Molasses Rum

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)

Moderator: Site Moderator

User avatar
rubelstrudel
Rumrunner
Posts: 511
Joined: Mon Jan 29, 2018 3:48 am
Location: Vestfold

Molasses Rum

Post by rubelstrudel »

I believe I have started to get the hang of sugar washes. And grain wasn't so difficult either. Now was the time for ditching all precautions and do the dirty. It was time for rum. So I went to our local feed/seed store and bought a 35kg barrel of feed molasses. Molasses is nasty stuff, but it is very cheap. My barrel of horse candy cost me equivalent of 27USD. So straight home I went and started preparing 4x 25l fermenters. Splitting the molasses evenly among the fermenters gave me about 6.5l of molasses per bucket. On top of that I dumped in half a kg of malt syrup that I had laying around in each fermenter together with two big spoonfuls of calcium carbonate. A dash of lemon juice, some DAP, some epsom salt and a packet of fast working yeast topped it all up. (Its rum - we WANT esters) I stirred out the molasses and all the other stuff with about 7l of boiling water, then added cold water with a jet spray to 25l to aeriate and mix.
Fermenter with molasses wash
Fermenter with molasses wash
After 5 days the yeast had eaten all available sugars in my molasses, so I added 2kg of white sugar in each fermenter. Another 5 days and all the fermenters had stopped. pH was steady at pH4.8 the whole time. The smell was pretty funky. The side of my house where the ventilation opening was smelled so bad that anyone in the know would know what I was doing if they had come by. According to calculations the wash should be somewhere between 13-14% ABV now. And it smelled like it and tasted like it to.
Molasses wash is nasty stuff
Molasses wash is nasty stuff
My boiler is 70l, so I figured I would do as I do with sugar washes and run 50l of wash each stripping run. Without regard for how nasty molasses is, I started out at full blast only to have the still puking like a penguin. Normally I would run a stripping run at 3-4kW, but with molasses I had to run stripping at 300-400w. Each stripping run took more than 6 hours to complete. The whole house smelled horrible and the wife was starting to make noises. I promised that this was just temporary, and my end product was going to be rum - her favourite - so the storm passed with the smells.
Stripping first batch
Stripping first batch
When I had about 25l of low wines, plus 6l of low wines from my previous infected sugar wash I set out to run my spirit run. I added about 10% of fresh molasses wash, and some water to get the boiler contents down to 40%. I ran the still at about 1kw for the heads, 1.5kw for the hearts and 3kw for the tails. I took off about 1l of heads - doing my cuts by simply sticking my finger in the stream and sniffing. When the molasses smells were so strong they masked the smell of heads, I collected the main batch in a big glass wine ballon. Hearts was collected from 80C - 92C ( 85%-50%) - then blasted off the tails in a separate jar all the way to 98C/15%.

The heads jar had a strong aroma of freshly ground coffee. I wish I could have brought some of that into the main cut. But i played it safe ad dumped the first liter into my feints.
Product
Product
Thats more than 20l of 75% ABV rum in that balloon.
Proof
Proof
This stuff is strong. I really hope I can make something worthy for christmas gifts. Right now, straight off the still the white rum has got quite a bit of sting to it. This aint no neutral.

Here is Rubelstrudel - the rum wizard (he's having a beer while waiting for his rum).
Rubelstrudel, the rum wizard
Rubelstrudel, the rum wizard
Always impatient. But learning.
User avatar
rubelstrudel
Rumrunner
Posts: 511
Joined: Mon Jan 29, 2018 3:48 am
Location: Vestfold

Re: Molasses Rum

Post by rubelstrudel »

Now is the question - what do I do with 25l of high ester rum to make it drinkable?
Probably I will try do do a bit of everything.

I don't have any oak barrels, but I do have oak chips from the brew shop. I'll probably lett the most of my rum mellow a few weeks on toasted oak chips. I'll take off a few liters of white rum to experiment with, but this thing needs oak. I actually have enough to fill a 30l barrel at cask strength - but no barrel sadly. So oak chips will have to do. It would be really nice if I could get something drinkable before christmas.

And I have also been making tinctures while waiting for the ferment. Cinnamon, Nutmeg, Vanilla, Ginger, Clove, Mandarin, Raisins, Anis and Almond drops. I will have to make a few spiced variants.
tinctures
tinctures
I also pulled off some dunder directly from the boiler. This is now standing there to let any particles precipitate out. I'll have to experiment with using these for colouring and adding taste as well.
dunder
dunder
Always impatient. But learning.
User avatar
Fiddleford
Site Donor
Site Donor
Posts: 619
Joined: Sat Nov 05, 2016 6:24 am
Location: NW Lake Gitchegumee

Re: Molasses Rum

Post by Fiddleford »

Congrats :thumbup:
I love home made rum
Rye whisky rye whisky oh dont let me down
Gunna have me a drink then gambol around
Here's some fiddle music
Pt1
Pt2
OtisT
Master of Distillation
Posts: 3179
Joined: Sat Oct 24, 2015 11:59 am
Location: Pacific Northwest

Re: Molasses Rum

Post by OtisT »

Congratulations on your first rum. Sounds like you did your research first.

A tablespoon or two of butter in the boiler during your strip runs will keep most of the foaming down so you can strip faster. That or some deforming agent from the brew store.

Otis
Otis’ Pot and Thumper, Dimroth Condenser: Pot-n-Thumper/Dimroth
Learning to Toast: Toasting Wood
Polishing Spirits with Fruitwood: Fruitwood
Badmotivator’s Barrels: Badmo Barrels
User avatar
TDick
Distiller
Posts: 1365
Joined: Thu Jun 01, 2017 9:25 pm
Location: Sweet Home

Re: Molasses Rum

Post by TDick »

rubelstrudel wrote:Now is the question - what do I do with 25l of high ester rum to make it drinkable?
Congratulations! This is a great How-To thread.

I was watching this week's Stillit video that is made by fellow HD member @Jes2xu .
You definitely want to take a look for some ideas:
How To Make Three Spiced Rum Recipes
User avatar
rubelstrudel
Rumrunner
Posts: 511
Joined: Mon Jan 29, 2018 3:48 am
Location: Vestfold

Re: Molasses Rum

Post by rubelstrudel »

TDick wrote:
I was watching this week's Stillit video that is made by fellow HD member @Jes2xu .
I watched the same video and went straight to the shop and bought more spices.
Always impatient. But learning.
User avatar
rubelstrudel
Rumrunner
Posts: 511
Joined: Mon Jan 29, 2018 3:48 am
Location: Vestfold

Re: Molasses Rum

Post by rubelstrudel »

I had a good sniff in the tails today. I collected a bit over 5l of tails in another big jar and the collection ended up at just over 40%abv. There may be hints of wet cardboard in there but that is completely masked off by all the other scents and tastes that this portion is choke full of. Thick heavy rummyness, burnt wood, straw and caramel.

Seems like a waste to not put this to better use. But I am inexperienced with rums so I have no idea if this will turn out better or worse by time.
Always impatient. But learning.
User avatar
Expat
Site Donor
Site Donor
Posts: 2245
Joined: Fri Feb 24, 2012 3:58 pm

Re: Molasses Rum

Post by Expat »

In my last batch I went looking for deep tails flavor, and found something similar to what you're describing.

At the deep end (5-10%) I have a cut which definitely smells of molasses but has meaty quality to it, best I can describe it. Anyone else find that?
_____________________
EXPAT

Current boiler and pot head
Cross flow condenser
Modular 3" Boka - pics tbd
___________________
User avatar
Fiddleford
Site Donor
Site Donor
Posts: 619
Joined: Sat Nov 05, 2016 6:24 am
Location: NW Lake Gitchegumee

Re: Molasses Rum

Post by Fiddleford »

Expat wrote:In my last batch I went looking for deep tails flavor, and found something similar to what you're describing.

At the deep end (5-10%) I have a cut which definitely smells of molasses but has meaty quality to it, best I can describe it. Anyone else find that?
I got a leather like bacon flavor
Like when you smoke pipe tobacco and you do a snork
I aint kidding whats what its called
Molasses is DAMN magical so many flavors
Rye whisky rye whisky oh dont let me down
Gunna have me a drink then gambol around
Here's some fiddle music
Pt1
Pt2
User avatar
Expat
Site Donor
Site Donor
Posts: 2245
Joined: Fri Feb 24, 2012 3:58 pm

Re: Molasses Rum

Post by Expat »

Fiddleford wrote: I got a leather like bacon flavor
Like when you smoke pipe tobacco and you do a snork
I aint kidding whats what its called
Molasses is DAMN magical so many flavors
Lol snork. Had to look that one up. Sounds like a really interesting flavor. Did you include it in your blend?
_____________________
EXPAT

Current boiler and pot head
Cross flow condenser
Modular 3" Boka - pics tbd
___________________
User avatar
Fiddleford
Site Donor
Site Donor
Posts: 619
Joined: Sat Nov 05, 2016 6:24 am
Location: NW Lake Gitchegumee

Re: Molasses Rum

Post by Fiddleford »

I don't have enough small jars to make any cuts yet so I just collected everything all the way down to tails
Next time I do a rum I'll get into cuts and blending
I was able to notice the difference in the jars I did have
the tails jar smelt grungy but tasted like vanilla beans
Rye whisky rye whisky oh dont let me down
Gunna have me a drink then gambol around
Here's some fiddle music
Pt1
Pt2
User avatar
Expat
Site Donor
Site Donor
Posts: 2245
Joined: Fri Feb 24, 2012 3:58 pm

Re: Molasses Rum

Post by Expat »

Ok gotcha.
I grabbed a couple more flats of jars from CT before starting my last run so I've had a bit of leaway to separate things.
_____________________
EXPAT

Current boiler and pot head
Cross flow condenser
Modular 3" Boka - pics tbd
___________________
User avatar
Fiddleford
Site Donor
Site Donor
Posts: 619
Joined: Sat Nov 05, 2016 6:24 am
Location: NW Lake Gitchegumee

Re: Molasses Rum

Post by Fiddleford »

We just need to eat ALOT more spaghetti :wink:
Rye whisky rye whisky oh dont let me down
Gunna have me a drink then gambol around
Here's some fiddle music
Pt1
Pt2
User avatar
rubelstrudel
Rumrunner
Posts: 511
Joined: Mon Jan 29, 2018 3:48 am
Location: Vestfold

Re: Molasses Rum

Post by rubelstrudel »

Would you guys suggest oaking before or after infusions? Or do everything in one go? I'm working on finding a good blend now with my tinctures, but it is difficult to find a recipe that does anything for me.
Always impatient. But learning.
User avatar
Expat
Site Donor
Site Donor
Posts: 2245
Joined: Fri Feb 24, 2012 3:58 pm

Re: Molasses Rum

Post by Expat »

I would probably go with infusion, and then putting it on the oak. Easier to control the intensity of the spices, as they probably won't need the long steep like the wood.

@Fiddleford - LOL indeed. My SO told me she was tired of that and to "just go buy them!". Who am I to disagree :lol:
_____________________
EXPAT

Current boiler and pot head
Cross flow condenser
Modular 3" Boka - pics tbd
___________________
User avatar
TDick
Distiller
Posts: 1365
Joined: Thu Jun 01, 2017 9:25 pm
Location: Sweet Home

Re: Molasses Rum

Post by TDick »

rubelstrudel wrote:Would you guys suggest oaking before or after infusions? Or do everything in one go? I'm working on finding a good blend now with my tinctures, but it is difficult to find a recipe that does anything for me.
Understand I have NO experience with this, just supposin'.

Take a look at the thread Nuclear Rum and Spirits Rapid Aging

Based on Jesse's comments I would compare his coffee infused rum in 3 equal jars:
1. Raw (Non-Nuked) Rum with infusion materials.
2. Nuke plain rum, then add infusions.
3. Add infusions, then nuke.
Compare those to a jar of non-infused rum as it airs and clears for the same period.

See how they compare after the nuke, then revisit each week.
Also need to factor in using chips or dominoes.
:)
User avatar
rubelstrudel
Rumrunner
Posts: 511
Joined: Mon Jan 29, 2018 3:48 am
Location: Vestfold

Re: Molasses Rum

Post by rubelstrudel »

I need to invest in more jars.

Specifically I need micromax sized jars.... The maximum sized jars that will fit in my micro oven..... (ref panamax ship size)
Always impatient. But learning.
User avatar
Expat
Site Donor
Site Donor
Posts: 2245
Joined: Fri Feb 24, 2012 3:58 pm

Re: Molasses Rum

Post by Expat »

Same thing I said back when that thread started, and the facts haven't changed since. Heating up a highly flammable liquid in a confined space with any number of ignition sources.... Extremely bad idea.

We spend a lot of effort making our boilers safe, but blithely put spirits into a microwave. Makes no sense.
_____________________
EXPAT

Current boiler and pot head
Cross flow condenser
Modular 3" Boka - pics tbd
___________________
User avatar
Fiddleford
Site Donor
Site Donor
Posts: 619
Joined: Sat Nov 05, 2016 6:24 am
Location: NW Lake Gitchegumee

Re: Molasses Rum

Post by Fiddleford »

Instead of putting spirits in the microwave to age them quick, why not put the closed jars in hot water and let it cool slowly
Rye whisky rye whisky oh dont let me down
Gunna have me a drink then gambol around
Here's some fiddle music
Pt1
Pt2
User avatar
still_stirrin
Master of Distillation
Posts: 10337
Joined: Tue Mar 18, 2014 7:01 am
Location: where the buffalo roam, and the deer & antelope play

Re: Molasses Rum

Post by still_stirrin »

Time....

Microwaves heat from the molecular level, vibrating the water molecules.

Glass jars in a water bath will be much slower. Glass is a good heat insulator, not conductor.

Better yet....put the cask in the attic. It’ll get hot in the summer and cold in the winter. Tick....tock....tick...
ss
My LM/VM & Potstill: My build thread
My Cadco hotplate modification thread: Hotplate Build
My stock pot gin still: stock pot potstill
My 5-grain Bourbon recipe: Special K
User avatar
TDick
Distiller
Posts: 1365
Joined: Thu Jun 01, 2017 9:25 pm
Location: Sweet Home

Re: Molasses Rum

Post by TDick »

The thread Nuclear Rum and Spirits Rapid Aging is over five years old and stands on it's own merits.
Any discussion of it would seem to be getting off topic.
User avatar
rubelstrudel
Rumrunner
Posts: 511
Joined: Mon Jan 29, 2018 3:48 am
Location: Vestfold

Re: Molasses Rum

Post by rubelstrudel »

She who must not be crossed has had to suffer several tastings today but nothing was to her liking.... Until I did the unmentionable thing and added a few drops of baker's rum essence to the bottle. Now suddenly she liked it. Permission to continue was granted.
Always impatient. But learning.
User avatar
Yummyrum
Global moderator
Posts: 7653
Joined: Sat Jul 06, 2013 2:23 am
Location: Fraser Coast QLD Aussie

Re: Molasses Rum

Post by Yummyrum »

rubelstrudel wrote:She who must not be crossed has had to suffer several tastings today but nothing was to her liking.... Until I did the unmentionable thing and added a few drops of baker's rum essence to the bottle. Now suddenly she liked it
.
Now isn’t that interesting .
Been putting two and two together recently with all this “high ester count “ stuff thats ben happenng around the forum and hearing about how Hampden estate makes all these esters for the food industry and how they are used by other Rum companies ..... was just thinking why don’t we just buy the food Rum essence ( ester ) and add it to our Rum iff’n that is the flavour we want . Sure as hell got to be cheaper and less stuffng around and closer to the real thing than trying to make it :esurprised:
But still gotta have a Rum base
The Baker
Master of Distillation
Posts: 4659
Joined: Sun Aug 27, 2006 4:48 am
Location: Northern Victoria, Australia

Re: Molasses Rum

Post by The Baker »

Expat wrote:
Fiddleford wrote: I got a leather like bacon flavor
Like when you smoke pipe tobacco and you do a snork
I aint kidding whats what its called
Molasses is DAMN magical so many flavors
Lol snork. Had to look that one up. Sounds like a really interesting flavor. Did you include it in your blend?
Would that be the same as happens when I fall asleep in the easy chair?

Geoff
The Baker
User avatar
rubelstrudel
Rumrunner
Posts: 511
Joined: Mon Jan 29, 2018 3:48 am
Location: Vestfold

Re: Molasses Rum

Post by rubelstrudel »

Sat down with the kids to make polymer clay figurines on sunday after spending the weekend stinking up the house with fermented molasses.
Rumming around
Rumming around

I am thinking of just adding pineapple, orange and rum essence for the wife's bottles. She seems to enjoy that.
Then perhaps some oak nuking to get things done in a hurry.
Always impatient. But learning.
User avatar
Fiddleford
Site Donor
Site Donor
Posts: 619
Joined: Sat Nov 05, 2016 6:24 am
Location: NW Lake Gitchegumee

Re: Molasses Rum

Post by Fiddleford »

like the figurines :thumbup:
Rye whisky rye whisky oh dont let me down
Gunna have me a drink then gambol around
Here's some fiddle music
Pt1
Pt2
User avatar
rubelstrudel
Rumrunner
Posts: 511
Joined: Mon Jan 29, 2018 3:48 am
Location: Vestfold

Re: Molasses Rum

Post by rubelstrudel »

I believe I have made a monumental mistake with my "rum". I have made a 25l batch of vanilla bomb instead of rum.

I wanted to spice the rum before oaking, so I added my tinctures in a way that smelled OK at the time, when I was down with a cold. Now the cold is subsiding and I realise I have monumentally over-vanillaed. The oak chips have already started taking away some of the bit, and the vanilla is just so overerpowering.

I'll try to mask it a bit with more cinnamon and cloves, perhaps. And then let it be a couple of weeks or months. But right now I have a feeling this batch goes back in the boiler for a reflux run.
Always impatient. But learning.
User avatar
Expat
Site Donor
Site Donor
Posts: 2245
Joined: Fri Feb 24, 2012 3:58 pm

Re: Molasses Rum

Post by Expat »

rubelstrudel wrote:I believe I have made a monumental mistake with my "rum". I have made a 25l batch of vanilla bomb instead of rum.

I wanted to spice the rum before oaking, so I added my tinctures in a way that smelled OK at the time, when I was down with a cold. Now the cold is subsiding and I realise I have monumentally over-vanillaed. The oak chips have already started taking away some of the bit, and the vanilla is just so overerpowering.

I'll try to mask it a bit with more cinnamon and cloves, perhaps. And then let it be a couple of weeks or months. But right now I have a feeling this batch goes back in the boiler for a reflux run.
If I might suggest. Hold off on refluxing the rum just yet. One option would be to dilute it with a fresh batch of white rum to lessen the flavor intensity. Also given the chance to age a bit will likely soften it up.
_____________________
EXPAT

Current boiler and pot head
Cross flow condenser
Modular 3" Boka - pics tbd
___________________
User avatar
Yummyrum
Global moderator
Posts: 7653
Joined: Sat Jul 06, 2013 2:23 am
Location: Fraser Coast QLD Aussie

Re: Molasses Rum

Post by Yummyrum »

I guess we all have different senses but I have never done cuts or adjustments based on smell ( I realise you had a cold which would have dulled yours ) but rather by taste as this is my more sensitive detector and what will be experiensng the final drink more so than my nose .

I’d also suggest not being heavy handed on the Oak chips as they have a large surface area and exposed grain they can too quickly turn your Rum to Dark over oaked woody flavoured Rum . A bit for severel months will serve better than a pile for a fortnight .
OtisT
Master of Distillation
Posts: 3179
Joined: Sat Oct 24, 2015 11:59 am
Location: Pacific Northwest

Re: Molasses Rum

Post by OtisT »

rubelstrudel wrote:I'll try to mask it a bit with more cinnamon and cloves, perhaps. And then let it be a couple of weeks or months. But right now I have a feeling this batch goes back in the boiler for a reflux run.
Be careful rubelstrudel. Cinnamon is also famously known to be overpowering. As previously suggested; smaller amounts over a longer time works for most things. With cinnamon, a small amount for a short period of time is a good place to start.

Also, +1 on recommending you do cuts by taste. It's good to smell as part of the cut process to help hone in on the cuts, but I have had much better success making drinkable product since making cuts by taste. Many a good smelling jar has missed the cut.

Otis
Otis’ Pot and Thumper, Dimroth Condenser: Pot-n-Thumper/Dimroth
Learning to Toast: Toasting Wood
Polishing Spirits with Fruitwood: Fruitwood
Badmotivator’s Barrels: Badmo Barrels
Post Reply