Rum flavor - I need some help

[Fretman124]

I’m looking for different opinions on the basic rum recipe found on this forum. I made a 12 gallon wash that consisted of the following

2 gals feed (blackstrap) molasses
20 lbs white cane sugar
Juice of two small lemon
water
EC-1118 yeast

I will admit I didn’t let it ferment all the way. It had fermented down to 9% and had maybe a couple points to go. It had been bubbling away for two weeks and I’m an impatient bastad and ran it anyway

Anyway, the flavor of the molasses was overpowering. In one “tasting” session, I had about 6 drinks that consisted of one shot each of the rum mixed with a bit of water and lots of coke. The next day I could taste molasses all day even after brushing my teeth twice and eating two meals.

In an effort to cut the molasses taste, I ran it again. For the second run I mixed the two gallons of 60% ABV rum with 6 gallons water and distilled it. Tempered a quart of the stuff down to 40% and tried it. Its still has way to strong of a molasses taste. Maybe I’m just a wimp?

I’ve gone thru the search function a few times and can’t find anything clear.

Since I am looking for a much lighter flavor, should I just use brown sugar? A ratio of white and brown? Use a lot less molasses?

I’m thinking for a 6 gallon wash I might try this

1 pint molasses
6 lbs dark brown sugar
6 lbs white cane sugar
juice of one lemon
Tablespoon of nutrient
Water
EC-1118 yeast

Any thoughts on this? Maybe something different?

Thanks

[Tater]

brown sugar would be 1 way to make lighter taste,Could rerun and catch less tails on what ya got.Thats great thing about this hobby.With blackstrap I get here I figure 1 gallon =5lbs sugar so you could allways shift sugar and molasses and still get same output.Might try 1 glallon to 25 lbs sugar .can allway break it down to 5 gallon recipes till ya find 1 that works for you.

[Big J]

You could:
*what tater said*
1. use less molasses and more sugar
2. adjust your cut points to make a smaller middle cut
*/what tater said*
3. triple distill
4. run it in a reflux still instead of a pot still, but adjust the amount of reflux so it isn't straight vodka - like how Ian Smiley advises making whiskey in his Making Pure Corn Whiskey book
5. Mix it with some molasses vodka - so its a more neutral blended rum

Also, have you tried letting it rest for a month (or more) after distilling? The flavor changes considerably in that amount of time.

Its funny, I make my rum from pure blackstrap, no sugar added, and with dunder, which is super-pungent. And I'm always trying to get more flavor! I guess it just depends on what kind of rum you prefer. Good luck.

Cheers,
J

[stoker]

try to run with less heat input,
due to problems with the gas, my plum brandy came out almost neutral

[possum]

Frettman, are you using a pot, or column still?

For myself, I like full flavored rum.

Try to use 1/2 gal of molassis and the same amount of sugar...there should be enough nutrients in that. To avoid big flavor, then don't use backset..that can increase flavor, but I doubt that you are doin' that.
Finally, the fermentation going to completion will alter the flavor of the spirit, depending on your yeast.
I would make up a new batch, with 1/4 the original molassis, and let it go for 3weeks to a month...just let it sit, and the fine particles will settle out. Those molassis particles may be the carrier for the flavor that is too big for your liking. If you then rack the wash off of the yeast bed and molassis particles, they won't get in your boiler, and consequently, thier flavor won't get in the spirit.

Best I could come up with.


If you are using a column still, then there are things you can do to get a milder flavor profile...but I suspect from your post that you are using a potstill.

[mtnwalker2]

Possum,

You have plain old common sense. But for some like me, I'm too common, and not enough sense. But when you explain it clear like that, I can grasp it and use it, not just for rum, but all my spirits and brandies.

Thanks

[Fretman124]

Thanks for the replies.

Possum...think I'll take your advice. Yes, I'm using a potstill.