Sourcing Raw Cane Juice

[Ben B]

Anyone out there have any recommendations for sourcing raw cane juice for producing rum in the style of rhum agricole/cachaca?

Thanks for any help/experiences you can share.

[Sherman]

Miss read this one.

[Palmetto Coast]

Your best bets would be to look in Texas or Louisiana, depending on your anticipated quantity. The problem is that it doesn't keep well. You would need to get it quickly and use quickly.

Sorry I can't be a little more help.

Todd

[Ben B]

Thanks for the advice Todd. Good to know about the spoilage factor. Getting the stuff to Idaho in frequent enough shipments to keep it fresh might well put it outside the realm of reasonable costs.

[Artisan Still Design]

cane syrup will have a slightly different flavor, but it would ship better, you'd lose the vegital notes though.

[Palmetto Coast]

Steve is right about the cane syrup. You can check with a distributor (Batory is in a few states near you including Utah, Oregon and Washington). Evaporated Cane Juice, Cane Juice molasses + many more options. You can probably find other distributors, I just wanted to give you a starting point that I knew had many options.

Todd

[Ben B]

Awesome, thanks very much that's a huge help! Definitely do love the vegital notes of the rhum agricoles, but those sound like more viable options that may still allow one to create a unique product.

[Artisan Still Design]

could always add some fresh mowed grass to gain back those vegital notes (only half joking)

[rumfarmer]

Grow it yourself has been my conclusion. Raw juice has zero shelf life, so I suggest not even trying that. The spoilage is partially due to spontaneous fermentation, but it would be really difficult to get anything even close to consistent. Better bet is get freshly harvested cane if you can. It will do okay for a week or longer without much problem. Even longer if refrigerated. Maybe see if you can get a 40 foot container from Louisiana or Texas full of cane, juice it on site, and just supplement your evaporated cane juice rum with some true agricole. I think you will get something nice with those vegetal notes you are looking for. I might be then only knucklehead crazy enough to do a pure agricole rum, but I live in the tropics and have acres and acres of sugar cane.

[Ben B]

@Artisan - I was actually thinking about that, funny you mention it. Could be an interesting experiment anyhow.

@smoogdog - That's a really good idea as well. At least getting some portion of the fresh juice in there could provide a good flavor dimension. And you're definitely not crazy to do a full agricole! It's damn tasty, and I'm glad to hear you're utilizing your locality to create rum like that.

[Sugar Daddy]

Please message me directly at sugardaddypanela@gmail.com about sourcing Organic raw evaporated cane juice (not the off-white sugar that is basically processed white/yellow sugar) or panela. We are a manufacturer located in the U.S. that can ship nationwide in 2-3 business days. See the video: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MCCuRYLYfBY

[stillwagon]

^{Glory Bee sells evaporated cane juice and if you buy their minimum (depends on your location) shipping is free.}

[smaug]

The cane juice will keep indefinitely if frozen and shelf life can be extended with refrigeration. But then that is a whole nuther layer of bottom line broken off.

[TXdistillery]

Grow it yourself has been my conclusion. Raw juice has zero shelf life, so I suggest not even trying that. The spoilage is partially due to spontaneous fermentation, but it would be really difficult to get anything even close to consistent. Better bet is get freshly harvested cane if you can. It will do okay for a week or longer without much problem. Even longer if refrigerated. Maybe see if you can get a 40 foot container from Louisiana or Texas full of cane, juice it on site, and just supplement your evaporated cane juice rum with some true agricole. I think you will get something nice with those vegetal notes you are looking for. I might be then only knucklehead crazy enough to do a pure agricole rum, but I live in the tropics and have acres and acres of sugar cane.

@smoogdog I live within 7.5 hrs drive of a sugar mill. Is that going to give me enough time to get it to my fermenters and pitch before spontaneous fermentation spoils it? We harvest in Oct, Nov, and Dec. Also, do you use a clarified cane juice? The mill told me the unclarified has mud in it (I guess from the harvesting technique).