Post #362103 by The Gnomon on Tue, Feb 19, 2008 6:37 AM

On 2008-02-16 06:30, Scottes wrote:
So it sound like 18oz water and 3.5 pounds of sugar is a good starting place to yield 1.5 quarts of RCS (though having some more sugar around is a good idea). Sounds about right Gnomon?

18:56 ratio, though that's using liquid measure to weight.
That's 9:28, or about 1:3 but you'll add a little more sugar most likely.

Well, that gives us a decent starting place. Thanks!

Whenever I use any kind of measuring cup for the sugar, when I've measured the amount that the package says is inside (e.g., 2 lb/ 32 oz), I always have a little sugar left in the package. The kinds of sugar I use evidently take up more volume than what the graduations on the measuring cups are based on, which logically is heavily processed refined white sugar.

I would recommend that you adjust the formula so that the package is your sugar measuring cup. Whatever quantity of sugar you're using, adjust the water accordingly. At the 1:3 ratio, for 2 lb of sugar you'd use 11 oz (10.67) of water or a touch more.

I've never made any RCS that was not brown, and not brown due to caramelization. You can see from the recently posted pic of the 365 organic cane sugar, it looks fairly white in its granulated state, and when you dissolve a small quantity in water the change in color is almost indiscernible. But if you dissolve any significant quantity into water, even without heating, it reveals its natural color. I think if you want to make clear RCS you have to use refined sugar, which I don't recommend.

When you pour brown RCS into a shaker, it's still brown, of course, but after you shake it up with other ingredients, it makes no contribution to the darkness in a drink. I'd use it with confidence in any light drink.