My first rum

Spankey · Post by **Spankey** » Sun Dec 06, 2015 4:55 am

Just started it's ferment last night. And even though I read how quickly and violent it's ferment is you just don't understand till you see it. I mean in just a few min or started. I mean it sorta resembled an explosion in how nothing then the spurt of water out the top of my airlock(slightly over filled it). I still am amazed at its vigor several hours later.

Post by **cranky** » Sun Dec 06, 2015 5:33 am

Just curious, what was your recipe and what kind of molasses did you use? I just did my first rum ferment (haven't run it yet) and although it was a fairly fast ferment it was not as vigorous or foamy as plum.

jb-texshine · Post by **jb-texshine** » Sun Dec 06, 2015 5:44 am

Cranky,sometimes mine gets a foamy cap that looks like the head on a really dark beer and sometimes it just fizzes. I make mine the same every time. That's what gets me.....
Jb

Post by **cranky** » Sun Dec 06, 2015 6:46 am

jb-texshine wrote:Cranky,sometimes mine gets a foamy cap that looks like the head on a really dark beer and sometimes it just fizzes. I make mine the same every time. That's what gets me.....
Jb

Mine got a foamy cap for a bit but nothing like my plum , not even like my apple. I can do 8 gallons of plum in a 12 gallon fermenter and it foams up so bad it overflows and starts crawling across the floor like something from a 50s sci-fi movie. Fresh apple foams a lot but not store bought. Everybody talks about how fast a rum wash ferments but was no faster than a lot of other things, I was just curious.

jb-texshine · Post by **jb-texshine** » Sun Dec 06, 2015 7:01 am

My uj ferments in 3-5 days,my rum at same temp same yeast 5-7 days.

Monkeyman88 · Post by **Monkeyman88** » Sun Dec 06, 2015 12:25 pm

If I get a good starter going and keep temps right, I can start a rum ferment, say, Friday morning, and distill it Saturday night. ~6% wash.

Post by **Rastus** » Sun Dec 06, 2015 7:44 pm

my first molasses ferment was a foamy sudsy kinda cap but i always leave the dregs in the bottom of the fermenter and use approx 25% backset every time and for every generation thereafter has been more of an effervescent fizzy kinda ferment....

From start to finish from 1.070 on my hydrometer to 1.000 in 6 to 7 days... i keep the temps between 75f and no more than 90f. i let it set a while to clear and sometimes longer till i have the place to myself

but man, do i love my molasses rum/vodka... i think i may try running with 3 plates rather than 4 it has a great flavor a sweetness coming through but is very subtle... final product came in at 89% ABV

congrats on your adventure. enjoy man and keep us posted

Spankey · Post by **Spankey** » Sun Dec 06, 2015 8:05 pm

My recipe was 8lbs dark brown ch&h sugar about 2 pounds light brown sugar 48oz store bought full flavor molasses a tablespoon of dap a tablespoon of citric acid 6.5 gal water. And 1 cup bakers yeast in 2 gal boiling water for 10 min. Then poured that on top of the 8 lbs brown sugar using a paint mixer on a drill stirred it till all the sugar was dissolved and mixed well I added 4 more gals water and used the paint mixer till cooled I then took an so and added light brown sugar til reached 1.08 then added the molasses with the paint mixture until it was thoroughly mixed and aerated. I then put 2/3 cup bakers yeast in each of the 2 fermenteres put half of the half gal of water in each fermented I then divided the molasses wash into the 2 fermenteres caped each with a airlock. And 5 min later had activity and 15min later very vigorous Ferment going on

Spankey · Post by **Spankey** » Mon Dec 07, 2015 8:41 pm

The reason even though you make your rum the same. Molasses is a byproduct and since no 2 bottles of molasses is exactly the same your ferments will be different

Post by **cranky** » Tue Dec 08, 2015 7:10 am

Spankey wrote:The reason even though you make your rum the same. Molasses is a byproduct and since no 2 bottles of molasses is exactly the same your ferments will be different

Good point

Monkeyman88 · Post by **Monkeyman88** » Tue Dec 08, 2015 1:24 pm

I would think that with 'fancy' molasses. It would all be standardised to keep a consistent product on the shelf. Like they do with brown sugar. I can see feed grade being different. But not fancy stuff used for cooking

Spankey · Post by **Spankey** » Wed Dec 09, 2015 10:14 am

No Agra product is constantly the same 100% specially a byproduct

jb-texshine · Post by **jb-texshine** » Wed Dec 09, 2015 4:07 pm

On mine that develop a beer head type cap I have noticed a lot of sandy looking unfermentables in the bottom of the fermenter.
I am assuming it comes from the brown sugar as the table molasses I use appears to be particulate free. Next batch I make I may try boiling the brown sugar and then letting all particles drop out before using it,then try the same with the molasses to see where the particles come from. Maybe do one that has the particles in and one without and see which one forms a head(cap just ain't what it looks like).

Not sure why I would other than experimenting for the sake of experimentation. Good enough reason I guess.
Jb

muscashine · Post by **muscashine** » Wed Dec 09, 2015 5:02 pm

I've done two rum runs with brown sugar and water, in a 7 gallon bucket. They both had a nice fizzy head for a period of time about an inch or so thick. I fermented the way I do with wine. Put it in the bucket for several days with a cloth covering the top (but not touching the liquid). Usually I use a stretchy pillowcase made from beech fiber, as its the perfect size to stretch over my bucket and stays tight without string ties.
After about 4 days I rack it off into a plastic carboy I use for wine, most of the vigorous activity is done by then and it fizzes a little as I transfer it, but I've never had it fizz out the top of an airlock.

jb-texshine · Post by **jb-texshine** » Wed Dec 09, 2015 6:01 pm

Do you get sandy particles in the bottom of your fermenters?

muscashine · Post by **muscashine** » Wed Dec 09, 2015 6:33 pm

jb-texshine wrote:Do you get sandy particles in the bottom of your fermenters?

I get the dead yeasts and such, yes. That should be part of every fermentation. Sort of a beige sludge...

Post by **cranky** » Wed Dec 09, 2015 7:20 pm

I read somewhere that people get sandy particles that wont dissolve when they use brown sugar.

muscashine · Post by **muscashine** » Wed Dec 09, 2015 7:44 pm

cranky wrote:I read somewhere that people get sandy particles that wont dissolve when they use brown sugar.

I've never really felt it, I just wash it out. Not really sure what's in brown sugar other than sugar and molasses. I wonder if it's something leftover from the manufacturing process?

Post by **cranky** » Wed Dec 09, 2015 9:40 pm

muscashine wrote:
cranky wrote:I read somewhere that people get sandy particles that wont dissolve when they use brown sugar.
I've never really felt it, I just wash it out. Not really sure what's in brown sugar other than sugar and molasses. I wonder if it's something leftover from the manufacturing process?

I was wondering if it was silica which is in a lot of foods but it is generally used as a dessicant so I don't know why they would add it to brown sugar which needs to stay moist. My C&H brown sugar says the only ingredient is "brown sugar" which is usually white sugar with molasses added. I don't know what cheaper sugars might use.

jb-texshine · Post by **jb-texshine** » Thu Dec 10, 2015 3:41 pm

I think its most likely sugar cane fiber remnants. Bagass particles. Maybe...

Post by **Rastus** » Thu Dec 10, 2015 4:29 pm

i truly and fully believe the particles are a sign from the molasses gods that ya need more practice...
and you should be making more and more until they let you know it is time to stop.

consider it a sacrifice to those gods

Spankey · Post by **Spankey** » Fri Dec 11, 2015 9:38 am

Just curious how long does it take to clear 1 has partly cleared the other has started. One has slowed to a bubble every 4 or 5 min the other a bubble every 3 min. Just curious how much longer I got

muscashine · Post by **muscashine** » Sat Dec 12, 2015 10:54 am

Spankey wrote:Just curious how long does it take to clear 1 has partly cleared the other has started. One has slowed to a bubble every 4 or 5 min the other a bubble every 3 min. Just curious how much longer I got

From What I understand, a couple of weeks should be plenty from pitching the yeast to ready to run, especially if you're fermenters are around 70-80 degrees.
Do you have a hydrometer? Not the proof one, the "potential alcohol" one... usually has a scale of 1.000 near the top and the numbers get higher the lower it goes (check a beer/wine brewing shop), and on the other side it measures in percent. Once the hydrometer reaches 1.000 or 0% or less (like .990) you're usually pretty much done. I like to rack mine off to a clean carboy at that point and let it sit another week, just to make sure, and let some of the last bit of stuff settle out. I've got a rum wash ready to go now that's been sitting almost a year because I got rid of the old still. It's clear as red wine. Looks beautiful, can't wait to run it.

Spankey · Post by **Spankey** » Sat Dec 12, 2015 11:10 am

My og before the molasses was 1.08 I then added molasses didn't check og after molasses. I will pull some wash and check the gravity. I understand that because of the molasses the reading will be high.

Spankey · Post by **Spankey** » Sat Dec 12, 2015 5:30 pm

It's reading 1.004 there's like an inch and a half of clear on top and the same depth in lees and in between is cloudy any way I can speed up the caring I watched them for 30 min and no bubbles so I know it's done just not clear.

Post by **cranky** » Sat Dec 12, 2015 6:00 pm

cold crash if your in a hurry otherwise wait and it will clear when it clears.

MyUncleMo · Post by **MyUncleMo** » Mon Dec 14, 2015 10:10 am

cranky wrote:cold crash if your in a hurry otherwise wait and it will clear when it clears.

Thats great advise Cranky.
Ive run 2 generations of Hook Rum so far and usually let it go as long as possible before letting it cold crash in the Garage.
No foamy caps to speak of. I ferment indoors with seedling mats under the fermenter or wrapped around it with blankets between. Usually for 3 weeks.
Good luck!

Spankey · Post by **Spankey** » Mon Dec 14, 2015 1:31 pm

Cold crashing worked great I use no foam stuff my supply shop sells it works great no foam up I ferment and no foam up during distill I ran it the same as I did cornflakes whiskey. Even as lowines it smells better then Bacardi ever will and tastes better to. Lol never gonna buy rum again. As the sweet run is yummy and very rummy. Can't wait till gen 2 that used Dunder. It is much more rich in smell then the first run. I am gonna run, run 1 and run 2 lowines together for spirit run. Gonna use some fresh wash to run with the spirit run.
.

Post by **cranky** » Mon Dec 14, 2015 1:42 pm

Sounds good

I'm still 3 apple runs away from running my rum but the wife has been putting a serious dent in the vodka supply lately so I'd better get that done soon just to keep up

Spankey · Post by **Spankey** » Mon Dec 14, 2015 7:32 pm

I am gonna do apple runs after the rum runs are done. I'm thinking in Jan or Feb to start a few washes but alas it takes so long for the apple runs to ferment out. I am thinking of doing an ujssm just to increase my whiskeys. I have a gal on oak and 5 bottles of cornflakes whiskey 2 at 60% and 3 at 50%. I am going to bottle the oaked whiskey at 50% so my gal should get Me about 6 maybe 7 bottles at 50%. That and my ujssm should last me a while on whiskey. Gonna do 2-3 more rum runs before the apple and ujssm. That should last me on the rum. After I have my base collection of booze I'm gonna make kahlua, strawberry panty dropper, cherry bombs, and apple pie. Any other suggestions for flavored booze

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