Hook Rum

[LWTCS]

Cap it with some head room

[WoodenLeg]

Thanks! I have a 3 gallon aging jar that is about half full of 70% ABV. Is that too much head room? I have been reading different opinions on the effect of oxygen etc.

[LWTCS]

Thanks! I have a 3 gallon aging jar that is about half full of 70% ABV. Is that too much head room? I have been reading different opinions on the effect of oxygen etc.

Not for me

[frozenthunderbolt]

Thanks! I have a 3 gallon aging jar that is about half full of 70% ABV. Is that too much head room? I have been reading different opinions on the effect of oxygen etc.

Not for me

1+
IMHO rum likes some occasional breathing

[TexasReflux]

Well, I have completed my first generation on hook rum. Running off a 10 gallon pot still.

Took 132 l/35 g of wash, stripped it down to roughly 30 l/8 g. I added some of the original left over wash to this, then diluted down to about 30% abv and did two spirit runs. Meanwhile, kicked off the second 132 l/35 g batch with the recycled dunder and am currently waiting on this finishing before starting on the third batch.

I collect in 24 - 400 ml mason jars. From the first run I kept 12 jars (#7-18) and the second spirit run I kept 14 jars (#6-19). I have ended up with 10.4 l of final product that is right at 60% abv/120 proof. Now it aging on some used oak pieces and a few pieces of alligator char. Smells nice, starting to develop that sort of butterscotch smell and it's only been about a week.

Other than sharing my own personal experiences with this recipe, what is the reason to do the doubling? If you collect only the hearts from the first runs, I feel I would have somewhere between 3-4 gallons of a rum at about 50% abv without much diluting. As it stands, I will have about 14.56 l/3.84 gallons of 100 proof rum, but I have to add about 4 l of water to get there. Is there a sacrifice in flavor between a "double distilled - water diluted product" and a single run hearts cut that would not be diluted?

Any thoughts on this would be helpful. Thanks

[frozenthunderbolt]

Is there a sacrifice in flavor between a "double distilled - water diluted product" and a single run hearts cut that would not be diluted?

Yep 2.0 will give you a lighter rum - perhaps better to be left white like Bacardi, 1.0 or 1.5 will give you heavier flavour,
Personally, apart from all feints runs (which i typically dilute fairly far down with water) I would always do a 1.5 ; A strip run combined with a fresh ferment and run together - gives a more consistent run, a bit less foaming and carries over more heavy rum flavour which i really like.

[gobucks85]

Im trying to.make a rum.for the first time. I got brown sugar, crack corn , yeast. Will.this make me a simple rum??? im.putting it in.a five gal bucket. how much corn and brown sugar yeast should I use

[CR33G3R]

You might want to read the recipe again. There is no corn in it. Not trying to sound like a smart ass but you need to start from the beginning.

Brown sugar wash will make a light flavored rum however. Just search rum and you will find many great recipes
Good luck

[gobucks85]

You might want to read the recipe again. There is no corn in it. Not trying to sound like a smart ass but you need to start from the beginning.

Brown sugar wash will make a light flavored rum however. Just search rum and you will find many great recipes
Good luck

Ok ill do that

[elektrosport]

I just made my first rum in December, which was based on brown sugar and cane sugar, 60/40. The rum was not very "rummy", whether this was due to using brown sugar instead of molasses or not having any dunder for the first generation, I don't know?

I'm on second (and third) generation now, I've substituted muscuvado sugar for brown sugar and used dunder. I still need to do my 1.5 spirit run, but already during the strip the smell was a lot more like rum. Again, I'm not sure if this is due to the more expensive muscuvado sugar or the dunder I now have.

Your first generation may not be very flavourfull but can still turn out a nice drink. I put some of mine on roasted and charred apple wood and after 5 weeks it's really picking up. The apple wood has added a wonderfull sweetness.

Anyway, I've now got hold of some molasses and my dunder is getting older. I'm looking forward to my further experiments in rum.

For what it's worth..


Cheers,
El Sporto

[Stainless dude]

Hi guys
I have made a few runs of hook rum and all has been well, using feed molasses and red star bakers yeast. On my last run I decided to try and use dunder in one of my fermentors. I do two at time to get 13 or 14 gal. of wash.
So I put about two gallons of dunder in a clean fermentor after distilling, added about 10 lbs of surgar added about another 3 1/2 to 4 gallons of water and let it cool. Pitched my yeast when about 80 degrees.
So I got one fermentor with dunder and one without. The one without started bubbling like crazy like it always does, the one with the dunder started out ok but then slowed way down. After a couple of days I added more yeast, it worked for a bit but then slowed again. It never did ferment out, I conbined them and ran the wash but I must have messed something up??? Any idea what I did wrong?
Thanks for your help.

[frozenthunderbolt]

Hi guys
I have made a few runs of hook rum and all has been well, using feed molasses and red star bakers yeast. On my last run I decided to try and use dunder in one of my fermentors. I do two at time to get 13 or 14 gal. of wash.
So I put about two gallons of dunder in a clean fermentor after distilling, added about 10 lbs of surgar added about another 3 1/2 to 4 gallons of water and let it cool. Pitched my yeast when about 80 degrees.
So I got one fermentor with dunder and one without. The one without started bubbling like crazy like it always does, the one with the dunder started out ok but then slowed way down. After a couple of days I added more yeast, it worked for a bit but then slowed again. It never did ferment out, I conbined them and ran the wash but I must have messed something up??? Any idea what I did wrong?
Thanks for your help.

My guess is PH - dunder will have made it way more acid - try adding some calcium carbonate next time to neutrilize some of the acid before you pitch your yeast

[frozenthunderbolt]

Hi guys
I have made a few runs of hook rum and all has been well, using feed molasses and red star bakers yeast. On my last run I decided to try and use dunder in one of my fermentors. I do two at time to get 13 or 14 gal. of wash.
So I put about two gallons of dunder in a clean fermentor after distilling, added about 10 lbs of surgar added about another 3 1/2 to 4 gallons of water and let it cool. Pitched my yeast when about 80 degrees.
So I got one fermentor with dunder and one without. The one without started bubbling like crazy like it always does, the one with the dunder started out ok but then slowed way down. After a couple of days I added more yeast, it worked for a bit but then slowed again. It never did ferment out, I conbined them and ran the wash but I must have messed something up??? Any idea what I did wrong?
Thanks for your help.

My guess is PH - dunder will have made it way more acid - try adding some calcium carbonate next time to neutrilize some of the acid before you pitch your yeast

[Stainless dude]

Thanks for the reply, I will give that a try next time..

[TexasReflux]

Ok, got a little bit of a working bug in me and finished running the second generation of hook rum.

Did things a little different and am quite happy. Saved up 6.5 gallons of low wines, then diluted this down with with some of the left over wash, instead of water. Took it down to about 30% abv. So ran my 8.5 gallons as a spirit run and am very happy with the yield and quality. Cant wait to get home tonight and do some mixing and cutting. Looking forward to a few months from now when I can enjoy this after a little aging.

[Gatsby]

I made some shine many years ago, (about 50). I've made some new equipment and acquired 15 gallons of feed molasses. I drink every and anything alcoholic, but I lean toward rum. Back then I never got into repeated runs, but with all this ingredient I'm hoping to get a proper sour backwash sequence going.
My first question is about yeast. When a ferment is finished, and let to sit to clear a bit, is the yeast dead, or dormant, or what? If still alive, what are the parameters for using it. How fast must I add fermentables, how warm can they be, how would cold affect it. Can I freeze some?

It seems to me that I read that if you don't keep sour dough bread starter fed, it will die. Is this a "same case"?
Gatsby

[bcboyz86]

This is an awesome recipe! I kinda winged it and did a weird rum wash(48oz fancy molasses, 8lbs of evap. Cane sugar, and 4lbs of brown sugar) then threw in some DAP and 1/4 cup bakers yeast and 2pkgs ec1118. I MIGHT have overdone it on the sugar, but I like sweet drinks, and I wouldn't want the yeasties to starve before they die of alcohol poisoning... Which got me wondering if there's a specific ABV that's someone should shoot for in rum? Like say a 10% wash as opposed to a 16%+ wash that is possible with the right ingredients/nutrition?

[Sungy]

Hats off again to Mr Hook...I love this.....

I have been tinkering with this for running in my flute. I run with 2 plates and produce 180 proof spirits. The addition of 4 tablespoons of vegetable oil to your boiler charge will make a big difference to the foaming (puking ) issue. The oil helps to break down the surface tension of the bubbles. A long slow warm up period releases the trapped co2 in the boiler charge. Once you are almost up to temp raise you heat input to your normal running level and you will find there is no foam.

I have tried many combos of sugar and molasses. What I like the best is golden yellow sugar and black strap molasses. Just my taste I guess.
Once aired out and cuts made (2 days)I combine and dilute to 65% ABV in a gallon jug and add 3 sticks of white oak that's been toasted at 425 'f for 3hrs (longer time = smokier flavor). I then add 4 tablespoons clarified molasses into the gallon to up that wow factor. Let age 2 months minimum.Filter threw a couple of natural coffee filters and dilute to 40% and enjoy..

[Lucky Jack]

Hello HookLine,

I think I've read the recipe and the replies more than ten times in order to get all of right - but after I've been trying to replicate the ferment as good as possible, there are some questions left.
Since I live in Scandinavia, Europe, Blackstrap molasses is very hard to come by and some of the specific sugar names is difficult to translate into my language correctly.
>Is there any chance to substitute molasses with anything else?
>Is muscovado sugar the same as fancy molasses?
>You mention, when using dark or brown sugar there is a need for extra nutrients, but which? Any recomendations?

Lucky Jack

[Rotavap]

I just started this wash yesterday and it smells amazing. I was shocked when the ferment took off in under a hour!

I have a CM still and have gotten pretty good at pulling off UJSSM in the mid 70s % single runs. Any reason not to do single runs with this? It has turned out great for UJSSM and NCHooches bourbon.

[Stainless dude]

I just started this wash yesterday and it smells amazing. I was shocked when the ferment took off in under a hour!

I have a CM still and have gotten pretty good at pulling off UJSSM in the mid 70s % single runs. Any reason not to do single runs with this? It has turned out great for UJSSM and NCHooches bourbon.

I made some runs of this with a 3" cm a while back, I didn't reflux it much though cause I wanted to get the flavor through. Seemed to work just fine.
SD

[HookLine]

Hats off again to Mr Hook...I love this.....

I have been tinkering with this for running in my flute. I run with 2 plates and produce 180 proof spirits. The addition of 4 tablespoons of vegetable oil to your boiler charge will make a big difference to the foaming (puking ) issue. The oil helps to break down the surface tension of the bubbles. A long slow warm up period releases the trapped co2 in the boiler charge. Once you are almost up to temp raise you heat input to your normal running level and you will find there is no foam.

What he said.

I use simethicone instead of oil, 100-200 mg for a 40 litre wash. It is used for taking internally, so should be safe. The advantage is that it doesn't need cleaning out after the run like oil does (IMHO).

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simethicone" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow

[HookLine]

Hello HookLine,

I think I've read the recipe and the replies more than ten times in order to get all of right - but after I've been trying to replicate the ferment as good as possible, there are some questions left.
Since I live in Scandinavia, Europe, Blackstrap molasses is very hard to come by and some of the specific sugar names is difficult to translate into my language correctly.
>Is there any chance to substitute molasses with anything else?

Various sugars will give you a rum-like result.

>Is muscovado sugar the same as fancy molasses?

Don't know. Others may be able to answer that.

>You mention, when using dark or brown sugar there is a need for extra nutrients, but which? Any recomendations?

Mainly nitrogen and phosphorous. Either use some specific yeast nutrient mix, or a couple of tablespoons of tomato paste.

Cheers

Lucky Jack

[HookLine]

I just started this wash yesterday and it smells amazing. I was shocked when the ferment took off in under a hour!

I have a CM still and have gotten pretty good at pulling off UJSSM in the mid 70s % single runs. Any reason not to do single runs with this? It has turned out great for UJSSM and NCHooches bourbon.

Go for it.

[Lucky Jack]

Thanks HookLine,

I've been doing 4 ferments and stripruns with different sugar combinations such as golden brown-, muscovado & refined cane sugar all combined into one striprun the day before yesterday and I think it came allright since I'm all new to this.
I mixed the following:
22L of low wines
5 L rum oils
3 L of dunder
2L fresh wash
And produced about 10-12 L of 86-75% abv. All collected in 500mL, except the harts where the destinct sugury caramel smell came off those were collected in 1L jars and there is 4 very good ones for sure and the rest needs to air out and diluted before any choise is made. Did the test from the parrent site, where you put some of cuts in a shot glass and leave it overnigt or on the radiator to dry out and smell it - it had a very flovery / perfume smell to it and it does taste allright when diluted.
Right now I have a true HookLine ferment going with real molasses, however, not used enough yeast because I did not have the dried bakers yeast but I used some lees from the last ferment, so I guess it is all right. It does not taste of any sugar.

Lucky Jack

[HookLine]

Sounds like you have been paying attention, Lucky.

Did the test from the parrent site, where you put some of cuts in a shot glass and leave it overnigt or on the radiator to dry out and smell it - it had a very flovery / perfume smell to it and it does taste allright when diluted.

Can't recommend this enough. You can learn a lot about spirits doing this.

[Lucky Jack]

Hello HookLine,

I has been a while ago since I have done anything wiht the production, I had a discouraging expirence with the molasses ferment, which I thougt was done - apparently there were some sugar left which gave me foam and burnt caramel(or whatever) smell to the spiritrun with some some discoloration. However, I am not sure what to do with this, since I have read opposing solutions on HD-site.
Elektrosport did suggest to carbon filter it, but flavour-vise I think it will ruin it, what do you think?

I have a potstill of 13 gal. with a 3" colum about 12 inch high and 26 inch liebig condencer, which I want to pack with some copper mesh to get better reflux - however I have not got a clue of how tight or how much mesh is needed for that kind of still. Can you point to any thread or personal expirence?
Does potstill reflux benefit the rum - flavourvise?

The production from my last post have really turned out great - but then again nothing to compare it to! The aging with charred amr. Oak, vanilla and pineapple does appeal to me and is very drinkable. Thanks HL.

Lucky Jack

[HookLine]

Hello HookLine,

I has been a while ago since I have done anything wiht the production, I had a discouraging expirence with the molasses ferment, which I thougt was done - apparently there were some sugar left which gave me foam and burnt caramel(or whatever) smell to the spiritrun with some some discoloration. However, I am not sure what to do with this, since I have read opposing solutions on HD-site.
Elektrosport did suggest to carbon filter it, but flavour-vise I think it will ruin it, what do you think?

Never had that problem, so don't have a solution. Experiment on a small amount, a bottle's worth. See what happens.

I have a potstill of 13 gal. with a 3" colum about 12 inch high and 26 inch liebig condencer, which I want to pack with some copper mesh to get better reflux - however I have not got a clue of how tight or how much mesh is needed for that kind of still. Can you point to any thread or personal expirence?
Does potstill reflux benefit the rum - flavourvise?

Yes it can make a difference, mainly by bumping the %ABV a point or two and extending the hearts cut a bit (ie the tails are delayed a bit). Depends a lot on how you do it. It is an area that needs more experimenting for hobby stilling. I have had modest but worthwhile results from a few inches of mesh in the riser with a desk fan blowing across the riser. Small but noticeable bump in the vapour temp / %ABV. I mainly do that on the all feints (heads and tails) pot still runs.

The production from my last post have really turned out great - but then again nothing to compare it to! The aging with charred amr. Oak, vanilla and pineapple does appeal to me and is very drinkable. Thanks HL.

Cheers!

[bcboyz86]

I think I used a little too much sugar in my rum wash too, but I went ahead and kept it anyway and its pretty good with some freshly cooked Carmel thrown in.... Like really good. I just used brown and sugar cane sugar and sautéd it in some butter and tossed it straight into the jar of rum before it cooled down. It steamed a bit, and clumped straight to the bottom at first, but I kept shaking and breaking it up over the next few days and the rum dissolved all the sugar and kept a little of the butter flavor. Then when the parts separated I just coffee filtered out the film that was on top and it turned out pretty badass... Much much better than Carmel extract. I just cooked up some vanilla Carmel last night to do the same in my next rum batches. I probably used about a 2" cube of Carmel per pint of 80proof. It's not overpowering, but a slight hint on the smell, tiny bit o flavor at first, but a smooth, subtle Carmel flavor aftertaste. F'N love it. And the burnt molasses taste from the actual rum mellows out after about 3 weeks and married with the smooth Carmel flavor to make an excellent rum-n-cherry coke...

[Gamblor]

I've decided to move on to Rum, after well over a year of UJSSM. With UJSSM I was running big 60L non-airlocked ferments, and I felt I was getting too high an ABV wash (just a feeling, I don't have a hydrometer so I don't know for sure) and quality was suffering for it. I was doing 3 stripping runs and a spirit run (2.0 method)

Hilarious when I went to buy the 15L bucket of molasses from the farm supply store - I didn't mention why I wanted it, but I asked what sugar content it had, and whether or not it was sulphured - the owner replied 'I don't know, but I've been told by a few customers it makes great rum though!'. These guys must see people like us a mile off.

I did my first run of Hooks Recipe two week ago. I did a 30L ferment with 3litres of molasses and 2kg of raw (brown) sugar. Plus citric acid for the PH, and tomato paste for nutrients - thats it, nothing else. I want to keep the ABV down and produce quality instead of quantity. I had planned to do 2x30L ferments over a few weeks and do a 2.0 method run as usual. Instead I got impatient, and did 1 stripping run, then the low wine with the rest of the wash (1.5 method)

The ferment took a week, plus several days to settle a bit. The output is pretty decent after airing a few days, definately rum and goes well as a mixer with coke - too raw standalone.

I put the new molasses and raw sugar as before in the dunder just 2 minutes after finishing the first stripping run, as well as water from boiling potatoes (for texture) and mixed thoroughly and let that sit overnight. It smelled very nice, like licorice and sweet. Started the second ferment with it the next day. The second ferment was unbelievably fast, 3 days and the airlock stopped bubbling. I plan to run it this weekend when my worm is finally cleaned out properly.

Thanks for the recipe Hook (and Pugi for the tips I read from his thread as well)