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Saltbush Bill, thank you.
It's difficult to rank the tried and true content, but this one is my absolutte favorite

Well, it's been 34 months since I made my first SBB batches. I have 10 gallons in in two used 5 gallon bourbon barrels from a distillery. I lost my shop in a move, but I'm finally ready to get making again! I have a third barrel I want to fill, then start to move the product thru as a Solara sp? system. I've got 20 gallons of molasses ready to go. By the way, I have yet to taste those first 10 gallons, I just let them lay. Just getting going, I'll keep you posted.

Bill, do you think there is a way to account for different qualities of molasses? I have pretty good restaurant quality, will the sugar content be different enough I need to account for it vs. farm feed?

So I'm working on my first SBB batch. It's been fermenting for 7 days. OG was 1.110, current gravity is 1.030. Seems like it should be done but I can still see it fizzing pretty noticeably. As for taste, I can't honestly tell if there's any sweetness or not.

Should I let it go a few more days? I'm not in any rush, I'm just afraid to stress the yeast and produce off flavors.

If its fizzing it's not done.
Any sign of activity at all its not done.

werkkrew wrote: ↑Mon Oct 17, 2022 11:03 am I'm just afraid to stress the yeast and produce off flavors.

Don't worry, it will be fine.

Ok then, thanks for the reply!

Hey SBB, what proof do you age at with this recipe?

I don't get too pedantic.....between 60 and 65 %.....Averages out at around 62%.....By the time it's been through all of the barrels it averages out.
Many Rums are aged at higher ABVs than that.....so if you want to go a bit higher you can.

Saltbush Bill wrote: ↑Thu Oct 20, 2022 12:47 pm I don't get too pedantic.....between 60 and 65 %.....Averages out at around 62%.....By the time it's been through all of the barrels it averages out.
Many Rums are aged at higher ABVs than that.....so if you want to go a bit higher you can.

Thanks, I usually age my whiskey's around 65% so I guess I'll shoot for something around there. Recipe is amazing by the way, easy to make and a double batch like I did produced a LOT of hearts for aging.

Thanks again!

Like Salty said , a lot of Rums are aged at higher AVB .
I age my Salty Rum in a barrel @ 78-80% ABV

Yummyrum wrote: ↑Thu Oct 20, 2022 2:46 pm Like Salty said , a lot of Rums are aged at higher AVB .
I age my Salty Rum in a barrel @ 78-80% ABV

My second pot run of SBB's comes off at 75 to 80% that's what I age on.

I went with toasted oak sticks in glass at approx 65% for this batch, need to pick up another barrel or two.

Hey SBB, another question if I can - do you toast your own oak sticks? If so, how do you do it to get to your preferred "medium" toast? I have a bunch of raw white oak (Seasoned 4 years) that I don't know how to toast for this.

I have at times made and used my own home toasted sticks......there are many threads around the forum on how to do that. Mostly if I use sticks now they are the " Dominos" that are sold by Still Dragon.......I find they work well.
99% of my Rum these days is aged in oak barrels.

Saltbush Bill wrote: ↑Thu Oct 27, 2022 12:52 pm I have at times made and used my own home toasted sticks......there are many threads around the forum on how to do that. Mostly if I use sticks now they are the " Dominos" that are sold by Still Dragon.......I find they work well.
99% of my Rum these days is aged in oak barrels.

Are those French oak barrels Salty? I know you don’t like the char.

American Oak barrels......made by a Aussie Cooper.
I dont mind char.......just not in my Rum.

Yes, I should’ve specified about the char on rum, hell, I didn’t know you even drank anything else . Looks like another Gibbs Bros. Barrel is in my future…

Starting this tomorrow, any advice or critique would be greatly appreciated.
26 gallon (98L) Ferment
7 gallons (26.5L)- Molasses

Question: Is 15L of boiling water enough to dissolve the molasses?

Using a drill and paint mixer to dissolve. After the mole-ass is dissolved I’ll top up with cold water to 98L.
Reading through the thread it’s been mentioned that Vitamin B may not be needed but for this first attempt I’m going to follow the recipe as best I can.

Add- 3 crushed Vit B tablets and pinch of Epsom salt.
Pitch- 58g of bakers yeast.

I’ll let er’ go till the airlock is good and quiet.

I’m going to strip 22L through my copper pot. Stopping when the total collected volume hits 30%.
Adding low wines from strip and the remaining ferment to my 4 plater and running the lot.

Question: Does this tend to foam much? I’ve read that charging not more than 75% of boiler capacity is a good rule of thumb.
My boiler is 98L 75% of that is 73.5L I’m thinking I’ll have about 80L of charge so I’ll be a touch heavy.

Stonecutter wrote: ↑Fri Nov 04, 2022 1:27 pm Question: Is 15L of boiling water enough to dissolve the molasses?

Any hot water used is more to brink up the temp of the wash a bit for the yeast, Drill n paint mixer will dissolve it even without hot water .....or better still a pressure washer as in the Y-tube clip.

Stonecutter wrote: ↑Fri Nov 04, 2022 1:27 pm Does this tend to foam much? I’ve read that charging not more than 75% of boiler capacity is a good rule of thumb.

Adding the low wines to the wash thins the wash out a fair bit and helps with puking...some do , some dont...Ive had a few come up to the second window on the plated column , but nothing ya cant handle........let it cool down and subside , then it usually behaves from there on in.

Hey thanks Saltbush Bill!
Feeling great about this. Hopefully all goes to plan. I’ll update ASAP.

Salty , been thinking about the yeast lately . I’ve been adding two 290g tins of Lowans into my 180litre washes but been thinking maybe it’s too much .

I know you mention a handful of yeast in a 30litre wash , but how much do you use in the 200litre ones?

Geeeezuz Yummy ......do you own the Lowans factory
I'd use less than half a tin in a wash that size........even that is probably more than necessary.
Maybe I better edit the original recipe for the small washs......I reckon a handfull = about 4 Tablespoons.

I do a starter while I am getting set up and heating the wash...seems to work well. Less yeast needed to start, and they reproduce fast.
viewtopic.php?p=7725964#p7725964

Saltbush Bill wrote: ↑Fri Nov 04, 2022 5:49 pm Geeeezuz Yummy ......do you own the Lowans factory
I'd use less than half a tin in a wash that size........even that is probably more than necessary.
Maybe I better edit the original recipe for the small washs......I reckon a handfull = about 4 Tablespoons.

Whew! Here I thought I had WAY underestimated my pitching amount. Thanks Salty. Nice heads up Yummy

Saltbush Bill wrote: ↑Fri Nov 04, 2022 5:49 pm Geeeezuz Yummy ......do you own the Lowans factory
I'd use less than half a tin in a wash that size........even that is probably more than necessary.
Maybe I better edit the original recipe for the small washs......I reckon a handfull = about 4 Tablespoons.

OK , I thought I had cocked it up . LOL I seldom look at recipes and just go by what I remember .
Have been making bigger batches , then double big batches. Then finally gone to 200l fermenter . I guess I stuffed up somewhere with the doubling and eventually ended up where I did .

Just looked up Shady shine and scaling that up to 180 litres and it sounds pretty much in the ball park of your suggested “ half a tin or less” .

Edit: half a tin is 145 grams for a 180 litre wash .
I think I realised how I got so stuffed up with using so much yeast .

It was my first Tomato paste wash . I was still using that thinking and using that recipe it would work out at just over 500 grams of yeast for a 180 litre wash . Hence , two tins . …. elbiet with a bit extra …. just to be sure .

Old habits die hard .
Sometimes one really needs to just follow the recipe at hand

Mind you , adding a shit ton extra yeast has not caused any problems I’m aware of .

Yeah back in the day over pitching would have been an insurance policy that ensures a good hearty kick.

Rad used to promote that a bit on the Gerber recipe as I recall? He didn't seem to worry about the breadyness coming over because was running through packing.

I ended up pitching 60g of bakers for a 26 gallon ferment. Do you think I used too much or not enough?

Is it fermenting? .........if it is , then it was enoug.h..I think you worry to much.

Saltbush Bill wrote: ↑Sun Nov 06, 2022 10:30 am Is it fermenting? .........if it is , then it was enoug.h..I think you worry to much.

Haha, I’ve been known to worry a touch here and there. Yes, it’s bubbling away and smelling great.

Stonecutter wrote: ↑Sun Nov 06, 2022 10:44 am

Saltbush Bill wrote: ↑Sun Nov 06, 2022 10:30 am Is it fermenting? .........if it is , then it was enoug.h..I think you worry to much.

Haha, I’ve been known to worry a touch here and there. Yes, it’s bubbling away and smelling great.

Ha ha ha. Your not the only one. My OCD kicks in plenty with this rabbit hole. Your actually using lower amounts than me and it's bubbling away so your probably good. Iv done lots of this stuff and it's all sitting on oak. Hard to stay out of. But all the ferments have finished nicely.
I use the old finger technique. ( THE ONE I USED IN PUBLIC SCHOOL )
If it's sweet leave it,if it's not it's ready.lmao

Zeotropic wrote: ↑Thu Feb 03, 2022 9:10 pm I just started my first batch of this tonight. I used 5 gallons of bait molasses. I can't wait to see what the cuts are like since this will be my first rum.
Thanks for the recipe SBB.

Well just over 9 months later I'm finally running the stripping run on this. It smells wonderful.