Burnt flavored rum? What to do?

stillman · Post by **stillman** » Fri Jun 16, 2006 3:07 am

Hi guys,

Made about 35 gals of rum mash using feed grade molasses and sugar. This is my second attempt at making rum. The first time I just followed along with the recipes and it worked out great. The molasses came from a different supplier.

This time, the rum has a very strong burnt taste. Makes it undrinkable.

When smelling the fermented mash the burnt smell is very mild.

I filled the potstill and raised the temp quickly the first time, burnt flavor.

The second attempt with the same wash, I raised the temp very slowly and still the burnt flavor.

Is this something to do with the molasses?

Will the flavor get better with second distillation and sitting on oak?

Should I dump all of it and start over with some better molasses?

Thanks

Watershed · Post by **Watershed** » Fri Jun 16, 2006 3:23 am

I'd redistil and mask any remaining taint using soft brown sugar ( a perfectly traditional additive ) and light caramel.

With frequent sampling during the run, you might find you can isolate the taint in a particular fraction and stop it getting into your bulk product.

DixieBanjo · Post by **DixieBanjo** » Fri Jun 16, 2006 4:31 am

What kind of heat source are you using?If its an open flame,you may want to try putting a sheet of steel or copper between the still and the flames.Also,make sure your still is cleaned out.

stillman · Post by **stillman** » Fri Jun 16, 2006 6:19 am

This is my 3gal stove top pot still. It's cleaned after every use. I'll try the redistill-brown sugar approach. I do have a 1/8 thick sheet of copper. Maybe that will help but I was sure i didn't burn it the second time. The flavour and smell came out the same though.

Post by **theholymackerel** » Fri Jun 16, 2006 6:55 am

I used to occasionally have a burn taste in my rums. Since switchin' to restaurant-grade fancy molass the overall taste of my rum is better and never a burnt taste anymore.

I do suggest ya run yer distillate again.

I wish ya luck.

DixieBanjo · Post by **DixieBanjo** » Fri Jun 16, 2006 9:01 am

Try some food grade unsulphured mollasses.If your sure your not burning anything,then its the feed grade mollasses giving it the burnt flavor.And the flavor may improve a little bit,but it wont go away with aging.

junkyard dawg · Post by **junkyard dawg** » Sat Jun 17, 2006 7:26 am

I used to use that feed grade stuff too... these guy are right about using a higher grade product. makes a huge difference...

I found that 2 more trips through the still and turning it into a vodka is not a bad thing to do with stuff like that. I usually combine a bunch of the cuts and bad recipes I have around and run them together when they build up. After a while you can build up a sort of continuos process for making neutral spirits.

Post by **Tater** » Sat Jun 17, 2006 7:33 am

There must be some sorry feed grade molasses out there. Its what I use allmost all the time.When I mix with boiling sugar water its flavors is as good as any food grade Ive bought at supermarket.

norcal · Post by **norcal** » Sun Jun 18, 2006 6:22 am

I had a similar problem with a batch of rum.
I sugest you do a double run and give it some time to age on charred wood. It took mine about 3 months in an oak cask to become drinkable. 3 months after that, it was quite possibly the best rum I have tasted, and seems to get better every month.

stillman · Post by **stillman** » Sun Jun 18, 2006 5:10 pm

Thanks for all the replies. It's a bummer taking the time to go get the ingredients, cook em, pitch the yeast, wait for fermentation and distill only to find out that the main ingredient was crap to start off with. AAAARRRGGGGG.

I'll follow with the suggestions and give feedback to the results.

Thanks, I was willing to dump it all and start over, so we'll see if it can be salvaged. Worse case scenario is to put it through the reflux for neutral.

Does anyone know if the burnt flavor will carry over after going through a reflux run?

stillman · Post by **stillman** » Mon Jun 19, 2006 5:55 am

Good Morning Gentleman,

More bad news on that molasses. I ran a batch last night. After it was finished I turned everything off and went to sleep. This morning when I woke up I started with the clean up. While scrubbing the bottom of the pot I noticed pitting in the stainless. I don't know what the hell is in that molasses but it pitted the stainless so bad that there's a hole in the bottom of my pot now.

So I would suggest not to use the feed grade molasses from ShurGain Feeds. Just a load of problems as well as possible health concerns with dissolved metals getting into the hooch.

I did suggest ShurGain feed grade molasses as a source in another post but will go back and try to retract that or edit it or something.

My apologies to any horses or animals being fed this crap.

Have a good day!