First Rum Run

[Gator]

After a few moonshine and whiskey runs, I wanted to try my hand at rum. For my first attempt I used a standard recipe for some monkey rum made from 100% molasses. For anyone interested, one of the best prices I found for some good quality, sulfur-free blackstrap molasses was online through "Webstaurant." Only $23 for a case of 4, 1 gallon bottles - hell of a lot better than what I saw in stores around my neck of the woods.

In any case, here's the wash process:
- Ingredients: 4.25 gallons of water and 1.25 gallons of blackstrap molasses
- I added about 5 teaspoons of yeast nutrient, used a high quality distiller's yeast to create a yeast starter, and started fermentation on 5 Jan
- It started bubbling w/in 15-20 hours and kept strong for about 4 nights
- Transferred mash from fermenter to carboy on 9 Jan to let it rest for a final day

Distillation Day:
- Fired up my outside propane burner on Saturday
- I only distilled once this time, though in the future I think I'll need two rums for a higher proof, better quality product
- Of ~4.5 gallons of wash, I collected about .92 gallons of product
- I collected my cuts into separate 200-300 ml jars, ending up with 12 cuts (not including heads and tails)
- The highest proof I got was ~120, with a final range of 40 to 120 proof throughout the total run. I've read that rum typically has a lower proof once distilled then other types, but is this totally outside "the norm" in your experience?

At this point I still have everything separated and am letting it air out for another day until I start blending and then working on a few different recipes to flavor and age it. All in all not a bad experience, but there's definitely room for improvement! Not much to comment on I suppose, but for those of you who distill rum regularly, do you guys have any thoughts or suggestions?

Cheers!

[MoonBreath]

I haven't done a rum wash yet, maybe someday ..You seem to have done an excellent job on your run ..You my friend, get MoonBreath's seal of approval.

[Gator]

Haha thanks MoonBreath! I'd been itching to have a go of it for awhile. Good luck to you when ya get around to making some yourself!

[greenthumb]

Hi gator, glad your getting on ok with the rum, my favourite!
I run the hook rum then flavour with spices and caramel.

Are you going to keep and add back the backset, head and tails?
Adding the backset to the next ferment will give a improved more comprehensive flavour each generation,
And adding back the heads and tails (toss the foreshot) to the boiler charge will increase abv,
Or you could do some stripping runs first and do a spirit run once you have enough for a 40% boiler charge ??

I age the white on plain Apple wood or maple, both totally different flavour, and age the spiced rum on charred oak sticks

Either way I use about 4 x 6" sticks in a 4.5ltr demijohn, removed after 7 months, the white is great as is and for the spiced i then add the caramel.

[Kamil]

To the next setting, add dunder. Rum will be more aromatic. (Decoction of distillation)

[rager]

all sounds good to me. I gotta look into that website for the molly. pay out the ass for it now for food grade molly

cheer

RR