My First Attempt at distilling/rum

[Landlockt]

I am at day seven of a sugar/molasses ferment.

Here is what I did:

Sanitized everything with Star San

I am using three 4 liter glass wine jugs with airlocks since I couldn't find my spigot for my fermenting bucket.

Recipe:
3 lbs. Kirkland Organic Sugar
32 fl oz. Golden Barrel Supreme Baking Molasses(unsulphured)
2 Gals. Bottled Spring Water
3 oz. Sun-Maid Golden Raisins
1/2 tbs. Fleischmann's Instant Dry Yeast
1/2 tsp. citric acid (I have ph test strips but I didn't think about the wash being dark brown from the molasses so I have no idea what the ph was, I have a $20 ph pen from Amazon on the way)

Brought the water, sugar and molasses up to 120 degrees and stirred until dissolved.

Put 1 oz raisins in a ramekin with 1/4 of the same water in the mic for 1 min., mixture came to boil.

Added 1oz. raisins to each one gal. carboy.

Proofed yeast with warm water and sugar, pitched when wash was 80 degrees.

Transferred wash into the carboys, reserving 250 ml to check SG.

When temp cooled down to 60 degrees I took SG reading of 1.09, I remember reading somewhere that molasses washes don't always read accurately, however given the recipe ratios it seems to make sense to me.

I don't have a heating device for the wash so I put the three carboys in a cardboard box with a pillow and sheet for insulation covered with a thick towel and placed over a heater vent.

Checking the temp twice daily with an infrared thermometer reads 72-74 degrees.

After a week the wash is fermenting, although apparently very, very slowly. The airlocks are not moving yet.I can see bubbles rising, they are very, very small. Smaller then the smallest champagne bubbles.

I am thinking my ferment is too cold. I don’t mind the extra tIme if that is allit is.
welcome any and all comments. Thank you

[Saltbush Bill]

Bump it up to about 90f and you will get better results.
You should not have to muck around with PH on a first generation unless you have some seriously weird water PH.
What are the raisins for ?

[Landlockt]

I will probably order a heating mat/pad. Any issues with the temp range I am currently in other than time?
I added the raisins as a yeast nutrient.

[Saltbush Bill]

Nothing other than it will be really slow , or could stall all together, that is unlikely though.

[Shine0n]

You don't need airlock on a rum ferment

SBB is correct, no need for nutes on a 1st gen. I've ran 3 gens same yeast before it slowed down and even then it was 7 days not 4-5 like previous ones and I don't add the muck to my ferments, only low wines for a spirit run.

If (when) you decide to make another rum ferment, go to a local feed store and get some feedgrade molasses or order some blackstrap from webstaurant.com
Make enough for multiple ferments and run them low and dirty... 5-10% then do a spirit run minus the fore shots and you'll come out with a much better rum.

[Landlockt]

My thought was a finer grade/higher sugar content molasses would give me a better end product.

Why don’t you need an airlock in a rum ferment?

Thanks

[Shine0n]

You can use the fancy molasses but will end up with a much lighter rum, it's good so don't get me wrong but feed or blackstrap will get a much richer, deeper flavored rum.
Price is another reason but if you have the money go for it

You can use them, you don't need them.

Place a loose fitted towel or lid on top and you'll be fine. for distilling it's not as important to be as sanitary as one would be making beer or wine. It won't hurt a thing, sometimes if fermenting in warmer temps when I first started making rum I've came to find a blown out airlock and a nice mess from ceiling to the floor from a nice eruption with a violent ferment.

Your choice but you just don't need one IMHO

[underdog]

Hiya!
Good luck with your rum. Reading over your methods, I thought I might mention that I would have used a bit more yeast. Yeast is a funny thing. You want the yeast colony established in your wash as soon as possible. More yeast is better, less yeast means it takes longer. Since you've split things up, the yeasties have to establish four different colonies now.
There's no down side to a little extra yeast.
Just something to think about for next time.

[nerdybrewer]

Good first attempt, but IMHO you are spending too much money on super high quality ingredients for rum.
Rum is the peoples and the pirates drink, so less respect is required.
So here's what I do for contrast...
200# dry panela sugar from Sugar Daddy (a member here)
80 Gallons water (with the volume of Panela this makes about 95 gallons wash)
A handful of crushed oyster shells from the feed store
A cup of good fresh bakers yeast, in about 2 gallons warm water and a tablespoon of panela sugar
Heat 15 - 20 gallons water up and add 100 Lbs Panela and stir until dissolved
Transfer to fermentation vessel
Repeat
Add fresh cold water to bring up to 95 gallons and then wait for temperature to come down to about 85F
While waiting put the cup of bakers yeast in the 2 gallons of water and a bit of panela sugar and let it rehydrate and begin growing
About the time you think the yeast is going to freaking go nuts and take over your kitchen the wash should be at the right temperature to pitch
Toss that in and stir, put some loose fitting lid on it and call it a day
Next day there should be WW3 going off inside the fermenter, popping and fizzing and all
Toss in the cup or hand full of crushed oyster shells and just know they are falling to the bottom and will be used as needed
Wait until the action stops, anywhere between 3 and 7 days and check the SG and the flavor
Should no longer taste sweet, should taste tart
If the SG is still above 1.03 you may have more to go, might want to use a refractometer at this stage but remember to calculate properly (always where I fail)
When you feel it's done transfer the first batch to your still and run it
If you have a thumper you may want to put wash in the thumper and run it that way
If it's a simple pot still then you may want to consider a 1.5 run, do a strip then add wash to the boiler along with the stripped spirits
Be safe, have fun, be discrete.

[Landlockt]

Hiya!
Good luck with your rum. Reading over your methods, I thought I might mention that I would have used a bit more yeast. Yeast is a funny thing. You want the yeast colony established in your wash as soon as possible. More yeast is better, less yeast means it takes longer. Since you've split things up, the yeasties have to establish four different colonies now.
There's no down side to a little extra yeast.
Just something to think about for next time.

It didn’t even occur to me that while my yeast ratio may have been correct, I was splitting it up in three different carboys. Good point.

Two weeks in and it is still going very slowly.

I ordered a thermostat controlled heating mat that I was planning on wrapping the carboys in. My temp has been pretty steady at 75 degrees.

Should I get the temp up to 80 and add more yeast?

Thanks

[Landlockt]

Good first attempt, but IMHO you are spending too much money on super high quality ingredients for rum.
Rum is the peoples and the pirates drink, so less respect is required.
So here's what I do for contrast...
200# dry panela sugar from Sugar Daddy (a member here)
80 Gallons water (with the volume of Panela this makes about 95 gallons wash)
A handful of crushed oyster shells from the feed store
A cup of good fresh bakers yeast, in about 2 gallons warm water and a tablespoon of panela sugar
Heat 15 - 20 gallons water up and add 100 Lbs Panela and stir until dissolved
Transfer to fermentation vessel
Repeat
Add fresh cold water to bring up to 95 gallons and then wait for temperature to come down to about 85F
While waiting put the cup of bakers yeast in the 2 gallons of water and a bit of panela sugar and let it rehydrate and begin growing
About the time you think the yeast is going to freaking go nuts and take over your kitchen the wash should be at the right temperature to pitch
Toss that in and stir, put some loose fitting lid on it and call it a day
Next day there should be WW3 going off inside the fermenter, popping and fizzing and all
Toss in the cup or hand full of crushed oyster shells and just know they are falling to the bottom and will be used as needed
Wait until the action stops, anywhere between 3 and 7 days and check the SG and the flavor
Should no longer taste sweet, should taste tart
If the SG is still above 1.03 you may have more to go, might want to use a refractometer at this stage but remember to calculate properly (always where I fail)
When you feel it's done transfer the first batch to your still and run it
If you have a thumper you may want to put wash in the thumper and run it that way
If it's a simple pot still then you may want to consider a 1.5 run, do a strip then add wash to the boiler along with the stripped spirits
Be safe, have fun, be discrete.

Between the molasses and sugar I am only at $8.

I like the idea of panela sugar. I haven’t seen panela sugar in bulk but, but I’m sure the freight would kill me.
Thanks.

[Yummyrum]

Two weeks in and it is still going very slowly.

I ordered a thermostat controlled heating mat that I was planning on wrapping the carboys in. My temp has been pretty steady at 75 degrees.

Should I get the temp up to 80 and add more yeast?

Thanks

Yup 75 F is way too cold . 80's better . 90 would be perfect . Mine often ferment at 100 F ... Rums like it hot
Don't see any point adding more yeast ...... but it won't hurt

[Mike6090]

Think about it...
We are replicating a process from the Caribbean islands. Jamaica is hot.
If you make rum in cold conditions like Russians making vodka will it be as nice as rum made where it’s warm?

[Landlockt]

Two weeks in and it is still going very slowly.

I ordered a thermostat controlled heating mat that I was planning on wrapping the carboys in. My temp has been pretty steady at 75 degrees.

Should I get the temp up to 80 and add more yeast?

Thanks

Yup 75 F is way too cold . 80's better . 90 would be perfect . Mine often ferment at 100 F ... Rums like it hot
Don't see any point adding more yeast ...... but it won't hurt

I will bump it up to 90 and see what happens.

[Landlockt]

Think about it...
We are replicating a process from the Caribbean islands. Jamaica is hot.
If you make rum in cold conditions like Russians making vodka will it be as nice as rum made where it’s warm?

I see what you mean.

I was thinking low and slow to develop more flavor like a slow fermenting bread dough.

[nerdybrewer]

Good first attempt, but IMHO you are spending too much money on super high quality ingredients for rum.
Rum is the peoples and the pirates drink, so less respect is required.
So here's what I do for contrast...
200# dry panela sugar from Sugar Daddy (a member here)
80 Gallons water (with the volume of Panela this makes about 95 gallons wash)
A handful of crushed oyster shells from the feed store
A cup of good fresh bakers yeast, in about 2 gallons warm water and a tablespoon of panela sugar
Heat 15 - 20 gallons water up and add 100 Lbs Panela and stir until dissolved
Transfer to fermentation vessel
Repeat
Add fresh cold water to bring up to 95 gallons and then wait for temperature to come down to about 85F
While waiting put the cup of bakers yeast in the 2 gallons of water and a bit of panela sugar and let it rehydrate and begin growing
About the time you think the yeast is going to freaking go nuts and take over your kitchen the wash should be at the right temperature to pitch
Toss that in and stir, put some loose fitting lid on it and call it a day
Next day there should be WW3 going off inside the fermenter, popping and fizzing and all
Toss in the cup or hand full of crushed oyster shells and just know they are falling to the bottom and will be used as needed
Wait until the action stops, anywhere between 3 and 7 days and check the SG and the flavor
Should no longer taste sweet, should taste tart
If the SG is still above 1.03 you may have more to go, might want to use a refractometer at this stage but remember to calculate properly (always where I fail)
When you feel it's done transfer the first batch to your still and run it
If you have a thumper you may want to put wash in the thumper and run it that way
If it's a simple pot still then you may want to consider a 1.5 run, do a strip then add wash to the boiler along with the stripped spirits
Be safe, have fun, be discrete.

Between the molasses and sugar I am only at $8.

I like the idea of panela sugar. I haven’t seen panela sugar in bulk but, but I’m sure the freight would kill me.
Thanks.

There are some group buys in different parts of the country.
You wouldn't believe the amount of Panela we've had shipped to us here in the PNW.

[Oldvine Zin]

[

There are some group buys in different parts of the country.
You wouldn't believe the amount of Panela we've had shipped to us here in the PNW.

Maybe getting close to another buy

OVZ

[Landlockt]

[

There are some group buys in different parts of the country.
You wouldn't believe the amount of Panela we've had shipped to us here in the PNW.

Maybe getting close to another buy

OVZ

Anybody in NW Montana?

[Reverend Newer]

Just wanted to mention that any $20 pH meter I've ever had was a waste of money.

Blue Lab pens are great but expensive. Even Hanna pens are decent. The meter will require calibration fluids in the 4 pH and 7 pH range, you will also need probe storage solution.

[Landlockt]

After three weeks at approximately 75 degrees SG is at 1.4.
I transferred wash to a glass carboy with a heating mat wrapped around it.
I am going to take it up to 90 degrees and let it go another week.
When I transferred to the carboy I mixed in a lot of air when pouring. Is this a bad thing this far into it?
Should I add more yeast to offset the extra oxygen?

Thanks

[Yummyrum]

After three weeks at approximately 75 degrees SG is at 1.4.

Landlockt , can you clarify that SG ..... you started at 1.090 ..... bit confused

[Landlockt]

After three weeks at approximately 75 degrees SG is at 1.4.

Landlockt , can you clarify that SG ..... you started at 1.090 ..... bit confused

Sorry typo 1.040.

Also I did cool sample to 60 degrees to take SG reading.

[Landlockt]

24 hrs. later and bubbling away nicely.

[Landlockt]

I have an eight qt. pressure cooker I am going to use for my still.
I have a 25 ft. coil of 3/8th copper tubing. I am not using a thumper. Is there a suggested length to run my tubing?
I plan on coiling it in a bucket of cold running water.
If I just leave the tubing uncut, is there a downside?
Thanks

[Shine0n]

2 gallons isn't alot of room, so I'll suggest to strip run the lot until you have enough low wines for a spirit run. Also, collect in baby food jars with a still of that size on the spirit run to make the cuts more apparent.

As for the worm, I don't see a need to cut it other than if it's too long to fit the bucket/barrel you'll be putting it in. Make sure you have a good downhill spiral or you'll be pooling up in the high spots causing surging which won't hurt the strip run but will affect the spirit run.

Molasses washes foam like a bastard, put a spoon of butter in the pot to help from puking although it won't hurt a thing on a strip run.

I don't think you'll like trying to spiral 25' of tubing into a 5 gallon bucket so if you have something larger I would recommend it highly.
Forgot to mention, keep the distance from the pot to worm relatively short like 2 ft max.

[OtisT]

[

There are some group buys in different parts of the country.
You wouldn't believe the amount of Panela we've had shipped to us here in the PNW.

Maybe getting close to another buy

OVZ

Please count me in on the next PNW buy if possible. Would love to get somewhere around 150 lbs myself. Otis

[Landlockt]

[

There are some group buys in different parts of the country.
You wouldn't believe the amount of Panela we've had shipped to us here in the PNW.

Maybe getting close to another buy

OVZ

Please count me in on the next PNW buy if possible. Would love to get somewhere around 150 lbs myself. Otis

What does it typically end up costing per lb.?

[nerdybrewer]

[

There are some group buys in different parts of the country.
You wouldn't believe the amount of Panela we've had shipped to us here in the PNW.

Maybe getting close to another buy

OVZ

Please count me in on the next PNW buy if possible. Would love to get somewhere around 150 lbs myself. Otis

What does it typically end up costing per lb.?

Send me a PM.
Seems to be against the rules to talk about specifics in the threads...