Aging white rum

[ryno1234]

Just completed my 6th (I think...) attempt at any distilled product. This time it was rum. I learned to make better cuts and my product tastes much better this time (2 days since distilled)! Excited for the forward progress.

In my prior attempt, I aged the rum on oak for 1-2 weeks (along with a vanilla bean, cinnamon and cranberries) and it smoothed out amazingly and took all the rough edges off. Everyone who tried it loved it. No complaints.

I've been wondering if that smoothed edge was simply the time or if it was due to the components I put into the rum. My goal has always been to make white rum, but I used those additional elements because I wanted to have a win and I knew that, at minimum, those new flavors would drown any bad flavors . Again, I'm new to this and didn't mind having a cheap shot at winning just to keep me going. It worked.

Now, knowing slightly more than last time, I think my latest run produced viable product and I have not added any of the above mentioned items. It's just pure white rum. Its rough, but drinkable.

If aging with the intention of keeping it as a white rum, what is the shortest path to success? Do I need to continue to air it or do I simply place it in a glass container and let it do its thing? How long before the rough edges wear off and I can get some extra esterification? I'm not someone who's trying to let things age for years, at least not at this point in the game. I'm new and I'd like to share my product with my friends and family even if it isn't "perfect".

Also, and somewhat related, I love the taste of it on oak with the cranberries, etc that I added, but I'd also like to strip the color. I've attempted this as I've read in threads by using filtering. This has not stripped any color. Has anyone has success stripping color? If so, what product are you using to do this?

[Corsaire]

To my understanding most white rum is first aged, then charcoal filtered to remove color.

I've never tried it but I imagine the fastest way would be forced aging (check out the nuclear aging and other fast aging threads) and then charcoal filtering.

[bluefish_dist]

The typical Bacardi method is to age for a short time, then filter. Supposedly carbon filtering.

I just made a less funky rum so it could be consumed right away. I was about 100 lbs of raw sugar and 1 gallon of blackstrap, then run at 165 proof off the still. For a pot still I could do a minimum of 2 runs. Make tight cuts, then add a little caramelized sugar. I would add 1/2 oz per 5 gallons. Let it sit for a week or two then bottle. It makes a great mixing rum, yet Is good on ice.

If the rum was to be aged I added more funk as time changes that into depth of flavor.

[StillerBoy]

but I'd also like to strip the color. I've attempted this as I've read in threads by using filtering. This has not stripped any color.

What was the filtering tool and process used, as filtering will remove not only color but flavor also..

Mars

[bluefish_dist]

but I'd also like to strip the color. I've attempted this as I've read in threads by using filtering. This has not stripped any color.

What was the filtering tool and process used, as filtering will remove not only color but flavor also..

Mars

I believe that’s why white rum is typically less flavorful. Honestly most white rums by the big guys are almost undrinkable. Especially when compared to what I made.

[Durhommer]

So I'm aging my rum with clove nutmeg and rasins and oak anyone ever done this? Itd be nice to hear some feedback thinking I'd charcoal filter in about six months then bottle and rest another 6 but I do plan on keeping one gallon color

[SaltyStaves]

So I'm aging my rum with clove nutmeg and rasins and oak anyone ever done this? Itd be nice to hear some feedback thinking I'd charcoal filter in about six months then bottle and rest another 6 but I do plan on keeping one gallon color

Probably the worst thing I've done to an otherwise drinkable rum. 3 years later its a little better, but barely.
Most of the blame would be the Cloves. They practically turned pale white and whatever dissolved into the spirit was nasty as hell. Never again.

[NZChris]

Also, and somewhat related, I love the taste of it on oak with the cranberries, etc that I added, but I'd also like to strip the color. I've attempted this as I've read in threads by using filtering. This has not stripped any color. Has anyone has success stripping color? If so, what product are you using to do this?

I haven't used it myself as I've never wanted to get rid of color, but you could try Granucol FA.

[Hambone]

I've not been a fan of cloves since college when we'd smoke those damned clove cigarettes. I won't use them for anything really, and a little goes a long, LONG way....

[dukethebeagle120]

The typical Bacardi method is to age for a short time, then filter. Supposedly carbon filtering.

I just made a less funky rum so it could be consumed right away. I was about 100 lbs of raw sugar and 1 gallon of blackstrap, then run at 165 proof off the still. For a pot still I could do a minimum of 2 runs. Make tight cuts, then add a little caramelized sugar. I would add 1/2 oz per 5 gallons. Let it sit for a week or two then bottle. It makes a great mixing rum, yet Is good on ice.

If the rum was to be aged I added more funk as time changes that into depth of flavor.

I have been using bluefishes recipe for my white rum for a while
Better then bacardi etc
Try it youll see

[bluefish_dist]

I have been using bluefishes recipe for my white rum for a while
Better then bacardi etc
Try it youll see

Good to hear it works for you. We sold a lot of it. Makes a far better mixed drink that the standard white rums.

[MartinCash]

Can I ask which recipe this is?

I've tried making a white rum by refluxing my postilled rum feints a couple of times, thinking that they'd carry a lot of flavour, but my VM column is too efficient and I always end up with neutral. I've considered taking half the packing out and trying again but never got around to it. Worth doing?

[bluefish_dist]

Can I ask which recipe this is?

I've tried making a white rum by refluxing my postilled rum feints a couple of times, thinking that they'd carry a lot of flavour, but my VM column is too efficient and I always end up with neutral. I've considered taking half the packing out and trying again but never got around to it. Worth doing?

If your column is too efficient, remove packing. You only need it coming off about 160-170 proof for a good white rum. For me that was 3 plates. My white rum was about 1 lb of raw sugar per oz of blackstrap or 10:1 by weight. Would aim for an opening gravity around 1.08-1.085, rm yeast, could sub bread yeast. A little nutrients to help out on fermentation. I liked what blackstrap added, but if you add too much it becomes overpowering in a white.

[NZChris]

I've tried making a white rum by refluxing my postilled rum feints a couple of times, thinking that they'd carry a lot of flavour, but my VM column is too efficient and I always end up with neutral. I've considered taking half the packing out and trying again but never got around to it. Worth doing?

Go back to the pot still.

Leave your feints on new or used oak until you have saved up enough for a feints run.

Add tiny amounts of botanicals that have flavors that you want/expect in aged rum. Look up tasting notes for rums you like. What are the flavors that you can pick out in them?

[MartinCash]

Thanks for the tips! I'm doing rum at the moment, so I'll have a bunch of feints to play with. I prefer a heavy rum, but I was trying to get something for visitors who prefer it a bit lighter. I'll stop here so as not to derail the OP.

[dukethebeagle120]

Can I ask which recipe this is?

I've tried making a white rum by refluxing my postilled rum feints a couple of times, thinking that they'd carry a lot of flavour, but my VM column is too efficient and I always end up with neutral. I've considered taking half the packing out and trying again but never got around to it. Worth doing?

If your column is too efficient, remove packing. You only need it coming off about 160-170 proof for a good white rum. For me that was 3 plates. My white rum was about 1 lb of raw sugar per oz of blackstrap or 10:1 by weight. Would aim for an opening gravity around 1.08-1.085, rm yeast, could sub bread yeast. A little nutrients to help out on fermentation. I liked what blackstrap added, but if you add too much it becomes overpowering in a white.

I use 10 to 1 also
I aim 1.090 because with agri molly it finishes off around 1.015ish.
Like op said,run it off at 160 to 170
In his posting wherev got those ratio he posted holding about 164 proof.
Also with those ratios i add a bit off fertilizer maybe a tablespoon,i don't measure.
Being really more of a sugar wash,on a 12 gallon wash i usually get close to a gallon after cuts
It stays pretty smooth even in the late heads.
One note.
I use saf bread yeast.
Fellas here say 80ish.
I cannot get that yeast to work at all at that temp
This rum needs to ferment fast and be distilled soon after fermantation to limit any type of ester formation i guess.
3 to 4 days id perfect.
90 to 95 it really chugs.
I strip,then a spirit run with a reflux column packed with copper pieces in a 36 inch colunm.
Wifey likes it so its a winner in my book

[ryno1234]

but I'd also like to strip the color. I've attempted this as I've read in threads by using filtering. This has not stripped any color.

What was the filtering tool and process used, as filtering will remove not only color but flavor also..

Mars

I have charcoal bags that I place in the bottom of a styrofoam which has holes cut in it. I place another styrofoam cup within the other cup essentially sandwiching the charcoal bag in-between. I do this yet again creating 3 separate cups and 2 charcoal bags between. I place a coffee filter in the top-most cup so I capture any misc small particles in that. I pour my spirit through the cup and let it drain into some other container.

I've done this 2-3 times and have noticed no color difference.

[jonnys_spirit]

Is the charcoal activated? What ABV do you send your ethanol solvent through styrofoam?

Cheers,
jonny

[StillerBoy]

I have charcoal bags that I place in the bottom of a styrofoam which has holes cut in it. I place another styrofoam cup within the other cup essentially sandwiching the charcoal bag in-between. I do this yet again creating 3 separate cups and 2 charcoal bags between. I place a coffee filter in the top-most cup so I capture any misc small particles in that. I pour my spirit through the cup and let it drain into some other container.

I've done this 2-3 times and have noticed no color difference.

Of course there will be no color difference.. the setup you made and used is not appropriate for filtering to start with, nor will it remove color, at the rate of a few drops per second..

To properly filter, at the very least a column of 2" x 3' is required filled with at least 2 - 3 lbs activated charcoal. and filtered at no more than 50% abv..

Mars