Panela goodness

[nerdybrewer]

Today I had to empty and get rid of my 50 gallon water heater.
I also had 100# Panela left.
Decided to combine the two things.
As expected the water at first was a little rusty and then at the end it was also but in between it was all good clear hot water.
Going to let it sit a while so I can get the new water heater installed, then I'll make sure everything is mixed well and pitch yeast.

[nerdybrewer]

Dumped yeast in yesterday when it was about 100F.
Definitely working, lots of activity.
Since I didn't heat up the sugar & water but instead just dumped hot water onto the sugar I figured it would be nice to mix it.
So I hooked up the big paddle mixer to my drill and gave it all a real good mix up.
Man that stuff smells good!

[OtisT]

....... I also had 100# Panela left.

Hi Nerdy. Sounds like you will be out of Panela soon. If there is another PNW buy coming, I would love to get in on that.

Good luck replacing the water heater.

Otis

[nerdybrewer]

....... I also had 100# Panela left.

Hi Nerdy. Sounds like you will be out of Panela soon. If there is another PNW buy coming, I would love to get in on that.

Good luck replacing the water heater.

Otis

Whole house tankless is in and working, really nice!

Gotta talk to the others and Sugar Daddy, I'll let you know.

[OtisT]

Tankless is nice. It takes longer to get hot water, but once it’s going the supply is unlimited.

From a distilling standpoint, a tankless heater can be very helpful. My tankless has an adjustable temp setting that is instantaneous. The top end was 120f by default, but with an override I can crank it to 140 f. It’s a great start for mashing water, making it at or close to the temp you want. Saves a lot of time/energy.

Otis

[nerdybrewer]

Tankless is nice. It takes longer to get hot water, but once it’s going the supply is unlimited.

From a distilling standpoint, a tankless heater can be very helpful. My tankless has an adjustable temp setting that is instantaneous. The top end was 120f by default, but with an override I can crank it to 140 f. It’s a great start for mashing water, making it at or close to the temp you want. Saves a lot of time/energy.

Otis

Don't have a hot water tap outside but you are making me want to add one.

Measured specific gravity just now, down to 1.01 - basically the easiest rum wash I've ever tried, hot water in, mix up panela and water, toss in a cup of bakers yeast, mix it up again next day and ever other day and it's down to 1.01
Gave it a good mixing with my drill and big paddle mixer, lots of trapped CO2 got released.
Guess I'll let it go a few more days and see what happens.

[WIski]

Otis Wrote'
From a distilling standpoint, a tankless heater can be very helpful. My tankless has an adjustable temp setting that is instantaneous. The top end was 120f by default, but with an override I can crank it to 140 f. It’s a great start for mashing water, making it at or close to the temp you want.

You can get these Tankless Water Heaters that can be adjusted to 185' F and that's real close to where we need it even for corn. This is proving to be a real time saver in my shop. YMMV

[Oldvine Zin]

....... I also had 100# Panela left.

Hi Nerdy. Sounds like you will be out of Panela soon. If there is another PNW buy coming, I would love to get in on that.

Good luck replacing the water heater.

Otis

Whole house tankless is in and working, really nice!

Gotta talk to the others and Sugar Daddy, I'll let you know.

I'm in for another buy and the warehouse is still available

OVZ

[nerdybrewer]

Everyone in the greater Seattle area can PM me with their requests.
Price will depend on size of shipment.

[nerdybrewer]

Everyone in the greater Seattle area can PM me with their requests.
Price will depend on size of shipment.

I will be gone fishing in Alaska next week.
Hopefully the couple guys who are still deciding what they want will PM me while I'm gone and I can finalize things when I get back.

[Bushman]

Undecided as I still have 50 lbs, and I won't mention how many bottles I have on the shelf

[nerdybrewer]

Undecided as I still have 50 lbs, and I won't mention how many bottles I have on the shelf

I only have one bottle full.
Of course I also have the 15 gallon barrel...
Time to fill another barrel, so I have something to drink in a few years.

[The Baker]

Fill the new barrel.

After a while draw a bottleful from the old barrel, replace it from the new barrel.

Instant solera, should be good.

Geoff

[nerdybrewer]

Well that sat and cleared a little over a month.
Smelled really good when I opened it up.
Been doing stripping runs, just running about 15 gallons a night after work a couple times last week then doing the last one today.
This has been such a simple and stress free way to make rum, I should do it this way every time!
I still have some fresh wash to add to my spirit run - I like doing the 1.5 run since I enjoy full flavor from the panela.

[OtisT]

Otis is finally on the panela wagon, after two years of lurking on all the panela threads.

I'm following nerdy's easy approach to processing panela. I just finished my first ferment and it was a slow one. 10 days.
#55 bag of panela disolved in boiling water, cold water added to make 35 gallons near 80 F. (OG 10 60) Aerate, hang a bag of oyster shells, and pitch yeast at 76 F.
10 days later if finished at 10 04, 7% ABV.

It was a steady/slow ferment that stayed at 76F from start to the near end. The ferment slowed at the end of day 8 with an SG of 10 12 and the temp had dropped to 73 F. I slowly heated it up to 85 F over the next 24 hours and the ferment picked back up and was finished by the end of day 10.

Time to start strippin. Otis

[nerdybrewer]

Otis is finally on the panela wagon, after two years of lurking on all the panela threads.

I'm following nerdy's easy approach to processing panela. I just finished my first ferment and it was a slow one. 10 days.
#55 bag of panela disolved in boiling water, cold water added to make 35 gallons near 80 F. (OG 10 60) Aerate, hang a bag of oyster shells, and pitch yeast at 76 F.
10 days later if finished at 10 04, 7% ABV.

It was a steady/slow ferment that stayed at 76F from start to the near end. The ferment slowed at the end of day 8 with an SG of 10 12 and the temp had dropped to 73 F. I slowly heated it up to 85 F over the next 24 hours and the ferment picked back up and was finished by the end of day 10.

Time to start strippin. Otis

Wishing you nothing but hearts!
I'm sipping on a tumbler of my 6/2017 Panela rum now.

[OtisT]

Hi panela fans. I'm all done distilling my first bag of panela. I did three strips and a 1.5 spirit run similar to nerdy's approach on processing panela rum.

I'm sitting on 14 liters in 20 jars and have identified hearts and where I would likely do a barrel cut, but I have not blended yet. I plan to let the jars air one more day before any final decisions. I'm putting this rum into a once used Badmo barrel that had honey bear bourbon in it for a year.

Before I finalize my cut I was hoping for input regarding where fellow panela lovers make cuts on rum for barrel aging. In a nut shell, how much heads and how much tails do you include in your barrel cut?

I have read on HD for hours and the opinions on the use of heads and tails in rum vary greatly. I had a chance to try both Nerdy's and two of OVZ's barrel aged panela rums recently, and they where all delicious. Nerdy, yours had some added complexity that maybe came from your cuts, or possibly from your 1.5 distillation process.

Otis

[nerdybrewer]

Hi panela fans. I'm all done distilling my first bag of panela. I did three strips and a 1.5 spirit run similar to nerdy's approach on processing panela rum.

I'm sitting on 14 liters in 20 jars and have identified hearts and where I would likely do a barrel cut, but I have not blended yet. I plan to let the jars air one more day before any final decisions. I'm putting this rum into a once used Badmo barrel that had honey bear bourbon in it for a year.

Before I finalize my cut I was hoping for input regarding where fellow panela lovers make cuts on rum for barrel aging. In a nut shell, how much heads and how much tails do you include in your barrel cut?

I have read on HD for hours and the opinions on the use of heads and tails in rum vary greatly. I had a chance to try both Nerdy's and two of OVZ's barrel aged panela rums recently, and they where all delicious. Nerdy, yours had some added complexity that maybe came from your cuts, or possibly from your 1.5 distillation process.

Otis

Yes, also recall that I added used red wine barrel chunks to my barrel after the first year and I believe that added to that complexity.
If any of it lasts to two years I'd be really curious how it tastes.
I managed to save 1 bottle of my 2016, no reason I can't save a bottle of the 2017 and then just continue it as a tradition.

As far as cuts for the barrel...
Of course the fores get used as charcoal lighter here, then the really hot heads go into a jar and I have been cutting it off after the first jar of tails appears.
If I get a jar or two of oily heads where I can see rum oils on the surface I will use some of that but tread lightly.
That's what I do, most of my 1.5 run goes in and I let time & oak sort it out.

[OtisT]

As far as cuts for the barrel...
.... the really hot heads go into a jar and I have been cutting it off after the first jar of tails appears.
If I get a jar or two of oily heads where I can see rum oils on the surface I will use some of that but tread lightly.

Thanks Nerdy.

When you say "first jar of tails appear" are you referring to smell of tails in the air, smell of tails in the jar, or taste of tails? In the jar I can typically smell tails 2 or 3 jars before I can taste them. Also, for me the smell of tails in the air typically lags my ability to smell it in the jar, and often coincides with the jar that first tastes of tails.

Otis

[nerdybrewer]

As far as cuts for the barrel...
.... the really hot heads go into a jar and I have been cutting it off after the first jar of tails appears.
If I get a jar or two of oily heads where I can see rum oils on the surface I will use some of that but tread lightly.

Thanks Nerdy.

When you say "first jar of tails appear" are you referring to smell of tails in the air, smell of tails in the jar, or taste of tails? In the jar I can typically smell tails 2 or 3 jars before I can taste them. Also, for me the smell of tails in the air typically lags my ability to smell it in the jar, and often coincides with the jar that first tastes of tails.

Otis

When I get that first really stinky smell wafting up from the condenser.
I may continue to collect after that but I try to be careful about what I put in the barrel because some of that stuff would take a long time to age out.
Also I aim for at least 60% going in the barrel so I can't include too much from the end of the run.

[nerdybrewer]

From the thread title: "Panela Goodness"

Tonight I'm smoking salmon.
Using a dry brine of 4 cups Panela and 2 cups salt.
It's been in the smoker for an hour,smells awesome!!

Before smoke:

[nerdybrewer]

Wow just got a jar from my rum barrel, it's been a while.
Wow! This is really awesome, if I do say so myself.
Red color, super complex flavor.
Pulled it for Thanksgiving, having a little now - gotta taste test right?

[Oldvine Zin]

Wow just got a jar from my rum barrel, it's been a while.
Wow! This is really awesome, if I do say so myself.
Red color, super complex flavor.
Pulled it for Thanksgiving, having a little now - gotta taste test right?

I'm coming over to your house for Thanksgiving lol - sounds great and that panela salmon also looks tasty.

OVZ

[nerdybrewer]

Wow just got a jar from my rum barrel, it's been a while.
Wow! This is really awesome, if I do say so myself.
Red color, super complex flavor.
Pulled it for Thanksgiving, having a little now - gotta taste test right?

I'm coming over to your house for Thanksgiving lol - sounds great and that panela salmon also looks tasty.

OVZ

Sorry, I won't be there!
Traveling to see friends and family, bringing some of both to their house of course!

[OtisT]

I don’t know about you all, but here it feels like panela weather. I checked the forecast and it looks like more of the same for a week, dry too, so I started my first batch of the year today.

I’m trying a new yeast this time. Imperial’s Flagship yeast. I’m told Flagship makes a nice clean and crisp ale. Maybe some floral scent, if I don’t cover it up. Also told by the manufacturer that this yeast needs lots of nutrients, 4x the normal amount. I’m told Panela has a lot of nutrients in it already, so I’m adding just 3x what is recommended by Firmaid K. Recommended temp range is 60-72. I’ll pitch near 65 F and manage temp from there.

#55 panela
3 gallons panela rum dunder (uninfected)
112 grams firmaid K
No oyster shells yet. Will watch PH and see what happens.
Fill up to 40 gallons (+ aerate)

OG is 10 62
PH is 5.0. Yeast is supposed to be good down to 3.5
Pitch Temp is 66 F

This ferment sure smells nice.

Let the games begin.

Otis

[Oldvine Zin]

I don’t know about you all, but here it feels like panela weather. I checked the forecast and it looks like more of the same for a week, dry too, so I started my first batch of the year today.


No oyster shells yet. Will watch PH and see what happens.


Otis

Since the shells are self regulating I always add them up front, from what I've read adding them after the PH crashes is not so effective.

Oh and with the rain we've been having up here it doesn't feel like rum making I did just fill another 5 gal barrel with HBB

OVZ

[OtisT]

Oh and with the rain we've been having up here it doesn't feel like rum making I did just fill another 5 gal barrel with HBB

OVZ

Just looked at the radar and see you all are in the jet stream and gettin soaked, while just a little south of you we are having a week of spring. Sorry.

Congrats on the barrel of HBB. Sounds like you have been busy. I’m trying to make space by finishing off the last two bags of panela. A few small barrels of Bourbon are next on my list.

Otis

[Oldvine Zin]

It's been nice here weather wise for the past few days, thinking about rum, 50 gals of water and panela to bring it up to 20 brix and a little Jimmy Cliff in the background

OVZ

[DetroitDIY]

Yes I've got many ferments to run, but just where to begin, I play for time.

I've been sitting on 400 lbs from Sugar Daddy for 1/2 year now, but looking to get into it this summer. Ran out of my aged panela/molassas mix a few months ago and now have to play catch up. My shop has no water... just do the garden hose trick, so winter slows me down a lot. Just re-read through this entire thread to get me excited. And picked up a few good articles to read that you all had cited. Thanks for the good info.

[Snackson]

Anyone happen to have a couple bags of panela they'd be willing to get rid of in PNW? I am moving again soon but getting a friend into the hobby who is interested in making some rum. If so, please shoot me a message.