Wood Aged Rum question...

Treatment and handling of your distillate.

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butterpants
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Wood Aged Rum question...

Post by butterpants »

Wood Aged Rum.... thinking something full flavored, dark or amber. Not funky.

Which barrel for ~4-6mo.....

Gibbs Toasted or Charred?
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Saltbush Bill
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Re: Wood Aged Rum question...

Post by Saltbush Bill »

Medium toast American Oak, save the char for whiskys.
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Mike6090
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Re: Wood Aged Rum question...

Post by Mike6090 »

Saltbush Bill is spot on IMHO.
Charred oak is better for whiskey. Seems to work better with the corn while toasted oak can really add character and depth to all pot stilled liquor including corn.

But it’s all you man. Try a bit of both! What’s the worst that can happen? If you don’t like it just re-run it thru the still again.
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Re: Wood Aged Rum question...

Post by autotech »

American Oak is white oak, not red, black or pin oak. nice vanilla flavor with white.if you have enough to put in a barrel ok but i try small jars of different char depths of white oak. reds, black or pin oaks it will be much more tannic. must use hart wood, if you split it in small pieces (like kindling) , then just char as you wish.deeper the char the more flavor and dankness
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nerdybrewer
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Re: Wood Aged Rum question...

Post by nerdybrewer »

I've been using once used Bourbon barrels.
Makes real nice rum.
Reusing it makes a lighter rum so I've reused some of mine a few times. Still comes out brownish color with good oak flavor.
If you want it ready in 4 months you will need to find a small barrel, 1 to 2 gallons max.
5 gallon and up takes at least a year in my experience.
Cranky's spoonfeeding:
http://homedistiller.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=52975

Time and Oak will sort it out.
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bluefish_dist
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Re: Wood Aged Rum question...

Post by bluefish_dist »

From reading Ian's new rum book it sounds like most big distillers use used bourbon barrels. I have done a batch with new char barrels and it has a definite whiskey flavor. That flavor is good with some mixers and for sipping, but not great with fruit juices.
I have had a few rums that I know were aged in used bourbon barrels. Not the flavor I was looking for, but I am pretty convinced a lot of rums flavor comes from the distillers caramel added after distillation and that is what gives the great vanilla and caramel flavor, not the barrel.
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Re: Wood Aged Rum question...

Post by butterpants »

bluefish_dist wrote:From reading Ian's new rum book it sounds like most big distillers use used bourbon barrels. I have done a batch with new char barrels and it has a definite whiskey flavor. That flavor is good with some mixers and for sipping, but not great with fruit juices.
I have had a few rums that I know were aged in used bourbon barrels. Not the flavor I was looking for, but I am pretty convinced a lot of rums flavor comes from the distillers caramel added after distillation and that is what gives the great vanilla and caramel flavor, not the barrel.
Any thoughts on producing or acquiring distillers carmel?

Carmel is easy enough to make just not sure it's exactly what we want in there. The carmel I've seen as marketed to distillers seems like more like a coloring less like a flavoring
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Re: Wood Aged Rum question...

Post by butterpants »

nerdybrewer wrote:I've been using once used Bourbon barrels.
Makes real nice rum.
Reusing it makes a lighter rum so I've reused some of mine a few times. Still comes out brownish color with good oak flavor.
If you want it ready in 4 months you will need to find a small barrel, 1 to 2 gallons max.
5 gallon and up takes at least a year in my experience.
TY
butterpants
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Re: Wood Aged Rum question...

Post by butterpants »

Mike6090 wrote:Saltbush Bill is spot on IMHO.
Charred oak is better for whiskey. Seems to work better with the corn while toasted oak can really add character and depth to all pot stilled liquor including corn.

But it’s all you man. Try a bit of both! What’s the worst that can happen? If you don’t like it just re-run it thru the still again.
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Re: Wood Aged Rum question...

Post by The Baker »

You can get a caramel "syrup" from bakery suppliers. Dunno if it would be useful. It is black and bitter. so you would use very small amounts.

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Re: Wood Aged Rum question...

Post by bluefish_dist »

I have not found any good recipes for distillers caramel, but I would expect it has caramelized sugar, maybe some molasses, maybe backset, and some vanilla. I do know that adding caramelized sugar helps rum, but it takes a few weeks for the flavor to mellow and blend. I add some to my rum, but very little so I don't have to call it out on the label.
I make it by heating sugar on the stove until its caramelized then pour it into a silicone ice cube tray on a scale. That way I can fill each compartment with a known amount. Easier to measure it that way and it solidifies at room temp. Just throw a few blocks in each batch and let it sit for a week or two.
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butterpants
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Re: Wood Aged Rum question...

Post by butterpants »

bluefish_dist wrote:I have not found any good recipes for distillers caramel, but I would expect it has caramelized sugar, maybe some molasses, maybe backset, and some vanilla. I do know that adding caramelized sugar helps rum, but it takes a few weeks for the flavor to mellow and blend. I add some to my rum, but very little so I don't have to call it out on the label.
I make it by heating sugar on the stove until its caramelized then pour it into a silicone ice cube tray on a scale. That way I can fill each compartment with a known amount. Easier to measure it that way and it solidifies at room temp. Just throw a few blocks in each batch and let it sit for a week or two.

I like the silicone ice cube tray idea. I will remember that.
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Re: Wood Aged Rum question...

Post by OtisT »

Saltbush Bill wrote:Medium toast American Oak, save the char for whiskys.
Hi Bill. If you do your own toasting, what temperature of a toast do you consider Medium?

Thanks, Otis
Otis’ Pot and Thumper, Dimroth Condenser: Pot-n-Thumper/Dimroth
Learning to Toast: Toasting Wood
Polishing Spirits with Fruitwood: Fruitwood
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Saltbush Bill
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Re: Wood Aged Rum question...

Post by Saltbush Bill »

I haven't used home toasted sticks in ages , I find I get better flavor from using Still Dragons Med toast American oak Dominos, or from my American Oak Barrels.
When I did used to use home toasted I never went on temp, you may have noticed I'm not big on numbers and temps. I went by look and smell. Mostly I toasted my sticks till they were a light chocolate brown right through, a bit lighter wont hurt. I always wrapped them in silver foil poked a few holes in the foil with a knife, skewer or other sharp object then stuck them in the house hold oven on high.
You will smell them once they start toasting, every once in a while snap one in half and see how far the color has penetrated.
Not very scientific but it works for me.
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nerdybrewer
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Re: Wood Aged Rum question...

Post by nerdybrewer »

Saltbush Bill wrote:I haven't used home toasted sticks in ages , I find I get better flavor from using Still Dragons Med toast American oak Dominos, or from my American Oak Barrels.
When I did used to use home toasted I never went on temp, you may have noticed I'm not big on numbers and temps. I went by look and smell. Mostly I toasted my sticks till they were a light chocolate brown right through, a bit lighter wont hurt. I always wrapped them in silver foil poked a few holes in the foil with a knife, skewer or other sharp object then stuck them in the house hold oven on high.
You will smell them once they start toasting, every once in a while snap one in half and see how far the color has penetrated.
Not very scientific but it works for me.
In my book going by taste and smell IS scientific.
(If you take notes) ;)
Cranky's spoonfeeding:
http://homedistiller.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=52975

Time and Oak will sort it out.
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