Airing out and Aging

[IslandTime]

I am about to start up my very first run on my very first rig. I've been reading and building for months and hope that all goes well. I am starting rather ambitiously with rum, and there is so much to know...

I hope that this has not been covered extensively, but I have searched and found a lot of things eluding to it, but have not come up with the answers I need.

I am wondering about the process of "airing out" your rum. When I collect, I will be collecting in separate jars to make the cuts with. Do you air out your distillate in these before you make your cuts? Do you cut and blend and then air out in larger containers? Do you cut your rum to proof before airing? How long before you seal it? Also, I have read about some of you aging with what sounds like an open top (covered with a filter).

I know these are a lot of questions, but they seem to have all come up over the same issue.

Any advice or experience y'all can offer will be greatly appreciated, also, if there are any threads that I've missed I would be happy to read them if someone could point me in the right direction.

-IslandTime

[Centar]

I'll take a stab at this:
From what I have gathered so far the only "cuts" you will air is the ones your keeping.
Air these cuts raw (undiluted)
Do it in an open container (with cheesecloth over it for protection) for a day or two, You don't want to lose too much to evaporation.
Process and blend accordingly afterward...

[Dnderhead]

if you air first, you can detect that witch you want to keep better.

[LWTCS]

The gents have it.

And Dunder can tell ya half dozen ways (if not more) to air more (or less).

Big jug small cap size, Big jug big cap, temp variences,more time less time....You see where I'm going.

Pick one and more than likely you'll fine tune to your personal sweet spot. Best part about this hobby,,,,,,,,I think.

[IslandTime]

Thank you guys for answering my questions.

I will be tweaking all the little details and making them my own as I go. That's one of the big things that appealed to me about this hobby, but thanks for giving me the starting point to work from.

All the best!

-IslandTime

[LWTCS]

Cheers to you.
Get your own deal dialed in and then you will have your "Island Time" rum that can not be found any where else on the planet except your shed.

Good luck
LT

[Dnderhead]

if you let it come off the still warm it will be aired out by the time you finish the run.