Croweater rum wash

Many like to post about a first successful ferment (or first all grain mash), or first still built/bought or first good run of the still. Tell us about all of these great times here.
Pics are VERY welcome, we drool over pretty copper 8)

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NzDamo
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Croweater rum wash

Post by NzDamo »

So after running a turbo sugar wash that turned out nowhere near as badly as I expected it to I turned it into a bloody drinkable Gin by means of basket vapour infusion and a follow up soak of juniper berries and lemon peel.
After this minor miracle of a success I have given croweaters rum a go. Made the wash as per instructions using blackstrap molasses and brown sugar. It was a bit cold the day I made it so made a yeast starter with bakers yeast,sugar, tomatoes paste and a small spoon of vegemite for B vitamins. Note to self use a bigger container next time bloody thing overflowed when I wasn’t looking, wife was not happy. Then I decided in a moment of what may turn out to be madness to take some inspiration from Bryan Davis and deliberately infect the wash with a teaspoon of yogurt starter. It’s just about done fermenting 5 days later and smells like slightly overripe stone fruit. Not unpleasant just pungent. I will do a stripping run tonight and hopefully my moment of madness won’t have ruined it.
“I only drink at two times in my life, when I’m thirsty and when I’m not” Brendan Behan
Pikey
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Re: Croweater rum wash

Post by Pikey »

Do let us know - I think pretty much any infection at that stage (Except vinegar) should be ok :) - Not sure it will make much difference though - or how you would know if it did !
NzDamo
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Re: Croweater rum wash

Post by NzDamo »

Thus the moment of madness pikey had the same thought myself about a tenth of a second after I threw in the starter. It’s still bubbling away at the rate of a bubble every few seconds in the airlock so I will leave it another day to see if it finishes out. I took a sample and it still has 3% potential alcohol according to my hydrometer.
I will put on another batch of croweaters rum as soon as this one is done so I have a proper sample to test this run against. Might just have to buy another fermenter :)
“I only drink at two times in my life, when I’m thirsty and when I’m not” Brendan Behan
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fizzix
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Re: Croweater rum wash

Post by fizzix »

Hell, get 2 more fermenters. The bug is going to lead you there anyway.
Can you get the turbinado sugar easily? That's what really set's Crow's Rum apart.
Continue to have fun! I doubt if you've "ruined it" and will come out with some fine rum.

By the way, anyone that can make a drinkable turbo has my respect. I never produced anything good with it.
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Re: Croweater rum wash

Post by NzDamo »

So I left the wash for another 3 days and then did a stripping run with 25l of a 35l total wash volume. I tossed 50ml of fores and collected down to 10% abv. I ended up with 5l at 52% abv total.
I saved dunder in a good safe plastic pail for future use.
For the spirit run I added my stripping run to the 10l of remaining wash and then added 3l of dunder.
I collected in 100ml lots in glass jars and aired them out for 24hrs. I made my cuts according to kiwistillers guide and ended up with 2.6l at 60% that passed the sniff and taste test. I am aging on jd bourbon barrel chunks that I toasted using a kitchen blow torch. I was surprised at how quickly the colour of the spirit changed so pulled half the wood in case I was over oaking it. Tried some last night after a week on oak. Starts off with a big fruity punch then slips into a kind of caramel molasses flavour then finishes slightly peppery. Still needs time to smooth out the flavours but I would quite happily drink it as it is just have to stay out of it for a few months and give it time
“I only drink at two times in my life, when I’m thirsty and when I’m not” Brendan Behan
Shine0n
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Re: Croweater rum wash

Post by Shine0n »

Ain't no use trying to get down to 1 with a hydrometer on a rum wash. Just doesn't happen, at least not one I've ever done.

Glad to see you're liking the product, now get 2 or 3 more fermenters and you'll be well on your way to being a rumster.

Hard to keep the fingers off it, ain't it!!!

Time will do what it does and it will turn out Fantastic I'm quite sure of it.
NzDamo
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Re: Croweater rum wash

Post by NzDamo »

Lol I keep telling myself I’m just checking on how it’s progressing.
I’ve got myself 2 new 80l fermenters and my bucket of dunder started bubbling for a couple of days so it will be interesting to see what flavours come through on gen 2
“I only drink at two times in my life, when I’m thirsty and when I’m not” Brendan Behan
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Saltbush Bill
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Re: Croweater rum wash

Post by Saltbush Bill »

Shine0n wrote:Ain't no use trying to get down to 1 with a hydrometer on a rum wash. Just doesn't happen, at least not one I've ever done.
+1 there , ya finger will work better, dip it in and have a taste, if its dry its done , sweet its not done.
NzDamo
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Re: Croweater rum wash

Post by NzDamo »

Saltbush Bill wrote:
Shine0n wrote:Ain't no use trying to get down to 1 with a hydrometer on a rum wash. Just doesn't happen, at least not one I've ever done.
+1 there , ya finger will work better, dip it in and have a taste, if its dry its done , sweet its not done.
Good call lads I will just have to learn to trust my tastebuds
“I only drink at two times in my life, when I’m thirsty and when I’m not” Brendan Behan
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thecroweater
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Re: Croweater rum wash

Post by thecroweater »

I've moved away for using dunder a bit as I've been starting on previous lees and found that contributes the flavours I like, I do have a dunder pit handy just in case but haven't felt the need to use it for the longest time.
Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety. Benjamin Franklin
NzDamo
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Re: Croweater rum wash

Post by NzDamo »

thecroweater wrote:I've moved away for using dunder a bit as I've been starting on previous lees and found that contributes the flavours I like, I do have a dunder pit handy just in case but haven't felt the need to use it for the longest time.
What’s the theory behind starting on the previous lees? Is it the cannibalisation of the dead yeast cells that release more acids that can react with higher alcohols?
“I only drink at two times in my life, when I’m thirsty and when I’m not” Brendan Behan
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thecroweater
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Re: Croweater rum wash

Post by thecroweater »

Well dead cells provide nuets but more so the live yeast is more conditioned to your specific wash and the lees with a bit of remaining wash carry over flavour from one wash to the next. In theory a more consistent product without the hassles of low pH and remaining alcohols that excessive amounts of added dunder can bring to the party. No real issue with dunder but you can get problems some times, it kinda depends on the style. High reuse of dunder gives you a product not unlike Caruba, rum wash on lees similar but less "earthy" and use neither and it's different again. I like a pretty strong rum flavour but not a huge fan of the hint of dunder aftertaste ,
Taste is so subjective that for the most part it's a tad arrogant to say there is a real right and wrong way but This recipe/method works for me and many others. :thumbup:
Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety. Benjamin Franklin
NzDamo
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Re: Croweater rum wash

Post by NzDamo »

Thanks croweater. I’m getting the feeling you can read, research and experiment for years and still only scratch the surface with this hobby :) I tend to like stronger tasting spirits I.e. most of my scotch collection is from islay so I will play around with my next batch of rum. I might start 2 fermentation’s on the lees of the batch that is fermenting at the moment and add dunder to one of them and see which flavour profile I prefer.
“I only drink at two times in my life, when I’m thirsty and when I’m not” Brendan Behan
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thecroweater
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Re: Croweater rum wash

Post by thecroweater »

Spot on, you can read a whole life time and get a life time of other people's opinions but finding exactly what you personally prefer means finding something close to what you want and play around with it
Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety. Benjamin Franklin
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Re: Croweater rum wash

Post by Shine0n »

Crow, your rum and mine are damn near identical other that the type of sugar used, the turbinado sugar here is outrageous in price so that's why I used the dark brown. Hmmm
I also use the lees for future generations to cut costs although yeast is very cheap, 2lb under 5 bucks.
thecroweater wrote:Spot on, you can read a whole life time and get a life time of other people's opinions but finding exactly what you personally prefer means finding something close to what you want and play around with it
True so true, that's why I went out and found what I was looking for, I found with my recipe I could either do a single run for a bold rum or strip/spirit for a more refined rum. I like both and that's why I often tell folks to find a good recipe, learn it, then start to play with it or completely alter it to make their own.

Good luck with rummin!!!
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thecroweater
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Re: Croweater rum wash

Post by thecroweater »

I can't see using brown sugar as a big advantage over using more mollases and less sugar. What brown sugar is is refined sugar with some molasses added charged at a premium so why not throw an extra mug of blackstrap in add less sugar and order half a case of Kentucky ale-8 one mixer with the coin ya saved :thumbup:
Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety. Benjamin Franklin
Shine0n
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Re: Croweater rum wash

Post by Shine0n »

One of the reasons for dB sugar is costs, turbinado is crazy high here while dB is 25 bucks for 50 lb and I can't say it's a bad rum at all. It also let's me use less moll and get away with a single run with thumper. If I use all moll, there's no way one run will suffice as it will with the added sugar and the feed moll is crap for sugars. It says 43% but having no way of knowing for sure of what's fermentable or not. I add sugar and get a very fine rum, I WILL try yours no doubt and then I may do the switch, who knows but I do other stuff to Shine0n rum too.
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thecroweater
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Re: Croweater rum wash

Post by thecroweater »

No worries that explanation seems sound, wasn't trying to tell ya how to suck eggs, just was a suggestion to save a bit of coin which with your distillation method it probably wouldn't :thumbup:
Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety. Benjamin Franklin
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