Welcome to the start of a three-part series on the raw materials used in making spirits and liquors. We'll dive into grains and cereal, molasses, fruits and each of their roles in crafting beverages. Join us as we explore how these ingredients fuel the art and science of distillation and fermentation.

Molasses:

Sugarcane or molasses is famously used in rum, a liquor that originates from the Caribbean and is known for its distinctive flavors and variety of styles, which can vary based on factors like the type of sugarcane used, the fermentation process, and the aging techniques.

Molasses is made during sugar refining and comes in various grades with different sugar and flavor levels. The grade you pick affects both alcohol yield and spirit flavor, so choose carefully for fermentation.

Cane sugar is made by evaporating, crystallizing, and centrifuging the sugarcane juice. During these processes, molasses is created, and each step produces different kinds of molasses.

Pérez (1995) delineated these molasses types as follows:

• Integral high-test molasses comes from raw sugarcane juice but causes frequent interruptions and maintenance issues due to buildup.
• High-test molasses is similar but causes fewer problems during production.
• A molasses is a mid-stage byproduct from sugar extraction, containing 80-85% dry matter and needing inversion to prevent crystallization.
• B molasses is similar but has less sugar and doesn't crystallize easily.
• C molasses, also known as final molasses, is the end product with 32-42% sucrose, often used in food production.
• Syrup-off, liquor-off, or jett is a refined sugarcane byproduct with a high sucrose content, valuable but expensive.
• Refinery final molasses is similar to C molasses and is a byproduct of refined sugar extraction.

In some regions, juice extraction occurs through a basic animal or mechanically driven press, followed by boiling in open vats, resulting in "melote" molasses with a 50% DM content.

           

                                                                                                                                     [source: feedipedia.org]

At Distillique, we offer two options when it comes to molasses. Treacle 1 and Treacle 3 molasses. These are C molasses where the juice from the crushed sugar is concentrated to allow crystallization to sucrose and is high in thiamine, biotin, pantothenic acid, phosphorous and Sulphur.

As per the analysis below, the total dissolved solid % is an indication of all the soluble solids in the molasses. This is a combination of sugar and other non-fermentable compounds. The total sugar as invert column is an indication of the dissolved solids that are fermentable sugar.

Treacle number	Total dissolved solids %	Total sugar as Invert %
Treacle 1	80.1	70.5
Treacle 3	79.9	40.10

 

The bigger the difference between the total dissolved solids % and the total sugar as invert %, the more flavor compounds are present. This is ideal when making flavorful, medium to heavy bodied rums.

During recipe development, you should take the style of rum you want in consideration. If you want to produce a light style rum, we recommend using 100% treacle 1 molasses. If you want to produce a medium bodied to heavy rum, use a combination of treacle 1 and 3 or 100% treacle 3 molasses.

Yeast:

• MTR for molasses
• DR-116: allows for interesting red fruit flavor development. This is ideal for producing fruitier style rums.
• DC-70: Produces subtle fermentation related flavors an therefore emphasizes the raw material.

Nutrients:

Use Yeast Nutrients in a 1g/L dosage for all molasses.

When making spirits, choosing the right molasses is crucial for creating a distinct and exceptional drink. We trust you now have the knowledge to pick the perfect molasses for your rum-making adventures.

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