StillSmart

Without a source of fresh sugar cane juice, this will work fine.

Pour 24 cans (907g) of Lyle's Golden Syrup into a 90L fermentation tank.
Use sufficient boiling water to water down he syrup and wash out the cans.
Top up tank to 90L with cold water. Bring temp down to below 30 C.
SG should be below 1.080.
Pitch yeast. I use plain old bakers yeast. About 150gr.
I throw in some dead yeast cells and B vitamins for nutrition.
Ferments slower than my rum wash. About 10 days.
When ferment has finished (SG a few points below 1.000) and has settled, syphon off and distill.

I do a beer stripping run then a spirit run. No reflux or packing. No filtering.
5 fermentation tanks will give me about 100L of 40%ABV.
I age the bulk of it in lightly toasted American white oak.
It is good enough to drink straight, which most people do. Does make a superb caipirinha.
Ran into an Italian chef from a local hotel last night. He did a beach party recently and served mohitos made with my cachaca. Why he didn't use my white rum, which he normally drinks, I don't know.

Hope I have explained myself and not made it too simple sounding. Any questions - feel free. It is not the cheapest to make but I am sure you will enjoy the experience.

Cheers.

RJ that sounds like a bit of fun. I'll try 7 kgs of golden syrup in 26 litres of wash.Do you think I should scale the yeast back? Leave it as 150?

"I do a beer stripping run then a spirit run"

That's a fast strip followed by a slow spirit run?

I have been looking at this since RJ posted it.
Scaling down seems to be around 6 KG Golden Syrup to 25 liters..
It is on the shopping list.
Just have to try it.

nice and easy ,, just the way I like it

Attn: 4 Square. Yes - cut back on the yeast. However, yeast will find its own equilibrium in the right environment. If you use less than an optimum amount it will grow more and if you use more it will stop reproducing sooner.

6 or 7 cans of syrup?? Again, check your SG before pitching the yeast. If its too high, add some water.

And enjoy. Let me know how you do.

Attn: 4 Square. I jusr re-read yours. Yes a stripping run then a spirit run. But push both a bit. You want flavour to come over. Striping you dont want to get over 80-82%ABV.

And no need to carbon filter. I dont carbon filter anything, including vodka and gin. Distilling properly with a clean still should be just fine.

I was having a look round the web site of my local Chinese cash and carry and came across bulk Golden Syrup.

7.3 kg bottle for 11.50 it works out 50p a kg cheaper than buying it from Tesco's.

Attn: 4 Square. I notice you are from NZ.There you have Chelsea Golden Syrup which I believe would make a better cachaca than Lyles. Lyles is all I can get here but Chelsea has a much better flavor.

Lucky me RJ! 28 kg buckets of CGS available from the local wholesaler.With that quantity I could go commercial! It will have to be an after Christmas project for me. I'll be back with a few more questions once I have that bucket in tow. Here's to the new year.

Mr Four Square wrote:Lucky me RJ! 28 kg buckets of CGS available from the local wholesaler.With that quantity I could go commercial! It will have to be an after Christmas project for me. I'll be back with a few more questions once I have that bucket in tow. Here's to the new year.

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I'll drink to that.

Attn: 4 square. I am very envious. I have not used CGS for cachaca but would if I could get my hands on it. I tried some Chinese bulk once but the result was bad.

If I use Lyles I sit down and open 120 cans. That gives me over 100 L of 40% ABV which I then age. The end product is as smooth as silk.

Thanks RJ your whole cachaca story has been inspiring. Is it a sideline for you or your business? NZ has a free trade agreement with China, you should be able to get a few pails of CGS in the corner of a container heading back

by Mr Four Square » Thu Dec 12, 2013 5:49 pm
Thanks RJ your whole cachaca story has been inspiring. Is it a sideline for you or your business? NZ has a free trade agreement with China, you should be able to get a few pails of CGS in the corner of a container heading back

Good question. It was my intention for it to be a business. I am a certified distiller and have spent more money than I should have in an attempt to establish a business here. When I first applied for a license I was told I needed to have an operational facility and be in production. Did that and several years later still at that point.

Very frustrating all round. I have many 5 Star hotels that want my product. But without a license and the way paperwork is handled here I could't get paid. Fortunately the foreign general mangers all drink heavily and like my rum. A lot of it travels as gifts. It gets served at a local golf course in a chilled coconut.

Back to your question - less than a business, but certainly not a sideline. It is my main thrust.

Rum has never really appealed to me. Too many bad teenage parties with Captain Morgan and Bundaberg . There is something about the story of what you have done with this drink that makes me want to give it a go.

I was in a local supermarket today, (braved the blizzard) to get something quick for dinner and spotted some Lyle's Golden Syrup 250 ml jars @ 3.49 CAD,,

I really want to try this recipe but I would need to buy 24 jars totalling 83.76$

way to much money right now,,