Rum Talk......

[LWTCS]

I do like the spiced up stuff and once upon a time prefered it.

But I must say that I agree that a purist take is more preferable to me at this time.

My tastes have definitely changed.

I'll still tinker with the flavors but my stock of white will always be most important.

Carry on L_L

[kiwistiller]

I used to prefer spiced rums as well. Tastes change Now the only things I'd even consider adding would be vanilla and peppercorns. I just love what black pepper does to spirits. Warming.

[Liquid_Luv]

I used to prefer spiced rums as well. Tastes change Now the only things I'd even consider adding would be vanilla and peppercorns. I just love what black pepper does to spirits. Warming.

That sounds like the perfect by the fire on a cool eve type bev... Nice on the nose, warm in the gut... and smooth all the way down

I've been a big fan of using peppercorns for quite some time, until a bud of mine was always getting heartburn and acid reflux every time we kicked back a few... well actually quite a few

Since figured that may be the cause... just started serving up the overproof stock without the peppercorns... certainly has the same warming effect... we drink less, and no reflux or heartburn... personally, it's all the same to me.

As for the vanilla, I only add it sparingly to a bottle at a time... and only because I don't have the patience to allow time to take that flavor from the oak... which it will if toasted at the correct temperature and left to age... guess I'll need to make a whole lot more, cause it goes down too fast too easy

[kiwistiller]

Yeah I haven't looked into vanilla extract, I only use the beans. Easier to control.

[suburban hillbilly]

I haven't gone down the vanilla route yet as its so damn exspensive over here and I don't trust what the supermarkets here call extract. I am howerver going to be working up and down the mexican riviera through this winter and the last time I was there I remember seeing bottles of really dark liquid vanilla extract in the almost all of the tourist shops. I am assuming this is the real deal so I will be bringing some back unless someone on here knows different. Kiwi's peppercorn and vanilla sounds interesting though. What amount of peppercorns do you throw in per litre and are you aging before you cut to drinking abv?
all the best S H

[kiwistiller]

Yip aging. Although I've done a vanilla white rum before, was a croud pleaser. Only say 2 peppercorns per litre, you don't want to overdo it. If I spice I put the spices in for about a week at the start of the aging process. I probably should do it at the end though.

[Barney Fife]

I add fresh cracked pepper corn to the tune of roughly a spoonful per gallon to whiskeys, as I found that with my careful cuts, there wasn't enough "burn", even when drinking it neat. It was so smooth I'd not sip it slowly, properly, but drink it down instead, with of course, the expected consequences

But I like my rum sweet and full flavored, and Ess-Emmm-Oooooth.

ell us more... Do you use the rum oils? Some use Pugi's recipe and keep on recycling them through the final spirit runs...

I did do a full generation of washes following Pugi's rum oil method, and at the time, dismissed the idea as I kept collecting more and more oils, so I assumed that since I wasn't leaving any oils behind, I wasn't getting anything from them, so I just went back to collecting all tails together and running those separately from the hearts/spirit runs. But, looking back now, I -think- that Pugi rum experiment of mine may have been the one that resulted in the incredible white rum I've kept aside from all the rest. I've mentioned this one a few times, as it is just a incredibly sweet, full flavored, butterscotch-y rum, that has aged very well simply bottled in glass, with nothing added. It rivals, and has a LOT in common with some of the best, high end rums I have tasted over the years. I rarely take notes these days, and thus can't be sure, but I've been thinking back to the time frame I made that rum, and it very well could be the Pugi rum. With that said, I intend to revisit Pugi's recipe, and try it again. The 'ol boy may well have been 100% correct after all.

As for dunder, I re-use ALL my dunder back into each new wash until the wash simply won't ferment in a reasonable time(a couple or three weeks is fine with me), then I'll run all my collected hearts from these generations(usually 4-6 gens.) with my final wash, effectively running my hearts with all the dunder. Just another way to do it!

[suburban hillbilly]

I Have been trying to think of ways of infusing some coconut flavour into my rum. I think I might have an idea that might work. Where I live in the uk we are blessed with an abundance of gorse plant. The flowers are already an ingredient for wine. It suprisingly has a very sweet coconut smell. It flowers pretty much all year but in spring goe's nuts to the point if you are walking anywhere near them all you can smell is the coconut odour. It's not unlike exspensive coconut suncream.
I know that the flavour carries across to wine so there must be a way to get it into my rum. Not quite sure what the best method would be at this point. I dont neccesarily want to throw flowers into the rum to infuse in case it turns the rum bad or cloudy. What about making a batch of rum with unfermented gorse wine or even fermented gorse wine in place of water. My worry here would be the obvious that the still will more than likely strip out the flavour.
Any idea's?
All the best S H

[kiwistiller]

you could try them in the vapour path....

[HookLine]

ell us more... Do you use the rum oils? Some use Pugi's recipe and keep on recycling them through the final spirit runs...

I did do a full generation of washes following Pugi's rum oil method, and at the time, dismissed the idea as I kept collecting more and more oils, so I assumed that since I wasn't leaving any oils behind, I wasn't getting anything from them, so I just went back to collecting all tails together and running those separately from the hearts/spirit runs. But, looking back now, I -think- that Pugi rum experiment of mine may have been the one that resulted in the incredible white rum I've kept aside from all the rest. I've mentioned this one a few times, as it is just a incredibly sweet, full flavored, butterscotch-y rum, that has aged very well simply bottled in glass, with nothing added. It rivals, and has a LOT in common with some of the best, high end rums I have tasted over the years. I rarely take notes these days, and thus can't be sure, but I've been thinking back to the time frame I made that rum, and it very well could be the Pugi rum. With that said, I intend to revisit Pugi's recipe, and try it again. The 'ol boy may well have been 100% correct after all.

As for dunder, I re-use ALL my dunder back into each new wash until the wash simply won't ferment in a reasonable time(a couple or three weeks is fine with me), then I'll run all my collected hearts from these generations(usually 4-6 gens.) with my final wash, effectively running my hearts with all the dunder. Just another way to do it!

I might have to re-visit the rum oils trick, try again. Have been using more and more dunder in my ferments.

[suburban hillbilly]

Hi Kiwi
What would be the best method of getting them in the vapour path. Would it be some sort of mesh to hold them over the top of the wash in the boiler.
All the best S H

[myles]

Put an inline basket into your vapour path. If you are using 2" tube a section 12" long should be ample. It might be worth a trial to see if the flavour will come over by the vapour infusion method. It bight be easier than trying to suspend a bag in the headspace in your boiler.

[suburban hillbilly]

Thanks for the tip Myles I'll knock one up and give it a go. Not sure how much flavour the flowers have at this time of the year so it might have to go on the backburner till spring.
On saying that I have to go out in a short while so i might go and find whats about.
All the best S H

[suburban hillbilly]

Hi Guys
Was running a batch of all bran off today and decided to throw together a gin basket while I was there to attempt to get that coconut flavour into my rum with gorse flowers.
Don't know too much about gin baskets but have a look at this and tell me is this the kind of thing you meant.
Basically rolled a tube out of sheet copper through an off cut of pipe from my main column and held it in place with copper wire tied around. Then tacked the ends and middle with solder and added a perforated bottom. I then flared the top so it is a very snug fit when inserted into the column.
Wasn't sure wether or not to put more perforations up the side but as it was a snug fit at the top I didn't think it was worth it.
Cheers guys S H

[blind drunk]

I'm doing a ferment using 25% infected dunder. Must say it smells awful and is very sluggish after about 5 days. So last night I added some DAP and crushed up some B vit and it's perked up a bit this morning. Slowest ferment I've ever had The smell is a concern but I'll ride it out and decide later whether to run it or not. Normally I'd take a taste, however ... . I remember another little rye ferment smelling like this half way through and then changing by the end. Hopeful but doubtful. bd.

[Liquid_Luv]

I'm doing a ferment using 25% infected dunder. Must say it smells awful and is very sluggish after about 5 days. So last night I added some DAP and crushed up some B vit and it's perked up a bit this morning. Slowest ferment I've ever had The smell is a concern but I'll ride it out and decide later whether to run it or not. Normally I'd take a taste, however ... . I remember another little rye ferment smelling like this half way through and then changing by the end. Hopeful but doubtful. bd.

How'd it smell goin in... the dunder of course! Was it aged long... first or second stage? Did you make any other mods to your regular rum wash other than the dunder? Did you allow the yeast to take before adding the dunder, or was it all set off at the same time? What was your expected abv yield from the wash? Real interested to hear the final results.

[blind drunk]

How'd it smell goin in... the dunder of course!

Terrible

Was it aged long... first or second stage?

Fuzzy stage then the bluish green mold stage - about 9 months old, through various seasons

Did you make any other mods to your regular rum wash other than the dunder?

Switched out the brown and white sugar for a natural cane sugar

Did you allow the yeast to take before adding the dunder, or was it all set off at the same time?

Same time - is this wrong??

What was your expected abv yield from the wash?

About 8%

Real interested to hear the final results.

Me too

Cheers, bd.

[blind drunk]

The wash is starting to smell much better; not so pukey. For a minute there I thought I was making cheese Still sluggish though, for whatever reason, but it is perking. bd.

[LWTCS]

BD,
For what it is worth, my rum washes work off at different rates. Not sure why.........and thankfully I'm not bothered by it at all.

I am buying my panela from three different venders. Seems like goya has the panela that ferments the best.....I think.

[Liquid_Luv]

BD,

Dunder may smell different from one nose to another… IMHO it is not supposed to smell really bad or terrible as you mentioned… perhaps it may just be your sniffer isn’t partial to the smell of mouldy dunder? The stinky blue cheese like stage (Primary Mould) your dunder was at is not as nice to the nose as it is once completely consumed; however, it is still good for the rum as many of the wanted esters have formed.

Although I haven’t incorporated infected dunder into my washes yet (hence my big interest in your results), it is my understanding that it is preferable to allow the yeast colony to be well established in the aerobic stage (first 24-36 hours) in which they feed and multiply with oxygen still remaining in the wash… then adding the infected dunder which will then work synergistically with the yeast in an oxygen depleted (anaerobic) environment… perhaps by starting them at the same time, the bacteria from the dunder was competing with the yeast for nutrients required to expand their own colony, hence a smaller yeast colony resulting in the slower than usual ferment… just a thought… ?

Everything else seems good to go.

I have had much success using fresh dunder straight from the boiler on the strip run into my next wash… and fully aged dunder in my boiler on the final spirit run. I have been planning to knock up a 12 gal wash using early second stage infected dunder. My idea was to start with just one gal. of dunder to 12 gal wash… please keep us posted… and please do take it all the way… still her the way you would your normal runs and see what differences if any you notice. Thanks for this one BD… cheers!

The wash is starting to smell much better; not so pukey. For a minute there I thought I was making cheese Still sluggish though, for whatever reason, but it is perking. bd.

Good to hear... sounds like this one may well make it onto the list of things that worked out for the best.

[blind drunk]

perhaps by starting them at the same time, the bacteria from the dunder was competing with the yeast for nutrients required to expand their own colony, hence a smaller yeast colony resulting in the slower than usual ferment… just a thought… ?

I think you're right; it's a Darwinian battle going on in there Thanks, bd.

ed - next time I'll do a starter, which is what I normally do. That should also give the yeast a good head start.

[LWTCS]

perhaps by starting them at the same time, the bacteria from the dunder was competing with the yeast for nutrients required to expand their own colony, hence a smaller yeast colony resulting in the slower than usual ferment… just a thought… ?

I think you're right; it's a Darwinian battle going on in there Thanks, bd.

Hahha thats a good observation.

Treat them yeasts like kobe beef BD Ha.

Bin sippin,,,,,,,,,,rum,,,,,,,,good rum.

[blind drunk]

I think I figured out the smell of the fermenting rum wash - it's exactly like that smell when you go into an Italian deli that sells lots of olives in open containers. My wife agrees, it smells like olives So first it's like puke, then cheese, now olives; makes me hungry. Hopefully soon it will smell like bread! bd.

[NewGuy]

LW-
4 or 5 dried cots what's a cot? apricot? help me out------

[LWTCS]

Hehe,
I asked the zackt same queshdion back a while ago.

Apricot. Dried apricot.

[LWTCS]

Finally got a brew shop opening close by.

Surely would like to try a new yeast (perhaps ale yeast?).

Any suggestions?

They are getting their enventory worked up to speed and are quite happily taking requests.

[kiwistiller]

EDV 493?

Failing that, ask them for a nice estery ale yeast that is good for warm going on hot ferments. You'll probably have to lie about needing the warmth I guess, maybe say you can only ferment near something or other that's warm in your house / made up business.

[blind drunk]

Here's the US supplier - make it easy for them. The yeast comes in handy one pound packs. bd.

http://www.ethanoltech.com/beverage/yeast.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow

[LWTCS]

Ended up with a product from Fermentis wich is a division of the lessaffre group.
Manufactured in Belgium.

Safbrew s-33
has an emulsifier E-491,,,,,,what ever the hell that is.

Soon as it hit the moisture it was producing bubbles. But then I recon the cooler temp of my wash kicked in. I have been starting my ferments very cool lately. If I pitch at 7pm( with bakers yeast) I don't get real good movement till midnight or so.

Lets see how it goes.

[blind drunk]

Was that a local purchase? I was going to call the folks I linked to tomorrow and ask for a sample or if they'd sell me a pound Gotta think of something to say ... bread/starter ... or something like that. bd.