You should probably make a Youtube video seriesMy attempt to create No.3 Invert Sugar in the oven from golden syrup coming shortly (this post is only to create a link).
Not an argument I'm willing to get involved in! For invert sugar; it was (originally) made from "raw", or more accurately "less refined than white", cane sugar. Such would have more flavours, but for Invert the "less refined" also means amino acids present for "Maillard" reactions. How much these reactions provide noticeable flavours over the caramel flavours being created is what I questioned. But I've left that to everyone's own choice, I'm not making recommendations.So...the unrefined sugar is best to make invert...would unrefined be better to add where recipes say "add sugar"?
So...the unrefined sugar is best to make invert...would unrefined be better to add where recipes say "add sugar"?
The terms "molasses" and "blackstrap" refer to different products in different parts of the world. Your article is American and gawd knows what they're talking about! I use "blackstrap" 'cos if I say "molasses" the Americans go out to buy Golden Syrup. You're in Australia, gawd knows what you think either are.I found this article on the manufacture of Molasses and Blackstrap, neither of which I have used in brewing. I had always thought blackstrap was a cattle /pig food additive! (sugar waste by-product) ...
The terms "molasses" and "blackstrap" refer to different products in different parts of the world. Your article is American and gawd knows what they're talking about! I use "blackstrap" 'cos if I say "molasses" the Americans go out to buy Golden Syrup. You're in Australia, gawd knows what you think either are.
Molasses from beets is cattle food. Molasses from sugar cane is not.I found this article on the manufacture of Molasses and Blackstrap, neither of which I have used in brewing. I had always thought blackstrap was a cattle /pig food additive! (sugar waste by-product)
That's what I mean. If you want something like golden syrup you buy molasses? Treacle to us is refined (and cut I believe?) molasses - I bet treacle means something else in the states.Golden Syrup is way too expensive for general use by us Americans, and I don't believe I've ever seen it on the shelves of a common supermarket. I've only seen it at gouging prices in brewing supply shops. Invert sugar seems to be pretty much an unknown commodity here.
There is highly refined and colourless baker's invert sugar (the fructose makes cakes colour better?). Can you get that?
I looked at Baker's Invert, but for us in the UK bulk (7+Kg) Tate's Golden Syrup was cheaper and easy to get (e.g. Amazon UK).No, apparently replacing sucrose with invert sugar makes a sweeter product that can be kept longer. Also for making ice cream, invert sugar is actually better to use than sucrose.
Actually, I might not of given it long enough anyway. I messed up my "calculation" I was basing my timings on Ron Pattinson's "Vintage Beer" book, but his instructions could be read as 1-2 hours after reaching No.2 colour, and I only gave it a bit over 1.... Hum! Can't say I was impressed by the change in colour! ...
I can say, with some authority, lavatory paper is not a good substitute for sugar.Do you think it might be easier to get an account at your local cash and carry,get an invoice for some lavatory paper for your "Brewery" then convince Ragus to sell you some invert...?
I found it easy to make,just time consuming.
Golden Syrup is way too expensive for general use by us Americans, and I don't believe I've ever seen it on the shelves of a common supermarket. I've only seen it at gouging prices in brewing supply shops. Invert sugar seems to be pretty much an unknown commodity here.
I'm going to use this as an example of a few things I've learnt since starting this thread. This is not an attack on @Northern_Brewer who I rely on for all sorts of beery facts!... But I'm not sure I'd go out of my way to get it <golden syrup that is> - it's just a hack that we use because it is so easily available to us, it's only an approximation to invert rather than some Holy Grail of an ingredient.
You won't find invert at homebrew retailers here either (hence all the talk about making it) - because it comes in 25kg (55lb) blocks and is a bitch to break down into retail-size lumps, certainly in a consistent way (but it could work as a group buy if people accepted that it would be on an "as is" basis of 4.2kg here and 6.1kg there)
Ragus much prefer to sell by the tonne, but I imagine places like Murphys would be happy to sell you 25kg.
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