Barley Twist Sweets sound like they should be a specific brand, but the name is really describing two things at once: a flavour with a genuinely old backstory, and a wrapping style that's stuck around for just as long.
Named for barley water, not barley itself
Barley sugar sweets — and the twist-wrapped format known as Barley Twist — take their name from barley water, which was traditionally used in the sugar-boiling process centuries ago to give the sweet its distinctive amber colour and mellow flavour. The "twist" in the name refers to the classic shape: sticks of hard, amber sugar candy pulled and twisted into a spiral, or individual sweets that are twist-wrapped rather than flat-wrapped.
A traditional "travelling sweet"
Barley sugar has long had a reputation as a travel sweet — the kind of hard-boiled sugar candy handed round on long car or train journeys, partly because it's slow to dissolve and partly because sucking a boiled sweet was a folk remedy of sorts for settling a queasy stomach. That association has stuck around longer than the original recipe reasoning behind it.
What we actually stock right now
Bonds Barley Sugar Jar 1.7kg is in stock now — individually twist-wrapped, in keeping with the traditional format. Kingsway Vegan Barley Sugar 3kg is currently out of stock, so we're not listing it as available.
FAQ
Why is it called Barley Twist Sweets?
The "barley" comes from barley water, historically used in the sugar-boiling process, and the "twist" refers to the traditional twisted stick shape or twist-wrapping of the individual sweets.
Does barley sugar actually contain barley?
Traditionally, small amounts of barley water were part of the recipe, though most modern barley sugar sweets rely on flavouring rather than genuine barley water.
Does Supreme Sweets stock Barley Twist Sweets?
Partly. Bonds Barley Sugar Jar 1.7kg, individually twist-wrapped, is in stock now. Kingsway Vegan Barley Sugar 3kg is currently out of stock.
Why was barley sugar considered a good travel sweet?
It's slow to dissolve and was traditionally thought to help settle a queasy stomach, which made it a common choice for long journeys.