I finally made my first runs a few weeks ago. I was using a modified 4-qt.water distiller that a friend let me have cheap, so I decided to try it out until I got my pot still completed. I lined the dome on the inside of the still with copper foil to keep the vapors from contacting the nylon in the dome, and soldered a copper washer (homemade) to the stainless outlet tube, over the foil, to prevent leaks. I also wrapped the join between the head of the still and the body ("keg") with a strip of 4" wide latex,on the outside, to prevent vapor leaks there. My first run was with a molasses wash, 5 gallons at about 10%. ( 3 qts of molasses in 5 gal. water, with 1/2 t nitrate added, plus 1 multivitamin, crushed. 3T bakers yeast to ferment. Ferment went well; finished in 5 days) I did a stripping run on the 5 Gallons of wash, collecting 1 and 2/3 gallons. I added water to bring the volume to 2 gal., then re-distilled it, throwing out 3 oz.foreshots, and collecting the subsequent product in 6 jars, about 16 oz. each. The last jar was really feinty, so I saved it back to run in my next doubling run. The 5th jar had tails in it too, from the burn in the taste, so I set it aside. Heads in the first jar. Jars 2, 3, and 4 seemed to be okay, if pretty high proof; in fact I was pleasently surprised at how good it tasted fresh from the still! I tell you, there is no feeling quite like taking regular stuff like molasses or sugar and corn, and turning it into spirits!!
Back to the run: I combined the 1st, 5th, and 6th jars, added water to bring it to 2 qts, and redistilled this, throwing out another 2 oz. foreshots. i ended up saving about 16 oz of hearts from this. I just had to try some in the white, so I took a 16oz portion of it and added water to make 24 oz. I didn't have an alcohlometer yet, so I had to taste and guess... It needed some mellowing, but was not bad at all! I aired out the rest for a few days, then cut with water 2 1/2qts total volume, then I added 2T molasses for color and taste. Maybe it's just because it is my first time, but that was some durn good rum.
I have almost all the parts for a 5-gallon pot still, and am looking forward to building it and using it. I'll try to post photos when I get it done. Thanks everyone for all the information and advice!
P.S. : I also did a 4 generation UJSSM, and was also very gratified with the results
Next time I do a run, I am going to age some on charred oak sticks.
