Planning a heavy RUMMMOMNOMNOM

[StillsNMash]

Yep, my favorite spirit is rum and my favorite is Bermuda's Goslings Black Seal Rum - for more power, I go for their Red Seal label. while I am rebuilding my still [some of you stepped in that pile!] I am looking into working up an attempt at a heavier rum. I did a search on the forum for some heavy rum recipes, but didn't find any. Any direction to some tried and true ones will be appreciated.

I have done some reading on heavy rums, and plan on using the following materials for my mash:
3# honey
12oz fancy unsulphured molasses
2# light brown sugar
5# cane sugar
1# flaked oats
2.5# cornmeal
4 gallons of water
0.5 oz red star quick rise bakers yeast

From what I have read on the labels, that is about 5.007 kg sugars in all. The cornmeal and oats are for nutrients for the yeast. It should push the yeast to a 15% abv in a 5 us gallon wash. that's pushing the yeast pretty hard from what I have learned, so I am debating on splitting the mash into two carboys. But I only need an additional gallon and a half of water to bring the abv down to about 12%.

I think I have done some good homework here, and would like ideas on how you think this would turn out. I am looking for a spirit that will be smooth and leave a sweet/creamy aftertaste.

Meanwhile I will be perusing the parent site for more info...

[StillsNMash]

OK, just send hookline to my house! ha!
http://homedistiller.org/forum/viewtopic?t=12504

Wonderful post!!

[RumBrewer]

The last rum I made on the old still had some honey in it.
Guess it worked out ok!

[StillsNMash]

well I went ahead and decided to experiment after reading and reading about rum and its characteristics. i know I cant officially call it rum now because it has other ingredients than just molasses and cane sugar, so I am not sure what to call it.

I can say that the fermentation started with a 1.074 SG at 100F right after mixing in the warm water. I pitch the yeast in with the dry ingredients and mix well before adding any liquid, including the molasses and honey. It seems to work as the mash is rolling like the cooling ports to a nuclear reactor [actually can see that in SC on lake keowee where the Duke Energy Nuclear plant exchanges its cooling waters with the lake]. I rotate the carboy and roll it at a slight angle around twice a day to release the CO2 and it seems to excite the yeast even more. The cornmeal and oats add an interesting smell to the sweet aroma given off by the molasses as its fermenting.

Will be interesting to see how it turns out. I am planning on putting together my still between computer side jobs I have recently picked up.

[StillsNMash]

well, the mash is still fermenting . . . It will be two weeks tomorrow that its been working. The mash still smells sweet, but also alcoholic so I am sure its not done yet. A friend said it smelled like apples

As long as I see bubbles, its still running.

just wanted to update the thread. . . .

Stills~

[astronomical]

apples sounds like a malolactic fermentation to me... not good... you got a hydrometer?

[StillsNMash]

yes, I tested it this weekend, the SG was 1.05. anything with "mal" ain't necessarily good for sure. But to me it smells both alcoholic and sweet. I don't smell any apples at all.

What should I be looking for?

[StillsNMash]

OK, so I did a site search on the malolactic fermentation or MLF. I do not smell any vinegar, apples, or other "strange" or off odors. The alcohol smell [just checked] has increased since this weekend, so could it be possible that the mash could be OK still?

My alcometer showed no ABV as of yet. I didn't do this level of monitoring with my previous batch, but it also took 2 weeks, and was half the amount and less sugar content.

This is the fun part. After this though I am going to do some of the tried and true recipes.

Stills~

[RumBrewer]

My alcometer showed no ABV as of yet. I

Stills~

What was your original gravity? you say it's currently 1.05?
Is there still activity?

Pitch a damn lot of bakers yeast in there and shake the shit out of it.

[StillsNMash]

the OG was 1.079. Will do on the yeast . . .

EDIT: my yeast is held in the freezer, so i have 3 TBSP yeast warming up to room temp; once done, will put in some luke warm water before pitching. Just checked the mash - its rolling like a boil again, big bubbles along with smaller ones. I shake and rotate the mash at least twice a day to keep the mix rotated. I am rather vigorous with it too, but I have to be careful not to splash up into my airlock. If I do, I cap it and rinse out the airlock and replace the airlock.

[zouthernborne]

Yeah, I definitely wouldn't call this rum. I especially wouldn't call it a "heavy" rum. You want a heavy rum, try using just molasses and maybe a little dark brown sugar. And ALWAYS use leftover dunder if you want that "heavy" flavor to get better with your next wash. At this moment I have a spirit run going of a 5 gallon wash that consisted of 1 gallon molasses, 2 lbs dark brown sugar, and yeast nutrients. That's it. And it's smelling and tasting wonderful. It tastes like RUM. If you want a heavy rum, or any rum for that matter, it's as simple as sticking with the basics. They got it right hundreds of years ago. All we are doing is adding to it.

[StillsNMash]

@zouthernborne: love the avatar - and the name. am "zouthernborne" meself. Thanks for the recipe. Will add that to my collection.

As far as the current "experiment", I added the yeast and the mash has since slowed down. I tested it again tonight, and the SG is at 1.00 and the ABV is only about 2%. Debating on letting it keep going to see if I can get more ABV or pitch in the cheesecloth, filter, and run it for what its got now, if anything.

[zouthernborne]

Just remember you have a lot of solids and unfermentables rolling around in there. I would say wait until you see the bubbles stop, or at least slowed to a crawl, and taste it. If it's not sweet, it's done. This is a great experiment, and will probably yield a rummy/brandy flavor in my experience with honey. And you'll have that bran on the back. You might find this to be your "go-to" recipe for special occasions. Some of the best things on earth came from nasty, spoiled tub s of sludge.

[StillsNMash]

I bet the solids would be contributing to a possible inaccuracy in the readings. Hence one example of where "instruments" are a disadvantage to a product. The mash has slowed down a lot and it doesn't taste sweet anymore. Used to be, any "spit" out my airlock would be sticky, not anymore. Will start filtering it out tonight and go ahead and let it settle out the yeast.

One question - I want to save some of the dunder for another batch. I am researching the specifics on dunder besides "leftovers" from the previous batch. That I have, but is it the yeast/solids/liquid mix, just some of the settled yeast after filtering, and how much would be a good idea to save, and how is best to store it if I dont run another batch right away?

I will be researching this on my own as well, but any input would be appreciated for reference here.

Thanks oh mightystillers!!

[frozenthunderbolt]

I bet the solids would be contributing to a possible inaccuracy in the readings. Hence one example of where "instruments" are a disadvantage to a product. The mash has slowed down a lot and it doesn't taste sweet anymore. Used to be, any "spit" out my airlock would be sticky, not anymore. Will start filtering it out tonight and go ahead and let it settle out the yeast.

One question - I want to save some of the dunder for another batch. I am researching the specifics on dunder besides "leftovers" from the previous batch. That I have, but is it the yeast/solids/liquid mix,this is trubb not dunder - left over semi-liquid yeast colony sludge just some of the settled yeast after filtering, and how much would be a good idea to save, and how is best to store it if I dont run another batch right away?

I will be researching this on my own as well, but any input would be appreciated for reference here.

Thanks oh mightystillers!!

Dunder is what is left in your boiler after you have distilled the alcohol off

[StillsNMash]

AH! my eyes widened! Thanks frozenthunderbolt, haven't found that differentiation anywhere on the site. So should I ditch the trubb then? TRUBB - another noun to research! ha!

On another note, been the ferment is done and am filtering out the many many solids and extraneous yeast with "flour sack towels" [according to ole Sam Walton's legacy] I call them cheesecloths, into a secondary carboy. Will let that settle for a while and pour off the top again and let it settle again. It smells wonderful and frankly the more I filtered the solids out, the stronger the smell of alcohol is. I would guess that the suspended solids were in fact throwing out my "technical" readings. Once clarified further, I will take another reading.

Am interested to see what this will produce. I smell exactly what zouthernborne was describing earlier.

[StillsNMash]

well, let the mash sit for the weekend and had about an inch of yeast sludge on the bottom. filtered it again through 4 layers of cheesecloth and tossed the sludge. already getting more sediment, so wil let it sit a few more days. looks like a liquid milky way now, and smells great!

[zouthernborne]

Okay, we've waiting long enough. How did this come out!?

[StillsNMash]

My apologies for the long time between replies.

I have had excellent reviews from everyone that has tried it. Its a bit strong as I didn't thin it down, but its got a smooth fiery burn all the way down and warms your belly. Certainly one to do again and try to perfect.

[StillsNMash]

OK, So I am digging this out after 8 years for a REASON.

I found a very small amount of this run back in the back holes of my liquor cabinet, in a recycled bottle I had used, where its sat, forgotten, since 2012. There's about 4 oz left, not enough to test the ABV or anything else. Wish I could. I did the deed and shot an ounce to see. It still had a wonderful aroma and was smooth going down as before. I am so going to do this recipe again! I only wish I had not drunk it all and had put some back with some oak sticks. I also need to take MUCH BETTER NOTES THIS TIME!

I did not expect this run to turn out as good as it did. That said, I DID find several quart jars of the mash I had made back then. I am debating on running it now that my still is back up and running. I've got two birdwatchers mashes in the works, one of which just won't give up the ghost , its still pumping CO2, and the other started on the 20th.

-Stills

[Twisted Brick]

I only wish I had not drunk it all and had put some back with some oak sticks.

-Stills

I think that statement applies to all of us...

I did not expect this run to turn out as good as it did.

-Stills

I had the pleasure of tasting Gosling's Black for the first time last month. As a lover of oatmeal stouts, espresso and heavier roast flavors, this rum was enjoyable right off the bat.

With 8 years of aging, would you change anything in the original recipe?

[StillsNMash]

With 8 years of aging, would you change anything in the original recipe?

Frankly I don't think so, at least not for my first run.

As a side note, I never did run the other half of the wash from back then, its still in about 7 sealed quart jars. Now, the conditions these have been through over the last 8 years includes two house moves, and outside garage storage in uncontrolled temps down to 10 below and as high as 100 degrees F. I had mentioned these in another thread but only started really thinking about what all they have been through. It was suggested in that thread that I break open one and see how it smells - well, I did and it smells sweet and alcoholic. Suggesting why they didn't freeze. They are crystal clear with a small amount of lees in each jar.

I am debating on running them, but I am really not sure, call it my insecurity. I have two birdwatchers batches going, one ready to distill and another started fermenting on 5/20. Going basic to get back in the groove.

-Stills.

[Twisted Brick]

Thanks, Stills.

If your aged wash smells sweet/alcoholic, I'd be tempted to run another ferment or two and after combining, running them. Either that or run just the aged 7qts for the dunder.

Twisted