Pancake Rum (maple syrup)

[distiller_dresden]

With thanks to RandyMarshCT for the inspiration, and I'm adjusting my own recipe somewhat from his, and I'm going to be doing this for several ongoing batches, including once aged I'll be caramelizing the maple sugar as you would normal sugar for rum caramel.

Here's my mash in today:
1/2 gal apple brandy wash backset (you can see the ingredients from this wash here viewtopic.php?f=38&t=70623 last entry on the page)
1/2 gal coconut water (for nutrients/potassium mainly)
1 gal maple syrup
.25 gal high quality molasses
3.25 gal water
1.5 lbs maple sugar
4 g Fermaid K, will add 2 g in 2 days
White Labs live active sweet mead yeast, fermenting this at 70F

The wash tastes absolutely divine; you can't pick out molasses in it, but it's like SUPER complex maple syrup, the darkest grade high quality maple syrup you've ever had. Meanwhile I have a BadMo barrel with a mix of tawny port, maple syrup, 18yr Glenlivet, and some cognac seasoning the oak to prep it for when I fill with this.

My BadMo is med toasted, and once I pull it from the barrel I'll put it on some sugar maple dominoes for 6 weeks. Alternately I may put it on the dominoes now while summer and heat is here, as leaving stuff on dominoes in my garage in the heat has been really great for getting the best out of my dominoes. Then after 6 weeks on sugar maple I'd put it into the BadMo. After maybe 6 months in there I'll pull it and give it 3 ultrasonic treatments, filter, add some caramelized maple sugar, a bit of maple syrup, and be good to go. That's a long ways down the road, but I can wait.

[distiller_dresden]

Strangest thing this ferment, never seen anything like it before -- I got 2mm diameter half bubbles appearing on the surface and popping this morning, with regularity. It's obviously active, the temp is raise 2 degrees over my set 70F. But it's nothing like the fermenting I've ever seen before, which is like fresh-poured coke in a glass, pin-head bubbles dancing beneath the surface like sparkles.

[distiller_dresden]

I've now finished and cuts on the second batch. Used 1122 and the maple flavor was MUCH richer and deeper, so here's a final recipe. Right now it's aging with med toast hard maple, soft maple, Japanese maple, and Hungarian oak.

Final recipe, Maple Syrup rum, for 5.5 gallon ferment:
1.25 gallons Maple Syrup, Grade A Amber
32 oz high quality molasses
4 gallons water
5 g Fermaid K
K1V-1122 at room temp/68-70F for two weeks

After making cuts on the 1122 and White Labs sweet mead yeast I did compare the two and definitely 1122 saved flavor and maybe even created some esters from the maple syrup, but nothing that wasn't maple syrup was detected. I then combined the batches and have a gallon of 120 proof aging on woods I listed above. Will age several months, then backsweeten with only maple syrup, according to this: (probably stopping around 10g/L)

https://www.stilldragon.org/discussion/ ... ect-on-rum" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow

1g sugar/l
Havana Blanco: Whoa. It. Changes. I am totally surprised (don’t doubt my sanity I used a clinical injection to be really sure of the added amount of syrup). The tastes remain similar but the burn is reduced significantly. A slight sweetness appears.

Seales 10: Here we can detect a shift in balance as well. The alcoholic burn – while still there – steps a little bit back. I am strongly reminded of Angostura 1919 (let’s see whether that trend continues).

5g sugar/l
Havana Blanco: The smell changed to a milder, indeed more pleasant one. Taste-wise I begin to notice sweet apple and pear. Furthermore the alcoholic feel is now largely gone (we reach the point of much more refined spirits in this area).

Seales 10: The further addition of sugar brings a taste very similar to Diplomatico Reserva Exclusiva. The nuts and almond flavor is much prominent and features a cakey and interesting impression. I would stop here. For people who do like the sweeter rum, Seales 10 with 5g/l might actually be the perfect choice  . Alas science awaits…

10g sugar/l
Havana Blanco: Now we are getting serious. The alcohol burn disappeared. I notice notes of caramel, vanilla and molasses additionally to the persisting fruity flavors. The smell stays constant in comparison to 5g/l. If a young rum with this taste profile is actually sold it will probably receive favorable reviews since it’s soooo smooooth (and not bitter, if you know what I mean Wink ).

Seales 10: Now we have totally transformed this one. The good man your father once was, is gone… The direction goes even further in a mild sweetish area but the leather, oak and plum is actually receding in favor of coffee, vanilla, caramel and molasses. We are on par with Angostura 1919 and Zacapa 23 now. Not very exciting but caressing to the palate.

15g sugar/l
Havana Blanco: Now this I would expect a 5-6 year old spirit from cuba to taste like. We are on an equal level of smoothness with the more expensive Havana Especial. Furthermore a hazelnut note becomes notable. Definitely sippable if sweet rums are your choice. The essential difference to Seales 10 is that Havana Blanco until now mainly gained additional flavor aspects by the addition of sugar. We will see what’s happening.

Seales 10: Holy crap. This is blasphemy. Now we are really left with the oh-so-great-flavor of Zacapa, Angostura and Diplomatico. No hint of alcoholic tingle, no oak, no leather, just smooth vanilla, caramel, coffee, burned sugar… and we reached that point at 10-15 g/l, many spirits add more than double this amount. On to the semi-final…

[distiller_dresden]

Just pulled this from the badmo. It's not ultrasonic treated or proofed or back-sweetened yet. At 59%, it's got a rich maple flavor, with less of the butteryness syrup has, and a smooth, white oat whiskey flavor, plenty of oak tannins off balance with the sweetness that is just like an ester 'sweet', not actual sugar, I've added nothin! Can't wait to see what this becomes after US and proofing to 46.5%, then back sweetening with just maple syrup.

It's very smooth at 59%, it doesn't burn with a sip of neat! It's amazing...

[OtisT]

Sounds good DD. Can’t wait to hear about the finished product, before and after you add maple syrup.

I read those notes you posted in this thread where the stiller adding small amounts of sugar to his rum. I’m intrigued by all the notes he said the sugar brought out in his spirit. I’ve never added sweetener to my rums, but will have to give it a go with some samples and see what it does for bringing out other notes. I’m sure I can’t put names to all I smells/tastes going on, but I sure can notice differences and I’ll know if I like it or not. Since my rum is panela based, I’ll should probably try with some panela simple syrup.

Keep up the experiments. Otis

[distiller_dresden]

I got this one done too (the Hazelnut Honeybutter...Hazelnut Honeybutt?... is done also) and no pics, but I have a gallon in 4 32oz grade A amber maple syrup bottles!

It's delightfully smooth and not complex like most sipping rums, it has 3-4 notes it plays very well and balanced, like first violin. Maple, and buttery, 'rummy' a little bit - the brown/caramelized baked goods aged rum gets, and a slight vanilla tone (no bean, it was all badmo oak). This was backsweetened to 8g/L with pure dark grade A maple syrup only. It is really the essence of maple, having aged it on Japanese maple and sugar maple dominoes for a month before I put it in the badmo.

Of all the stuff I've made and posted, this is the one I recommend you make - don't skimp, and follow my method. 1122 yeast, low temp ferment around 60-62F and a starting PH of about 4.8, walk away and leave it for a month to finish completely and then to just rest. Then get it in glass on some sugar/hard maple, toasted 375F for an hour and a half, for a month before putting it back in a badmo. If you have a regular barrel, make sure it's nicely used so it isn't going to contribute too much tannin, or you'll destroy the delicate maple flavors. This one's all about balance. You can taste the maple wood and the oak and the maple syrup, it's like the 'magical' essence of a sugar maple tree, tasting it's soul and it's hopes and dreams. This is the spirit I'm most proud of to date, after 13 months distilling, overall.

Same as the Hazelnut Honeybutt, samples, but only a gallon, so few, and first asked first served. People who are going to be critical, have an experienced/trained palate, and will openly post and give feedback honestly.

[OtisT]

OK double D I’ll take ya up on this, but only if we can swap samples. Not your big Aunt Jamima bottle either, just some small samples. I don’t want to take a lot of your liquid gold.

I’ll PM ya with some options for trade. Otis

[OtisT]

OK. The care package is on its way. Should be there in three days, unless your postal carrier freezes to the sidewalk this week.

Care package contents

Three bourbons: honey bear, apple bear, and dark chocolate. The short sticks are seasoned Plum. The long ones seasoned Apple heartwood. The barrel making scraps are Oregon Oak, toasted one side at 400 F.

Can’t wait to try your rums.

Otis

[distiller_dresden]

I'll get yours out tomorrow. Question- I want to include some of my new brandies. I have apple, cherry, in 'pure' and in an edited form. The edits I started with 24oz of base, then added 3-4tblsp of that fruit's concentrate, and 6-7tblsp of the fermented wash (which I'd sterilized by heating then saved in fridge), and the result was a slightly less proof, maybe 37% ABV, that you can still clearly taste the distillate while it's also smoothed and more pleasant and enjoyable. Which of these would you prefer, the 'enriched' brandies, or the standards? They are not 'sweet', each is no more than 14g sugar per liter from the concentrate. But that addition made them very slightly more like an apertif, and more delicate, at least to my tongue. The fruit flavors were strong but like a rum I wanted to bring some nuance out and strengthen the flavor 'wholeness'. I also have a blueberry that is the most of the 3 enjoyable 'straight', at least to me. I only have 40 total oz of that though; 24 in the enriched form, and the other 16 left was just aged on old old oak, maple, and J maple.

I can't wait to try the wood!

You have that very nice way of toasting and making dominoes, if I sent you say $20 and some dominoes would you make me some charred/med toasted dominoes? I haven't had the best luck so far of making a domino with char/fired surface. My best so far was an accident, made during an oven toasting session, some Japanese maple spontaneously cindered and I rinsed it off well, it was just an inch in on each end, and I knocked the loose/bad char off. I'm experimenting my last rum cook on that, it's about 67oz, and I'll use it to top off my barrel as it evaporates/empties slowly. But it's contributing a nicer than usual sweetness, compared to med toast JM.

I thought the high ester bourbon was ready, no? Oh well.

[OtisT]

I'll get yours out tomorrow. Question- I want to include some of my new brandies. I have apple, cherry, in 'pure' and in an edited form. The edits I started with 24oz of base, then added 3-4tblsp of that fruit's concentrate, and 6-7tblsp of the fermented wash (which I'd sterilized by heating then saved in fridge), and the result was a slightly less proof, maybe 37% ABV, that you can still clearly taste the distillate while it's also smoothed and more pleasant and enjoyable. Which of these would you prefer, the 'enriched' brandies, or the standards? They are not 'sweet', each is no more than 14g sugar per liter from the concentrate. But that addition made them very slightly more like an apertif, and more delicate, at least to my tongue. The fruit flavors were strong but like a rum I wanted to bring some nuance out and strengthen the flavor 'wholeness'. I also have a blueberry that is the most of the 3 enjoyable 'straight', at least to me. I only have 40 total oz of that though; 24 in the enriched form, and the other 16 left was just aged on old old oak, maple, and J maple.

I can't wait to try the wood!

You have that very nice way of toasting and making dominoes, if I sent you say $20 and some dominoes would you make me some charred/med toasted dominoes? I haven't had the best luck so far of making a domino with char/fired surface. My best so far was an accident, made during an oven toasting session, some Japanese maple spontaneously cindered and I rinsed it off well, it was just an inch in on each end, and I knocked the loose/bad char off. I'm experimenting my last rum cook on that, it's about 67oz, and I'll use it to top off my barrel as it evaporates/empties slowly. But it's contributing a nicer than usual sweetness, compared to med toast JM.

I thought the high ester bourbon was ready, no? Oh well.

Oh shit! I forgot the high ester bourbon. I’ll get you next time on that. The good news is that it’s still in the barrel and only getting better with time.

As for toasting I could help you, but after paying me, shipping both ways, etc. I would highly recommend you do it yourself. I know a lot of folks here have good luck with the oven method, or even BBQ, but I don’t like the results near as much and I really like the control I have with my hotplate. You could probably pick up the tools needed for what all that shipping and time would cost, and you would be able to make it any time yourself.

Here is what you would need for toasting:
- 1000w to 1500w hotplate. I use a 1500w model, but only turn it up to an 8 or 9 out of 12 for 400 F toasting.
- A 1/4” thick piece of metal about 12”x12”. In aluminum, that cost me $10 at the scrap yard, including the cut to size.
- An IR thermometer. Cheep on amazon. For reading temp of metal surface for consistent results.
I put flat wood on the metal plate and rotate the wood every 15 minutes for 2 to 2.5 hours, depending on how deep I want the toast to go. That’s roughly 1/2-3/4 inch deep.

For charring:
- Flame thrower. A harbor freight or equivelant amazon cheep flame thrower. They sell them for clearing land of weeds. About $20. I paid an extra 5 or 10 for the push button lighter which makes it more conveeniante, but is not necessary. The flame thrower attaches to my bottle of propane that I use for my BBQ. Set your wood on an open area of concrete and blast it for 25-30 seconds for a nice medium char on one side, then douse the wood with water. It makes a really clean and good smelling char. Those little hand torches used for soldering just don’t cut it IMHO.

I’ve got a few pics of the hot plate toasting method late in my thread “Learning to Toast...”

If you still want me to do it, let’s talk. I figure as active in this hobby as you are, that this setup would quickly pay for itself.

Oh, and on the brandy question, I would prefer the un-edited kind. Thanks.

Otis