First rum spirit run, Strang taste

[850stealth]

I finished my first spirit run with my 2 stripped rum washes. I had 6 gallons of low wines that I ended up diluting down to 35% with some backset from my stripping run and some water. I ran it slow and got about 17 liters running deep I to tails to the point where it was cloudy and oily, about 20%. I took a liter I think of fores off of the strip runs and also took 1 liter off of the spirt run too. I'm at work so don't have my notes with me but the rum smelled fantastic coming off of the still but after airing it out it tastes aweful, almost to the point it would be Un drinkable. I know I didn't run it to fast because it was only a small stream. I tasted the middle where the hearts would be and I didn't find much difference from heads or tails except they were much smoother. I did cuts the best I could and with help from the girlfriend we decided where to cut off the good stuff. Still have lots of heads and tails left over.

I took some and diluted it to 62% and added a bit of maple syrup, a vanilla bean and some charred oak sticks and put it away, did this with 2 gallons. They now have great color and smell but still have the terrible taste. I can't really describe the flavor. I know it was only a week or so but has anyone else had a bad tasting rum right away, even hearts?

My wash was just sugar, water, fancy molasses, DAP and a multivitamin split between 2 washes. They were about 11 or 12% if I remember right. I collected in 500ml jars.

[BayouShine]

Young rum is pretty wild right out the still. It needs some time to mellow out. Take those 2 gallons and forget about them for 6-8 months, then revisit. There will be a world of difference.

[HDNB]

Rum has been problematic for me too. unfortunately mine all still tastes like crap years later. pisses me off since i actually like a good sippin' rum.
good luck.

[850stealth]

I love rum and it's really all I drink. I'll wait and let it age but I was hoping to take some right off from the hearts to hood me over until the good stuff is aged. I don't want to buy any while it ages just to have it still taste bad. I can't see it being the recipie.

[thecroweater]

bet i can describe it low wines tasting tailsy dunder . I'm assuming you have a simple pot still no doubler ? if so do NOT add dunder to the spirit run and don't add tail to your hearts and intended drink. Your 3 options now are age it for many years on the roll of a dice it may age out, re-run it or add it to ya next spirit run

[Saltbush Bill]

Young rum is pretty wild right out the still. It needs some time to mellow out.

It amuses me how many times on this forum I see people say "I made some Rum today and it tastes really good".
Im going to agree with the above , Rum straight out of the still is pretty manky tasting stuff, its one of those spirits that needs plenty of time on oak.

I took some and diluted it to 62% and added a bit of maple syrup, a vanilla bean and some charred oak sticks and put it away, did this with 2 gallons. They now have great color and smell but still have the terrible taste.

Personally I would have only used oak and left the other things out.
I don't think charred oak is good a good choice for Rum either, I think you will find that a medium toast works better, just my opinion, we all have different tastes.
You really wont know whats going on until at least four months on Oak, at 6 months you'll have a better idea........at 12 you will know for sure.
Save those heads and tails and throw them into the next Rum run.

[BayouShine]

Young rum is pretty wild right out the still. It needs some time to mellow out.

It amuses me how many times on this forum I see people say "I made some Rum today and it tastes really good".
Im going to agree with the above , Rum straight out of the still is pretty manky tasting stuff, its one of those spirits that needs plenty of time on oak.

Just goes to show how subjective this whole "tastes good" thing really is.

[850stealth]

Yes I do have just a simple pot still. I may keep one of jugs or even just a liter of it out to see what happens and run it all again with another spirit run. I'll be back from work in a couple weeks and I'll see how it tastes then just to see if there was any change. I do have about 3 or 4 more gallons of low wines I can add it all to for a spirit run. I was really hoping for a good rum and no I don't epext it to be good right away but this doesn't taste like it has potential, the last bottle I drank was plantation 5 year and I thought that was pretty good

[BayouShine]

Do the second spirit run like you're talking about, but run only the low wines diluted to under 40%abv with water. It will help lighten up the flavor. Also, make very, very tight cuts. This will help get you something closer to what you're looking for a little faster.

If you need a reference to define the cuts a bit better, follow the Novice Guide to Cuts and read what kiwi said about cutting for a light whiskey. It'll put you in the ballpark. Save digging into the tails for when you're ready to put some away for a while.

http://homedistiller.org/forum/viewtopi ... 63&t=13261

[NZChris]

Is it a particular flavor that you don't like?
Can you describe it?
Taste the molasses. Is the flavor there?
Taste the multi-vitamins. I've just tasted some I was given and they are bloody awful and won't be getting used in my ferments.

[850stealth]

Is it a particular flavor that you don't like?
Can you describe it?
Taste the molasses. Is the flavor there?
Taste the multi-vitamins. I've just tasted some I was given and they are bloody awful and won't be getting used in my ferments.

it's really hard to describe, it's not the vitamins and it's not the molasses, I used distilled water to cut it back along with the backset/dunder. It smelled excellent coming off of the still, just like molasses and I was excited. Once it cooled down and I smelled and tasted the next day I was shocked it could have changed so much.

[850stealth]

Do the second spirit run like you're talking about, but run only the low wines diluted to under 40%abv with water. It will help lighten up the flavor. Also, make very, very tight cuts. This will help get you something closer to what you're looking for a little faster.

If you need a reference to define the cuts a bit better, follow the Novice Guide to Cuts and read what kiwi said about cutting for a light whiskey. It'll put you in the ballpark. Save digging into the tails for when you're ready to put some away for a while.

http://homedistiller.org/forum/viewtopi ... 63&t=13261" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow

I'll try this I'm sure. I can't see it getting much better by the time I get to taste it again. I saved the tails for the next spirit run like everyone said to.

[NZChris]

You might just have to be patient. I've got one that had a fault that came with the molasses and carried through to the new make rum, but after two years that taste has disappeared and it seems like it will be a great rum if I leave it at the back of the cellar.

Adding the feints from a foul tasting product to the next wash sounds like a really bad idea.

[850stealth]

I guess I could always add the heads and tails to my reflux to make a neutral. I'll test the rum again when I get back in a few weeks and see if there is even a small difference. I may add it to the other low wines I have and re run it to see if I can somehow make it better, I was thinking I was lucky because coming off the still it smelled delicious.

[Pikey]

.............., I was thinking I was lucky because coming off the still it smelled delicious.

..................I used distilled water to cut it back along with the backset/dunder. It smelled excellent coming off of the still, just like molasses and I was excited. Once it cooled down and I smelled and tasted the next day I was shocked it could have changed so much.

I'm not quite sure what you mean with the "Backset / dunder" addition. - take some of whatever it was you put back in at this point and taste that !

I pretty well always taste the white-dog straight from the still (catch a measure and convert to "drink" using whatever mixers etc I normally use - then sit by my apparatus sipping, reflecting on the joys of the world and wishing my old dad was here to share the moment as the fruits of my labour and learning continue to provide the ambrosia harvest )

If it comes off the still tasting as you say it smelled, then the problem lies in what you put in afterwards.

Also you refer to "cooled down" - Why was your distillate hot ?

[Edited to clarify & correct spellings]

[RoadR]

then sit by my apparatus sipping, reflecting on the joys of the world and wishing my old dad was here to share the moment as the fruits of my labour and learning continue to provide the ambrosia harvest )

I like this
Reminds me of myself, raising the first glass of wine every year in memory of my grandpa. Still have all the winemaking tools he owned back in the 40's . I even brought them to England with me when I moved here 30 years ago and use them to this day whenever I can (makes me feel we do this together). I so wish we did spot of shine too, but I was young and had always something else to do, and can't remember much of it anyway. Sorry for hijacking this thread
RR

[Pikey]

Can you tell us approx what recipe you used ? and what type of "Rum" you were hoping to make ? (Light white rum or heavy rum or something in-between ?)

[850stealth]

.............., I was thinking I was lucky because coming off the still it smelled delicious.

..................I used distilled water to cut it back along with the backset/dunder. It smelled excellent coming off of the still, just like molasses and I was excited. Once it cooled down and I smelled and tasted the next day I was shocked it could have changed so much.

I'm not quite sure what you mean with the "Backset / dunder" addition. - take some of whatever it was you put back in at this point and taste that !

I pretty well always taste the white-dog straight from the still (catch a measure and convert to "drink" using whatever mixers etc I normally use - then sit by my apparatus sipping, reflecting on the joys of the world and wishing my old dad was here to share the moment as the fruits of my labour and learning continue to provide the ambrosia harvest )

If it comes off the still tasting as you say it smelled, then the problem lies in what you put in afterwards.

Also you refer to "cooled down" - Why was your distillate hot ?

[Edited to clarify & correct spellings]

well by backset or dunder I mean some of what left over after the stripping run. Lots here do it and it was part of the recipie that I used unless I misunderstood everything.

The distillate wasn't hot, it was warm though and when I mean cooled down Iran the next day when I went back to taste it.

[Saltbush Bill]

well by backset or dunder I mean some of what left over after the stripping run. Lots here do it and it was part of the recipie that I used

Most people age the backset first. Did you do that or use it pretty much straight away ?

[850stealth]

well by backset or dunder I mean some of what left over after the stripping run. Lots here do it and it was part of the recipie that I used

Most people age the backset first. Did you do that or use it pretty much straight away ?

it was only about a week old.

[thecroweater]

Let's get logical here, what are you achieving by stripping? What are you doing by adding dunder back to a stripped low wines? To spell it out you have undone the job stripping has done by reintroducing what you have stripped out, your low wines are now a wash so with a basic pot you can only hope to strip it back to low wines. That's the logical outcome and it will taste pretty agricultural.

[850stealth]

Let's get logical here, what are you achieving by stripping? What are you doing by adding dunder back to a stripped low wines? To spell it out you have undone the job stripping has done by reintroducing what you have stripped out, your low wines are now a wash so with a basic pot you can only hope to strip it back to low wines. That's the logical outcome and it will taste pretty agricultural.

ok well that makes sense I guess. I was just following what others have told me about adding backset back in to add flavor so that's what I did. Maybe it's just my basic still. I will take the spirit run and add it back to the low wines I hae and rerun diluted with water. Hopefully it will be a bit better.

[850stealth]

Well I talked to my girlfriend and had her go dilute some and taste it. She says it's great and really likes it. I also told her to try the low wines and she said they are no good, which is to be expected. I dot think our tastes are that off since we both drink the same thing. I'll have to try these again when I get home and see. They might be able to be saved and maybe I'll just dump them back in with my next spirit run.

[papapro]

Are you doing BucaneeroBob receipe, he recommmends using backset but very little for taste/ smell maybe you just deluted 50/50
I just have backset from his receipe sitting in my fridge 3-4 weeks and it started to settle down dunder.
Just went to fridge to taste and smell it. It is just fine for adding small amounts. I think BucaneeroBob receipe will turn nice with patience.

Regards PapaPro

[wtfdskin]

When you strip rum, strip it down to where your low wines are 30 - 35% without having to dilute. Theres good flavor in the LATE tails.

On your spirit run, same applies. Early rum tails are skanky nasty. Absolutely the worst smelling crap. Push through them and theres some deliciously sweet tails there for blending.

Check out pugidogs recipie. He explains it pretty well. I used to keep all rum tails but actually make an extra tails cut now.

[850stealth]

Are you doing BucaneeroBob receipe, he recommmends using backset but very little for taste/ smell maybe you just deluted 50/50
I just have backset from his receipe sitting in my fridge 3-4 weeks and it started to settle down dunder.
Just went to fridge to taste and smell it. It is just fine for adding small amounts. I think BucaneeroBob receipe will turn nice with patience.

Regards PapaPro

I dont have my exact recipie with me but it is from a forum member here. It was pretty straight forward, just sugar, fancy molasses and water, DAP, multi vit. I think i may have used to much backset and maybe thats my issue. Ill check it out again when i get home, if i have to re-run it then thats fine too, i have another 3 gallons of low wines stripped to add in with it.

[850stealth]

When you strip rum, strip it down to where your low wines are 30 - 35% without having to dilute. Theres good flavor in the LATE tails.

On your spirit run, same applies. Early rum tails are skanky nasty. Absolutely the worst smelling crap. Push through them and theres some deliciously sweet tails there for blending.

Check out pugidogs recipie. He explains it pretty well. I used to keep all rum tails but actually make an extra tails cut now.

I did strip pretty late into tails, but my over all collection all mixed together was over 40%, ill go deeper next time. Should i bother adding the very late tails from my last spirit run to this next one i wonder. I went real deep thgere as well, cloudy and oily, rum oils i guess. Maybe with the off taste i should just throw them into my reflux.

[thecroweater]

Putting dunder in your next wash you put down is vastly different to adding stillage to a spirit run

[Yummyrum]

Well I talked to my girlfriend and had her go dilute some and taste it. She says it's great and really likes it.

I find my tast buds change quite dramatically from day to day and often what tasted discusting yesterday tastes great today ... but usually tastes crap again the next day .

I agree with NZchris that if it is a bad batch then you would be best not addng the faints to the next one . Perhaps put them aside for now until you are sure whats going on . .... it maybe that they are OK
Running them through a reflux still is alsoa good idea as it makes a nice light White Rum which is immediately drinkable
I remember a batch I made tasted Like an ashtray for some bazzare reason and I added it to the next batch and it also tasted like an ashtray .... so yes you can get a funky Rum wash but it seems to be rare , but when it happens its nasty

Yes fresh Rum is pretty nasty to taste but often does smell nice off the still and strangly the stripping run stuff is IMO very nice . It really is hard to make cuts on Rum seeing how much it changes as it ages ... and let it age you must

I agree with Salty that you would be better off with toasted Oak rather than charred .
I also tbink tails have no place in Rum and whereas tails n a Scotch mellows into something nice , Tails in a Rum are always tails and the best they become is a sort of Sarsperalla flavour which is nowhere even close to a Rum profile .
Best home made Rums I have tasted were made by some fellas around here that aged in 50 liter barrels .... there is something that a barrel does to Rum that oak sticks n a demijohn just can't come close to

Every Rum I make ends up different .... some Nice but most are crap .... still , I have never tipped one out yet .... even the one that tasted like an ashtray ....

[Antler24]

My rums were too strong flavour for me. They are pretty good but more of a dark rum than an Amber I was after. On my last run I didn't add any dunder back to the fermenter so we'll see how it turns out. I have an idea to try for a light rum, but it'll have to wait until I finish my thumper