 granulated sugar are the best three sweeteners usually in these recipes. You don't want to go get some high fructose corn syrup down at the local supermarket? A lot of people are used to it right now. You could if you wish. The premium root beers always seem to brag about the real sugar. You'd have a hard time finding high fructose corn syrup available in your local supermarket. They do sell corn syrup, but it's not high fructose corn syrup. So you actually couldn't. You could try.