Detroit I will start another post to save cluttering this thread up, post a few photos up if I can, and try to answer most of your questions at the same time. Ive already posted a similar thing on another forum for someone else who was interested, so hopefully can just cut n paste.DetroitDIY wrote: ↑Fri Nov 01, 2019 5:28 pm Do you have any posts on your method Saltbush? Barrel types, sizes, durations between transfers. And how do you transfer it? Every time you have new make? When you have enough to fill barrel #1? Do you do a gravity cascade system, or do you have to drain and then fill?
Getting Ready to Fill the Barrel with Rum
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- Saltbush Bill
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Re: Getting Ready to Fill the Barrel with Rum
Re: Getting Ready to Fill the Barrel with Rum
So here is an update. I dumped the barrel and experienced a 33% angel share loss over a two year aging cycle and a second-use. What went in @ 62.5% came out @ 61% and an absolutely wonderful bourbon for sipping neat. I went ahead and refilled the barrel for its third use with rum by topping off completely, then removing enough to leave about a half-inch head space. I have a gallon of rum aging in glass that I will use to top off every couple months after the first year of a three year aging cycle. Thanks for the advice.
🎱 The struggle is real and this rabbit hole just got interesting.
Per a conversation I had with Mr. Jay Gibbs regarding white oak barrel staves: “…you gotta get it burning good.”
Per a conversation I had with Mr. Jay Gibbs regarding white oak barrel staves: “…you gotta get it burning good.”
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Re: Getting Ready to Fill the Barrel with Rum
Sounds good 8Ball
Re: Getting Ready to Fill the Barrel with Rum
🎱 The struggle is real and this rabbit hole just got interesting.
Per a conversation I had with Mr. Jay Gibbs regarding white oak barrel staves: “…you gotta get it burning good.”
Per a conversation I had with Mr. Jay Gibbs regarding white oak barrel staves: “…you gotta get it burning good.”
- Hillbilly Popstar
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Re: Getting Ready to Fill the Barrel with Rum
So those of you reporting percentage loss and quoting numbers on how much of that loss was water and how much was alcohol.
How are you getting your readings?
Do the wood sugars not effect the hydrometer?
Are hydrometer readings still accurate after oaking?
How are you getting your readings?
Do the wood sugars not effect the hydrometer?
Are hydrometer readings still accurate after oaking?
"Making likker with a hydrometer and thermometer is like measuring the length of a 2x4 with a clock"
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Re: Getting Ready to Fill the Barrel with Rum
Did you ever make this thread? Gotta link?Saltbush Bill wrote: ↑Tue Nov 05, 2019 1:53 am Detroit I will start another post to save cluttering this thread up, post a few photos up if I can, and try to answer most of your questions at the same time. Ive already posted a similar thing on another forum for someone else who was interested, so hopefully can just cut n paste.
"Making likker with a hydrometer and thermometer is like measuring the length of a 2x4 with a clock"
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Re: Getting Ready to Fill the Barrel with Rum
Preesh
"Making likker with a hydrometer and thermometer is like measuring the length of a 2x4 with a clock"
Re: Getting Ready to Fill the Barrel with Rum
Good question. I use the alcohol proof & traile hydrometer on both clear and wood aged spirits to get my initial and final percentages. I take careful measurements on small samples as I dilute them down to taste to get the tempering ratios dialed in. Don’t know about wood sugars affecting readings. Hasn’t mattered any to me.Hillbilly Popstar wrote: ↑Wed Jan 01, 2020 6:15 pm So those of you reporting percentage loss and quoting numbers on how much of that loss was water and how much was alcohol.
How are you getting your readings?
Do the wood sugars not effect the hydrometer?
Are hydrometer readings still accurate after oaking?
🎱 The struggle is real and this rabbit hole just got interesting.
Per a conversation I had with Mr. Jay Gibbs regarding white oak barrel staves: “…you gotta get it burning good.”
Per a conversation I had with Mr. Jay Gibbs regarding white oak barrel staves: “…you gotta get it burning good.”
Re: Getting Ready to Fill the Barrel with Rum
You're fine using a proof and tralle hydrometer on wooded spirits.
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More than a decade working for NASA & FAA Tech with computer code used on Space Shuttles and some airline flight recorders.
Re: Getting Ready to Fill the Barrel with Rum
14 month update:
Pulled a gallon out @ 64%. Topped off again with almost 2 gallons of rum I had aging on glass. Angels share after 14 months was 20% and 1% abv overall. This rum is a great sipper at 14 months. I’ll top off the cask a couple more times this year, then leave it alone until it is done at three years total.
Pulled a gallon out @ 64%. Topped off again with almost 2 gallons of rum I had aging on glass. Angels share after 14 months was 20% and 1% abv overall. This rum is a great sipper at 14 months. I’ll top off the cask a couple more times this year, then leave it alone until it is done at three years total.
🎱 The struggle is real and this rabbit hole just got interesting.
Per a conversation I had with Mr. Jay Gibbs regarding white oak barrel staves: “…you gotta get it burning good.”
Per a conversation I had with Mr. Jay Gibbs regarding white oak barrel staves: “…you gotta get it burning good.”
Re: Getting Ready to Fill the Barrel with Rum
19 month update and at a cross roads for a decision. I’ve been topping off the 5G Gibbs cask as follows:8Ball wrote: ↑Sat Feb 27, 2021 8:49 pm 14 month update:
Pulled a gallon out @ 64%. Topped off again with almost 2 gallons of rum I had aging on glass. Angels share after 14 months was 20% and 1% abv overall. This rum is a great sipper at 14 months. I’ll top off the cask a couple more times this year, then leave it alone until it is done at three years total.
• January -2020: Filled with 65% molasses & panela (M&P) rum. (New Year’s Eve, 2019)
• March -2021. Pulled 1G to drink. Topped off with 6 month old M&P rum (Sep20) (2G total @ 65%).
• April - 2021. Topped off with 500 ml of 6 month old M&P 65% rum. (Oct20)
• May - 2021. Topped off with 350 ml of 7 month old 60% M&P rum (Oct20)
• June - 2021. Topped off with 300 ml of 8 month old 60% M&P rum (Oct20)
• July - 2021. Topped off with 350 ml of 9 month old 60% rum (Oct-20).
• 17 months remaining out of 36 month aging cycle.
Here is my question: Should I start topping off with water only for the remaining 17 months? I want to wind up with the aging finished for bottling at 48% abv.
From the dilution calculator: 5.25G@64% diluted to 48% using 1.75G (6.625L) water = 7G / 26.5L / 35 bottles.
6.625L water /17 months= 390 ml water per month. As you can see, I’ve been averaging 350 ml of rum per month to top off angel share loss. My thinking is that if I switch to water top offs from here on out, I should be at 48% abv in 17 months and at the end of the 36 month aging. I may be jumping the gun by diluting below 60% though before the 36 months are up. Should I dilute down to 60% or so over the last 17 months instead of 48%? I can always temper down to 48% from 64% at bottling. Thoughts?
🎱 The struggle is real and this rabbit hole just got interesting.
Per a conversation I had with Mr. Jay Gibbs regarding white oak barrel staves: “…you gotta get it burning good.”
Per a conversation I had with Mr. Jay Gibbs regarding white oak barrel staves: “…you gotta get it burning good.”
Re: Getting Ready to Fill the Barrel with Rum
I wouldn’t dilute until bottling.
Good judgement is the result of experience.
Experience is usually the result of bad judgement..
Experience is usually the result of bad judgement..
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Re: Getting Ready to Fill the Barrel with Rum
+1.
And to add to that, bottle it as you need to.
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Re: Getting Ready to Fill the Barrel with Rum
Thanks for the responses. Think I’ll drop the abv down over the next 6 months to 60% to draw out more of the sweetness and vanilla to balance out the spiciness drawn out at 65% for the last 18 months. Then I’ll let it sit until 36 months are up.
🎱 The struggle is real and this rabbit hole just got interesting.
Per a conversation I had with Mr. Jay Gibbs regarding white oak barrel staves: “…you gotta get it burning good.”
Per a conversation I had with Mr. Jay Gibbs regarding white oak barrel staves: “…you gotta get it burning good.”
Re: Getting Ready to Fill the Barrel with Rum
Well I made it to 28 months. Absolutely delicious. Gonna bottle some and keep the rest aging in glass. Time to re-fill it with my malt whiskey.
🎱 The struggle is real and this rabbit hole just got interesting.
Per a conversation I had with Mr. Jay Gibbs regarding white oak barrel staves: “…you gotta get it burning good.”
Per a conversation I had with Mr. Jay Gibbs regarding white oak barrel staves: “…you gotta get it burning good.”
- Saltbush Bill
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- Joined: Thu Mar 17, 2011 2:13 am
- Location: Northern NSW Australia
Re: Getting Ready to Fill the Barrel with Rum
Well, the rum journey to fill the cask was a huge learning curve. My thanks to you and all the other HD members who contributed comments & advice. I probably wouldn’t change anything because I know that I have a nice, unique rum to sip on & share with friends and family.Saltbush Bill wrote: ↑Mon Apr 04, 2022 7:26 pmWow, how time flies, good to see the wait was worth it
Is there anything you would change next time?
I made various types of rum initially, then dialed in on what I liked best near the end: Panela & Molasses. I also started out using bakers yeast, then switched over to FermPro 921 because of it’s nice fruity contribution to the party.
Cheers!
🎱 The struggle is real and this rabbit hole just got interesting.
Per a conversation I had with Mr. Jay Gibbs regarding white oak barrel staves: “…you gotta get it burning good.”
Per a conversation I had with Mr. Jay Gibbs regarding white oak barrel staves: “…you gotta get it burning good.”