Rum on bubble plates - what ABV to shoot for?

[Scott Tracy]

I’ve just made a batch of molasses rum, based on BB’s recipe with mostly molasses and some raw sugar mid ferment.

I used a Brewhaus 4” plated still, with 4 plates and an empty sight glass over the boiler (i like to spot any foaming in the kettle).

My collection ABV was fairly high - around 93% for the whole run. My still goes from 93% to below 80% within 500ml of distillate so tails come in pretty clearly and I didn’t keep anything under 92% this time.

Is this too high? I’m wondering if I am too close to neutral here and should maybe drop a plate out for future rum/whisky runs.

I’m ageing it now with some dark rum essence and some toasted charred oak staves, but with this hobby it’s 6 months until I really get an idea of what I have made.

Can any of you more experienced guys can give me some pointers?

[Oatmeal]

Did you like what you made?

My first rum smells good, but tastes bad. I'm hoping 2 to 3 years will make it palatable.

As a not experienced guy, I say run more batches of rum!

[Scott Tracy]

Haha - there will be more batches!

It was fine off the still - but definitely not strongly flavoured. I expect the dunder addition and oaking will add a bit, and time will tell.

I’m just curious about whether people have tried 3 plates or 2 plates, and what that might have done to their products.

[Yummyrum]

93% is pretty typical with 4 plates .
Don’t use ABV to determine cuts . Use your taste buds .

Your tongue is one of the first pleasure zones to enjoy your Rum , the Alcometer couldn’t care less what it tasted like .

By all means if you are curious see what the cut points measure , but don’t use the number next time because there will always be small variations between batches.

Anyway , Rum from 4 plates is very nice , it Oaks and ages well . It may seem as if its light on compared to a Pot stilled Rum . Yes 3 plates might suit you better .

Lately I strip half , add to rest and use 3 plates .

[LWTCS]

"Too clean" is pretty subjective.
I can ( as do others) taste molasses notes off of a 30 plate column. For that reason molasses imo is not a good choice for vodka if you are trying to check the "clean neutral" box.

30 plates makes an excellent Platino rum from s blackstrap base haha.

Others here will disagree and that's fine. I'm not speaking on behalf of everyone. Same reason some people hate liver and onions and I love liver and onions.

Molasses (especially blackstrap) is bullfrog tough.
4 plates, six plates or 8 plates is not going to knock the funk off of your ethanol molecules.
There is a difference between 93 off of a 4 plater and 93 off of a 10 plater too be sure.

Wind up your still up in reflux mode and hold it there for a while to promote esterfication. Will that drive up your proof? Absolutely. But will also concentrate flavors. Doing so allows your still to become more of a reactor at that point of the operation.
93 will not at all be lacking in flavor. Don't be tricked by the high abv of a plated column.

Single Malt Yinzer has eluded to this at times.

[Scott Tracy]

Good stuff - thanks gents. Appreciate the help.

Sounds like I didn’t make vodka (which is good, I was trying for rum) and that it might well settle out OK with some time. I’ll check in on it in a month or two.

I think I will also try 3 plates and a split wash, as well as a long reflux period next time around. My ingredient/ wash quantities actually work out well for that.

Thanks again.

[bluefish_dist]

If you want some real funk, try two plates and hold your abv to no less than 130 proof for the whole run. Age on oak until it smooths out.

[Scott Tracy]

Came back to the boards after checking on my rum barrel at the 4 month mark. I thought to put up a data point for anyone who may be doing something similar to me.

The 'barrel' (an iKegger 10l SS keg with charred wood staves inside) of 93% molasses wash + dunder as per BB recipe, is diluted to 62% ABV for ageing. It has 8 toasted and charred white oak staves in a 10l barrel, which I believe is pretty generous oaking at roughly 85cm2 per liter. The wood staves are toasted 2 hours at 200c, and well charred.

At 4 months I realise it is very early days. It is smoothing out, nice colour, but at this age is still plenty 'woody' as I guess would be expected. Diluted to 40% for a taste, it looks good, tastes good (already) but smells a bit more of wood than I think a good rum should. I hope the wood notes moderate with age and the molasses notes persist; only time will tell.

Thanks for the feedback above. I plan the next batch as 2 or 3 plates, to 'flatten the curve' (as we have all learned to love), to reduce ABV through the run and grab a bit more on the tails end.

If anyone has a view on this, I'm all ears. In particular, I am unsure how long (and how much) wood is good in a rum. Best wishes to you all.

[Ben]

If it is already tasting "too woody" at 4 months pull all, or all but one of the staves out. Slow that wood impact down, let everything else catch up.

Don't sweat it if it is "over oaked". You can intentionally under oak another batch and blend to satisfaction.

[Yummyrum]

Don’t get too excited about including more tails . … tails is tails and Rum tails is even worse and doesn’t get better .
If you want to widen your cut , add more of the heads end . That’s where the Rum flavour originates from IMO .

[Saltbush Bill]

can ( as do others) taste molasses notes off of a 30 plate column. For that reason molasses imo is not a good choice for vodka if you are trying to check the "clean neutral" box.

Molasses (especially blackstrap) is bullfrog tough.
4 plates, six plates or 8 plates is not going to knock the funk off of your ethanol molecules.

Don't be tricked by the high abv of a plated column.

I agree 100% with all of that Larry.
Anyone who can make neutral from Molasses has one of two things going on......their taste buds are completely knackered and or they have just bought some very adulterated Molasses that has absolutely no flavour......in short they have been ripped off.
Four plates and 92% is not to much for making Rum.......if you want more flavour and lower ABV just run 3 plates.......dont try and force a 4 plater to put out at a lower abv than it wants as thats a really good way to pull through tails.