"Mead" from Molasses?

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R

Reddy

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Honey is sugar, right? Molasses is sugar, right?

Could you make a mead like beverage from it? Has anyone tried this before or am a genius??? :drunk:
 
my first reaction:

Blecch.

I've used molasses as an adjunct before, and it is rather potent. Adds flavor to other fermentables, but I definitely wouldn't use it as the main sugar.
 
Hmm... yeah, maybe those booze-induced moments of genius aren't all they're cracked up to be.

You didn't add it to some cider did you? 'Cause I'm thinking of doing that.
 
A cup or two in 6 gallons sounds easy enough you think?
 
Sure, you can make molasses wine. Generally, it's then distilled and the spirit produced is called rum. :D

Go easy on it. You can always add more if the flavour's too subtle, but it's really difficult to remove it once added.
 
The evolution of this drink has happened for a reason. Rum...as bad as it is, is still better than the Molasses wine that it's made from. I have a 1.5 liter test batch in the basement...It is going to be drinkable...someday...But I don't think it will ever be good.
 
just use buckwheat honey instead... its about as close to molasses as you can get without actually using molasses.
 
BigKahuna said:
The evolution of this drink has happened for a reason. Rum...as bad as it is, is still better than the Molasses wine that it's made from. I have a 1.5 liter test batch in the basement...It is going to be drinkable...someday...But I don't think it will ever be good.
Click to expand...

Rum is fantastic. Unfortunately, most people have never had anything better than Bacardi... and Bacardi is ten times worse rum than Cuervo is tequila. And, sadly, not only is Bacardi (as rum) worse than Cuervo (as tequila), but Bacardi is actually considered "top shelf" by a lot of places. That's like paying extra to get a Schlitz.

Rhum Barbancourt, 15 years. Haitian Rum. It's amazing. Or, if you like whiskey, try Ron Anejo Pompero (venezuelan rum). Both are amazing. Some people think Appleton Estate is good too. That's Jamaican rum. It's crap. Rum does tend to need a bit more aging to get good, but when it gets there, it's REAL good...

Some of you fancy types probably have had $100+ bottles of rum. You can try those if you want, but it's not necessary. Rhum Barbancourt 15 year old will set you back about $35 and that's about as pricey as you need to get.
 
I've done it. I fermented Barbados Molasses, with a little honey, a vanilla bean, using turbo yeast. It's quite interesting! I kept feeding the brew with molasses until I had pushed the fermentation to its tolerance. The area I stored my one gallon test batch was in a warm place, and the esters it developed were kinda 'banana'. I had to let it mellow a little, and then something terrible happened. I put a bottle out to chill in the snow, and it froze. I salvaged what I could (about half the liquid). Now it tastes like Banana's foster.
 
NurseNan said:
I've done it. I fermented Barbados Molasses, with a little honey, a vanilla bean, using turbo yeast. It's quite interesting! I kept feeding the brew with molasses until I had pushed the fermentation to its tolerance. The area I stored my one gallon test batch was in a warm place, and the esters it developed were kinda 'banana'. I had to let it mellow a little, and then something terrible happened. I put a bottle out to chill in the snow, and it froze. I salvaged what I could (about half the liquid). Now it tastes like Banana's foster.
Click to expand...

Have you tried making banana's foster using it in place of banana liquer?

I bet it would be great in Banana Bread...I did several dozen batches of Banana and gingerbreads for Christmas Gifts last year. The banana Bread was done with a lot of Jamaican Spices, Dark Rum (2 fifths between the batches and the repeated soakings and wrapping in cheesecloth) and about 3/4 of a bottle of a banana wine my nephew, who is the vitner of his Homebrew/Winemaking club won an award for..

People are still talking about the breads.

I also used about 3/4 of a fifth of cheap bourbon for the Ginger/molases breads.

Last weekend I used the last of the ginger bread for a dessert. I did a banana's Foster, but used bourbon instead of rum to flame it. Put a couple scoops of carmel/vanilla Ice Cream on the ginger bread and covered it with the flaming banana's...

It was a hit with SWMBO for sure.
 
I noticed some conversation about rum in here, and I had to stop in. 10 Cane while called rum is really closer to cahaca, except it isn't made in Brazil. 10 Cane is made from sugar cane juice (as is cahaca) instead of molasses. It isn't bad though my preference is for darker rums. Ron Anejo Pampero rum has been my favorite rum for quite a while. Bacardi is swill, and most bars don't know it. Head to the liquor store and look the rum in the leather pouch. Some other good rum not quite as pricey as the Pampero:

Flor de Cana 5 year
Appleton Estate
Pussers (bit harsher than some others, but with rum and coke or rum and rootbeer, a distinct sugar cane flavor comes through which is really good)

If you're on a budget and need something the same price as bacardi, try Castillo or Cruzan instead.

Dark rums tend to be smoother and more flavorful than light rums. I only pick up a light rum if I'm making zombies or something.



So sorry to derail this thread! Umm yeah, my lhbs sells "water purifying stills" that you should run your molasses wine through.
 
Fusorfodder said:
I noticed some conversation about rum in here, and I had to stop in. 10 Cane while called rum is really closer to cahaca, except it isn't made in Brazil. 10 Cane is made from sugar cane juice (as is cahaca) instead of molasses. It isn't bad though my preference is for darker rums. Ron Anejo Pampero rum has been my favorite rum for quite a while. Bacardi is swill, and most bars don't know it. Head to the liquor store and look the rum in the leather pouch. Some other good rum not quite as pricey as the Pampero:

Flor de Cana 5 year
Appleton Estate
Pussers (bit harsher than some others, but with rum and coke or rum and rootbeer, a distinct sugar cane flavor comes through which is really good)

If you're on a budget and need something the same price as bacardi, try Castillo or Cruzan instead.

Dark rums tend to be smoother and more flavorful than light rums. I only pick up a light rum if I'm making zombies or something.



So sorry to derail this thread! Umm yeah, my lhbs sells "water purifying stills" that you should run your molasses wine through.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the info on the rums...I love darker rums...and didn't know there were some cost effective alternatives in the same price ball park as bacardi...
 
Where I am Bacardi costs around $7-8/bottle, the 3 that I listed run about twice that, and the Pampero runs $30-35. I would say try to pick up one of those 3 some time and see if it is worth the extra cost to you.

Think of it in terms of beer: Bacardi is like Bud, the middle 3 are akin to a microbrew, and the Pampero is like a limited edition barleywine. Sure there are other beers similar in cost to bud that might be better, but you know when you pick up a microbrew you're going to be getting something much better even if it costs more. Then you have the barleywines for that rare indulgence.
 
If you love darker rums, one of my favorites is Coruba. It is pretty cheap... less than $30 for a 1.75L handle. The smell is a little bit off-putting, but the taste and flavor is outstanding. That's my go-to dark rum for parties and such.

Again, I really don't like Appleton Estate. I think all the people vacationing in Jamaica have fonder memories of it than they should or something.

My list of faves:

Rhum Barbancourt
Ron Anejo Pompero
Coruba
 
my wife is a rum drinker and by far prefers dark rums to light. her favorite so far being Appletons. though most any dark rum is preferable to Bacardi light to here. it drives her nuts when she asks for a dark rum and pepsi and they put Captain Morgan in it lol. personally i cant stand rum, must be because i drank it a lil to much when i was younger. for distilled spirits i prefer vodka anymore....preferably Grey Goose but Stoli works in a pinch. Schmirnoff and Absolute i cant stand.

the wife has been asking if i could add molasses to a brew to give it more of a rum like flavor.
 
rattler_mt said:
the wife has been asking if i could add molasses to a brew to give it more of a rum like flavor.
Click to expand...

Someone posted a thread about using bayleafs in beer...It got me thinking about bay rum...and if it would work in a porter, with jamaican spices like nutmeg, ginger and allspice...in tiny quanities.
 
Not always sure, and there are some gems that you can find at a lower price. But, Pampero is well worth its cost, and bacardi is fittingly cheap and nasty.
 
Mead is defined as being a fermented honey beverage. If you only used molasses, you could not call it mead.
 
Revvy said:
Someone posted a thread about using bayleafs in beer...It got me thinking about bay rum....
Click to expand...

Um, bay rum isn't a drinkable beverage. It is used as a face (and hair) tonic. I personally like the smell, and use it as after-shave. I also put it in my home-made moustache wax. (Yes, I'm sporting a Handlebar.)

steve
 
Try Gosling's Family Reserve - if you can find it. It is the benchmark premium rum as far as I'm concerned. :rockin:
 
There are few rum connoisseurs. As a result, bargains can still be found. This is not the case with Vodkas which are so darned popular that even the mediocre ones are over-priced.

Whiskey is expensive, but that makes sense because it is aged. Think about it. People willingly pay more money for a neutral spirit that goes from mash to "ready to drink" in a couple of hours than they pay for a whiskey that has to age in barrels for ten or twenty years. It just makes no sense. That's marketing for you.

But then there's rum. It's not as popular. Everybody was raised on Bacardi, so everybody fears rum and thinks it's nasty. Therefore, even a lot of truly premium-quality rums keep their prices down to attract buyers.
 
Iordz said:
Anyone tried Stroh? The best Austrian rum!
Click to expand...

*hazy memories*

a roomate of mine always to use to get this stuff.

i recall there being a 60 and an 80 proof. man, that was a while ago, and i'm no rum/spirit connoisseur, but i do recall this rum making a damn good rum and coke....scrambles you up pretty good, too.
 
skou said:
Um, bay rum isn't a drinkable beverage. It is used as a face (and hair) tonic. I personally like the smell, and use it as after-shave. I also put it in my home-made moustache wax. (Yes, I'm sporting a Handlebar.)

steve
Click to expand...

I know that, in fact you can't find bay rum after shave in drug stores in the Detroit area anymore, methinks people were going blind from drinking it ....I've just been toying with the idea of using bayleafs sterilized in dark rum in a porter...maybe with some jamaican spices.

I used to wear bayrum all the time...

:off: Steve...pm me your moustache wax recipe of you don't mind...
I don't sport a handlebar myself...but we have a vintage 1800's base ball team in town, and I know some of the player (including the mayor pro-tem of Port Huron,) who have handelbars...maybe I'll mix up a batch to give them as Christmas Gifts next holiday.

Here's their website if you're interested in 1800's baseball...it's a hoot.
http://welkinbbc.com/
 
What's everyone's opinion of Cruzan dark rum? A buddy of mine makes a tasty mixed drink with it he calls a "Calypso" that will get you messed up before you realize it, it tastes so good.
 
Sorry to butt in, but it seemed the perfect time to finally register and make a post.

I thought you might find my site helpful:

http://www.macheterum.com/

There's even a best buy section you guys might find handy to help introduce you to some beter stuff without breaking the bank (I find that people who hate rum, have only ever had Bacardi, or worse).
 
I prefer Mount Gay Rum. Great for the $$ and way better than Bacardi.
Pusser's Navy Rum is good.

I also drink the Cruzan Dark when I am broke.
 
Cruzan rum ain't that good, but it sure is better than Bacardi.

I'm not a big rum drinker, and usually only use it for mixing.... maybe I should broaden my horizons eh?
 
barefootbrewer said:
I prefer Mount Gay Rum. Great for the $$ and way better than Bacardi.
Click to expand...

Not all mount gay is the same.

Specifically, the "everybody stocks it" mount gay eclipse is horrid. Lighter fluid.

Mount Gay Barbados Sugarcane (if you can find it) is a whole 'nother animal. Smooth, nice. Great nose, and it follows that up well.

10 Cane - someone gave me a bottle of this - fortunately only a 50 ml bottle. Awful.
 
When the wife and I were dating we went to Grand Cayman and I had quit possibly the best rum there it was Tortuga....Damn that was tasty, although I can't find any here, but if you can find it Try It.


Plus BK I had to steal your post for my sig.
 
barefootbrewer said:
I prefer Mount Gay Rum. Great for the $$ and way better than Bacardi.
Pusser's Navy Rum is good.

I also drink the Cruzan Dark when I am broke.
Click to expand...

One of my favourites, (newly!) is Cruzan Blackstrap.

Now, this sounds weird, but it's good. 1 can Vernor's Gingerale. (No other Gingerale will work.) 12 ounces limeade or lemonade. 2 or 3 shots of Cruzan Blackstrap. Serve over ice, or do it like I do, and mix in a 1000mL Erlenmeyer flask. Use 100mL rum, in that case.

steve
 
I'm not really much of a hard alcohol drinker, because pretty much all of it tastes gross and like lighter fluid to me. Oh well, more for you guys, less for me.

Fusorfodder said:
Pampero is well worth its cost, and bacardi is fittingly cheap and nasty.
Click to expand...

That's why MikeFlynn's mom's nickname is Bacardi.
 
EvilTOJ said:
I'm not really much of a hard alcohol drinker, because pretty much all of it tastes gross and like lighter fluid to me. Oh well, more for you guys, less for me.



That's why MikeFlynn's mom's nickname is Bacardi.
Click to expand...

How does lighter fluid taste anyway?

I thought I would drop in and add my two cents.
I posted an inquiry and a 1st time mead (?) formula I used. I hesitate to call it a recipe because I was just guessing. I didn't have enough honey and I added the molasses from the cupboard with a little lime juice I had left and some cinnamon. What the heck, something to do. I have making beer with a Mr. Beer kit and I thought about venturing into Mead making and I had been thinking about it too long and finally decided to get off the dime. Problem was I didn't do my ingredient gathering. anyway after three weeks I transferred it from my suntea making jug (1 gallon) to a 1 gallon apple juice bottle with a stopper and a airlock. I tasted it prior to transfer and it is potent. Mead making veterans have assured me it will mello. Anyway I thought I would add this to the original posting topic about brewing with molasses. Did you know George washington made beer from molasses(wikipedia)? They evidently didn't have much grain/malt to brew beer.
 
STEVENJAN said:
How does lighter fluid taste anyway?

I thought I would drop in and add my two cents.
I posted an inquiry and a 1st time mead (?) formula I used. I hesitate to call it a recipe because I was just guessing. I didn't have enough honey and I added the molasses from the cupboard with a little lime juice I had left and some cinnamon. What the heck, something to do. I have making beer with a Mr. Beer kit and I thought about venturing into Mead making and I had been thinking about it too long and finally decided to get off the dime. Problem was I didn't do my ingredient gathering. anyway after three weeks I transferred it from my suntea making jug (1 gallon) to a 1 gallon apple juice bottle with a stopper and a airlock. I tasted it prior to transfer and it is potent. Mead making veterans have assured me it will mello. Anyway I thought I would add this to the original posting topic about brewing with molasses. Did you know George washington made beer from molasses(wikipedia)? They evidently didn't have much grain/malt to brew beer.
Click to expand...

Steven, what was your recipe, if you don't mind me asking?

Yes, basically, anything with sugar in it, (and a few nutrients) will ferment. That is one of the problems with "honey, water and yeast" meads. Those ingredients just dson't have the right foods for the yeast to do it's job properly.

I like using a bit of malt extract, or yeast nutrient to kick up the ferment. Or, I'll use some fruit for flavour. (I love my fruited meads!)

steve
 

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