My first rum

[corene1]

Well not really, but it is my first ferment that I have done since my cousin and distilling buddy was killed back in November. So I thought it would be appropriate to make the Rum wash we worked on for a year and share it. Sure is hard going back to doing things all by yourself, brings back a lot of emotions that is for sure. Sure do miss all those times just sitting and running the still with him and solving all the worlds problems one jar at a time. Any ways it isn't a true rum but a wheated rum. It is very good white as well as aged on oak.
Basically I take 10 gallons of water and mash in 10 pounds of malted red wheat. When that is ready I pour it into the fermenter and mix in 25 pounds of dark brown sugar and 1-1/2 gallons of fancy molasses and stir well. Once it is all combined well I add 15 gallons more water to bring it down to fermenting temp. I add my nutrient package and activate 1/2 cup bakers yeast and pitch it at 84 degrees. This gives me 26-1/2 gallons at 18 brix or 1.074. If it finishes correctly I will have a 9.7% ABV for charging the boiler with. I will strip this down and quit collecting at about 10% ABV and store it. I will make another batch but use some of the backset in the next ferment. From there I will strip 2/3 of that wash and save 1/3 for the spirit run. I will add all my low wines and the leftover finished wash and do a slow spirit run with only a single plate and about 6 inches of copper packing under it on my column still. Hearts will come off right at 75% and it is ready for whatever I want to do with it.

[OtisT]

That sounds like a great plan.

I often refer to my time building and running a still as “therapy”. It’s my happy place too. You can always post here and we’ll help solve the worlds problems with ya.

Otis

[Saltbush Bill]

I'm sure that every time you drink that Rum it will bring back good memories

[LWTCS]

Gosh thanks for sharing your thoughts.

[still_stirrin]

hmmmmm....wheat in a rum. Interesting.

I like the “texture” that wheat brings to a ferment. It adds a cream-like smoothness. And the combination with the dark brown sugar and fancy molasses sound complex and inviting, yet not entangled with too much of the heavy molasses-type oils. It sounds like a nice, clean amber rum (rhum???)

Cheers Corene, to you and your lost friend.
ss

[corene1]

Thanks guys , Sometimes I just need to let it out. The trial for his murder starts this Monday. Sad thing is that it was his son that killed him.

[Saltbush Bill]

[Bushman]

I’m speechless, hope all goes well with the trial and wounds have a chance to heal. Memories will last for ever. My dad died in 1982 but I always have time that jar my memory.

[Oldvine Zin]

Wow so sorry for you - things like that really suck, glad to hear that you have found an outlet for your sadness- Good luck with that rum, I'm sure that it will be a special drink when it's finished.

Be well
OVZ

[deer_farmer]

you put water and red wheat together is that all?do you heat it or let it soak?how do you know when its ready?do you use whole or crushed red wheat?something different is always interesting to me....

[corene1]

you put water and red wheat together is that all?do you heat it or let it soak?how do you know when its ready?do you use whole or crushed red wheat?something different is always interesting to me....

I use malted red wheat . It is ground to expose the starch and cooked at exactly 148 degrees then let to rest with constant agitation for 90 minuets trying to not let it get below 145 degrees. This releases the enzymes and converts the starch to sugar or more correctly maltose as well as adding flavor to the wash. 10 pounds of red wheat in 10 gallons of water done this way gave me a Specific gravity reading of 1.030 for that 10 gallons.

[DSmith78]

If there is any positive force in this universe then it has to be directed at you and all involved over the coming weeks. My deepest condolences. This fantastic sounding rum HAS to be award winning quality.

[Swedish Pride]

So sorry to hear about your loss, Hope all goes well on in court today

[hellbilly007]

I truly feel for you, for the things you've dealt with already and the things to come. Keep your head held high and do what it takes to get you through. You'll be in my thoughts

BTW, your recipe sounds wonderful. I look forward to reading your results

[fizzix]

Condolences, Corene.
You make that rum.

[Truckinbutch]

No words , Gal , except me and SOH are here or on FB for you . Prayers .

[corene1]

Thanks again. I was at the courthouse yesterday and it was just a mess. I can't believe how the defense lawyers try to twist everything around and make my cousin look like some kind of alcoholic drug using family abuser. Hardest part is the division between the family. The 2 daughters were the first on the scene and tried CPR until the medical staff got there. The mother is taking the sons side and saying my cousin was constantly abusing the son. The daughters know she is lying. The boy had been in and out of rehab 3 separate times for meth and heroin and had just gotten out again a couple of months ago. The mother said he never used illegal drugs in the report to the detective. The boy says he was protecting his family from a monster. This was just the preliminaries as well. The real deal starts 3/8/19. I am not real up on court procedures I thought this was the start but apparently not. Only the evidence was presented by the prosecutor and defense lawyer. Pictures of the scene were hard to look at for sure, but the prosecutor made sure to give the son a real close look at them. Had to try and diffuse a very heated argument between the mother and daughter afterwards. What a sad state of affairs . Yea my cousin has had 2 knee replacements , one hip replacement, a major shoulder repair. 2 disintegrated discs in the lower back and had broken his arm 2 days prior to his murder. So occasionally at 66 years old he took a Norco to help him get moving in the morning. Nobody ever mentions all the 18 to 20 hour days he worked for so many years building a successful business to pass on to his children, nor all the nice creature comforts he provided them while he worked so hard. I am so hoping I get to be called in for a character witness. The mother introduced me to the defense lawyer yesterday. I think I was probably less cordial than she expected. That was just how I felt.

[DSmith78]

I don't even know how to respond... I can't imagine there are any words that could comfort you. My deepest condolences again and I hope this all turns out as well as it can.

[Twisted Brick]

It's gut-wrenching to read about how much your cousin endured yet still soldiered on to face each day. Treasured are the memories you keep from your 'stillin' adventures together, and may they light the path on your way to understanding this tragedy. Godspeed to you in your recovery, and RIP, K.

[Oldvine Zin]

Wow that's a tough one Corene, sending good thoughts and vibes your way.
Stay strong
OVZ

[The Baker]

Love from Australia.

Geoff

[StillerBoy]

Made a batch of your rum/wheat back in Nov, and have 2L ageing white, and 2.5L ageing on char and dark roasted oak..

My was done using malted white wheat instead of red, same amount as you stated above.. will see how it turns out, as I need to go and check it out after 4 months now..

And my best to you in the coming months.. be strong as life ask of us to experience things that required us to have strength on many occasions..
Mars

[Pirateforlife]

I've been looking for the answer to this question for a bit and cant seem to find it. Maybe I missed it but here it is.
When racking your wash over to fermenting bucket or still afterwards how are you filtering it without aerating it?
Or is filtering even necessary, depending on what is in the wash?
Preparing for my first run. Just gathering all the info I can beforehand.

[OtisT]

I've been looking for the answer to this question for a bit and cant seem to find it. Maybe I missed it but here it is.
When racking your wash over to fermenting bucket or still afterwards how are you filtering it without aerating it?
Or is filtering even necessary, depending on what is in the wash?
Preparing for my first run. Just gathering all the info I can beforehand.

Hi PirateFL. I’m not sure I 100% understand your question, but let me answer what I think you are asking about.

After the ferment is done (all your sugar is converted to alcohol) and you are ready to distill, there is no longer any concern with adding oxygen to the liquid. The need to prevent new oxygen is only a concern during an active ferment. Just let your ferment barrel sit undisturbed until you are ready to distill and you’ll be fine.

I don’t find any need to filter a rum ferment before distillation. If you leave the ferment undisturbed, there will be a thin layer of dead yeast trub on the bottom of the ferment barrel and all the rest is ready to distill. simply rack off (siphon) the clear liquid for distillation without disturbing that bottom layer. I get much less than an inch of trub on my rum ferments, so there is little lost.

I believe some distill everything, trub and all for their funky rums. I’m not sure I could tell the difference, but I’ve read where some can identify the taste of dead yeast in their spirits if the trub is distilled.

If you rack off the clear you could save the trub as a source of nutrients for your next ferment.

Otis

[Pirateforlife]

I've been looking for the answer to this question for a bit and cant seem to find it. Maybe I missed it but here it is.
When racking your wash over to fermenting bucket or still afterwards how are you filtering it without aerating it?
Or is filtering even necessary, depending on what is in the wash?
Preparing for my first run. Just gathering all the info I can beforehand.

Hi PirateFL. I’m not sure I 100% understand your question, but let me answer what I think you are asking about.

After the ferment is done (all your sugar is converted to alcohol) and you are ready to distill, there is no longer any concern with adding oxygen to the liquid. The need to prevent new oxygen is only a concern during an active ferment. Just let your ferment barrel sit undisturbed until you are ready to distill and you’ll be fine.

I don’t find any need to filter a rum ferment before distillation. If you leave the ferment undisturbed, there will be a thin layer of dead yeast trub on the bottom of the ferment barrel and all the rest is ready to distill. simply rack off (siphon) the clear liquid for distillation without disturbing that bottom layer. I get much less than an inch of trub on my rum ferments, so there is little lost.

I believe some distill everything, trub and all for their funky rums. I’m not sure I could tell the difference, but I’ve read where some can identify the taste of dead yeast in their spirits if the trub is distilled.

If you rack off the clear you could save the trub as a source of nutrients for your next ferment.

Otis

Exactly the answer I was looking for. Thanks much.
The reason I ask is because when I was brewing beer if
I accidentally aerated the wort after fermentation I would get off flavors in the beer after bottling.
But if that's the case then I can just continue using the auto siphon without fear of sub par flavoring due to aeration?
That would pretty much eliminate the need to filter.

[Saltbush Bill]

It helps to stop foaming/frothing and puking if you splash the wash around vigorously when charging the boiler, It degases the wash. Probably the opposite to what you were suggesting.

[Pirateforlife]

By charging the boiler what do you mean? Still not up on the lingo.

[fizzix]

Hey Pirate, "charging" just means filling the still's boiler.
Check out the "Glossary Of Terms" link I have below for more translations.

[Pirateforlife]

Hey Pirate, "charging" just means filling the still's boiler.
Check out the "Glossary Of Terms" link I have below for more translations.

Saved for future use. Thanks much.

[Pirateforlife]

It helps to stop foaming/frothing and puking if you splash the wash around vigorously when charging the boiler, It degases the wash. Probably the opposite to what you were suggesting.

So not only dont worry about aerating the wash while charging the still but it would even possibly help?

This is great information and thank you for the help.