Frozen Cane Juice

[PA_JoeDistiller]

So I would love to make an agricole style rhum, but know that cane juice is basically only stable for a few hours, with all the agricole producers essentially situated on cane plantations.

That being said I feel like I have heard of frozen cane juice, and was wondering if anyone knew if it was viable to get a shipment of cane juice essentially flash frozen at the source, which could then be quickly melted down and pitched for a fermentation?

On a similar vein, is it possible to get a shipment of cane itself and press it in house for the juice? (Though that sounds like more trouble then it's worth)

[Sorghumrunner]

Logistically speaking, I think it should be totally possible. You would need to find a frozen storage warehouse near the cane farmer, and arrange the transportation and such. I sometimes send fresh pressed apple juice to a nearby frozen storage facility. I pay something like $20/tote for check in processing, $20 for flash freezing, $20/month for storage, and another $20 per tote for removing them from storage. Then of course you would need to ship refrigerated up to your facility. I find that a frozen tote in room temp seems to take 7-9 days to thaw to the point I can get a heat spear into it.

One interesting thing that happens with the apple juice is that the sugars concentrate when frozen, then sink to the bottom when thawed. Then the top of the juice is very low brix, and the bottom is higher. I can pull off some of that 'water' and have a higher brix juice for fermenting.

[PA_JoeDistiller]

Thanks again Sorghumrunner! Great details. We'll have to see what the cost/feasibility is of a shipping refrigerated up to PA, but its good to know it is possible to some degree.

[rumfarmer]

St. George ships freshly cut cane into their distillery and crushes it on site. A refrigerated 40 foot container will do the trick, but it will be pricey. If you keep the cane on ice for a week, I think you will have a perfectly good agricole style ferment.

[NEPA-still-chillin]

I did drive back from Florida about a month ago. Probably 20-22 hours from cane country to Pottstown. With a good truck and co-pilot you could make it happen