Our elderberry syrup vs. the kind you buy at the grocery store.

Our elderberry syrup is a true, pure, organic elderberry syrup made with a true local raw honey. Our syrup also contains 8 powerful and beneficial ingredients.

The syrup you find on store shelves in big box stores are only labeled a “syrup” because the first and largest ingredient used is a vegetable glycerin or glucose corn syrup – both are thickeners and sweeteners. You are essentially purchasing a highly processed, “hot poured” product that is often made up of dye, high amounts of fructose corn syrup and a small amount of elderberry extract. Hot pouring heats to a high heat and is poured in the jar/bottle – essentially canning the product for preservation, but ultimately taking away from the benefits offered. Alternatively, throughout our making process, the liquid is cooled below 90 degrees before adding the honey. Cooling is important as it preserves the live and beneficial enzymes in the honey.

Store bought syrup is typically $3-$4 an ounce while our syrup is approximately $2 an ounce. Our syrup is of a much higher quality and concentrate. We use real, organic ingredients and make our syrup in small batches by hand. It is never preserved and always fresh.

 

 

Our elderberry syrup is a unique blend.

Compared to other refrigerated elderberry syrups, most people find that our syrup offers better taste, quality and ingredients. Our taste is quite delicious! You don’t experience the sting of clove, it is not bitter or hard to swallow. It is quite sweet with notes of cinnamon and has a slight floral taste.

We include 8 beneficial ingredients in our syrup, in large amounts. We pride ourselves in quality and integrity which means we use an ample amount of spices, herbs and honey. We use a true local raw honey and a lot of it at that – roughly 1/4 of your jar. It is our most expensive ingredient, next to the elderberries.

That being said, our elderberry syrup is highly concentrated, is thick (not thin or watered down), contains a nice thick layer of sediment (the good stuff!) on the bottom and has a phenomenal taste.

We also own our own facility and equipment. The owner, Brooke, who created the recipe oversees production and tastes every batch of syrup. Alternatively, others rent commercial kitchens (or worse, make out of their homes) where there is a risk of cross contamination and introduction to food allergens. If a syrup maker does not rent space in a kitchen, they often have a co-packer produce their syrup. This means they are usually not involved in the process nor are they allowed in the kitchen while the process is underway.

 

 

Handmade, every step of the way.

Our syrup is small batch and hand made every step of the way, from boiling the berries and spices, to mixing, to bottling – literally. You get the benefits of a consistent, high quality product made with care (not mass produced) but in our commercial kitchen setting so it’s safe! Best of both worlds!

Our commercial kitchen is regularly inspected by the North Carolina Department of Agriculture (NCDA). It is illegal to produce elderberry syrup in a home setting, as it is considered a “high risk” food product by the USDA, due to its need for refrigeration.

 

Kids LOVE it!

Picky kids? Pssst! My kids are picky too! I have four kiddos so I understand this struggle bus. When I first started making elderberry syrup I started with a basic recipe. The flavor was not a huge hit with my kiddos and I expected more from the syrup. So I started a long journey of research, finding spices and herbs that helped to balance out each other in both taste and benefits. I also went through 11 kinds of local raw honey until I found the perfect one, which highly influences flavor.

My kids view their daily elderberry syrup as a treat. They fight over who gets theirs first (seriously) and always ask for more.

Do not refer to elderberry syrup as medicine. We call it Magic Unicorn Juice (and for kiddos that can read, this is mentioned in the About Us section on the jar!), yummy juice, berry juice etc.

I often measure out half a dose for my three year old because I know she will always ask for more. We both win!

If your kids do not prefer the syrup straight out of a shot glass, do not fret! It mixes well in grape juice, smoothies, yogurt, oatmeal, popsicles etc. We also offer a gummy recipe here!

For younger kiddos, placing it in a medicine syringe may work best. I would use this as a last resort because you do not generally want your kids thinking they are going to take “nasty medicine”.