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Hey all,

Been doing a LOT of reading about rum here...for days now. Wife wants me to make a batch of medium flavored rum. There are so many variations and opinions. Here I what I am proposing after all my reading. PLEASE tell me if it sounds OK or if I'm missing something!

5 gallons water
1 gallon blackstrap molasses
3# dark brown sugar
2 tbsp tomato paste
1/8 cup lemon juice
Active dry bakers yeast - any comment on how many tbsp to use....was thinking 4?

Any guidance/mentoring would be appreciated!

Sounds like it should work ok. I started doing 3L molasses, 3kg raw sugar for my firsts. Made a med med/light rum, good flavor and a simple.starting point so I could change it. Always use between 50~80g bakers yeast. I do lighter rums now as I think there cleaner and smoother. Good luck!.

Thanks Googe!

3L molasses and 3kg sugar.....that's a total of roughly 11 pounds of sugar! How much water do you add to that? I am guessing that it is for more than 5 gallons water like mine? For my 5 gallons water I am putting in approximately 8.5 pounds sugar....that may be a little to much still.....may need to cut that back to 2 pounds dark brown sugar.

You said that based on your split of 1 L molasses / kg sugar you get a med - med/light rum. My recipe is coming out at 2.8 L molasses / kg sugar. I am wondering if mine will be way to dark of a rum?

For total sugar required, I am basing my recipe of that of UJSSM that calls for 1.4# sugar / gallon water. Is this a good number to always use?

As well, do you think the lemon juice and tomato paste are necessary? Did you add them to your wash?

Sorry forgot to say how big of a wash!, I use that amount for a 25L total wash size. I've never used brown sugar so can't say what strength yours would be, I'd imagine a med strength, as alot do all molasses and say it's a strong rum but not over powering. I've always based mine on between 4~5kg sugar content per 25L, less gives lower yield but better end product. Our molasses here is between 42~58% sugars. When I do first gen I do a tps citric acid/Tbs bi~carb soda. I've never used a nutrient in my rum as they've always worked well I think many do put a but of tom paste in though, can't hurt to be on the safe side if you live in a colder climate I guess. I've been tweaking my rum for a year and half now and have found what I like, many would say it's to light, that's how I like it though.

Guys,

The rum is fermenting quite nicely. Has a beautiful smell coming off of it. Is there any benefit in stirring the ferment to re-distribute all of the stuff (flavors) that are sitting on the bottom right now? Was thinking of doing that once the fermentation nearly stopped then letting it settle for a couple days.

Thoughts???

As well, how do you guys measure SG on this stuff? Seems so thick! What should I target as a final SG to ensure it is done fermenting?

Leave it alone. You want all that stuff to settle out.
It's impossible to get a correct SG reading with molasses because of the unfermentables in it. When the SG doesn't change for 2-3 days, you can assume it's done.
I find the final gravity to be between 1.020- 1.030.