Why don't you try making beer then? With my equipment and buying bulk grain and hops, I can actually make a 5gal batch of beer for under $10. That's less than $2 per gallon - way cheaper than paying $2 for a 750ml bottle of syrup.
Heck, $2 for a 750ml bottle means it would cost you over $10/gallon. You can make a quick, easy, and damn good extract beer for less than that. You can even buy great extract kits with everything you need for less than that!
And if you haven't made apfelwein, it can take less than a minute to whip together, is pretty much impossible to screw up, and costs between $2-$6 per gallon, depending on the apple juice you buy. And it tastes great, especially if you can give it a bit of time.
Paying $10/gallon to make undrinkable rocket fuel makes no sense at all, when you can do MUCH better, for cheaper. That's why I was suspecting age was a factor. If it's not (which, like I said, we have no way of knowing), then I apologize.