Pot still w/ reflux - is it worth doing?

[Steve Broady]

When I built the condenser for my pot still, I designed is so that it could easily be mounted vertically and serve as a reflux condenser. I have heard that holding things like rum in full reflux for 30 minutes or so can help with esterification and the creation of desirable flavors.

I haven’t tried it yet, partly because I’m impatient, partly because I don’t know if it’s worthwhile, and partly because I haven’t made a ton of rum. So my question is, is this worth doing? Also, if it is, what other spirits would benefit from such a treatment?

To be clear, I have one still and one condenser. If I did this, I would hold it in reflux as long as needed, then loosen and reposition the condenser to take off the final produce.

[NZChris]

You don't have to use a reflux condenser to have a still idling at close to producing. My main pot still body loses 300-400W through the walls and lagging, depending on ambient temperature and air movement. For rum, I quickly get it up to distilling temperature, then turn the Watts down to where it is idling for an hour.

Subsequent charges are slowly heated in my preheater, so get the benefit of time and temperature without the energy and time costs.

[Steve Broady]

Thanks, that’s a beautifully simple solution. I’m curious, has anyone tried to define the difference in taste between a rum that has been treated like that and one that hasn’t? I’m not questioning that there is a difference, but what is the difference?

[RandyMarshCT]

Steve, I've done this with my pot still. It helps if you put some copper mesh inside the condenser tube for more vapor contact. Pull heads real slow after you tip it back down. It compacts your heads a little better so you lose a little less total volume to your heads cut. Like NZChris said, you can crank up to temp quickly (basically using your condenser as a CM reflux), then drop to a stable slow run temp before tipping it back down.