# Making Molasses



## Crowbar032 (Dec 6, 2011)

Attached are some pics I took over the weekend. Not sure which forum it should go in, but I thought someone might enjoy the pics. The funny thing about the set-up I posted pics above is that it's run by a local dentist. His uncle used to run that press for other people. When his uncle got too old to do anything with it, he just let the building fall in on the copper pan and press. After his uncle died, his aunt gave him all of the stuff (cane press, copper pan, copper skimmers) and restored it. He built the other holding pans using stainless steel and wood. The juice coming out of the press runs through PVC into the building into the first pan that holds about 200 gallons. That pan has a valve that runs into another 200 gallon pan that sits on top of the fire box but back far enough that no fire is on it (basically pre-heating). From that pan, a valve runs it to the evaporator pan. Out of the evaporator pan, a valve runs into a bucket that is used to fill up the finishing pan. This is where it is stirred and all of the green crud is skimmed off. It is boiled to 224-228 degrees depending on what he feels like and the sugar content. A chain hoist is used to pick the finishing pan off of the fire and over to a table to prevent scorching and so the jars can be filled. Using this set-up he makes about 100 gallons every year. Unfortunately my pictures didn't post in order. He posts a sign in his yard and sells it out if his office. He's working with the Board of Health to be able to sell into retail establishments. Once he gets that permit and retires, he'll probably expand. My Dad (73) and uncle (74) have helped for the past 4 years. I go when I can, but I have to work through the week and the weekends are the only time I have to do my stuff. Wish I had more time.


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## KarmakeeFarm (Jun 3, 2012)

OH THAT AWESOME!!!! I love molasses-drink it right outta the jar-I bet the fresh stuff is 10 times better! Made with Sorghum right? My dad used to grow that an grind it for the dairy cows-smelled great when he ground it up!


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## nancy d (Oct 5, 2007)

Now that is very interesting, thanks for sharing thepics!


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## Crowbar032 (Dec 6, 2011)

mnblonde said:


> OH THAT AWESOME!!!! I love molasses-drink it right outta the jar-I bet the fresh stuff is 10 times better! Made with Sorghum right? My dad used to grow that an grind it for the dairy cows-smelled great when he ground it up!


Yep, made with sorghum. I've heard the finished product called both molasses and sorghum depending on the area of the country you're from.

And yes, after the finishing pan is empty there is always a little left in the bottom that gets shared while still warm. Good straight or with a good homemade biscuit.


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## Texas.girl (Dec 20, 2011)

That looks like A LOT of work. How long did it take you and how many jars did you end up with? Are you keeping it all or plan on selling? I can't imagine doing all that work but if there is a crowd working together I guess it could be fun.


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## Crowbar032 (Dec 6, 2011)

Texas.girl said:


> That looks like A LOT of work. How long did it take you and how many jars did you end up with? Are you keeping it all or plan on selling? I can't imagine doing all that work but if there is a crowd working together I guess it could be fun.


This isn't mine, it belongs to my dentist. He plants about 1 acre of cane and makes about 100 gallons each year to sell. $6 a pint, $12 a quart. It's his hobby. And it is a tremendous amount of work. The hardest part is cutting the cane. After that it's just time consuming feeding the mill and boiling the juice.

I dearly love love love  gingerbread and molasses cookies. The stuff out of the store tastes green, which happens if you don't skim off enough of the junk. So I put in enough sweat equity to get a couple quarts of good molasses each year.


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## milk and honey (Oct 31, 2010)

Very Cool! I've never even heard of people doing that on their own...


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## Crowbar032 (Dec 6, 2011)

milk and honey said:


> Very Cool! I've never even heard of people doing that on their own...


All of the cane mills that squeeze the juice were all made back in the early 1900's-1930's. They are getting hard to find now. My Dad and Uncle said everyone used to make it when they were kids. They really couldn't afford to buy a lot of sugar, but had land and time so they made molasses.


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

That is cool!


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## xymenah (Jul 1, 2011)

That's amazing I'd love to hang out and watch it being made. I like molasses from the store but don't like the after taste so that's from them not skimming it well enough? Does he ship? I might want to buy some someday.


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## Crowbar032 (Dec 6, 2011)

xymenah said:


> That's amazing I'd love to hang out and watch it being made. I like molasses from the store but don't like the after taste so that's from them not skimming it well enough? Does he ship? I might want to buy some someday.


I assume that the aftertaste from store bought molasses is due to the impurities that don't get skimmed off. I haven't noticed an aftertaste in any that he has made the last three years. Sometimes store labeling is questionable too. You may have gotten blackstrap molasses which is very strong tasting.

UPS will ship, but it's $24 per case of 12 so it wouldn't be cheap. To this point he hasn't shipped any, but said he might once he gets all of the Department of Health permits to sell retail.


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## Arkie (Sep 25, 2012)

DDDaaayyyynnggg! those pictures sure take me back! I've never worked at a sorghum mill, but spent every spare minute around them at every opportunity as a kid. Skimmings are called "pummies". The neatest I ever saw was an old upright mill with a 20ish foot overhead pole to attach a mule/horse to to turn the drums. All I've ever seen had a single pan with dividers to shut off one section till it got cooked down a bit, then the dam would be removed to advance each stage in the pan as the final section was drained into jars. Nothing any better than a section of cane raw, split, peeled, and dipped into the still hot sorghum!!!!

'Course here in the Ozark foothills it's considered a "sacrilege" to not "strip" the cane (remove the leaves and seed head) before grinding! 

Bob


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## Crowbar032 (Dec 6, 2011)

Arkie said:


> DDDaaayyyynnggg! those pictures sure take me back! I've never worked at a sorghum mill, but spent every spare minute around them at every opportunity as a kid. Skimmings are called "pummies". The neatest I ever saw was an old upright mill with a 20ish foot overhead pole to attach a mule/horse to to turn the drums. All I've ever seen had a single pan with dividers to shut off one section till it got cooked down a bit, then the dam would be removed to advance each stage in the pan as the final section was drained into jars. Nothing any better than a section of cane raw, split, peeled, and dipped into the still hot sorghum!!!!
> 
> 'Course here in the Ozark foothills it's considered a "sacrilege" to not "strip" the cane (remove the leaves and seed head) before grinding!
> 
> Bob


He replaced one of those old mills with the pole a few years ago, but he pulled it with a tractor. That set-up was kind of rough on the noggin if you weren't paying attention.

He does cut the seed heads off. As far as stripping the leaves, he read agricultural research papers that said stripping leaves was not necessary and doesn't affect flavor. I'm sure the old timers did it for a reason though. I bet they used the leaves as fodder for the horse/mule and milk cow.


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## liz (Oct 5, 2007)

Wow.... I'm a fanatic when it comes to Molasses, however I'm one who likes Blackstrap....the stronger the better for me


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## Arkie (Sep 25, 2012)

liz said:


> Wow.... I'm a fanatic when it comes to Molasses, however I'm one who likes Blackstrap....the stronger the better for me


I like that as well. Just a totally different product. If you've never had premium small batch light molasses from the northern hills of Arkansas you should put it on your bucket list.

Bob


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