Buccaneer Bob's Silver, Gold, and Black Rum Recipe

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Buccaneer Bob
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Re: Buccaneer Bob's Silver, Gold, and Black Rum Recipe

Post by Buccaneer Bob »

Sounds good, Cuzquena.

Yeah, that molasses sounds about like the "feed grade" molasses that I get here where I am. And I'd imagine that it will make you a fine rum.

Definitely let me know how it works out. :thumbup:
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nerdybrewer
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Re: Buccaneer Bob's Silver, Gold, and Black Rum Recipe

Post by nerdybrewer »

My 18 gallon batch has been sitting at 1.04 for two weeks.
I've added calcium carbonate to increase PH up into the 4's and added more yeast a couple times.
Still smells sweet, looks good, just not fermenting or going extremely slowly.
Mistakes were made with this batch, my heating system stuck on and it went up to 125 degrees (F) at one point.
After returning to 80F I adjusted PH and added yeast and it seemed to start working again for a couple days.
Also I added way to much dunder to this batch so it may very well be done even at 1.040 SG.
Thoughts?
Cranky's spoonfeeding:
http://homedistiller.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=52975

Time and Oak will sort it out.
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fyfo
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Re: Buccaneer Bob's Silver, Gold, and Black Rum Recipe

Post by fyfo »

Hey Bob, thanks so much for sharing the recipe. I've been wanting to make this recipe for a couple of months since converting over to a pot still. Let's just say I've read it many a time! Well I finally begun last night. My dunder pit is only two generations old but it's still such a fascinating part of the rum process to me! It's my first wash with some livestock molasses I have managed to get my hands on so I was a touch nervous about it (or had no real ingredients labelling) but I was stoked when I came to check it out this morning and it was bubbling along furiously and had the most wonderful citrus and molasses scent leaving the airlock!

I will be sure to let you know how I progress!
Cheers, fyfo.
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Re: Buccaneer Bob's Silver, Gold, and Black Rum Recipe

Post by Buccaneer Bob »

Yeah, Nerdybrewer, I guess you'll just have to run it and see what you come up with.

Molasses has a lot of unfermentable sugars in it, so measuring your final gravity won't tell you much.

However, it sounds to me like you might be trying to feed the yeast more sugar than it can ferment.

Bakers yeast maxes out in a 14% ABV fermentation, so any sugar above what it takes to hit 14% will be overkill.

I'm thinking you might try adding a little less granulated sugar on your next ferment and see where your F.G. comes out on that one.

I know my molasses varies from batch to batch, anyway, so I have to play with the amount of granulated sugar that I use.

And good to hear, fyfo. :thumbup:

Yeah, it took me awhile to wrap my mind around the whole "funky dunder" thing, but once I did, I realized that funky dunder is a wonderful thing.
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Re: Buccaneer Bob's Silver, Gold, and Black Rum Recipe

Post by nerdybrewer »

I'm giving it until the weekend, then I'll run and see what I get.
I'm about to ramp up rum production, I've got two 18 gallon ferment barrels and I intend to have them both in operation.
I'll need to ramp up my rum to fill the 8 gallon oak barrel I just ordered last night from Woodinville Whiskey.

http://www.woodinvillewhiskeyco.com/barrels/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow

They have a special this month, once used whiskey barrel for $125.
Shipping is reasonable via FedEx, with shipping mine came to about $140.
Cranky's spoonfeeding:
http://homedistiller.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=52975

Time and Oak will sort it out.
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Re: Buccaneer Bob's Silver, Gold, and Black Rum Recipe

Post by nerdybrewer »

Going to the feed store to look at their molasses.
I know I'm looking for un-sulphured and hopefully no other preservatives but what specifically do I need to watch out for and when I start cooking it is it the same process as I do with the food grade blackstrap molasses?
Cranky's spoonfeeding:
http://homedistiller.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=52975

Time and Oak will sort it out.
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Re: Buccaneer Bob's Silver, Gold, and Black Rum Recipe

Post by shinendine »

Hi guys,

I'm really digging this recipe. I've been making a pretty good Blackstrap/Panela Rum for a couple years now. I've added hot backset right off the still but I've never let it sit and get funky before adding it. I plan to give this recipe a go.

I have a question to some of you dunder heads. I have 15 gallons of blackstrap that has been sitting for almost a year. It is separated into three 5 gallon buckets, each sealed. There is what looks like an inch-thick mold cap on each buckets contents. Do any of you see a problem using this in a wash?
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Re: Buccaneer Bob's Silver, Gold, and Black Rum Recipe

Post by Buccaneer Bob »

nerdybrewer wrote:They have a special this month, once used whiskey barrel for $125.
Shipping is reasonable via FedEx, with shipping mine came to about $140.
Cool deal. :wink:

And as far as I know, "unsulfured" is all you have to look out for. I'm sure there are some bad batches of molasses around, but most people come out okay just watching out for the sulfur.
shinendine wrote:I have a question to some of you dunder heads. I have 15 gallons of blackstrap that has been sitting for almost a year. It is separated into three 5 gallon buckets, each sealed. There is what looks like an inch-thick mold cap on each buckets contents. Do any of you see a problem using this in a wash?
I'd say give it a go and see what you come up with. Probably best if you can mix it with dunder or water, bring it to a boil, and cool it back down before fermenting it to kill whatever's still living in that molasses. But that's just me. I don't like anything too wild in my ferments because I like to taste it from time to time. Other guys embrace the wild side. So either way, I'd imagine.
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Re: Buccaneer Bob's Silver, Gold, and Black Rum Recipe

Post by nerdybrewer »

Wow, I ran the first 10 gallons yesterday and was really surprised at what I got!
First couple quarts were at 67%, next two at 55% then the nest two dropped to 46% followed by two at 35% and then the last two at 25%.
From ten gallons!
That's 10 quarts averaging about 45% which is way more than I expected.
This batch had a lot of troubles heated up to 125F midway through ferment due to a faulty thermostat, then I let cool to 80F and pitched more yeast and added more sugars. Now it's apparently gotten to an 11% ferment and the wash tasted and smelled really good - it's going to make some really good dunder.
I had also just added this batch to the trub from my AG batch for scotch so there was a bed of spent peated barley grains sitting at the bottom.
I ran those through a fruit strainer and the stuff that came out went into my dunder bucket. It was rich and brown and smelled like heaven.
Let's see if I can include a picture of it...
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Cranky's spoonfeeding:
http://homedistiller.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=52975

Time and Oak will sort it out.
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Re: Buccaneer Bob's Silver, Gold, and Black Rum Recipe

Post by fyfo »

My wash is at the second stage, have added the sugar and has nearly fermented all the way thru. What's really impressed me so far is the lovely taste of the wash. The nicest tasting I've made so far and I can't stop taking a little sip every couple of days! Has a lovely lemony rum taste and I think the dunder makes a huge difference. It already has a more mature flavour. I am really excited to run this thru the still in a week or so's time. Will update then.

Go the dunder!
Cheers, fyfo.
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Re: Buccaneer Bob's Silver, Gold, and Black Rum Recipe

Post by nerdybrewer »

fyfo wrote:My wash is at the second stage, have added the sugar and has nearly fermented all the way thru. What's really impressed me so far is the lovely taste of the wash. The nicest tasting I've made so far and I can't stop taking a little sip every couple of days! Has a lovely lemony rum taste and I think the dunder makes a huge difference. It already has a more mature flavour. I am really excited to run this thru the still in a week or so's time. Will update then.

Go the dunder!
The flavor gets concentrated with every subsequent run, this was the 4th time through for mine, I intend to start 2 more 18 gallon batches in a few days and each will get about 3 gallons of dunder.
That's about 16% dunder, so it will not be as difficult controlling PH crash I hope.
Cranky's spoonfeeding:
http://homedistiller.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=52975

Time and Oak will sort it out.
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Re: Buccaneer Bob's Silver, Gold, and Black Rum Recipe

Post by nerdybrewer »

Update
I got 3 gallons 60% out of this batch, I am surprised as can be!
Guess I should screw up more often!
Cranky's spoonfeeding:
http://homedistiller.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=52975

Time and Oak will sort it out.
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Re: Buccaneer Bob's Silver, Gold, and Black Rum Recipe

Post by Buccaneer Bob »

Sounds good guys. :thumbup:

And I just wanted to let everybody know I'm going to fall off the face of the earth for a couple weeks.

The family and I are moving 600-ish kilometers (400-ish miles) down to the coast.

It's a move that's about seven years in the making, and we're finally making it a reality.

I'll get back on here just as quickly as I can, but you know how it is with moving, getting the computers and internet hooked back up, and all that jazz.

Hopefully some of you more experienced guys can help some of the newer guys until I get back.

Cheers and I'll keep you posted.
BB
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Re: Buccaneer Bob's Silver, Gold, and Black Rum Recipe

Post by nerdybrewer »

I hope everything goes as smoothly as possible Bob, and you get everything together and get back online!
You know we'll be here!
Cranky's spoonfeeding:
http://homedistiller.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=52975

Time and Oak will sort it out.
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Re: Buccaneer Bob's Silver, Gold, and Black Rum Recipe

Post by nerdybrewer »

I'm collecting ingredients for my next two batches of rum.
Today or tomorrow I will go to the feed store and get 5 or 10 gallons blackstrap.
I found that Costco carries a big brick of active bakers yeast for about $4 and 25 Lb bags of "pure cane sugar" are about $12 so I got two of each.
Add my dunder in and I'll have two nice batches brewing this weekend!
Cranky's spoonfeeding:
http://homedistiller.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=52975

Time and Oak will sort it out.
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Re: Buccaneer Bob's Silver, Gold, and Black Rum Recipe

Post by wtfdskin »

I cant wait to run mine. I have enough for 2 runs. This will be my first rum so I am dunderless. Its been ready for a few weeks but life keeps getting in the way of fun.
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Re: Buccaneer Bob's Silver, Gold, and Black Rum Recipe

Post by nerdybrewer »

wtfdskin wrote:I cant wait to run mine. I have enough for 2 runs. This will be my first rum so I am dunderless. Its been ready for a few weeks but life keeps getting in the way of fun.
So be sure you have something to collect your dunder in before you run, so you can dump it in there afterward.
It really does get better every time, now I calculate how much of each ingredient including the dunder so I don't over / under estimate anything.
Good luck on your run, let us know how it goes.
Cranky's spoonfeeding:
http://homedistiller.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=52975

Time and Oak will sort it out.
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Re: Buccaneer Bob's Silver, Gold, and Black Rum Recipe

Post by wtfdskin »

How much dunder is needed to be saved? I run a 15 gal keg filled with 12 gal. Safe to assume a couple gallon each run? Or more\less?
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Re: Buccaneer Bob's Silver, Gold, and Black Rum Recipe

Post by nerdybrewer »

wtfdskin wrote:How much dunder is needed to be saved? I run a 15 gal keg filled with 12 gal. Safe to assume a couple gallon each run? Or more\less?
When Ive used more than a couple gallons it's gone acidic and slowed ferment.
For a 12 gallon wash I'd recommend 2 gallons dunder and the use of eggshells or oyster shells just to be sure you don't get PH crash.
Cranky's spoonfeeding:
http://homedistiller.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=52975

Time and Oak will sort it out.
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Re: Buccaneer Bob's Silver, Gold, and Black Rum Recipe

Post by nerdybrewer »

Stopped by the feed store on the way home today.
Got two containers of Molasses at $16 each and a bag of crushed oyster shells.
Got my work cut out for me this weekend!
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Looks like it just contains Molasses. also they said 5 gallons and it's clearly 3.5 - oh well...
Looks like it just contains Molasses. also they said 5 gallons and it's clearly 3.5 - oh well...
Cranky's spoonfeeding:
http://homedistiller.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=52975

Time and Oak will sort it out.
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Re: Buccaneer Bob's Silver, Gold, and Black Rum Recipe

Post by Medstiller »

Nerdybrewer,
how is that molasses? I just looked up the place that packaged your molasses. They sell 55 gallon drums of blackstrap for $116. No drum deposit required. Anyone in PDX want to go in on a drum? 55 gallons is a little much for me alone, but you can't beat that price!
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Re: Buccaneer Bob's Silver, Gold, and Black Rum Recipe

Post by nerdybrewer »

Medstiller wrote:Nerdybrewer,
how is that molasses? I just looked up the place that packaged your molasses. They sell 55 gallon drums of blackstrap for $116. No drum deposit required. Anyone in PDX want to go in on a drum? 55 gallons is a little much for me alone, but you can't beat that price!
Medstiller
It will keep if you leave the lid on tight.

I haven't had the chance to open a bucket yet, even with the lids sealed I can smell the blackstrap so I'm pretty sure it's going to be really fine!
I love that there's nothing else in there, no preservatives, nothing but molasses!
Beats the heck out of the $17 per gallon food grade I used last time!!!
Cranky's spoonfeeding:
http://homedistiller.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=52975

Time and Oak will sort it out.
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Re: Buccaneer Bob's Silver, Gold, and Black Rum Recipe

Post by nerdybrewer »

I hope I didn't just create another monster.

7 gallons blackstrap
50 Lb Pure cane sugar
5 gallons dunder
Enough pure water to bring it up to 36 gallons total volume

I have never seen a ferment take off this quick!
I put maybe 2 cups Red Star Active bakers yeast in a bowl with a couple tbs sugar and let it start.
Once I had the wash at about 90F I pitched the yeast slurry.
(funny, the yeast became this blob so I attacked it with the immersion blender - smoothed right out and began foaming up a LOT)
I put the airlock on and within a couple minutes it was bubbling once every 2 seconds. after a little while longer it was every second.
By the time I cleaned up and put stuff away it was about 2 per second.

Like I said, I'm afraid I've created a monster!
Cranky's spoonfeeding:
http://homedistiller.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=52975

Time and Oak will sort it out.
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Re: Buccaneer Bob's Silver, Gold, and Black Rum Recipe

Post by nerdybrewer »

Wow, my ferment is going nuts! just a steady stream of CO2 - no bubbling no water left in the airlock.
Glad they didn't geyser rum wash all over.
They are keeping themselves warm too.
Wish I could upload a video!
Cranky's spoonfeeding:
http://homedistiller.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=52975

Time and Oak will sort it out.
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Re: Buccaneer Bob's Silver, Gold, and Black Rum Recipe

Post by cuzquena »

Buccaneer Bob wrote:Sounds good, Cuzquena.

Yeah, that molasses sounds about like the "feed grade" molasses that I get here where I am. And I'd imagine that it will make you a fine rum.

Definitely let me know how it works out. :thumbup:
Oh boy! I just finished the spirit run this weekend and the result is ... amazing!
I had scaled up the recipe tot 25l, bacause my fermenter is that size. After the trouble I had with the molasses (not wanting to bubble for more than a day), I added some extra sugar. And, as I expected, the lack of sugar in the molasses was the origin of the problem. But boy, what a flavor! The lack of sugar is compensated largely with an abundance in flavors. The end result (4 l @ 43% vol) is so strong in taste! I hope it rounds up a bit because already the white version overdoes it a little. I consider even adding some neutral or diluting it to +/- 25%vol and distilling it slowly for a third time. Sadly enough, I can't find suitable oak which has dried enough for lagering, only JD oak chips. And even now I have my bottle of "rum essence" set aside, I'm not sure if I'm gonna try the dark rum. It could get too much.
Next time defenitely less molasses in that wash (I used 3 l in a 25l wash). 8)
But in the end a very neat result.
Thanks fot this great recipe!
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Re: Buccaneer Bob's Silver, Gold, and Black Rum Recipe

Post by fyfo »

I just went straight to a spirit run :) it ran thru pretty well especially with the blocking diode so I could slow down the output around the various transition stages. Ran faster thru the hearts stage. I aired it out overnight and did a quick cut session before work. I managed to get 4 litres at 40% which is by far my best yield. Off my first two runs with a different recipe I could only find 2.5l that I was happy with. I put this primarily down to reducing the smearing effect by slowing the output when I needed to. It really does make a difference! <br /><br />I managed to get a great sample of tails to work with and I skipped a couple of early tails and found my last two 100ml samples were nice again. The last one did have the buttery caramel taste that is often spoken about in the late tails. I'm a believer! The overall taste of the 4 litres is nice and more complex than I have made before. I would have to give credit to the recipe also as I think the dunder adds a more mature taste.<br /><br />I have a second ferment of bobs rum bubbling away currently and I have used limes this time instead of lemons so will eagerly await it completing so I can run it thru the still. <br /><br />Really happy with the result so many thanks Bob!!<br /><br />Cheers Fyfo.<br/>
Cheers, fyfo.
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Re: Buccaneer Bob's Silver, Gold, and Black Rum Recipe

Post by Buccaneer Bob »

Well, I made it back onto the internet, thank God, and I'm settling into my new digs.

Sounds like everybody pretty much has everything under control. :thumbup:

And thanks so much, fyfo. Glad to hear you're liking the results. :ewink:

One of the things I'm working on is getting my rum operation back up and running after having to dump my dunder for the move. I'm thinking I'll focus on a big batch of silver and kick off my dunder pit with that.

I'm also interested in seeing how my ferments are going to go now that I'm down by the coast instead of up in the mountains.

I'm a little worried about the heat down here at sea level causing more head esters, and I'm tossing around the idea of using my beer wort chiller to cool things down before launching the yeast.

I guess I'll start off my regular way and make adjustments later if I need to.

Anywho, just wanted to let y'all know I'm back online.

Cheers to all.
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Re: Buccaneer Bob's Silver, Gold, and Black Rum Recipe

Post by fyfo »

Good to hear you're back Bob! I'm so impressed with your recipe! I have two flagons aging currently. One on oak chips and the other with apple and cherry and mesquite wood. Am leaving them for a few months to see which wood I prefer before adding the dunder essence (which is delicious by the way!). All the best getting setup again. Guess it's a bit sad having to start your dunder pit again, but a chance to get some new flavours.

Cheers.
Cheers, fyfo.
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Re: Buccaneer Bob's Silver, Gold, and Black Rum Recipe

Post by nerdybrewer »

I've finally filled my 8 gallon Black Swan barrel with rum!
Now to wait a couple years and have some, I may have to to some testing along the way...

I ran about 34 gallons of rum wash this weekend and yielded 8.25 gallons at an average of 54%.
The way I do my math that's around 13% in the wash which is about what I was aiming for.

The rum smells and tastes great already, I only save the best of course and added that to my last batch which was already in the barrel.
I will re-run the 3+ gallons that didn't make the grade and store the good from that in glass with some sticks for aging.
Cranky's spoonfeeding:
http://homedistiller.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=52975

Time and Oak will sort it out.
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Re: Buccaneer Bob's Silver, Gold, and Black Rum Recipe

Post by Buccaneer Bob »

Sounds good, nerdybrewer. :thumbup:

Yeah, I'm working on rebuilding my various supplies: dunder, yeast trub, etc.

But we're drinking the actual rum almost as fast as I can make it, so it's going to take me awhile to build that back up. :econfused:

Of course, who can complain about having rum around when you need it, right? :D
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