The essentials thread. . .

[Matusalem]

I thought I'd start a thread to see what members have found to be an essential part of their own personal rum & / or cocktail experiences & routines. As I hope it implied, "personal" does not necessarily imply something you are trying to stipulate as an item or tool "we" or others must subscribe to but rather things you find essential to your own needs.

I'll later place some pictures, (when I get a moment), of some of the wilder or most important components I've integrated into my routine but I thought it would be fun in a sense of sharing to hear & see some of what the rest of us manic-obsessives have been employing - all for the sake of research and advancement. ;)

P.S. it doesn't have to be rums. I'd like to hear about everything from sugars to fruits for infusion to containers and raw ingredients we find essential to our, ummm how could I say it, scientific research necessities.

Thanks in advance!

[Tiare]

I need to always have a bottle of syrup with Tahitian vanilla and another with simple syrup and/or Rock candy syrup. Then I need to have a bottle of Falernum. I make my own of these.
I buy the Tahitian vanilla in bulk over the internet and use it for many things.
Then comes the bitters, right now I only have the Angostura..

Glasses are important, i need to have my tiki glass for the tiki drinks and my little ti punch glass. Then I have other drink glasses that I use as well, like hurricane glass.Along with the glasses are my swizzle sticks, I have a few from Trader Vics (the paddle and the menehune) and some from Polynesia.

Fresh limes is also a staple. Then when it comes to the fruit juices, they vary of course, just like the decorations for drinks. I like to use a lot of fresh mixed fruit juice.

Ice..I`m a orchid grower and grow my plants in a large wardian case at home, so I have a reverse osmosis device and that water tastes very good and I use it to make ice as well. A bit odd maybe..but I have orchid growing friends who use it for tea and coffee and swear by it..so in our world its normal..:D

Now on to the rums, I need to have a few fine sipping rums, a few good mixing rums and then there is the occasional bottle of cheap rum too and then the beloved agricoles. What I lack now is a 151 rum.

Then I need to have some liquerurs..a little bit of this and a little bit of that.
These are the things I find to be the most necessary for my own scientific research necessities...but iґm almost fogetting my books.. I need to have books too of course..very important.

[Matusalem]

I see you have your necessities too, Tiare!

Here are a few examples of some items I use quite often:

This Heritage Palms Coconut Sugar is by far my favorite sugar related ingredient. It's a bit expensive by sugar standards (close to $7 per half pound), so I don't generally use for bigger volume uses. It possesses a unique flavor with a slightly wood smokiness. What impresses me most with this particular sugar is its versatility. It's very well pronounced but never over-burdens or conflicts with other subtle flavors. This has obviously become a must have for myself:

http://i133.photobucket.com/albums/q59/lucho_album/CoconutPalmSugar.jpg

Beneath are some other sugars that are common that I keep for various uses & experiments:

http://i133.photobucket.com/albums/q59/lucho_album/3Sugars.jpg

Yes, I know it's not exactly "fresh" and only 60% or so Coconut nectar, but this comes in very handy. This is the most used, but I go through a handful of Knudsen nectars. These work very well with rums (imho):

http://i133.photobucket.com/albums/q59/lucho_album/CoconutNectar.jpg

A very lousy picture (I'm a poor photographer, and I mean poor in every sense of the word, LOL). I"ll try to capture these better and replace this photo later. These are examples of bottles I use for infusion and flavoring purposes as well as for storage when I want to shave off surface air from bigger bottles. These are made in France, .375 bottles which thus far, worked out to be a good volume for me to work with.

What makes these a necessity for myself is they have had excellent cork integrity for the duration I've used them. Some of the bottles are older and well used, but they always exhibit a champagne pop when ever the cork is removed. They also are very sleek meaning they don't hog up too much lateral space. These too have become "Must See T.V." for me.
http://i133.photobucket.com/albums/q59/lucho_album/DSC_0334.jpg

______________________________________________



As time permits, I'll attempt to add some of my other rituals.

[Tiare]

This sugar, Billingtons..I have been trying to find it here but it seems impossible but maybe iI can find it online. I would like to try it. There is another brand of sugar here that I can find that is called Lyle&Tate, it`s very good.
I have sometimes bought palmsugar in Thai grocery stores but never seen coconut-palmsugar, does it have a mixed taste of both palmsugar and coconut then?
I make my own vanilla sugar with Lyle&Tate´s light brown and dark brown sugars and Tahitian vanilla beans and that sugar I also use to make syrup.
I`m also a coconut "nut" and I think this coconut nectar looks soo yummy!
Some of that coconut nectar with a syrup made from those sugars in a tiki drink with some good rums would be something!:D

[Dood]

I have the Billington's sugars as well (well, the molasses and demerara sugars).

Where do you get your bottles? Those looks so much nicer than my mason jars. ;)

[Matusalem]

I got the bottles at a local grocer. They list as "vinegar bottles", but I think they look quite a lot like some Eaux De Vie bottles I've seen and been through. These are made in France, $1.95 each - so probably not as cheap as mason jars.

[Tiare]

Some olive oils has nice bottles, and vinegars, juices and ketchups..
Here there is a orange juice that has a nice bottle which I save when they are empty. I`m going to make a whole range of rhum arrangи in them.I started with the first one recently, its made with Depaz blanc and Tahitian vanilla, banana, ginger and cinnamon.
There is another thing I want to add to my essentials and that is a ice crusher.

[Edward Hamilton]

I've been meaning to add something to this thread but haven't had time to find and post the images so I'll add them later.

In addition to wide mouth bottles, they're easier to get fruit in and out, for infusions, I keep an assortment of glasses for different drinks. I keep my smallest glasses for sips of the oldest rums to share with friends. Larger glasses are for sipping rum on the rocks or with a little water.

In the French islands I discovered sugar cane syrup and since it wasn't available in the US, I began importing it under the Petite Canne (http://caribbean-spirits.com/sugar%20cane%20syrup.htm) label. It isn't sold everywhere but I expect distribution to expand next year.

And last but not least I keep a few swizzle sticks for stirring my ti punch. These naturally grown swizzle sticks are hard to get and add a little magic to cocktails.

[Matusalem]

In addition to wide mouth bottles, they're easier to get fruit in and out, for infusionsThis is a point worth noting. Depending on what fruit and how much you want to preserve its natural state, the bottles I featured are not as practical as mason or wider mouthed jars / bottles.

The cane syrup looks interesting - I'm yet to see anything other than the common Stirring's 'simple' type.

[Hank Koestner]

I would love to get my hands on some swizzle sticks.......can they be found on line at all?:confused:
I also like to use the right glasses....I even have some of the small Ti Punch glasses I brought home from the Islands. I am lucky :)to have Petite Canne sugar cane syrup, but I would have to say that I will keep a supply. This is a must for the Ti Punch.
One essential I dont have is an ice crusher, another is a good bar set i.e;
shaker, etc. :(I have not found a full set I like yet, the one I have is not very good.
I must always have high quality wooden matches to light my cigars,
or cedar strips. The ritual of preparing my drink and lighting my cigar is important to me.:rolleyes:

[Edward Hamilton]

The swizzle sticks I have are from the islands. They aren't sold anywhere online. I get requests from around the world from people who have to have them but to date I don't know of any place to get them in the US. The tree from which they are harvested grow in Jamaica, Grenada, Martinique and other islands. I'll post a picture when I have some time.

[Tiare]

Iґm hunting the french Ebay right now for some nice ti punch glasses..they have a lot there..La Mauny, Trois Riviйres..the problem is that not all ships out of France. I want to find some to a good price incl shipping..
Couldn`t resist though, buying a set of 4 minis of all the st James rums..as I haven`t tasted them all only the extra old.

I would like to try the petit Canne..and..

those swizzle sticks...

[utrocketdad]

I would love to get my hands on some swizzle sticks.......can they be found on line at all?:confused:
I also like to use the right glasses....I even have some of the small Ti Punch glasses I brought home from the Islands. I am lucky :)to have Petite Canne sugar cane syrup, but I would have to say that I will keep a supply. This is a must for the Ti Punch.
One essential I dont have is an ice crusher, another is a good bar set i.e;
shaker, etc. :(I have not found a full set I like yet, the one I have is not very good.
I must always have high quality wooden matches to light my cigars,
or cedar strips. The ritual of preparing my drink and lighting my cigar is important to me.:rolleyes:

I'm not much of a mixer of rum drinks beyond the rum and the glass part. I also enjoy the occastional Mojitos. I keep reading about Ti Punch. Would somebody mind passing along a favorite recipe?

Cigars...the selection, cutting, lighting, anticipating the perfect draw, the relaxing rolling of the choice in ones fingers and finally combining with a nice rum or port....It's really all I need to begin the perfect evening.

Jim

[Edward Hamilton]

Here's the recipe (http://caribbean-spirits.com/recipes.htm) from Martinique. Like lighting a good cigar there is a protocol that must be followed. Adding rum to the glass before the sugar and lime, for example, aren't tolerated by those in Martinique.

[Edward Hamilton]

Here are a couple of pics of swizzle sticks growing in the islands. The name of the plant is quaraibea turbinata. The smaller branches of the tree are used to mix drinks. These trees grow in many of the southern islands including Grenada, Jamaica and Martinique.

http://ministryofrum.com/graphics/leletree.jpg . http://ministryofrum.com/graphics/leleclose.jpg

[Rum Runner]

Wonderful pics Ed. I love to examine the different trees that grow here. And have never encountered the one named. One can see how the small branches would make a great Swizzler/Muddler. Thanks for that!

[Hank Koestner]

I wish one could be made in the same fashion. I hope to have some swizzle sticks at some point.

utrocketdad, I use the Martinque recipe for most all my Ti Punches. Some times a hint more sugar and lime, if I put in larger pour. The sugar and lime must go in the glass first, as Ed has noted.

[Rum Runner]

After a little research I found that the Quararibea Turbinata or Swizzlestick tree (http://plants.usda.gov/java/profile?symbol=QUTU) is native to Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. It is part of the Kapok family. I'm going to see if I can find it here. Maybe I can get a side business going...

[utrocketdad]

Thanks Ed, now to find the Neisson and petite cane.

[Tiare]

I make my Ti punches in 3 ways, after that order from Eds link, with the lime first, then the sugar and then rum.

The dry Ti punch is what i enjoy maybe the most, I squeeze the lime, then add the brown sugar and let the lime and sugar just blend for a few secs, then on with the rum and I also like a ice cube in this to fresh up the punch.

The wet Ti punch is the same but with syrup.
The advantage of the dry punch in my opinion and taste is that I like the sweet sugarcorns between my teeths..

Then I have my "special mix" which is one part white agricole, Depaz for the moment and then one part Montebello vieux 6 years, THAT my dear friends is heaven in a glass..;)

[Hank Koestner]

I have a Montebello that is Hor's d' Age. I know it is at least 3 years old, but I wish I knew if it was older. I have Depaz Blue Cane Amber. I think I will try the blend using the Montebello I have with La Favorite and Neisson white agricoles, then the Depaz amber. I have to try this blended Ti Punch since you referred to it as heaven............

[Tiare]

Just remember that it is heaven in MY mouth..so I would start with a small punch.. What I like so much about it is that little extra adding of the Montebello gives this VERY grassy/floral aftertaste that Montebello has.
Its best when you add a bit less of the Montebello than the others.Let me know how you like it..;-)

I will soon try it with La Cabresse and the other agricoles when they arrive..agricole PARTY!!!

My Depaz banana/vanilla/cinnamon/ spice has become so nice and mellow now that it can be sipped neat..

[Hank Koestner]

Well, I hope it will be heaven in mine also. Since you have a love of agricole as I do, I can take your word for it and try this interesting blended Ti Punch.

Also, as a side note, since this is the essentials thread, I would have to say the ritual of making a Ti Punch is as important to me as the ritual of lighting a cigar.
Both of these can affect the flavor.

[angelsword]

Here's the recipe (http://caribbean-spirits.com/recipes.htm) from Martinique.

I noticed that the Hemingway recipe on the linked Caribbean spirits page lacks RUM.

[Tiare]

Also, as a side note, since this is the essentials thread, I would have to say the ritual of making a Ti Punch is as important to me as the ritual of lighting a cigar.
Both of these can affect the flavor.

Put the sugar or the syrup in the glass..
Cut a piece of your lime and press the juice (or leave in the piece of lime unpressed)
Add the rum..and stir..slowly and with love.. in a graceful manner, with delight..
Breath in the fragrances and let them transport you to warmer places...
Now your punch is ready! all to do now is sip it slowly..:p

[Edward Hamilton]

I noticed that the Hemingway recipe on the linked Caribbean spirits page lacks RUM.

Thanks for pointing that out, I believe that oversight has been corrected.

[Hank Koestner]

I will switch to the Agriocole forum for this comment, since this is the essentials thread. It has to do with a Ti Punch.

[Matusalem]

I will switch to the Agriocole forum for this comment, since this is the essentials thread. It has to do with a Ti Punch.My thread I make the rules! lol just kidding course!

If the concept of Ti-Punch &/or how to make one is *essential* then fire away here!

Commentary regarding the number of proverbial pairs of shoes Ed has might be placed elsewhere, unless of course we can establish those having some essence as well.:p

[Edward Hamilton]

I have a Montebello that is Hor's d' Age. I know it is at least 3 years old, but I wish I knew if it was older.

While I can't tell you exactly how long Montebello Hor's d' Age has been aged but my educated guess is that it is a blend of rums at least 6 years old. Unfortunately, you won't be finding Montebello rum in the US any time in the near future since the name Montebello is owned by someone else in the US.

[Matusalem]

Finally got bored and put up some photos of other things I find necessities.

Below:

This is basic "bulk bin" Demerera sugar. I use a lot of this not just for rum experimental purposes. This particular sugar has a very strong aroma and is quite flavorful. I've had some others (like Whole Foods' "365є" product) that was good but compared to the cheap bulk bin, was flat. The obvious advantage is the bulk bin is $1.30 per lb as opposed to $2.50 - $5 per lb for pre-packaged:
http://i133.photobucket.com/albums/q59/lucho_album/Photo-2008-01-09056.jpg


Marshall's Farm Honey. This is what I guess you would call a boutique honey producer / bottler. The brand is pretty well known (so is the what I'd describe as steep prices their products command, by comparison). I do regularly purchase the coconut honey featured below:
http://i133.photobucket.com/albums/q59/lucho_album/Photo-2008-01-09058.jpg

This is a blackberry honey. Like the coconut honey, this has interesting flavors but they disappear against heavy mixes. Best in light simple usage or else as a compliment rather than a pronounced featured nuance:http://i133.photobucket.com/albums/q59/lucho_album/Photo-2008-01-09053.jpg

These are jars I use primarily to store refrigerated syrups. Nothing special about them necessarily. Mainly the convenience for me is having set them aside for a specified purpose, they are easy to identify (as syrups) sometimes I'm not 100% sure which syrup without investigation:
http://i133.photobucket.com/albums/q59/lucho_album/Photo-2008-01-09065.jpg

Not that anyone cares, lol, but I'll attach some more of the useless crap I incorporate later. It appears there is a 4 image limit per post.

[Tiare]

That Demerara sugar looks real nice!:D

Haven`t been able to look for the Lyle&Tate yet but as soon as i find it i`ll let you know.

[Matusalem]

That Demerara sugar looks real nice!:D
Tiare,

The thing is I use to avoid much of the bulk stuff because I was of the belief it probably was less fresh and well preserved etc. as anyone can (and does) go open the lids and shovel out what amount they so choose. I can't remember for what purpose exactly it was but one time I was doing something that I felt did not justify using more expensive ingredients and so I said screw it & bought about a half a pound of the bulk ($0.75).

I pretty much kicked myself after tasting it. The aroma itself after carrying the bag home should have been enough of a hint but I just assumed the provided bulk bags were probably quite a bit more porous than pre-packaged or some other reason I could literally smell the contents all the way home.

Except for one of the Billington's varieties, I rarely bother with those either anymore as this for the most part is as flavorful for less than half the price.

[mammel]

forgive my ingnorance in posing this question...

Would you be better off in making a simple syrop from some of these more exotic sugars (brown, demarara or muscovado) rather than using ordinary white sugar. I only post this question, because I have seen many posts about using products with natural cane syrop. Being that I live in Canada, there tends to be a shortage of sugar cane most of the year. Would using these other sugars produce something closer to natural cane syrop?

Also while I am visiting this topic...what is the difference between simply syrop and rock candy syrop. I have seen this mentioned a few times.

[Matusalem]

Those are good questions. I'll give a personal opinion but will defer to someone else who might better answer the question(s).

For me, I have made syrup from white sugar before. It's just my own personal opinion, but there is a definable flavor difference. It isn't easy for me to put into words. Alone, white simple syrup tastes more like sweetened water (to me). Maybe because as kids every once in a while we had a glass of sugar water - why I'm not sure, but I guess we had no kool aid but wanted something sweet.

Anyway (and again my personal opinion), I find these cane sugars to be quite bit more flavorful. Rather than simply a sweetener there are other complexities that they bring to syrups, baking, a cup of coffee etc. If you get your hands on a decent sugar you'll likely smell the difference let alone taste it. I'm not sure about the white sugar you might get but the difference for me is akin to a scoop of Folders or Maxwell House out of large can versus good quality roasted beans right out of grinder. Not sure you can relate to that but that's a decent metaphor to describe my own personal preference.

[Tiare]

Its no doubt that brown cane sugar has more flavor than the refined white..it cannot be compared in my opinion.

This sugar discussion got somewhat lost and continues here:

http://www.ministryofrum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=868

[Edward Hamilton]

forgive my ingnorance in posing this question...

Would you be better off in making a simple syrop from some of these more exotic sugars (brown, demarara or muscovado) rather than using ordinary white sugar.
Also while I am visiting this topic...what is the difference between simply syrop and rock candy syrop. I have seen this mentioned a few times.

Most rock candy syrup in the US is made with High Fructose Corn Syrup and not sugar cane syrup.

I would use a light sugar to make syrup. When you add enough sugar to make a good syrup it will be a lot darker than you might think. The raw sugar used to make Petite Canne Sugar Cane syrup, for example, is a light brown color with is a lot lighter than brown, demerara or what is sold as mucsovado sugar.

[Matusalem]

I would use a light sugar to make syrup. When you add enough sugar to make a good syrup it will be a lot darker than you might think. The raw sugar used to make Petite Canne Sugar Cane syrup, for example, is a light brown color with is a lot lighter than brown, demerara or what is sold as mucsovado sugar.This is true (as far as the darkness of the liquid). Edward, would you then say that your preference is more so for presentation or that you prefer the influence of "lighter" sugar?

I could be wrong and I know that all sugars are not created (or at least must not have been stored or packaged equally)... but there seems to me a slight increase in flavor to a degree with the hue of the sugar (generalization of course). Or have a fallen prey to "The darker the berry, the sweeter the juice"?

If it is purely a presentation thing then I understand the concept especially since you seem to prepare for others regularly as well. If you saw the jars (featured above somewhere) that I use for my syrups, you know that it's too late and in the glass before anyone can gasp or otherwise at the color of the contents.
:p

[Tiare]

As far as i have learned most brown sugars are made by adding molasses to refined white sugar, but not the muscovado sugar which takes its flavor and color from its source, sugarcane juice. Where i live there are 2 types of muscovado sugar in the shop, light and dark brown. The light muscovado is very molasses tasting, and so is the dark but it also has small hints of liquorice. Now, what is the difference in the making of light and dark muscovado?

[Matusalem]

Good point Tiare. I've seen (cane) sugar (not white "refined") that I guess you can say is beige in color. When Ed said "light sugar" I assume he was talking about a similar variety (a cane rather than refined / "brown" sugar). Particularly I've used a Pilipino sugar before that was very light in color.

By my assessment you are right. I find darker muscovados to have additional nuances. Although, at the same time, as reported, I was rather shocked to find so much more flavor in the sugar I picked up from a bulk bin compared to that which I got in what I believe is a well regarded (quality) packager.

What I'm hoping to get from Ed is whether or not he's found sugars that are as light as (what I envision he meant by "a light sugar") that are as flavorful as demerera / muscovados... or if the driving factor here is appearance?

Most of the syrup I make tends to have a citrus or other fruit infused in the heating process. So, in many instances, it's not like the final product is going to be perfectly "clean" anyway and my aim is for the best flavor possible.

However, at the same time, I've been around long enough to realize "the most flavor" isn't always "the best flavor".

[Tiare]

I also wonder why its called Demerara sugar when its made in Mauritius? or is some Demerara sugar made in Guyana? Or is "Demerara sugar" a marketing name?

[Paulipbartender]

That's interesting - I didn't know Mauritian sugar called itself Demerara.

The Demerara is a river in Guyana where sugar grows in excellent grass growing conditions. Is the term 'Demerara' not region controlled?

[Tiare]

It takes its name from the Demerara colony in Guyana yes, which was the original source of this type of sugar, but is produced today mainly in Mauritius.
What i wonder is why is it produced today in Mauritius and still is called demerara?
Maybe its just that the name have endured?

[Edward Hamilton]

That's interesting - I didn't know Mauritian sugar called itself Demerara.

The Demerara is a river in Guyana where sugar grows in excellent grass growing conditions. Is the term 'Demerara' not region controlled?

Some one in Guyana dropped the ball years ago, but they are working hard to restore the name of the sugar that is now being copied. Demerara rum went through the same kind of misfortune a few years ago but that has been sorted out.

In the rum incident, at least one UK blender/bottler was using the name Demerara rum on rum which they had purchased from Demerara Distillers Ltd, but they hadn't bought the rights to use the name Demerara Rum on their labels. In the end, that rum is no longer available.

[Tiare]

Interesting,thanks Ed!

[Tiare]

I could literally smell the contents all the way home.


Whatґs the name of that bulk bin sugar?

[Matusalem]

What´s the name of that bulk bin sugar?"Demerara" is the name on lid of the bin.

By "bulk bin" I mean it's in a container section - you scoop and bag the product yourself, put a twisty-tie around the opening to secure the bag and put the bin # (in ink pen) on the twist-tie. (You may have already understood all of that - but just want to make sure I'm not giving you the impression there is some brand or market etc. entitled "bulk-bin".)

The market I get the sugar from has some other very interesting bulk bin items that I don't really see available in the average market. That and the other section with large jars of almost any root, spice & herb imaginable.

That said, as seen in the picture above (that's how I bagged the sugar myself), I think the bag itself is probably at least some degree less dense and not quite the same barrier as sugar would be sold or shipped in pre-packaged format - thus the aroma of the sugar is quite detectable as one walks down the street or gets in the car with it. Not meaning to imply that this is some new invention or superior sugar that no other Demerara could ever match. More important for me is the price less than a buck and a half for a pound.

[Tiare]

You have a wonderful market to shop in! :) there is nothing like that here. The only time i`ve been able to buy food stuff and spices in bulk was when i still worked in restaurants.

[The Rum Ambassador]

It takes its name from the Demerara colony in Guyana yes, which was the original source of this type of sugar, but is produced today mainly in Mauritius.
What i wonder is why is it produced today in Mauritius and still is called demerara?
Maybe its just that the name have endured?

True. I was in Mauritius last week at the Grays Distillery's sugar museum. This where I discovered Demerara sugar from Mauritius.

[The Rum Ambassador]

In the rum incident, at least one UK blender/bottler was using the name Demerara rum on rum which they had purchased from Demerara Distillers Ltd, but they hadn't bought the rights to use the name Demerara Rum on their labels. In the end, that rum is no longer available.

That's not Lemon Hart is it Ed ?

[Berbician]

To return to the subject of Muscovado Sugar.

Muscovado Sugar, whether light or dark, is unrefined sugar. The dark one simply has a higher proportion of molasses in it than the light one.

In England, we also have "Soft Light Brown Sugar" and "Soft Dark Brown Sugar". It is these two that are made by adding molasses to refined white sugar.:eek:

As some of the previous posters have stated, most of the sugar that purports to be "Demerara" Sugar does in fact come from Mauritius. In fact, the term "Demerara" is, in the UK, simply used as a synonym for granulated, brown sugar. I have even seen some of the "soft" sugars mentioned in the previous paragraph called "Demerara Sugar" by the manufacturers.

Very few people in England realise that Demerara is an actual place, and even fewer know where it is. Incidentally, most people here also think that Guyana is in Africa.:rolleyes:

I was once given a full day tour of a sugar plantation and factory in West Demerara (Uitvlugt/Leonora), and learnt that the finished product is much lighter in colour than the "Demerara" Sugar that's on sale in the UK. Also, one of the by-products left behind when the granulated sugar is crystallised out of the liquid juice, closely resembles Muscovado Sugar and is absolutely delicious. Unfortunately people won't eat it and it's used as animal feed.

The largest, and best, Guyanese sugar plantations are actually not in Demerara, but in neighbouring Berbice. These include Skeldon, Port Mourant, Albion, Rose Hall (East Canje), and Blairmont. At one time, all these plantations had their own distilleries and made their own rum.

[Tiare]

Also, one of the by-products left behind when the granulated sugar is crystallised out of the liquid juice, closely resembles Muscovado Sugar and is absolutely delicious. Unfortunately people won't eat it and it's used as animal feed.


How is the taste and texture in comparasion between this by product and the actual product?

[Berbician]

Tiare,

The stuff that's used for animal feed has much smaller grains and is much more sticky than the granulated sugar which is dry, free-flowing and lighter in colour.

If I remember correctly - and this was eighteen years ago - the dark, sticky stuff is then boiled up again to extract a second batch of crystals, leaving behind another lot of residue, even darker and stickier than the first lot, as the ratio of molasses to sugar is higher still.

I get the feeling that I'm not explaining this very well. There are loads of people who know far more about this than me, and if any of them are reading this, perhaps they could help me out and explain all of this more fully, using the correct technical terms.:confused: