavour. Then I decided to make and 5% ESB wth it. All of a sudden the fruit cake flavours came through. It was definately one of the better bitters I've made

That's cool. Of course, I would use authentic yeast if it were available (and dry) but I got some nice background, maybe fruit-like, flavor from the US-04. I'm not very hard to please though.

 

[DavidDetroit]

I won't go off-topic too much but

I enjoy Amercian football and annually watch the BBC American Football shows (super edited clips). But what has always confused me is why American football is called football. Only the kicker or the punter ever actually touches the ball with their feet?
It's like Baseball and the world series, when there's only American and Canadian teams competing are for it. Two of the biggest misnomers ever

When there's an overseas game, I watch and try to figure out how many people actually understand what's going on. It's not a given here in the US that people get the game. Probably more don't than do, nothing scientific. It's kind of complicated if one isn't used to it, but from the crowd reactions when I watch an overseas game, it seems many do. They generally do over-clap at PATs (point after touchdown) which I think is cool since it's only worth one point.
Regarding the name? Maybe no one could think of a better one? Stole it from you folks? It definitely isn't foot-oriented but too late to change now to an accurate description, whatever that may be.
It's a little presumptuous to call it "World Series" but the name loses meaning over time and only means what it does. Even as a kid, I thought it was a bit silly. The least we could do, which would be awesome, is to have all countries that wish to, compete. Japan has skill so I wouldn't rule them out and some other countries could win just as easily as not.
MLB (major league baseball) would need to cut the way-too-long 162 game schedule down to a manageable number so the tournament could be played in warm weather.
Well, now that you've let the air out of my sports balloon I hope you have a good time watching a football match!
Cheers