So far as I've gathered the process begins with trub (yeast cake at bottom of fermenter) and the application of sulfuric acid and drying to produce a powder that is literally lime salts. If I misunderstood that's okay, it's what this thread is hopefully going to make clear a process to begin to approach making lime salts for funky high ester rums. I have what I believe to be the best yeast for fermenting rums, based on reading and research, the EDV 493, and 55lbs of panela sugar.Hampden Distillery is the only distillery in Jamaica that specializes exclusively in the making of Heavy Pot Still rums. It prides itself in the Art of making High Ester Rums from knowledge handed down from generation to generation using fermenters made more than a century ago. Although utilizing the latest technology and equipments to ensure product quality, Hampden’s Master Distiller and Wash Masters pride themselves in predicting the outcome of each production run making the process an art as much as a science. It is this, the long history, the retention of skills, the transference of knowledge through the generations, the preserving of tradition, the use of fermenters that allows for the right yeast interaction with the carefully blended wash materials and the unique processing of it’s Lime Salts that makes Hampden paramount in the High Ester universe of rums. Hampden do not use commercial yeast but cultures, suspends and regenerate its own. It is for this reason that Hampden is privileged with having the most loyal of customers that vote their approval via their orders decade after decade. We are proud that some of our current buyers can tell stories of their grandfathers not only buying rums from the distillery many years ago but also supplying equipment for the sugar factory and spending summers at the estate.
Hampden makes a variety of rums ranging from 50 to 1600 Esters. Orders are shipped in Liters Absolute Alcohol (LAA). The higher the ester range, the more intense the bouquet of the rum. Our rums are used extensively in the blending of other rums throughout the world. Our highest ester rums are prized by the food, flavoring and perfume industries. Currently, all rums are manufactured to order, however, Hampden does set aside certain Marks for aging.
I've also prepared a new 7 gallon fermenting bucket with a tap installed 1/3 the way up the bucket side. Then I cut a hole in the middle of the top 4" wide and used silicon sealant to apply a triple layer of cheesecloth over the hole. This will be my infected dunder pit, allowed to breath openly/air, and preventing any bugs from getting at it. The tap allows me to draw off dunder for use in ferments and cooks without disturbing the pellicle. It's the cleanest application I could think up and will make employing dunder much more enjoyable and mess-free.
I know der wo has also spoken of lime-buffered infected dunder, so I am guessing this may also be a source of the lime salts, perhaps the 'drudge' in the bottom of the dunder pit combined with trub and working with sulfuric this will help isolate the lime salts? Letting this thread into the open when I post in hopes our best 'rum scientists' as well as full scientists can stop by to educate on the topic!