No. Ribbon cane syrup is very similar to sugar cane syrup. Both made from the same family of cane but different species. Molasses can be made from the same cane, but the difference is in the cooking down process. Molasses tho isn't a primary product, is what is left over from the syrup or sugar making process.
How many times they boil down the leftover liquid determines whether it is light molasses or blackstrap molasses.
Rum, is made from fermented molasses..
To make sugar like they do in Florida and Louisiana, they (very basically describedtake the cane, crush it down to extract the juice, then strain the juice, boil it until sugar crystals form. They centrifuge the compound to separate the sugar crystals from the liquid and the leftover liquid is what molasses is made from.
To make ribboncane syrup tho is a little different. You crush the cane in a cane mill, catch the juice and strain it a little, and very slowly boil the juice to remove the water. Most people that do it at home do it in a long pan with baffles in the pan and a fire all down the length of the pan to slow the flow down so the water gets out. You move the baffles as needed to keep the juice from sugaring off. You have to skim off impurities as it flows down the pan.
I've seen it done several times and helped my grandfather and father make it, as I suspect Caustic has and I know HurleyJD has since one of his neighbors does (did) it every fall in Yantis Texas. This is what a home or farm cane mill looks like..horse or mule
operated. This one is larger than most and required 2 animals to rotate it.
View attachment 13744It's in my front yard. The cane would be pushed into the holes marked top feed. The bolts and nuts are used to close the rollers up or open them wider.
View attachment 13741
There are 2 big crushing rollers inside it.
The crushed remains of the cane would come out the other side of the rollers.
View attachment 13742
The juice comes out a rough spout on another side.
View attachment 13743