Maple Syrup Rum

[RandyMarshCT]

I've been working on a Maple Syrup Rum recipe for about a year now. I couldn't really find any information on a distillate that used maple syrup as the primary fermentable, so I did 2 experimental batches and I feel I have honed a relatively simple recipe in for my equipment setup. I'm going to be setting up to do a bigger run on this recipe before Christmas this year and I was hoping to get some feedback, suggestions, or ideas from anyone who might offer. The following is my recipe and general process. It isn't super accurate because I'm getting lazy and don't record all of my information like I used to. If I've left anything out or anyone has any questions, I'd be happy to answer. Just as a heads up, this is probably one of the most expensive sugar sources you could use for a wash. I have a contact in New Hampshire that generates large quantities so I get a pretty good deal, but to buy it normally would probably cost $50/gallon or more.


Maple Rum

2 gallons Maple Syrup (+1 cup for flavoring)
4 Packets of baker’s yeast
Go Ferm Pro & Fermaid K
3 pounds Brown Sugar
1 (14 oz) Jar Molasses
2 – 6 gallon fermenting buckets

Sanitize everything. Bring 3 gallons of water to a boil in a 10 gallon kettle. Remove from heat and add maple syrup, brown sugar, & molasses. Stir well. Add 1 gallon of cold water to each fermenting bucket (so the hot syrup mix doesn’t warp the plastic). Split the syrup mix between the 2 buckets. Top off to appx. 5.5 gallons with cold water (using a hydrometer, shoot for 1.075 to 1.080 Og). Make 2 starters to rehydrate the yeast packets (2 packets per starter) with wash as a base (make sure wash is around 85 degrees tops). Pitch yeast starters. Ferment 2 weeks minimum, adding nutrients per manufacturer’s directions. Clear by cold crashing or clearing agent. Rack into boiler.

Single run through 4-plate reflux column. Do not add parrot yet! I pulled 1 pint of foreshots/heads (I don’t discriminate because I threw it all away) slowly (less than 1 drip per 3 seconds – I don’t go over 10 amps on my 5500 watt element). Collect in quart jar until your nose and tongue tell you that you are hitting hearts. Put column back into full reflux to stop flow. Add parrot. Ease back in and run a pencil lead stream, collecting in quart jars. When your proof starts to drop (with my CM column), switch to a new jar and continue collecting to 50% abv.

I got:
Jar 1 – Pint – heads/fores
Jar 2 – Quart – Heads (about ¾ full)
Jars 3-6 – Quarts – Hearts (average 92% abv)
Jar 7 – Tails (from 88% abv to 50% abv)

Proof to appx 60% abv and add to new 5 liter oak cask. Wait 1 month. Drain through a coffee filter into a glass carboy. Proof to 82-84 proof (41% to 42% abv). Add 1 cup of maple syrup for flavor. That’s it. Obviously you can add other seasonings, but I don’t. I love the stuff just like this. Baker’s yeast takes a little longer, but gives a buttery mouth-feel that’s great for this rum. I keep my feints (jars 2 & 7) for the next run. I haven’t messed with keeping any dunder for my future washes because these 2 runs were experimental and, to be honest, I didn’t even know if the maple syrup would ferment out properly… so I suppose this isn’t really a “legit” rum, but I like the results anyway. The reason I want to do a bigger run is to fill a used 20 liter whiskey barrel. That would be 2 separate runs with 4 buckets each in my 26 gallon boiler (8 gallons syrup). Thanks in advance for any input!