Problem about make proper rum

[macbookpro]

Hello everybody.
Hi Iv just recently had me a new stil made. It consists of 3 sections. The bottom section consists of a 50 L keg with elements.
The next section screws on to the keg and has about a 50cm unpacked column which also screws onto the top section.
The top section has a compartment that has a heap of 20 mm copper pipe cut up in it on top of a gauze.
This is about 20cm high. It continues into the condenser.
I want to make proper rum and not strip too much flavours out so I was thinking if I took the middle column section out and replaced it with a extremely small column will it act more as a pot still or will the copper packed section do its job too well and concentrate the alcohol.
Im aiming in the range between 60 and 75.
The still will usuall strip to 92%!

[Yummyrum]

G'day Mac BP

Recon all those chopped up copper bits were cunningly added to add copper to the vapour path . This is all good and I don't think it will make a scrap of difference to the ABV ... I would leave them there as they will remove things that you don't need . Unless you have a howling breeze blowing on the column They will make bugger all difference.....sure they might cause some reflux but it won't be of any major concern ....talking out loud but maybe 1 or 2% difference .


Where did the 92% usual strip come from ? That figure is what you would expect from a reflux still
A pot still will normally give a final strip of around 40-50% abv

Run it again ...spirit Run and you will get the 60-75% ABV you are looking for. Cuts done of cause

Make some Rum


Having said that , I've been trying to make "proper Rum for many years...so far I Drink all I make but I have never made anything I would consider Proper Rum
Maybe if I had it in a Barrel for a few years it might get there .

Stuff mates have made in a Bubbler tastes closest to "Proper Rum " ....just haven't been able to nail it in a Pot still.

[Windy City]

Have you done the proper cleaning runs on this still yet?
You didn't say anything about a reflux condenser ,not to be confused with the product condenser.
It sounds like a pot still with a little packing, 60-70% depending on wash/mash is normal with strip then spirit run. Have you actually produced 92% or is that what you were told this setup would do. Also what kind of gauze is in there?

Back to the proper rum question. What do you consider a proper rum? I prefer a dark rum which I consider a sipping rum (no mixers) some prefer a white rum while others prefer a gold (barrel aged). What are you trying to make?

[thecroweater]

Rum should be fine from a pot, you kind of need to rum it twice and you do need to let it be on oak for a few months but my pot stilled rum was not bad, I use a plated column now
This is the main recipe and method I mostly use
Rum Wash
3 litres of stock grade molasses
2 kgs of raw sugar
1 kg of white sugar
1 tbl spoon of epson salts
1 tbl spoon of neuts (tomato paste)
50 grams of dry bakers yeast
Method
I half filled a 30 ltr fermenter with hot water and dissolved the sugar and then stirred in and dissolved the molasses I then topped up with cool half water half dunder and added salts and nuets. I gave that a vigorous stir and as soon as the wash was below 32' centigrade I pitch the yeast

[carbohydratesn]

I think I know where the "92" came from. A pot might produce 92 proof on a stripping run, which is 46%. A spirit run would definitely hit that.

92 percent would require a reflux still.

[emptyglass]

I was thinking if I took the middle column section out and replaced it with a extremely small column will it act more as a pot still or will the copper packed section do its job too well and concentrate the alcohol.

If you want it to act like a pot still, try making a pot still. They are not difficult to make