Hello capn, after reading your response I am a little puzzled: I think you did not read all of the post above, or missed out on some of the details there.
Capn Jimbo wrote:Interesting post, but there is a huge difference between even "first boil" molasses and any cane juice syrup. I will try to keep this short:
Consider the following and it should become abundantly obvious to all that there is a huge difference in "fresh juice" (whether concentrated or not) and molasses. "Fresh juice" and/or what is called "semi-syrup" (a modestly concentrated) juice includes all the components unique to cane juice AND those that make up molasses - and has suffered little processing.
I was not speaking of "fresh juice" - somehow I find you changed the terminology here, why? We were talking of "Cane Honey"/Cane Syrup, *not* the fresh cane juice.
And molasses?
It contains none of the many components that make up fresh juice other than the molasses itself. Molasses contains very little sucrose, about 16% (compared to juice at about 88%), and lots of fructose, about 52% (compared to juice at about 6%). Molasses is about 80% dry matter (!), and contains nitrogen, organic acids, gums and ash. Let us not forget that molasses is derived after significant and repeated heating, cooling, physical and chemical processing (whose residues are present in molasses but not juice). Let us also note that the molasses requires much additional processing before distillation into rum.
A far cry from "fresh juice" in any form! Not even close.
What you are persistently describing as Molasses (period) - is 3rd boil, or blackstrap molasses. If we were talking of this, I would absolutely, wholeheartedly agree with you capn Jimbo. Please do take into account that 1st boil molasses IS VERY DIFFERENT. It is a far cry from dry matter, with no sucrose!!! Honestly, lets try and understand that there are typically THREE different molasses types: 1st boil, commonly known also as SYRUP - containing around 60% sucrose: 2nd boil, and finally, what you describe - 3rd boil, or blackstrap molasses. After first boil you are dealing simply with concentrated syrup liquid, at least so I have read and what I have seen (and yes, I admit, the persons who discussed this with me were West Indian, and they do not always use exact terms, but what I saw was liquid, and called first boil molasses). Also many websites refer CLEARLY to 1st boil as (
from Wikipedia):
"To make molasses, which is pure sugar cane juice, the sugar cane plant is harvested and stripped of its leaves. Its juice is extracted from the canes, usually by crushing or mashing, it can also be removed by cutting. The juice is boiled to concentrate which promotes the crystallization of the sugar. The results of this first boiling and removal of sugar crystal is first molasses, which has the highest sugar content because comparatively little sugar has been extracted from the source.".
And from another source (
Everything2.com):
"There are three types of molasses, light, dark, and blackstrap, which are categorized depending on how they are processed. After the first boil that removes most of the white sugar the molasses may be boiled several more times to remove additional sugar. This concentrates the molasses and its nutrients, making it darker and thicker. Light molasses has only been boiled once, making it light, thin, and very sweet."
Interestingly in your earlier post, you were describing the making of molasses, saying that they add lime to it etc. - and how very differently, the sugar cane honey/syrup is made with no additional chemicals. Then again in the detailed information coming from a Sugar Cane Honey/Syrup maker in Colombia to New York State official, the producer specifically admits to:
"Calcium Hydroxide (milk of lime) is added to adjust the pH level of the juice to 8 or 8.5. After the pH is adjusted, the juice is heated to approximately 99 degrees Celsius. After heating, the juice is clarified by adding natural flocculates (guasimo, mataraton, and cadillo) that attach to the impurities." Again - sounds quite like the starting steps of making - molasses. I agree, many may make their sugar cane honey/syrup differently, in a more natural way - because I have also seen people make first boil molasses without any such added chemicals. Indeed, reading here also (from
Homecooking.com):
"All varieties can contain sulphur depending on the specific refining process used, but unsulphured products (lighter in color and smoother in flavor) are available. The lighter the molasses, the sweeter it is...Light molasses: Syrup remaining after the first processing of the sugar. It is generally unsulphured and is the lightest as well as sweetest variety. It is often used as a syrup for pancakes and waffles or stirred into hot cereals such as oatmeal. 65% sucrose. "
Couple more notes: there are indeed some rums made from what is being called "first boil" or food grade molasses. Correct me if I'm wrong but I'm pretty sure Pritchards and possibly the New Orleans people use it. As far as cane juice "semi-syrups" go, it is interesting to note that St. James concentrates some of their cane juice into a cane juice syrup for delayed distillation into agricole, and somehow manages to do so under the oppressive Martinique AOC regs - quite a trick!
And rather revealing.
This is interesting news about rum being made of food grade molasses, thank you!!
Please do note: Food grade molasses is actually NOT a complete and direct synonym to first boil molasses, because the food grade molasses may be further thickened or processed, in order to obtain desired qualities (thickness, sweetness etc).
I believe the exerpt above re "sugar cane honey" is describing a post-sugar making, post-molasses product. Unfortunately some of what is called "sugar cane honey" is made from post production sugar and is no more related to concentrated cane juice syrups than molasses.
Well, the Colombians wanted specifically to sell their product as pure cane juice - "Your letter of June 21, 2002, indicated that the subject merchandise, “Cane Honey”, is described as
pure, concentrated juice of sugar cane." The process they make it with, however, revealed interesting facts - no wonder New York State did not budge in their ruling..
Zacapa's "honey" is a pre-production cane juice semi-syrup. From their website:
After describing the typical process of sugar manufacture and its byproduct of fermentable molasses for molasses based rums, Zacapa then differentiates their products "...(our) Guatemalan rums are produced from raw juices extracted from sugar cane. These have a sugar concentration of around 70-78% after evaporating the water present in the cane juice".
Not molasses in any form or stage.
I do not think that is actually a true statement - To my best knowledge (and please, have a look at the information sources I also quote from the internet), first boil molasses has a sugar concentrate very close to this (and it can vary, according to boil time, cane variety, etc etc.), and hmm, the process of making FIRST BOIL is PRECISELY THE SAME. Again, please - I am *NOT* talking about the solids left over after finalized cane processing (known as blackstarp molasses) - I am talking about the first boil molasses - which is undoubtedly known as molasses also.
What you quote from Zacapa is proving my point precisely - they are trying to differentiate (positively, of course) their product from the molasses rums - and in doing so, they are also stubbornly sticking to describing as "molasses" only the finalized, thoroughly processed blackstrap molasses.
Last, I wouldn't put too much credence in an obscure vegetarian definition of molasses.
I have nothing against vegetarians, but I agree that this source alone is not credible - however I have now quoted half the internet or so it feels. I hope you also start to accept that there is a product called first boil molasses, and it is boiled typically ONCE, to lightly concentrate the liquids.
Hope this all helps. I think it essential to distinguish cane juice and its semi-syrups from molasses or post production sugar syrups.
Whew!!!
Well, the comment where you suspect the Colombian manufacturers of making post-production sugar syrup is only a presumption, and it is contradictory to the other details the letter offers.
I think what this discussion has proven to those that have bothered to actually read through and pay attention to information and links provided, is that there are several loose english language terms used in rum business for marketing and differentiation purposes, and some of them are purposedly obscure, meaning they are used to deceive the consumer to a degree where it cannot be stated the manufacturers are outrightly dishonest, but under scrutiny their intent becomes quite clear.
My simple suggestions:
1. Ban use of the term "cane honey" as misleading marketing-jargon-only
2. Define clearly each stage of sugar production and terminology, and to make a ruling on where we draw the line on the difference between "cane syrup" and "first boil molasses".
Sucrose content and other details could be used as the foundation that such a ruling is based on. Until this is done the matter remains a happy meaningless jumble. Thats all folks..
FOOTNOTE: This link
http://www.tradertiki.com/tag/tales/tells an interesting story where the writer has separated the terms "first boil" and "molasses" totally - only to then combine them again..!!! A nice mess of terms, as I said.
In any case it also seems to reveal the very nature of what I refer to as "first boil molasses" and the good capn Jimbo refers to "cane syrup"..
Quoting:
The origin of this drink comes from something Joy Spence, master blender at Appleton told me when I was touring the estate in Jamiaca with her. We were trying some of what they call “wet sugar” at the refinery- it’s the first boil of the cane juice before the initial seperation of sugar and molasses. So it’s like molasses with all the sugar still in it- thick, and chunky with big sugar crystals. She told me that in Jamaica they like to take the wet sugar and use it to make lemonade, with of course a big splash of rum in there. So I took that idea, lengthed it with soda instead of water, and added a little St. Elizabeth’s for some Jamaican allspice flavor, mon. Combining molasses and simple comes pretty close to the taste of wet sugar.
....
Here is the recipe, corrected from the Tales recipe card… when creativity and branding clash, there are no clear winners.
Pampanito
1 1/2 oz Pampero Aniversario
1/2 oz Mild (aka first boil) Unsulfured Molasses
1/2 oz Simple Syrup (2:1)
1/4 oz St. Elizabeth’s Allspice Dram
Dash Angostura Bitters
1 oz Fresh Lemon Juice
2 1/2 Charged Water
Shake and strain into ice-filled Collins Glass
I wasn’t quite sure about the shaking and straining, as Rum and Allspice tend to need quite a bit more watering down, and with the molasses there to bind things up (plus, I saw Martin doing this at the event), I slapped that pappy in the ol’ DRINKMASTER and gave it a whirl. It is a fine drink, with the rich molasses providing one hell of a backnote to the rum, lemon and allspice. This one goes down smooth with almost no resistance whatsoever. With the use of molasses in early rum drinks (Bombo, Black Stripe) to make them more palatable, I can see that this stuff will be getting much better use in my home bar.
A note on the use of molasses. I tend to be keep my jiggers away from anything over a 2:1 simple, and will usually use a barspoon to measure items like molasses, coconut cream, orgeat, or any of the other super-sticky stuff out there. I have only a makeshift wet bar (bottled water and a bucket), so cleaning such stuff out tends to be more difficult on a jigger, with its rough angles. Yes, I do clean my jiggers between drinks, quickly and quietly. Got a better method for removing goo from bartools? Let me know!