Lil bit-o-bout panela

[LWTCS]

What are you doing with the gunk at the bottom of the carboy after racking it? Are there any uses like putting it into a new wash?

In the past, I have boiled it down to use as nutes. I have also re-topped with another 20-25 liter volume. And it has also ended up in my septic system.

Is this the first generation wash Stillknotty?
What still are you running?

[Stillknotty]

Yes, first gen and using the Brewhaus HC PSII that we removed the center stack and pulled the packing out. Running right now and the smell is amazing, even the ferment didn't smell bad. Can't wait to sample the finished product. What should I be looking for on the proof? I know I'm not shooting for the high number I was getting running the sugar washes in full reflux. This is only our 4th run to date so I'm still behind on the learning curve.

[LWTCS]

What should I be looking for on the proof?

I can't really answer that as I run mine all different ways and love em all.

The Arroyo paper talks about letting the thing reflux for a good hour or so prior to take off. Kiwistiller also talks about this technique to allow for esterfication. I love this method.

I like to do this techique with my tunable thumper set up lately. Very nice florals with a bit more of a rummy nose.

I also charge my thump tower with dunder and do the same kind of reflux period and the abv is higher with a very floral nose.

Tater does his with a single generation and runs his still real slow for that rummy carry over

Your gonna have to do it all dude. As many gears as your still has,,,your gonna have to try em all out. There is no right or wrong. And the rum can handle it.

If you feel like you prefer the lower (or higher) abv or what have you,,,,just dilute with some wash and still it again.

[Stillknotty]

So far pulling 82% and WOW that is smooth!! It's better than the sugar wash and smoother straight off the still then the sugar wash was aired and diluted. Needless to say I see a trip to Bravo Supermarket in my near future. I can't wait to try it on the 2nd and 3rd gen runs. Now for the aging and oaking.......

[LWTCS]

Do yourself a favor and keep some white.
If you got a 3 liter glass jug, jes leave yerself about a 1/3 of head space. Once a week pour into a (SS) pot and then pour it back in yer jug with the head space.

In a month it's gonna be really difficult to leave it be.

[LWTCS]

So that last bit was the part when Liquid_Luv steps in and gives me the big speach about,,,, How the hell will I ever get any really really good drankin rum if I won't leave it alone.

Owe know

[Stillknotty]

Well someone else must be doing this little run near me because 3 stores later I only have 4 lbs. WTH 2 weeks ago the shelves were full.

[LWTCS]

If your ready to get another wash going you can always use what you got and suppliment with table sugar (or brown). The dunder will certainly help off set the lesser amount of panela.

Maybe not preferable but you can keep it going and get yourself some stock built up.

3 rd and 4th generation and it starts to get really nice.

[exon]

Very interesting, and I enjoyed that video...

Just bought some at my local market, in the mexican section, under the name piloncillo.
It is offered in a frustum shape... 3" truncated cone... !/2 a dozen of them at $1.28/lb cost me two bucks.



I've known it as panocha... all same as panela.

White sugar here is selling at 48cents a pound.
exon

[DAveCuds]

I've just moved back to colombia and they got panela coming outta their ears here.
At the local store i can get a kilo for about a $1 but i might go to the actual farms and see if i can buy in bulk.

So i have been running a reflux lately and no experience with a pot. But i have a flange on my keg so i am going to make a pot head for it.
I will start making some ferment soon using panela. Just to be clear, panela has it's own yeast nutrient? So for a super simple wash i could use just water, panela and some yeast??
I just have access to bakers yeast here. How much do u think i will need for a 50l wash?

Chau

[LWTCS]

Nutes not requisite. Ferments will chug along very steady but not violently at all.

I been using bout 4 ounces per 20-25 liters or so of fleischmans and some other varieties in 11 gram paks.

[Stillknotty]

2 new batches working. After the run 2 weeks ago and I couldn't find any panela, hubby created his own concoction. 2lbs panela 8 lbs white sugar, 2 jars molasses, pinch of epsom salts, 1/2 tsp DAP, 1/2 tsp citric acid, 25% dunder to make a 5 gallon batch. Oh and he also boiled some of the sludge from the other wash and added it. I think he just threw everything he could find in it! It has been 2 weeks and it's still working. I picked up some of that Piloncillo so 10 lbs of that will go in with 2 week old dunder. Wow that crap is nasty!! It has a film over top but no critters at least that I can see.

LWTCS I know exactly what you meant by

How the hell will I ever get any really really good drankin rum if I won't leave it alone.

All I did was make some caramel then invert it in the distilled water and add just a bit with a few oak chips. I have the best heart left white but not much left of that either. It was just too good to leave alone.
What does pouring into a SS pot and back do for the white?

Another question are you doing anything special with your yeast or just throwing it in after its cooled a bit?

Damn I think I needs me a bigger set-up

[LWTCS]

What does pouring into a SS pot and back do for the white?

I keep mine on the shelf kinda proofy. So when I transfer my likker once a week or so. It will air out and a bunch of volitiles will dissapate. Months time it smooths really nice.
And yes I get furious if I spill the smallest bit

Another question are you doing anything special with your yeast or just throwing it in after its cooled a bit?

I just let it cool and areate the daylites out of it. Then I just sprinkle the yeast to across the top to hydrate. After it gets going I jes strir it in one good go and never touch it after that.

[exon]

@ Stillknotty...

Did you find the piloncillo nastier or even different than the panela you had bought ?
exon

[Josesillo]

Oh right,,,,food.
Most of the latins use it for their morning coffee rather than the white.

Hey guys, if you wanna try some tipical use of panela, use half a block (about 1/2Lb), pass it through a cheese grate, add about 1 1/2 Lt of water and boil it for a couple of minuts, let it cool, then add the juice of 3 or 4 lemmons, drink with plenty of ice.

this is as refreshing as any good lemmonade on a hot summer day,
im from venezuela, here we call it panela or papelon, , and the drink is called papelon con limon, sold in most tipical BBQ restaurants, and by plenty of street vendors

keep an eye open for there are some kinds that have anise seeds to add some flavor to the panela, i guess you could use it but the out come might get some weird taste

[LWTCS]

That sounds delightful Josesillo.

Some rum in that for me I recon.

[Stillknotty]

@ Stillknotty...

Did you find the piloncillo nastier or even different than the panela you had bought ?
exon

It seems to have more molasses, the smell was stronger and the color darker but I didn't find any bugs floating so thats a good sign!

[ArkyJ]

OK Larry, Finally managed to find 7 1/2 pounds of panela. Setting in warm water along with 3 pounds of brown sugar. tomorrow will start the ferement.
I have champane, ec1118 or bread yeast on hand. Which one would be best?
Looking forward to this one.
ArkyJ

[LWTCS]

I have had my best luck with the bread yeast.

Save your EC1118 for your fruit

[Stillknotty]

I will no longer have a problem finding panela. I ran into an a friend I hadn't seen in awhile and it turns out she owns a little hispanic market and she can order for me in bulk. Of course, it's to make pralines not rum and I will be getting it at cost to top it off! It sure will be better than carrying 20lbs out of Bravo

[ArkyJ]

Thank god they didn't see the dead cockroach in the panela.
Probably would have charged me extra.
ArkyJ

[Stillknotty]

One problem I have noticed is I seem to be getting a lot of tails, is there anything I can do to reduce the amount of tails? It seems like I'm getting almost half. The proof is still up but the taste is deteriating.

[LWTCS]

More tails with each succesive generation? Is that what you mean?

[Stillknotty]

Yes, on 3rd gen and hearts we amazing very little heads but way too many tails.

[LWTCS]

How much dunder are your using per batch?
Are you heating up slow/fast?
Are you stripping first?

[ArkyJ]

Well, three months after starting and 2 1/2 months after it was done bubbling.
I went ahead and ran the panela wash this morning.
I opened the lid and like to drank it right there. The alcohol slapped me in the face and
the smell was great.

Fired up the still and collected 150 mils of fores and then started the heads at 70%.
At 68% it started tasting mighty good and switched to my hearts jar.
One thing different from any other rum was a very strong pepper taste and that lasted all
the way down to 59%. At that point pepper was gone and just a normal rum taste came
thru. Ran it down to 55% and put the tails jar in and finished up at 50%. Tails was bland.
Probably toss the tails down the kitchen sink tomorrow after another taste test.

Off to the store, tomorrow, for more panela. With a little luck, in the time dept, I can do this
again.

ArkyJ

[LWTCS]

Pepper like black pepper Miss Jackie? Spicy hot or pepper flavor?

[ArkyJ]

Pepper.
I have no understanding as to why.

ArkyJ

[LWTCS]

Me neither...I don't recall ever noting any pepper notes.

I do put pepper corns in my spice....Recon you can pass on that add in aye?

What kind of yeast did you use?

[ArkyJ]

Good ol bread yeast.
Only difference was I did not change out my copper packing
after running oat whiskey a month ago.

Pepper taste came thru from the start at 70% and lasted all the way
down to around 60%. then started to taste as rum usually does.
It's good. Great taste. Try to do it over again tomorrow.
ArkyJ