MachineShopBrewing
Well-Known Member
Anyone in the Minneapolis area know a good store to buy exotic sugars from? Or, if not, does anyone have a good website to buy them from?
exotic sugars
- Thread starter MachineShopBrewing
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Do you have any asian, indian or mexican markets in or near Montrose? How far are you frm Minneapolis? I just googled Asian Markets Montrose, and a bunch popped up from Minneapolis.
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MachineShopBrewing
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Ha, Montrose is about 1,000 people strong. I work in Minneapolis(inner ring burb).
I will try an asian market. I have been using more and more Turbinado in my beers, along with some of the darker candy syrups. I really love the flavors that I get out of them and want to experiment with some other sugars.
I will try an asian market. I have been using more and more Turbinado in my beers, along with some of the darker candy syrups. I really love the flavors that I get out of them and want to experiment with some other sugars.
dirty_martini
Well-Known Member
Ive purchased coconut palm sugar and date sugar (just make sure it doesnt have any flour or thickeners) from whole foods which I see they have at least one in Minneapolis.
However, the asian, indian, and latin markets are good sources if you can find them. From asian markets Ive gotten jaggery. Indian markets ive gotten date molasses. Latin markets ive used piconcillo.
However, the asian, indian, and latin markets are good sources if you can find them. From asian markets Ive gotten jaggery. Indian markets ive gotten date molasses. Latin markets ive used piconcillo.
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MachineShopBrewing
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How do you like the date sugar? I have researched that and most people seem to say that the date sugar doesn't dissolve. I am really intrigued by the flavor that it would impart though.
dirty_martini
Well-Known Member
the date sugar was alright, but if I were you I would go with the date molasses. Its the same thing just in syrup for instead of crystallized. No need to dissolve it if its already a liquid. I love the stuff. It reminds me a lot of the D or D2 belgian candi syrup. Similar flavor but just a tad different. After all, its liquid dates.
Coconut palm sugar is really good too. So far those 2 have been my favorites to use other than D2.
Coconut palm sugar is really good too. So far those 2 have been my favorites to use other than D2.
dirty_martini
Well-Known Member
this is the brand I use.
http://www.amazon.com/Big-Tree-Farms-SweetTree-16-Ounce/dp/B002UGMH9Y/ref=sr_1_1?s=grocery&ie=UTF8&qid=1312246574&sr=1-1
Its my everyday sugar for coffee, baking, etc. Ive used it in a couple of beers and its been tasty. Dont let the blonde fool you though...you will get more color from the sugar than you think.
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I've had no problem dissolving Date Palm sugar, it's really no different than any of the other un processed sugars. I used a lot of it in my Sri Lankin Stout.
I used two cones of it, plus primed with date palm mollasses.
I used two cones of it, plus primed with date palm mollasses.
dirty_martini
Well-Known Member
I've had no problem dissolving Date Palm sugar, it's really no different than any of the other un processed sugars. I used a lot of it in my Sri Lankin Stout.
I used two cones of it, plus primed with date palm mollasses.
I believe jaggery is a blend of sugarcane and coconut palm sugar, not date palm sugar.
I like that you have a sri lankin inspired stout. I made a belgian tripel inspired by asian flavors and used jaggery as my sugar adjunct along with szechuan peppercorns and coriander. Turned out pretty tasty.
Just curious what are you generally using them in,Belgians?
dirty_martini
Well-Known Member
sure....but I also used the date molasses in an old ale and stout. Im sure it could work in a brown ale or anywhere else people like to add molasses, brown sugar, turbinado, etc...you just have to account for different color and some dark fruit flavor you may get from it.
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MachineShopBrewing
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I am too, although I am planning on working more exotic sugars into my other beers such as some stouts and brown ales.
Are you anywhere close to United Noodles? That's the best Asian market in the area, in my opinion. I don't buy sugars, but they sure seem to have everything imaginable. It'd be worth a trip, if just to browse the store! And the neighborhood is much better than the neighborhood in some of the other areas where there are Asian markets.
\Mine said on the ingredients that it was made from the date palm.That was the main reason I chose it.
Machineshop is their a Meijer's around where you live? All of the Meijer's around here have a huge "international foods" aisle. They carry a wide array of interesting things. Not necessarily Jaggery, but they have things like Lyle's Golden Syrup, Chinese rock candy sugar, and even piloncillo. It's usually not as cheap as getting that stuff in an Asian market or mexican mercado, but there is some variety.
I used to buy a palm jaggery that was so dark it would replace D2 for color in a belgian strong. I used a bunch of it in a RIS I did this last year. It added some good flavors. I talked to the shop owner though and he said that that stuff is being imported less and less due to FDA inspections.
Also I asked the store owner how to tell between palm jaggery and cane jaggery. The answer I got was "only if the package says really". Which I assume they will advertise it is palm jaggery vs cane. The most recent palm jaggery I purchased was sold in a package in cube form instead of the cones.
www.sugarindia.com Has a decent listing of sugars for online.
Also I asked the store owner how to tell between palm jaggery and cane jaggery. The answer I got was "only if the package says really". Which I assume they will advertise it is palm jaggery vs cane. The most recent palm jaggery I purchased was sold in a package in cube form instead of the cones.
www.sugarindia.com Has a decent listing of sugars for online.
