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Soda Fountain Recipes

Make Authentic Fountain Syrups Using Old Fashioned Soda Fountain Recipes

How To Make Homemade Sodas

The pharmacy soda fountain operators made sodas by adding flavoring syrups to chilled soda water. Just add two to four tablespoonfuls of the fountain syrup to a tall glass of chilled soda water to taste, and you will enjoy an old-time treat. Fountain sodas were traditionally served in a tall, fluted, frosty glass with a straw. This is one of the easiest ways to make your own soda pop. Plain, carbonated soda water or tonic water is available for sale in the beverage section at most food and convenience stores.

How To Make Cream Soda

When a customer ordered a "cream soda" the pharmacist simply added a tablespoonful of sweet cream to the flavored soda water. Unwhipped whipping cream will do perfectly. It makes a creamy smooth, rich-tasting beverage.

How To Make An Ice Cream Soda

To make a frosty "ice cream soda," he placed a big scoop of vanilla ice cream on top of the glass of syrup-flavored soda water, and served it with a long-handled spoon and a straw.

You can also use these old-time fountain syrups with your favorite homemade ice cream as tasty ice cream sundae toppings or to flavor milk shakes. Make your own fountain syrups using these authentic, old-time soda fountain recipes.

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Soda Fountain Recipes

These old-fashioned soda fountain recipes are taken from the books "Lee's Priceless Recipes: A Valuable Collection of Tried Formulas and Simple Methods, Etc." by Dr. N. T. Oliver, published by Laird & Lee, Chicago, circa 1895; and "Young's Demonstrative Translation of Scientific Secrets" by Daniel Young, published by Rowsell & Ellis, Toronto, in 1861.

"Simple Syrup" is used as a base ingredient in the making of many flavored fountain syrup recipes; its recipe is given below.

Simple Syrup Recipe

Base Syrup Used In Fountain Syrup Recipes And For Sweetening Beverages Such As Iced Tea And Fruit Drinks
To make Simple syrup, use in proportions of 1 pound of white sugar to 1 pint of water. The candying or crystallization of syrup, unless it is over-saturated with sugar, may be prevented by the addition of a little citric acid, 2 or 3 drams per gallon. Confectioners add a very little cream of tartar to the sugar to prevent granulation.

Another method is to use 2 parts granulated sugar to 1 part water. Bring water to a boil, add sugar and stir so that the sugar is completely dissolved with no sugar crystals visible, then remove from heat and let cool. Some pharmacists recommended adding 1 to 2 teaspoons of corn syrup to help keep the consistency of the simple syrup smooth for storage.

Simple syrup is significantly sweeter than regular sugar and perfect for sweetening beverages.

Sarsaparilla Syrup
Simple syrup and nice golden syrup, equal quantities of each, and mix well; then use a few drops of oils of wintergreen and sassafras to each bottle, as used. This mixture of golden syrup in this sarsaparilla recipe makes the sarsaparilla a beautiful dark color without other coloring.

The amounts for the desired flavors cannot be given exactly to suit everyone, but all will wish different flavors, in some towns using very high flavor, and in others sufficient to perceive it, merely. All will soon get a plan of their own, and like it better than that of others. You'll need to experiment.

Acid Fruit Syrup
The juice of any acid fruit can be made into syrups by using 1 pound white sugar to 1 pint of juice, and adding some peel; boil 10 minutes, strain, and cork.

Excellent Cream Syrup
An excellent cream syrup is made as follows: Fresh cream, 1 pint; fresh milk, 1 pint; powdered sugar, 1 pound; mix by shaking and keep in a cool place. The addition of a few grains of bicarbonate of soda will retard souring.

Strawberry Syrup
Strawberry juice, 1 pint; simple syrup, 3 pints; solution of citric acid, 2 drams.

Lemon Syrup
Take of the juice of lemons one pint, white sugar one and a half pounds, and a little of the peel. Mix and boil a few minutes, strain, and when a little cool, bottle, and cork, for use.

Sherry Cobbler Syrup
Sherry wine, 1 pint; simple syrup, 1 pint; 1 lemon cut in thin slices; macerate [let sit] 12 hours, and strain.

Vanilla Cream Syrup
Fluid extract of vanilla, 1 ounce; simple syrup, 3 pints; cream or condensed milk, 1 pint; color with carmine [red food coloring].

Fountain Syrup Recipes

These old-fashioned soda fountain recipes are taken from "The Dispenser's Formulary or Soda Water Guide" compiled by the editorial staff of The Soda Fountain, published by D. O. Haynes & Co., New York, in 1915.

Almond Syrup
Put 6 ounces of pulverized sweet almonds and 2 ounces of bruised bitter almonds into a saucepan with 1 quart of water, and let them simmer for a quarter of an hour; then add 1 pound of sugar. When dissolved, strain through a fine sieve or jelly bag, and add a teaspoonful of orange flower water.

When cold, a wineglassful of the mixture should be put into a tumbler, which should be filled up with soda or seltzer water.

Raspberry And Honey
Equal parts of maple syrup, honey, and raspberry juice. Serve solid in 8-ounce glass, using 2 ounces of above syrup for the flavor, and fill glass with carbonated water.

Grandma Recommends...

Prairie Moon Beverage Syrups

It's fun to make old fashioned soda fountain syrups from scratch now and then, but for making sodas and soft drinks regularly you can save yourself a lot of time and money by using Rio brand syrup concentrates from Prairie Moon. I highly recommend them.

These quality fountain syrups come in over 50 popular flavors, including all the old fashioned soda fountain favorites like sarsaparilla, vanilla, cherry, chocolate, coffee, ginger ale, root beer, cola, lemon, maraschino cherry, banana, orange, pineapple, raspberry, and strawberry. Simply add water and your own sugar or sweetener to the concentrate. It couldn't be easier.

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