So here it is again;
400 ml Feed grade molasses
5Kg sugar
a little nutrient (I use Tronozymol)
2 tsp Citric acid
make up to 25 Litres with tap water.
Half hour on "Air stone"
Yeast and ferment out.
My pot is a bit wierd and I get some "passive reflux" I'm pretty sure, but I do single runs and get my Hearts out at around 60 abv. Cuts are tight and the "feints" go into the boiler with the next wash.
(I think if you struggle with the abv, a somewhat taller column than usual and a wrap or two of copper "brake pipe" around the top of the riser, with some of the cooling water passing through after it clears the condenser could "proxy" that passive reflux )
When I do this it comes straight of the pipe with "Bacardi flavour" - however it is at 60% and the missus (mixes it with part coke, part what we in the uk call "Lemonade") she swears one of mine gives her the same flavour as two measures of the "Commercial", so she drinks it with a single measure of mine, and prefers it to "the real thing" - (no headaches
) so in effect she is drinking 1.5 measures at 40%.I am about to run a version where I have dropped the molasses to 300 ml, to see if I can hit the same flavour content (or lack of it !) as they do ! - I'll edit to say how it comes out.
Now I don't know how a double distill would affect the flavour, but I expect quite badly, so if you're going there - I'd say "UP" the molasses - but can offer no further help - Sorry.
So there ya go, simple, cheap and a good facsimile - I'd like some feedback if anyone else can get around 60% abv off a wash around 11% in one hit.
[Edit - I expect this would work quite well on a "not quite fully de-tuned" reflux - where the output was turned down to 60% ? ]
