Starbucks brown sugar syrup (Ingredients, Taste, Copycat Recipe, Calories, Where to buy, and More Information)
Syrups have a way of elevating the taste of a drink without you adding much, especially when adding them to coffee. The Starbucks brown sugar syrup is a case of this statement in action, thanks to its status as a fan favorite owing to its simplicity and classic taste.
In my experimentation with coffee sweeteners, I discovered an underrated treat: Brown Sugar syrup. While many of my friends prefer taking the classic syrup in their Starbucks coffee, I quickly became a fan of the brown sugar syrup because of its cozy caramel-like notes. What was even better was how easy it is to make a DIY version and the versatility it offers – which I will talk about in this article.
A brief history of the syrup
The Brown Sugar syrup that Starbucks offers is quite new, as its history began in the spring of 2021. The company wanted to introduce it as a base to complement its newest shaken espresso, the iced brown sugar oat milk shaken espresso.
The syrup is a variation of the classic syrup, as it uses brown sugar instead of white sugar. Because brown sugar contains molasses, the syrup that results from it has notes of toffee and caramel.
Is Starbucks brown sugar syrup still available at Starbucks?
Yes, you can purchase brown sugar syrup at Starbucks cafés. However, it is quite expensive, and in many cases, you will find it cheaper to buy the ingredients separately and make the syrup at home. The good news is that the simplicity of its ingredients makes it very easy to make at home because you will only require brown sugar and water as essential ingredients, and its homely flavors pair well with drinks and treats such as pancakes.
Where to buy Starbucks brown sugar syrup
It is quite difficult to buy Brown Sugar syrup outside of Starbucks stores and reserve roasteries unless you purchase it from Amazon.
The brand the company uses to source its syrups is known as Fontana, and then the syrup is re-labeled as Starbucks syrup, so that is likely the reason why it is difficult to purchase outside of certain stores. It is quite pricey, costing about $40 to $44, but it will last for up to 6 months if you store it properly.
Starbucks brown sugar syrup (Ingredients, Taste, Calories, Name variations)
What is in a Starbucks brown sugar syrup (Ingredients)
- Brown sugar and invert sugar – Invert sugar is used as an accompaniment to the brown sugar to reduce the time it takes to prepare the syrup. Starbucks deals with large volumes of syrup so invert sugar is important for speeding up the process, but you will not need it if you are making a DIY version.
- Water – This mixes with the sugar to give it a liquid base.
- Preservatives – These include potassium sorbet and citric acid to increase the shelf life.
- Salt – Brown sugar tends to taste slightly bitter, so the salt reduces this taste.
- Natural flavors – These enhance the sugar flavors.
Starbucks brown sugar syrup: Nutrition and Calories
Nutritional facts
Each pump of syrup contains 10 calories, with a sugar content of around 3 to 5 grams, and the low calories are due to Starbucks using the cane and raw brown sugar instead of store-bought, refined sugar. Its fat content is 0 grams, landing it among the most diet-friendly syrups in Starbucks’ collection.
In terms of recommended sugar intake, it is a maximum of 24 grams for children and up to 30 grams for adults, so it is within that range. However, you need to be mindful of how many pumps you take in your drink, as adding more pumps to make your drink sweeter will result in a higher calorie intake.
So, what does Starbucks brown sugar syrup taste like?
Brown sugar has a rich, caramel-like taste that can also taste like toffee at times because of the addition of molasses, unlike refined sugar which has a sweeter taste. The brown sugar syrup combines this sugar with water to produce a taste that is a slightly sweet, caramel-like flavor, which tastes best in tea-based and iced espresso-based drinks – it is not as sweet as you may assume from its sugary profile.
Drinks that use Starbucks brown sugar syrup
Among Starbucks’ simple syrups, the Brown Sugar syrup is among the newest entries but is not used in as many drinks as some other options. This brings the question – which Starbucks drinks use it?
For that, let’s get some inspiration from the Starbucks menu. The main drinks you can expect to include Brown sugar syrup are:
- Iced tea
- Iced brown sugar oat milk shaken espresso
- Iced espressos
- Chai tea latte
- Iced cappuccino
- Iced coffee
- Oat milk latte or almond milk latte
- Cold brew coffees
This list is quite brief, but the good news is that you can customize almost any Starbucks drink with Brown Sugar syrup or any other syrup flavor you want, especially iced lattes, iced teas, and iced coffees.
The syrup also works excellently as a maple syrup substitute, which makes it work well for other treats like waffles, pancakes, and oatmeal.
Starbucks brown sugar syrup: Other names
The Brown Sugar syrup does not have other names customers attach to it, although some may call it the Classic syrup – although they are not the same sweetener, neither are they used in the same drinks.
How to make Starbucks brown sugar syrup at home – Starbucks Brown Sugar syrup Copycat recipe
Starbucks Brown Sugar syrup Copycat recipe
Equipment
- A small saucepan
- Reusable bottle (ensure it is sterilized)
- Stove
Ingredients
- Brown sugar
- Cinnamon stick (to provide flavor, although it is optional)
- Fine sea salt (to moderate the flavor)
- Filtered water
- Pure maple syrup (optional)
Instructions
- At medium-low temperature, heat the saucepan for a few minutes.
- Put the brown sugar and water in equal amounts in the saucepan. Alongside them, add the maple syrup, salt, and cinnamon stick.
- As the mixture heats, continue stirring until the sugar dissolves and the mixture turns amber-brown. This should take about 2 minutes.
- Turn off the heat and let the mixture cool for several minutes until it stops steaming. As it cools, the syrup turns sticky because the sugar and water molecules combine.
- When the syrup reaches room temperature, transfer it to the sterilized bottle, and ensure it is airtight to prevent it from hardening due to air exposure. You can leave the cinnamon stick in the syrup for up to 24 hours at room temperature and remove it after.
- Use the syrup immediately or keep it in your fridge for up to 1 month.
Notes
- If you are going to use maple syrup, ensure it is pure. Avoid using maple-flavored syrup, because the final product will taste different.
- You should mix the sugar and water in a 50-50 distribution to maintain the taste and not over-dilute the sugar.
- When cooking the simple syrup, cook it until the sugar just dissolves. Do not expose it to heat for too long, because the mixture will become foamy and cloudy.
- The brown sugar you use is up to preference, so you can opt for light brown sugar or dark brown sugar. The darker the sugar is, the more molasses it has, so it will produce a richer caramel flavor that remains consistent over time as long as it does not go bad.
- The best storage bottle to use is a glass bottle to help in easier pouring, and you can also use a glass mason jar.
Conclusion
Starbucks syrups are the best at elevating the taste of the various coffee and tea drinks, and the Brown Sugar syrup is among the best flavors available despite its recent history. You can also make a replica of it easily at home since its ingredients are easy to obtain.
Informative section
What brand of Brown Sugar syrup does Starbucks use?
Starbucks uses the Fontana brand of syrups, which gives it a unique taste.
Is the Brown Sugar syrup at Starbucks sweet?
Yes, it is sweet, but not as much as you would expect from syrups that use white sugar.
Is Starbucks Brown Sugar syrup vegan?
Yes, all the ingredients in the Brown Sugar syrup are vegan-friendly.
Is Starbucks brown sugar syrup gluten-free?
Yes, it is, as Starbucks does not add gluten to any of its syrups.
How much is Starbucks brown sugar syrup?
One liter of Brown Sugar syrup costs about $39.99 to $44.99 on Amazon, although this price may vary if you purchase it at Starbucks stores.
Is Starbucks brown sugar syrup keto?
No, it is not, due to its sugar content.
Is Starbucks brown sugar syrup healthy?
Not really, considering that brown sugar is the source of most of its calories. Consume it in moderation if you want to remain healthy.
Is Starbucks brown sugar syrup good?
Yes, it is, especially for people looking for healthier sweeteners for their drinks.
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