[homoeccentricus]

Speaking of the devil: http://brulosophy.com/2016/03/14/belgian-candi-syrup-homemade-vs-commercial-exbeeriment-results/

But what to conclude from this? That one can taste the difference if one can taste the difference?

[RPIScotty]

Speaking of the devil: http://brulosophy.com/2016/03/14/belgian-candi-syrup-homemade-vs-commercial-exbeeriment-results/

But what to conclude from this? That one can taste the difference if one can taste the difference?

My opinion? Price it out. If the cost of DIY is anywhere in the neighborhood of the cost of commercial then it's a no brainer in favor of commercial.

Not worth the time and mess IMO when the commercially products are cheap and available.

I make 1 gal batches so a $5.95 p/lb investment could last 4-5 batches for me.

[homoeccentricus]

This has become a purely theoretical discussion for me, at least for my next brew, as a flacon of D180 was poured down my letter box this morning

[HoosierBrew]

The xbmt is good info - gonna keep buying CSI nonetheless. Not worth the time, dangerous chemicals, etc. ,to make something the MIGHT be close to as good. I think the darker ones get more complex, so I think 180 would be very hard to duplicate or get even close to. Just me.

[reverseapachemaster]

If you read the xbmts with the mindset that their tasters are largely made up of people without distinguishing palates then that one in particular strongly supports that paradigm because once it broke down to people who claimed to distinguish they were extremely accurate.

I can get on board with the idea that one can replicate the 45 SRM syrup at home in this manner because it tastes very similar to a simple brewing caramel. The 90 is a little different--at least from CSI--because it uses date sugar. I don't think it can be easily approximated with beet sugar or corn sugar alone and even using date sugar in the normal homebrew recipes I doubt turns out close enough. The reports of mushroom flavors is unsurprising to me. Any time I tried to get into the 90 or 180 range I always got weird earthy, vegetal, or meaty flavors.

The 180 is the most mysterious product and I'm still a believer that there is more to that product than refined beet sugar and water.

[denny]

Speaking of the devil: http://brulosophy.com/2016/03/14/belgian-candi-syrup-homemade-vs-commercial-exbeeriment-results/

But what to conclude from this? That one can taste the difference if one can taste the difference?

What I got from it is that tasters could distinguish the homemade becasue it wasn't as good.

[homoeccentricus]

If you read the xbmts with the mindset that their tasters are largely made up of people without distinguishing palates then that one in particular strongly supports that paradigm because once it broke down to people who claimed to distinguish they were extremely accurate.

The 180 is the most mysterious product and I'm still a believer that there is more to that product than refined beet sugar and water.

Beet sugar, date sugar, water and ... ammonia caramel

[unclebrazzie]

Speaking of the devil: http://brulosophy.com/2016/03/14/belgian-candi-syrup-homemade-vs-commercial-exbeeriment-results/

But what to conclude from this? That one can taste the difference if one can taste the difference?

That maybe not everything I say about beer and its comprising ingredients is complete malarkey?

[RPIScotty]

Speaking of the devil: http://brulosophy.com/2016/03/14/belgian-candi-syrup-homemade-vs-commercial-exbeeriment-results/

But what to conclude from this? That one can taste the difference if one can taste the difference?

That maybe not everything I say about beer and its comprising ingredients is complete malarkey?

Except for the few absolutes that Denny has pointed out, we are all just speculating.