Larger Rum recipe

[Rumblepants]

Hi guys,

Can you gurus take a look at my rum wash recipe and let me know if anythings off?
Looking to stretch out the Bundy cube a bit.

60L Water
14KG Bundeberg Molasses
7KG Brown sugar
10L Dunderpit (Siphoned from below the top cap)
50g DAP
15g citric acid
50g Ale Yeast

ThankS!
Rumble

[OtisT]

Hi rumblepants. I question the need for DAP with a molasses ferment. Not sure that any would be needed, but double check my assumption. Possibly check other molasses recipes in the T&T section for the need to add nutrients. I know adding too much and distilling in a copper still can lead to blue distillate.

[Bolverk]

I'd replace the DAP for a pinch of epsom salt and 2 crushed multi multi vitamins but that's just me... I feel like DAP has added an undesirable flavor in my rum ferments.

[Sporacle]

Saltys rum uses 2.5 litres or there abouts of water/dunder per litre of molasses and you have about 10 litres in a 14kg block.

Personally I'd get more Molly and do a SBB, having said that it's totally up to you.

[Beefer]

I used the Bundy cubes for my first SBB rum, since then they have nearly doubled in price. My latest big batch (160L) was 40L of blackstrap from the local fodder store - hell of a lot cheaper and fermented up great. Not planning on moving back to the fancy stuff any time soon

[Yummyrum]

I used the Bundy cubes for my first SBB rum, since then they have nearly doubled in price. My latest big batch (160L) was 40L of blackstrap from the local fodder store - hell of a lot cheaper and fermented up great. Not planning on moving back to the fancy stuff any time soon

Yessir

As to the OP recipe .
I’d drop the Citric and DAP . Better off with Epsom salts and Vitamins …. Or some boiled up yeast .
And the yeast . You’d be way better off using Bakers (Bread) yeast .

Haven’t had time to fully analyse the proportions of water, Dunder , sugar and Molly but bit looks quite fermentable at first glance ….. albeit a lighter Rum .

[JustinNZ]

Hey man. I make a lot of rum. I typically put 14kg of molasses in 40L of water/dunder and it’s spot on - a 50L wash. That 14kg contains roughly 7kg of fermentable sugar.

So you’re gonna put another 7kg of sugar in another 30L of liquid. Could be pushing the sugar a tiny bit high, but if you aerate it (mix the shit out if it) and ferment at a temperature the yeast likes you should be fine.

I use bakers yeast at around 35-40deg Celsius pitching temp (then wrap up in blankets). Like others I put in a crushed vit b and a good pinch of Epsom salts and the fermentations are really vigorous and go nice and sour after a week.

I save money buying bakers yeast in 500g/pound packs and it tastes good.

I really, truly believe the mixing, not pushing the sugar too high, and temperature are number one. I don’t know anything about DAP or the citric acid.

[howie]

i also reckon the total sugars will be on the high side

i wouldn't be adding that much citric until you've mixed everything together and then tested your PH.
my tap water is usually PH 8, but the acidic dunder i add, brings the ph down.
so i need very little citric.

BTW i've just noticed you're using live muck in the fermentation?
are you adding it 'live' or boiling it first?
i've only been game to add dunder so far.

[Rumblepants]

Thanks so much to everyone for your insightful comments.

i also reckon the total sugars will be on the high side

i wouldn't be adding that much citric until you've mixed everything together and then tested your PH.
my tap water is usually PH 8, but the acidic dunder i add, brings the ph down.
so i need very little citric.

BTW i've just noticed you're using live muck in the fermentation?
are you adding it 'live' or boiling it first?
i've only been game to add dunder so far.

I've added it before and boiled it before adding it to the fermenter. I have a wort chiller so the brew day process is a bit quicker.

I'm going to omit the dap and instead boil up some bakers yeast with the live dunder.

Will only add citric if the PH drops down below 4. It usually sits around 3 after mixing up the wash. I boost it to around 5.

I age my rum on oak and so far its been super tasty. I've had trouble sourcing a stock feed supplier near me (I'm in Melbourne Australia) but I'm not a huge drinker so one run a year is fine for my needs.

I also make Vodka, Gin, Single malt whisky and various liqueurs lemoncello, Coffee etc. Time is one of my biggest issues!

[Rumblepants]

i also reckon the total sugars will be on the high side

i wouldn't be adding that much citric until you've mixed everything together and then tested your PH.
my tap water is usually PH 8, but the acidic dunder i add, brings the ph down.
so i need very little citric.

BTW i've just noticed you're using live muck in the fermentation?
are you adding it 'live' or boiling it first?
i've only been game to add dunder so far.

Added in some OOOLD dunder to my last batch and it came out amazing. I boiled it first with some bakers yeast.

Add in more water?

could I get away with 80L (21 gallons) total wash size. Plan two strips and a spirit run on a 50 pot still.

[subbrew]

Will only add citric if the PH drops down below 4. It usually sits around 3 after mixing up the wash. I boost it to around 5.

I don't understand this. Citric acid would lower PH. If I read this above correctly it says you add citric when the PH is 3 and it moves the PH up to 5. I am missing something.

[Rumblepants]

You are correct. It is me who is confused (Always!). I should use some calcium carbonate to correct a low PH. Citric acid if its too high!

Thanks for pointing that out.

I'm making up my mash in a couple of days. Will post how it turns out. Thanks everyone for the advice.

[Yummyrum]

I'm making up my mash Wash in a couple of days. Will post how it turns out. Thanks everyone for the advice.

I doubt you will need to futz with pH . The Molasses and Dunder will keep it just right .

Agree with Justin NZ , keeping it warm will be more important .

[Rumblepants]

I made up my wash on the weekend. It was a pretty loose affair. Here's the notes...

The dunderpit was in a bad state. Covered with white mold. Smelling super earthy and dusty. I added it in anyway after boiling it vigorously with 20L water and 200gms of yeast for 30mins.

Chucked that into the fermenter with my 14kg cube of Molasses and 7kg of brown sugar and topped up to around 80L. Gave it all a good stir with a paddle. I then left it overnight to cool and pitched the yeast. A few hours later I realized I had forgot to aerate the wash so I sanitized my paint mixer drill bit and ran it through the wash on full speed for a few minutes.

Seems to be bubbling away now. Smells kinda funky unsure if its a good smell. Hopefully I haven't ruined the batch.