A few rum questions..

[Glock19Fan]

Hello.

I have some rum spirit already distilled, and I am looking to age it. I have roughly 4-5 gallons of it.

Now, the rum seems to have a bit more flavor than I like. I like a lighter rum, just a little bit more flavorfull than Bacardi. I have heard that aging it in charred oak barrels will get rid of some of this flavor, or at least mellow it out. Is this true?

Also, I intend on buying a charred barrel from Brewhaus, but I have heard that used barrels are commonly used for aging rum. Will using a new charred barrel put too much charcoal flavor in the rum? Like I said, I am after a lighter rum, not only in flavor from the mash(?) itself but also in the aging process.

Also, I heard that for some reason, the proportion of surface area to spirit in the smaller barrels is higher than the larger barrels, and can impact the taste in a negative way (too much charcoal flavor). Is there any truth to this, or should I just not worry about this?

I intend on aging this for about a year and a half. My job requires my to leave the country a year at a time or so, and I was hoping that when I get back home I would have some good stuff ready to dillute and celebrate with, along with some extra for the years.

Also, any tips would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks!

[Glock19Fan]

I just looked at their website and noticed they were out of charred barrels, but I was wondering if the same effect would be noticed if I used their toasted barrels, with the addition of charred oak chips?

Thanks again!

[Dnderhead]

Ageing in a barrel will make heavy /dark rum. light rums are aged in glass or stainless. I thank I whould try filtering threw charcoal,to remove some flavor (you say you have to much)then age in glass or stainless.

[bronzdragon]

Aging in a charred barrel will produce a medium to dark rum and will come out with more wood flavor. If you're after a light (very little color), just go ahead and age in glass or stainless. If you still want to go with a barrel, choose a light toasted barrel instead of charred.

I make a lite rum once in awhile for my sister-in-law and I run it very clean, not very much tails at all. This cleans up the flavor a lot too. My dark rums go pretty far into the tails for flavor.

Hope this helps,

Cheers
~bd~

[blanikdog]

... I make a lite rum once in awhile for my sister-in-law and I run it very clean, not very much tails at all. This cleans up the flavor a lot too. My dark rums go pretty far into the tails for flavor. ...

Yairss bd, I do exactly the same. The answer is in the tails.

blanik

[zymos]

Also, I heard that for some reason, the proportion of surface area to spirit in the smaller barrels is higher than the larger barrels, and can impact the taste in a negative way (too much charcoal flavor). Is there any truth to this, or should I just not worry about this?

Yes- it is a fact that the surface to volume ratio is higher in a small container than a larger one.

[Dnderhead]

I prefer toasted barrels if I want chard I can add or filter. and they figure about 30 days per gallon in a barrel. so if you have 1 gal/4l
barrel 30 days,,,2gal/8l -60 days etc.

[Glock19Fan]

Well I like a little bit of charred flavor, but just not so much to where it overcomes the other flavors. Just a hint of it.

Also, as for the spirit itself, I dont want it to be too "thick" or heavy, if you know what I mean. I want it sort of mellowed out, just a little bit more flavor than Bacardi.

Would filtering through activated charcoal help remove some of these flavors? These flavors were present during the whole run, and while they arent necessarily bad, they are just too strong for my taste. I also heard that you could air it out? Would that remove any of the flavor I am talking about? Also, would I have to worry about the alcy evaporating? I

Also, how many people here double distill their rum?

[olddog]

Filtering through charcoal is usually done to strip the aftertast left by using Turbo Yeast, charcoal filtering can strip all other flavours reverting to a neutral spirit.

[tracker0945]

Well I like a little bit of charred flavor, but just not so much to where it overcomes the other flavors. Just a hint of it.

Also, as for the spirit itself, I dont want it to be too "thick" or heavy, if you know what I mean. I want it sort of mellowed out, just a little bit more flavor than Bacardi.

Would filtering through activated charcoal help remove some of these flavors? These flavors were present during the whole run, and while they arent necessarily bad, they are just too strong for my taste. I also heard that you could air it out? Would that remove any of the flavor I am talking about? Also, would I have to worry about the alcy evaporating? I

Also, how many people here double distill their rum?

Double distilling would reduce the flavours, as would just adding some neutral (if you had some handy) to water down the flavours. Either way.


Cheers.

[blanikdog]

I never double distill rum. I just run it slowly the first time.

blanik

[Husker]

I concur. I double distill almost everything, with the EXCEPTION of rum. Single slow distillation of rum seems to produce a MUCH better rum.

H.

[tracker0945]

Blanik & Husker,
I agree with your comments on how to do a Rum run but the question I answered was how to reduce the flavour when it turns out to be too strong for what you wanted.


Cheers.

[Dnderhead]

I whould try filtering threw "hard wood charcoal" not activated carbon, it should remove some but not all the flavors.
also there is no replacement for aging.we have tried different things but not really successful

[blanikdog]

Blanik & Husker,
I agree with your comments on how to do a Rum run but the question I answered was how to reduce the flavour when it turns out to be too strong for what you wanted.Cheers.

Jeez tracker, you don't expect me to answer the question do you?

blanik

[HookLine]

Ah go on, give your best shot Blanik.

I double distil my rum. Tried a single run a couple of times, and I prefer the lighter taste from a double run. Though maybe I did not do the single run slow enough. I do add 4-5 litres of wash to the second run to help flavour.

[tracker0945]

Blanik & Husker,
I agree with your comments on how to do a Rum run but the question I answered was how to reduce the flavour when it turns out to be too strong for what you wanted.Cheers.

Jeez tracker, you don't expect me to answer the question do you?

blanik

Bloody hell mate, you just made me spray my screen with some good quality UJSM (with barley instead of corn).
Now where is my cleaning rag


Cheers.

[bronzdragon]

I've done it both ways (single and stripping runs). I like it both ways, hehe.

As far as cleaning up the flavor if it's too strong for you, first off I wouldn't run a flavored spirit like rum through any filtering agent. I would either make one more batch of very clean cut rum, no tails, double distilled ... and then add it to the bigger batch, thereby "watering" down the flavor. Or, if you have it handy, add some neutral to it, to accomplish the same thing.

Also if it's at a high alc rate, bringing it down a bit with more water would thin out the taste a little. I wouldn't go below 80 proof though.

~bd~

[Husker]

I have always like extra strong flavored rum. Rum is a mixer drink, I know few people (none actually) that prefer to drink it neat, like you might do with a whiskey, bourbon, schnapps.

That being the case, a strong flavor provides more full flavor mixed in with whatever (simply coke is one of the all mixer's for rum, but many creamy drinks are also wonderful). The rum I prefer is pretty strong full bodied, but the end mix is so much better IMHO. This is why I have stayed with a single distill on my rum, along with finding the 2 or 3 pints of pure delight, that are mixed in to the middle of the tails. Rum is one thing where you want to take a LOT of small cut jars when you get to the tails. It is about the only way I have found to properly find that wonderful section of tails (which is usually, but not always there). That being the case, you still want to be very careful around the tails section, because other than that sweet spot or 2 in the tails, the rest of the rum tails are pretty vile, more so in my opinion, than tails from many other drinks. Ya get some of those in your spirit, and it can ruin it pretty quickly.

H.

[zymos]

Also, how many people here double distill their rum?

Recently saw a bottle of Rogue Distillery's Rum, and was kind of surprised that the label bragged "double distilled".
Has anyone ever tried it?

[Glock19Fan]

The flavor that I am getting comes out through the whole run. While I dont separate the different amounts in different jars, I do occasionally taste the spirit just to see how it is doing. Up until the very end there is no real "tails" present, which has a much sharper, distinct taste. It may be related to the type of molasass I am using, or perhaps the still I am using. I dont think the temperatures are too extreme, but I will try running slower next time at a lower temperate to see what I get. When I filled the pot full the first time distilling, the mash bubbled over into the spirit, and actually turned the spirit a yellowish color with a fair amount of particles in it.

I like the idea of double distilling with some wash to help keep some of the flavor, but I would probably need to try the plain double distilled spirit first. I dont not have any activated carbon, but I may purchase some and give it a try. Although I acknowledge what you all have said here, so I will only try it in small amounts to determinte if it strips too much flavor or not. Perhaps soaking just a teaspoon or so in a quart, and filtering through a coffee filter just to keep the stripping of the flavors at a minimum.

Also, the spirit is right around 75%, which is what I was intending on aging it at. I may try watering some down and tasting it, but I do not think it would be an accurate representation of the end result after aging in oak. I dont know if I want to trust the aging process and the wood to help pick out and convert some of the flavors, so I may just end up filtering or double distilling in the end.

But more advice/opinions/ ect are always welcome. I registered on this site over a year ago, and have been lurking for a while and I am quite impressed with the amount of info on here.

Thanks again!

[muckanic]

One compromise between single and double distilling is liquid management - seriously. The idea is to run it slow at both the start and the end, but flat-out (ie, valve wide open and power high) during the hearts. Obviously, the onset of tails needs to be predicted with a hydrometer.

[bronzdragon]

I also like a real full flavored rum and drink it on ice just like bourbon, I was just trying to answer his question.

Another thing that you can do, if you don't like such a strong flavor in your rum is to cut back on the molasses content and use table sugar.

Some people use an all molasses wash and some use a combination. I use a combination. Usually 9 lbs molasses and 4lbs sugar per 5gal batch, just for reference, since we're talking about rum. I also add a bit of lemon juice in the boil to invert the sugar.

Cheers,

~bd~

[HookLine]

Rum is a mixer drink, I know few people (none actually) that prefer to drink it neat, like you might do with a whiskey, bourbon, schnapps.

Don't drink it neat. But do mix it with water only, and maybe a little sweetener.

[RumBull]

I drink Rum with an ice cube or two in a brandy snifter. The last few swallows are always the best making want more. The second pour is always neat becuase my tongue is ready for it then.

but flat-out (ie, valve wide open and power high) during the hearts.

Logic tells me that will just force tails into the heart won't it?

[muckanic]

Logic tells me that will just force tails into the heart won't it?

More or less. The idea is to achieve about the same amount of reflux with a packed column as would be achieved by running the equivalent pot still slow. This retains flavour and saves time apart from anything else. In theory, it ought to be possible to run a high reflux ratio and still extract flavour by going deep enough into the tails. In practice, this doesn't seem to work so well, for reasons that I must admit I don't fully get. I assume most of the flavouring compounds boil lower than and form similar azeotropes to the amyl alcohol and whathaveyou in the tails, but maybe that is an incorrect assumption.