Skip to main content

Raft Syrups: Innovative, Tasty and Fun

A small Portland, Oregon company is making its mark in the craft cocktails industry with production of an intriguing assortment of three different syrups. But you don’t have to add them to alcohol if you don’t want to. Raft Syrups are equally popular served in soda water or used in home soda machines.

They make a Hibiscus Lavender, Lemon Ginger, and Smoky Vanilla. All three flavors are popular, but Hibiscus Lavender is more popular in spring and summer, Lemon Ginger in fall, and Smoked Tea Vanilla in winter.

Co-owner Roslynn Tellvik says the Smoked Tea Vanilla has a smoky pine flavoring. “It’s almost like a campfire with a cream soda. It also has dandelion root, which gives it really interesting layers. It’s really fun in cocktails.”

The idea for a company initially began as a personal quest to make great cocktails. Tellvik said she’s a frequent reader of Imbibe Magazine. “They have all these beautiful cocktails and most require a syrup to make the cocktail.”

She teamed up with Sook Goh, a food scientist, to experiment with adding botanicals (health-promoting herbs, roots, and flowers) to create enticing syrups. Goh has a background blending teas for Tazo and also working for Starbucks. The result: syrups that family and friends loved and they wanted more. The applause isn’t just coming from those in their circle. They received two Good Food Awards in the spirits category for Hibiscus Lavender and Lemon Ginger. 

Even though the company has just passed the one-year mark, with Tellvik and Goh still making small batches and hand bottling, capping and labeling, Raft Syrups are already in 63 stores in 15 states and Canada. They also sell their syrups on their website.

“One misconception is the level of sweetness,” said Tellvik. “We recommend one tablespoon of syrup in eight ounces of soda water. That only adds 50 calories. It has sweetness, but it’s not adding as many calories as some of the other beverages out there.”

smoky palomaCheck out this cocktail recipe for a Smoky Paloma:

2 oz. tequila

2 oz. ruby red grapefruit juice

1 tablespoon RAFT Smoked Tea Vanilla syrup

1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

sparking water

ice

salt for the rim (Himalayan pink salt suggested)

Moisten half the rim of a highball glass with a lime wedge. Put some salt on a plate and roll the moistened half-rim through the salt to lightly coat. Combine tequila, grapefruit juice, RAFT syrup, and lime juice in the glass. Stir. Add two to four ice cubs and top with soda water, to taste. Garnish with a lime wedge.

Jacob Kienlen
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Jacob Kienlen was a culture writer for The Manual. Born and raised in Portland, Oregon, he has considered the Northwest his…
Costco Kirkland products are actually items made by Duracell, Keurig, Reynolds, Starbucks, and other big names
You've been getting a deal on top-end products all along
Costco storefront

There's something pretty astonishing that starts happening to everyone around the mid-30s mark. A pure, unadulterated love for Costco. Sure, there may have been a healthy appreciation in those younger years. A love for the $1.50 hot dog and soda deal, perhaps. An impromptu trip here or there with a parent whose card got you through the door. But somewhere between a first mortgage and a couple of kids, you probably started seeing the signs. They start subtly - a lingering gaze at the stacked sweatpants, tempting you with their fleecy softness. Asking the hair-netted sample lady if those mini artichoke quiches are organic. Before you know it, you have your own damned membership card, and all of your gym socks come in packs of 24. It's happened to the best of us. And with this adoration for Costco inevitably comes the love for all things Kirkland, the beloved Costco brand whose label is stuck on just about anything you can find in the enormous store, from batteries to rotisserie chickens.

But have you ever wondered where those Kirkland products come from? If you're anything like us, you may have just mindlessly assumed that there was some humungous Kirkland factory spewing out all of these products on some obscure, magical Nebraskan farm. Or, perhaps you're more rational than that and actually realized that many Kirkland-labeled products are not uniquely Costco's at all. Many of Costco's popular Kirkland products actually come from big brand-name companies that allow Costco to rebrand them for a fee. Perhaps even more surprising is that this isn't anything new or a process that's only used by Costco. Many retailers tap big-name brands to do this.

Read more
Apple cider vinegar: Should you really be taking shots of this pungent potion?
We love a good fermented food, but should you be drinking this one?
an acv shot on table

Wanting to look and feel your best is natural. Feeling this way allows you to live life to the fullest, nail a workout, focus on the job, and sleep better. Thanks to the internet and especially social media, there is no shortage of ideas on achieving longevity and enjoying life. One such way is consuming apple cider vinegar daily.

The pantry staple for salad dressings and marinades can purportedly help you lose weight, manage blood sugar, and improve heart health. Kim Kardashian called a raw version of Bragg Apple Cider Vinegar a "miracle ingredient." No shame if you loved yourself a good Keeping Up With the Kardashians marathon. However, taking medical advice from a Kardashian isn't recommended, and not every social media fad is a good one.
Believe it or not, there is some science behind the purported benefits of apple cider. Still, you'll proceed cautiously, especially if you are living with certain conditions. Here's what to know about reported apple cider vinegar weight loss benefits and more.

Read more
Portland’s VooDoo Doughnut voted most overrated tourist attraction in the world (and we know why)
We welcome you to Portland - and we won't take you to VooDoo, we promise
Austin, Texas USA - January 27, 2020: Selection of donuts on display in a colorful case at Voodoo Doughnuts in a popular specialty doughnut chain shop

 

What was once a Portland novelty has grown into a brand synonymous with the Rose City. En route, VooDoo Doughnut grew a little too big for its own good and lost sight of the same eccentric sweets that made it famous.

Read more