"Mead" from Molasses?

[machete]

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).

 

[barefootbrewer]

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.

 

[brett]

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?

 

[Ecnerwal]

I prefer Mount Gay Rum. Great for the $$ and way better than Bacardi.

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.

 

[Vlax79]

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.

 

[skou]

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.

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

 

[phissionkorps]

Cruzan Single Barrel is definitely one of the better rums I've had.

 

[EvilTOJ]

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.

Pampero is well worth its cost, and bacardi is fittingly cheap and nasty.

That's why MikeFlynn's mom's nickname is Bacardi.

 

[STEVENJAN]

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.

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.

 

[skou]

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.

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

 

[STEVENJAN]

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

Steve,

This is from an earlier post when I first put it together. It was more of a lark than a, thought out process. I had read that fruit could substitute for yeast nutrient therefore the lime juice. True or not I don't know. I guess if you use citrus you can use the zest from the rind, some raisins or other type of fruit. Whole fruit (sanitized?) sliced works according to my reading.

"I had 2 jars of honey in the cupboard..probably 3 cups,24oz.(?) and I knew I was short for a gallon. I added about a cup or so of molasses. about 1/2 tsp. cinnamon. 1 tsp. lime juice for a nutrient(?)."

Like I say it tastes very potent. I don't have an hydrometer so, I transferred to the apple juice jug when it stopped fizzing and bubbles weren't rising.

I suppose I could have used sugar but I thought at the time that molasses might have more character than table sugar. I do have fructose in the cupboard but I don't know if it makes that much difference. Is sugar all the same? There are advocates of corn sugar which I don't have in the cupboard.

Since I made my mead(?) I have read more about mead and molasses. I also used a champagne yeast which evidently causes a higher alcohol content and a dryer taste. I will use a different yeast and more honey next time for a sweeter taste.
I really am a pilgrim when it comes to brewing, especially mead.

For me the process is part of the fun. I posted elsewhere that I want to try the prohibition recipe using Blue Ribbon Malt extract just for the experience.I am not sure I'm ready for bath tub beer(gin). I am really getting a kick out of chemistry that I never got in high school. I'm hooked.

 

[skou]

Steve, at the least, it will be drinkable.

As our Founder is fond of saying;
R.DW.HAHB. (Relax. Don't worry. Have a Homebrew.) Yes, in my book, Charlie Papazian rates right up there, with Al Einstein.

steve

 

[Ryno]

and back to the rum again......try making a rum and coke float using Myers Dark Rum. It is really good!!!
I too am going to try some molasses in a Milk Stout. Not sure how much to use.....was thinking 4 oz to 6 oz. I think I will also use the full flavor instead of black strap.

 

[nevery]

Holy crap! That's about the most tenacious hijack I've ever seen! Anyone know anything about archery or bookbinding?

 

[Revvy]

Holy crap! That's about the most tenacious hijack I've ever seen! Anyone know anything about archery or bookbinding?

I've done a little bookbinding in my day.

I went through this period of making my own handmade paper and then turning them into journals. I learned all sort of odd ways of binding books.

 

[codyverreras]

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???

Thats how you make rum, you make a molasses/brown sugar must and distill and age it.

 

[loveofrose]

I can tell no one here has spent much time in a dedicated rum bar, because all the suggested rums here have a lot of burn. Absolute best rums:
1. Bumbu: Sweet Caramel vanilla spiced rum. No burn even straight up. Great in Apple beverages.
2. Zaya: Non-sweet but extremely smooth. Lots of vanilla from oak. Extremely cheap for high quality.
3. Don Baderos 5+5: Sipping rum. Treat like scotch.
4. Diplomatico Reserva Exclusiva: Absolute best sipping rum. Expensive but worth it.

Concerning OPs original question, yes it can be done. You will need to pay special attention to the molasses you are using. If you detect bitterness (like blackstrap), it’s not going to turn out well. You need a rich, sweet molasses with no bitterness to have a decent beverage. Molasses varies from lot to lot, so it may take a few tries to get a decent batch. I do this and I only use small amounts in Cyser. If it’s your primary sugar, it all the more important.

Just like mead, a proper nutrient protocol will also need to be used or you’ll end up with rocket fuel.