1st Rum

[Rum_dog]

Hey guys, been looking around for a while.
I made my first run a few a few weeks back.
I did not have a meter to measure the the proof.
My first rig is a 5 SS gal milk can. It's a pot still with a 2 ft riser packed with scrubbers.
The milk can had been converted into a coffee urn.
Lots of cleaning of all of the parts. Hot water wash down.
pre-run with water and vinegar.
It's a great rig, to bad it's only 5 gal!
I ran gal. of water with lbs of pilancillo and oz of molasses.
I used 1 pack, of champagne yeast and one pack of brewers yeast.
It was 104.2 @110F. on 1/21/14.
On 2/9 it was 0.992 @ 62F.
I ran it on propane and collected in 8 pint jars.
Jar 0 was fores at 1/3 a jar. It got started when I was not looking.
Today I measured it at 68.2F
1 51%
2 50% Done @ 1:28pm
3 50% Done @ 1:56pm
4 48% Done @ 2:24 pm
5 41% Done @3:01 pm
6 35% Done @3:45 Pm
7 33% Done @ 4:29 2/3 jar
In stopped about half way through on #7 because it seemed to be slowing down.
I stopped too soon. all of the jars are clear. All will burn on a spoon.
I aired it out overnight before closing up the jars.

I'm not sure it taste like rum, but it's not bad for a first run.

Try not to burn down the house guys!

[hitek redneck]

First start with what recipe did you use? Just curious as I am a rum maker(term used loosely) also and mine seems to have a rum taste but not a store bought rum taste if you understand what I mean.

Also are those % numbers before each jar you have listed the ABV% for each bottle? I see you had mentioned that each bottle will burn on a spoon. Correct me if I am wrong but doesn't that stop at around 40% ABV??

If those are the %'s then what did you use to measure them?

EDIT: BTW congrats on your first rum run.. may there be many more!

[Rum_dog]

Do search on Pilancillo rum. There is a long thread on making rum using this surgar cane extract.
I have been able to find it for $1 -$1.50 a pound at Mexicam markets. My currrent batch has a higher surger content. The target SW is 1.06.
That first batch was a bit light at 1.04.
Now if I could only wind a condinser coil to fit inside the 2" pipe I could make some real progress on my Boka. I suspect I should be working on a thumper instead.

[Prairiepiss]

Congrats on your first run.

Just remember a home distilled white in aged rum. Will be different then most store bought white rums. That most have been aged.

And I would suspect that. With the ingredients you used. And a single run. It's pretty flavorfull. Would make a good dark or spiced rum. For a white rum you may want to run it a second time? All personal preference here. Just trying to give you some ideas about the flavors you have.

[hitek redneck]

Now if I could only wind a condinser coil to fit inside the 2" pipe I could make some real progress on my Boka. I suspect I should be working on a thumper instead.

You might be able to find a small enough SS gas line that might wind small enough.. not sure how small you can get that stuff.

[Rum_dog]

Yes ABV, those numbers are the % alcohol as measured on Wend. I also checked the gauge against a bottle of Costco spiced rum (good stuff IMO).
I had lit a sample for each jar on a spoon 100 proof down to about 36 proof. They all will burn on a spoon!
SS has a much lower thermal conductivity. It's harder to bend and you will have to use more! I am going to try an anneal the 3/8 and see if it will become more cooperative.
I had one that I made from 10ft of 1/4", it's single wound, but it might not work so well with my pond pump. Too small an ID a a bit too kinky!
At the rate that I am going, there might not be anything left to age or re-run. I was planing on added the last two jars to the next run.

[hitek redneck]

the SS gas line is corregated so it bends with out kinking. I know the thermal is not that of copper but it was just a thought that might save you a pain in the butt

I understand about the lack of stuff to rerun.. got that same problem around here.. but spring is coming and so are the larger barrels of mash

[Hound Dog]

The SS corrugated gas line has much more surface area due to it being corrugated. It is quite thin also so you easily get heat transfer. You will have a hard time kinking the SS and if you are not happy with it, pull it straight and do it again. If you are worried about size, you don't have to make a coil, just make a loop and twist it together, wrap a little mesh around it and be done. I have done both copper and SS gas line, I doubt I will struggle with copper again.

[Rum_dog]

I did not find the SS gas line. I built a shotty using 3/8 tubing (9x 12"). Yea buddy no bending. It's all done with reg. solder, no High temp stuff, just heat management. It will be in-line. Next, I'm working on my tump. It's an old Golden gate keg, I'm making a coax out of 1 1/4 and 3/4 pipe. it should be great. I will have to solder the bung hole first. Bulky, but it should do the job.