Heads and tails in rum...

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Dathhu
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Heads and tails in rum...

Post by Dathhu »

Just after everyone's opinion of what they like in their rum.

I know both can add a lot of complexity, but can also be harsh too.

From what I've run so far, the heads give some fruitiness, but also a bit more headache inducing. Different to the stuff into the hearts, which while tasty, can be a bit one note.

The tails gives the deep molasses flavour, but also that nasty aftertaste, so I'm kinda more inclined to push a little more heads than tails.


Still yet to try my rum with dunder addition, hoping it pushes the molasses up into the hearts, without the nasty flavours, at least that's what it seems like with the cuts of that batch.


A side note, for any Aussies out there, all the Bundy rums seems very headsy to me. A bit too much in fact. I get some nice aromas from them, but they feel somewhat artificial, hard to describe. The aroma is fruity, but it tastes fake and plastic like. I'm hoping to capture some of that smell, but nicer.
howie
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Re: Heads and tails in rum...

Post by howie »

excuse the random thoughts.

my late heads, early tails and aged dunder have all been included in recent runs.
i have been carefully removing fores and early nasties on stripping runs with initial slow distillation through copper mesh.
i have about 24l of rum low wines from 4 x washes which i have been monitoring for a few weeks.
some of the low wines smell very nice and my sudden random thought is.....
my low wines are a collection of smeared heads, hearts and tails (without any nasties)
i might/should i take a sample out and oak it before the next spirit run?
the low wines are all in 2l glass jars, all labelled, so i know exactly when, where and what stage each jar came from.

to be clear, because of the attention in the stripping run, the low wines do not smell headsy at all.
be kind :lol:
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NZChris
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Re: Heads and tails in rum...

Post by NZChris »

I never put any heads or tails in my rum. I choose blends that I like, for either drinking young or for aging, from the 15-25 jars that I collect. If it is a large run, I might choose more than one style of heart cut. My heads and tails are simply the jars that didn't make the heart cut, which I believe is the usual industry definition of heads and tails.

Heads, hearts and tails all contain the same VOCs, (Volatile organic compounds), it's just their relationships to ethanol and each other that changes during the run. Our job in choosing a heart cut, is to select the portion that has the relationships that suit our particular tastes.
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still_stirrin
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Re: Heads and tails in rum...

Post by still_stirrin »

NZChris wrote: Fri Apr 16, 2021 11:04 pm Heads, hearts and tails all contain the same VOCs, (Volatile organic compounds), it's just their relationships to ethanol and each other that changes during the run. Our job in choosing a heart cut, is to select the portion that has the relationships that suit our particular tastes.
WoW!

That is the BEST description anywhere. It should be “boilerplated” at the top of our website. Thanks Chris.
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v-child
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Re: Heads and tails in rum...

Post by v-child »

In the pot still (spirit run), after the fores and heads are done, I'll open the pot and dump about a gallon of molasses in the pot to finish the run. I'll get a noticeable but subtle molasses smell and flavor in the rum. I do not keep any of the heads and discard most of the tails.
Dathhu
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Re: Heads and tails in rum...

Post by Dathhu »

NZChris wrote: Fri Apr 16, 2021 11:04 pm I never put any heads or tails in my rum. I choose blends that I like, for either drinking young or for aging, from the 15-25 jars that I collect. If it is a large run, I might choose more than one style of heart cut. My heads and tails are simply the jars that didn't make the heart cut, which I believe is the usual industry definition of heads and tails.

Heads, hearts and tails all contain the same VOCs, (Volatile organic compounds), it's just their relationships to ethanol and each other that changes during the run. Our job in choosing a heart cut, is to select the portion that has the relationships that suit our particular tastes.
I get what you're saying NZChris, I'm not talking about mixing in the heads and tails cuts with the hearts, I guess I'm asking about the jars on the edges. If I might ask, when doing something for longer aging do you tend to take more jars closer to the start of the run or the end or some combination of both? Aka late heads, early tails.

Just started working on rum and hoping to get some guidance. I know it's all personal preference, but would like to hear others thoughts on the matter.

Thanks,
Dan
Dathhu
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Re: Heads and tails in rum...

Post by Dathhu »

v-child wrote: Sun Apr 18, 2021 5:31 am In the pot still (spirit run), after the fores and heads are done, I'll open the pot and dump about a gallon of molasses in the pot to finish the run. I'll get a noticeable but subtle molasses smell and flavor in the rum. I do not keep any of the heads and discard most of the tails.
What charge size are you using and how are you heating? Id be worried about scorching if I tried anything like that with my current setup.

Maybe I have to try what Pugirum has outlined, my still seems to strip out the alcohol fairly efficiently but that molasses flavour I like still seems to be coming out even when the charge is fully depleted. I've got a big jar of rum feints saved up, I guess I've just got to experiment and see how I like it. Probably got one more run before it gets too cold for rum washes...

Oh well, worst comes to worst, I have some mediocre rum next year... More time to practice on gin...
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Re: Heads and tails in rum...

Post by v-child »

Dathhu wrote: Sun Apr 18, 2021 11:14 am
v-child wrote: Sun Apr 18, 2021 5:31 am In the pot still (spirit run), after the fores and heads are done, I'll open the pot and dump about a gallon of molasses in the pot to finish the run. I'll get a noticeable but subtle molasses smell and flavor in the rum. I do not keep any of the heads and discard most of the tails.
What charge size are you using and how are you heating? Id be worried about scorching if I tried anything like that with my current setup.

Maybe I have to try what Pugirum has outlined, my still seems to strip out the alcohol fairly efficiently but that molasses flavour I like still seems to be coming out even when the charge is fully depleted. I've got a big jar of rum feints saved up, I guess I've just got to experiment and see how I like it. Probably got one more run before it gets too cold for rum washes...

Oh well, worst comes to worst, I have some mediocre rum next year... More time to practice on gin...
I have a 10 gallon potstill heated with gas with about eight gallons of 45% feints. The feints are hot already so it really don't take long to get back to a distilling temp with a moderate flame. I am in no hurry.
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NZChris
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Re: Heads and tails in rum...

Post by NZChris »

Dathhu wrote: Sun Apr 18, 2021 9:45 am I get what you're saying NZChris, I'm not talking about mixing in the heads and tails cuts with the hearts, I guess I'm asking about the jars on the edges. If I might ask, when doing something for longer aging do you tend to take more jars closer to the start of the run or the end or some combination of both? Aka late heads, early tails.
Using my nose, I make up a sample of the obvious middle heart cut jars and taste it, then alternately add to the sample from jars from each end until I find the jars that are one too far. By not tasting individual jars, I don't wreck my taste buds before I get to the important ones.

I measure using a 5ml dipper made out of a bent spoon, take my time, dilute to below 40% for tasting, rinse with fresh water and use a spittoon between tastings.
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Re: Heads and tails in rum...

Post by bluc »

I aim for no heads or tails. As stated above i also find heads esters fake(and nausea inducing) when the spirit first switchs to tails I will include maybe 100mls of this into a 3l hearts cut if I am planning a mid range length on wood. When I want Something to drink young i keep it as clean as possible and put it on american oak 20g/l and enjoy the wild flavour changes week to week. Amazing the flavours that come and go up to about 10mnths then it smooths out and changes less notably but builds on complexity moutfeel and full bodied-ness.
I always run over 4 plates a little dirty at 88%.
Dathhu
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Re: Heads and tails in rum...

Post by Dathhu »

bluc wrote: Mon Apr 19, 2021 3:51 am I aim for no heads or tails. As stated above i also find heads esters fake(and nausea inducing) when the spirit first switchs to tails I will include maybe 100mls of this into a 3l hearts cut if I am planning a mid range length on wood. When I want Something to drink young i keep it as clean as possible and put it on american oak 20g/l and enjoy the wild flavour changes week to week. Amazing the flavours that come and go up to about 10mnths then it smooths out and changes less notably but builds on complexity moutfeel and full bodied-ness.
I always run over 4 plates a little dirty at 88%.
Cheers bluc, good to know that someone else understands that fake flavour I was talking about. Guess the late heads end stuff isn't for me then.

Interesting that you only add a little bit more of the later stuff for longer term aging. What do you find that it adds to the spirit compared to aging the cleaner cut?

What style of oak are you adding ie. Chips, dominos, staves?
20g/L seems like a lot. I've been adding chips (all I can get ATM without paying a fortune in shipping) and gotten plenty of colour and flavour with less than half that. Still trying to dial in my wood preference though. French oak seems to give a really big hit of oak and colour straight up, but doesn't seem as interesting over time compared to the American oak. I'm thinking maybe a little time on the French, then longer term on the American...

Or I could just stick it on the American oak and then hopefully try and forget about it for at least a year or so :)
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Re: Heads and tails in rum...

Post by bluc »

With 20g/l I enjoy it from about 3months to 6months.
I keep it on the original amount oak whole time. I find it pulls lots vanilla from the oak with flavours like vanilla coconut caramel very pronounced and different combinations of them by adding nothing to the rum besides oak.

With 20g/l it happens bit quicker
I also like american and it also brings lots good flavours.
I also agree that the french loses complexity when aged long term.

I enjoy how fast flavour changes happen while spirit is young. I do this in glass using dominoes.

I only age long term >12months on american. I use a 10l barrel from a local cooper. It is now just about spent I have to decide how to replace it maybe bad motivaters.
The little bit early tails(little bit before it turns acrid) adds a "bit of funk" to me, it is too rough white but makes a bolder rum when aged longer. I find I get more caramels and toffee type flavours from it also when I sample along the way also.

And +1 on the head esters yuck!! If the ester aint the hearts I dont include it..
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