All dry molasses wash attempt

[Butch13]

Greetings once again...still a rookie.

I am looking to run a few batches of 5 US gallons using only dry molasses. (Having read one of the threads in which someone mentioned it, it makes sense for shipping costs to keep the water out of it.) So I got a 50 lb bag delivered earlier this week.

The first run is running now - 4 lbs of dry molasses, 9 grams Still Spirits Rum Distiller's Yeast, and pinch of Epsom Salts. 1.025 SG, but based on what I have read I am not sure how critical this is. Dissolved the molasses and filled to 5 gallon level in fermenter. She took off nicely that night and through the next day, then quit on me. I stirred it up and got a bit more action then quit soon thereafter.

The primary question is whether or not the 4 lbs dry molasses has the sugar content required.

(Note to MODERATOR: I searched this site quite a bit before posting, but the search engine would not differentiate the phrase "dry molasses" (in quotes), so I got 5591 responses with both "dry" and "molasses", but not "dry molasses".)

The secondary question is about temperature. The room is at about 80F/27C. I have a batch of pure cane juice (5 US gallons) that ran hard for a week in this room, ending beautifully, so I expected that this temp would suffice, but I have read that most folks tend to run around 90F/32C. Perhaps the molasses run needs to be warmer? I might need a heat blanket - please provide suggestions for a good bucket heater.

I do not have a pH tester but suspect I will be ordering one soon - please provide suggestions for a good pH tester.

As always, your help and input are welcome in any form!!!

Butch13

[subbrew]

Check the label. Most feed dry molasses has a lot of fiber added.

You will not get much alcohol from the numbers posted. 4 lb is not near enough, especially if half of it is fiber. Your SG should be closer to 1.075 or a bit more for molasses. You probably need closer to 12 lb of dry molasses for 5 gallons of water.

[higgins]

Check the ingredients. Some dry molasses contains beet molasses.

[Butch13]

Subbrew and Higgins;

Thank you. Both of those issues were complete surprises to hear about. I will check when I get home this evening.

[Butch13]

Just read on the website that there is lots of bran in it, so it is not pure "powdered" molasses.

[subbrew]

I made the same mistake. My neighbors sheep really enjoyed the rest of the bag.

Look for the golden barrel molasses or go with deer lick (various brands) molasses. The blackstrap will give a stronger flavor, the baking or supreme will give a milder flavor. Being in VA you should be able to get the deer lick in many outdoor/hunting type stores or farm supply stores.

[Butch13]

Thanks, subbrew. Now I know why this was so cheap. And we do have a Tractor Supply Company store nearby - they are good for that stuff. I will spend some time there looking at ingredients. I just checked out "powdered molasses" - about $7 per lb vs the $35 per 50 lb bag of this stuff. My big ahaaa...crap moment for this go 'round. Probably gonna dump it. I have a batch of pure cane juice going...probably going to run it tomorrow (5 gallons being a gift from a friend just to try...not particularly affordable). I have ordered some other sugars to try...no hurry. The goal is to make a light white hot rum at about 47% without the traditional blackstrap flavor. Doing the math along the way to make sure it is affordable, but knowing there will be lots of other stuff to learn. Thanks again for the info!!

[Dancing4dan]

Thanks, subbrew. Now I know why this was so cheap. And we do have a Tractor Supply Company store nearby - they are good for that stuff. I will spend some time there looking at ingredients. I just checked out "powdered molasses" - about $7 per lb vs the $35 per 50 lb bag of this stuff. My big ahaaa...crap moment for this go 'round. Probably gonna dump it. I have a batch of pure cane juice going...probably going to run it tomorrow (5 gallons being a gift from a friend just to try...not particularly affordable). I have ordered some other sugars to try...no hurry. The goal is to make a light white hot rum at about 47% without the traditional blackstrap flavor. Doing the math along the way to make sure it is affordable, but knowing there will be lots of other stuff to learn. Thanks again for the info!!

Would be interesting to see what Yellow Label Yeast would do…

[subbrew]

I doubt yellow label would do anything as the fiber would not convert regardless. Getting fiber to convert to sugar is that holy grail that the industrial alcohol industry has been trying to find so they can make switch grass and corn stalks into fuel ethanol rather than using grain.

Not sure it will fit your affordable criteria but a craft distiller here in town uses 100% golden barrel supreme molasses, two passes in a pot still, to make a very nice, light rum.

I like molasses so have not tried to get rid of it too much but did make a lighter rum with raw sugar, https://www.webstaurantstore.com/golden ... RAW50.html, and blackstrap molasses. Had I used a baking or fancy molasses it would have been even lighters.

[Butch13]

Thanks, subbrew. I am going to test the entire spectrum of mixes of light and dark sugars, sweet and backstrap molasses, pure cane juice, etc. I got a mango and a melon version bubbling right now with all sugar and no molasses. We shall see.

[Yummyrum]

Thanks, subbrew. I am going to test the entire spectrum of mixes of light and dark sugars, sweet and backstrap molasses, pure cane juice, etc. I got a mango and a melon version bubbling right now with all sugar and no molasses. We shall see.

Should make a nice fruit wine .

[Chucker]

I tried some dry, feed grade molasses…once. It was a disaster. Like noted in the thread, there’s a ton of fiber (trash) in that stuff. Might be fine for livestock, for yeast, not so much.
It was an experiment that I didn’t know where it would lead, so I fermented till it seemed done and tried to run it. It was a hot mess of puking and scorching that made one heck of a mess!
After that I decided any further rum would be made with a proper recipe and proper ingredients. It wasn’t a cheap batch as 5 gal of molasses set me back about $70 after shipping, but the SBB recipe was easy and made a tasty batch. Yield was good so overall cost was still very reasonable compared to retail.
I’ve given up on the quest to make Likker as cheaply as I can. I’d rather make it as well as I can. There’s plenty of cheap booze on the shelves already. Good ingredients have a price tag but will pay dividends when all is said and done.
Use the good stuff to make the good stuff.

[shadylane]

You will not get much alcohol from the numbers posted. 4 lb is not near enough, especially if half of it is fiber. Your SG should be closer to 1.075 or a bit more for molasses. You probably need closer to 12 lb of dry molasses for 5 gallons of water.

If there's not much fermentable in the dried molasses, then lots of it is going to be needed.
Maybe use dried mol for the right amount of flavor and some white sugar for the alcohol.
Just remember this isn't going to be like a real rum ferment.
Treat it like a zero nutrient sugar wash.