Billington's Natural Demerara Unrefined Cane Sugar, 100 Count (Pack of 10)

I've been using demerara - or turbinado - sugar almost exclusively for six years. I say *almost* because it's too expensive for the gallons of hummingbird nectar I make every summer. I'm not so sure it would be good for those little guys, anyway. Maybe too rich. Over the years I've mostly used Wholesome Sweeteners Organic Turbinado Raw Cane Sugar , and I love it best for its taste and convenience. But my household is down to just me these days, and I don't need that much sugar on hand! I've also used Sugar in the Raw some, and while it is more "user friendly," i.e. smaller grained, pours easily, dissolves quickly, I'm not so sure it's real raw sugar. Something tells me it's refined sugar with a molasses coating. I don't KNOW that; it's just a hunch. Billington's has the characteristic demerara aroma. Some would say that it's unpleasant. To me it just smells earthy and organic. It's most noticeable when you first open a package. Unlike a fresh batch of Wholesome Sweeteners brand, this sugar will not pour readily. It doesn't form hard lumps, but the grains stick together under their own weight, making it necessary to be scooped or spooned. I like using a pour-type container for the sugar in my morning coffee, and this brand isn't one that works that way. That's not enough know knock off a star, though. I'm flexible. I rarely bake any more (again, just one in the household), but when I do, raw sugar is the way to go. Baked goods with raw sugar are just WOW! There really is no comparison between refined sugar and raw sugar. Once you've tried natural raw sugar, there's no going back to the bland tastelessness of refined. It really does make that much difference. There's only one thing I don't *get* about raw sugar. The price. Why is it more expensive than refined when it doesn't go through all the extra steps that refined sugar must? To me it's a bit of a burn. Food companies need to stop using refined sugars, period. It's hard on the body. It's responsible for a lot of the health problems in America. (Okay, indirectly. AMERICANS are responsible, and we choose bad stuff a lot of the time.) Down off my soapbox now. I'd just like to say one more thing: Thanks, Billington's, for making this product available and at a better price than most other brands. I'm a fan!

This is so amazing for hot tea and coffee! Wonderful flavor. Nice hint of molasses/brown sugar.

perfect sugar for my coffee

Wonderful flavor and texture. I don't like sugar in my coffee but a lot of people think Demerara is great in coffee. It's magnificent on fresh figs in milk, or on cold cereal. It raises oatmeal to a whole new level. Demerara sugar tastes like a cross between white sugar and brown sugar, because that's what it is. Not that it's a combination of the two, it's what you have BEFORE the raw sugar is refined and separated into white, brown, and molasses (or treacle). The only problem with it is that it hardens like brown sugar used to (but doesn't seem to as much any more). You can soften it up again but it is a bit inconvenient.

I had been using a Demerara sugar that was sold by Florida Crystals and was quite happy with it; like Billington's, it came from the island of Mauritius. Then they changed to a "Domestic Product Demerara" made by them in Florida (go figure...) and although the change was not made obvious in the package, it didn't have to be as it was, to me, a clearly inferior product t. I bid adieu to it and started searching the internet for the "best demerara" and kept coming up with Billington's so I figured I'd take a chance ...am I glad I did. It's rich aroma hits you as soon as you open the container. It dissolves quickly in hot coffee and will give you the best cup of joe you ever had, guaranteed. For a special treat, mix it with Billington's "Muscovado" sugar and you'll never look back. I mix 70-80% demerara to 20-30% muscovado. It takes a bit of time to get it evenly distributed but it is well worth the effort. We even take it with us when we go out because once you get used to unrefined sugar you can't go back to the white one. We discovered that using the pure Billington's Muscovado sugar in the Cuban coffee turns it into the best in the world. This sugar is clearly it. I live in Miami where "raw" sugars from many latin american countries are sold and they cannot begin to compare to Billington's Demerara. We like it so much that we are on "automatic shipping" from Amazon so we won't forget to order it and, heavens forbid, run out of it.

I love it in coffee.

I learned to love Demerara sugar while living in the U.K. in the 90's. but couldn't always find it here in the States. These days it's generally available, but it's expensive. However, The Billington's is real Demerara at half the price of the supermarket. Great tasting in the morning coffe or tea. The only reason it doesn't get 5 stars is that it has a slightly higher moisture content than other brands, causing it to form a brick in the cellophane inside packaging. You can't really store it in the original package after opening. However, a little gentle "massaging" of sugar in the inside package before opening will return it to a nicely granulated state, which can then be stored in a sugar bowl or other container (I use one of those clear lucite airtight jars). Highly recommended.

Great for making Demerara syrup and baking! I use it for my bar syrup in Old Fashioneds and Daiquiris.