A Lighter Rum

[Antler24]

Ok I just finished Buccaneer Bobs rum recipe (single run) and while I really like it, I'm after a lighter rum. Should I stick to them same recipe and double distill it, or 1/2 the molasses content in next wash?

Since I already started gen 2 before doing cuts on first batch, I'll have another of the same wash (plus dunder) ready soon. I think I'm to strip this and the dilute it with water back to around 10% to make sure my element stays covered, see how it turns out. I think I just answered my own question, any input?

[IamWort]

Running it twice does lighten the molasses flavor. We've tweaked the recipe to 2 quarts of blackstrap and 5 lbs of brown sugar per 5 gallons and it's still pretty strong after 2 runs, but OMG it's so awesome. You might try dropping the molasses to 2 quarts per 5 gal and using regular granulated sugar instead of brown to lighten it up even more for your tastes.

Oak and apple wood do amazing things to this rum. We also love his dunder essence recipe, but it might be overwhelming if the plain BS is too much for you.

[shadylane]

I'd double distill it. Stripping/spirit runs, if that's to light for your taste try a 1-1/2 run.

[Antler24]

You might try dropping the molasses to 2 quarts per 5 gal and using regular granulated sugar instead of brown to lighten it up even more for your tastes.

Oak and apple wood do amazing things to this rum. We also love his dunder essence recipe, but it might be overwhelming if the plain BS is too much for you.

2 quarts per 5gal is about half what I'm using now so I may try that next batch. I also tried the dunder essence but my sundae wasn't really dark, maybe because I only ran it down to 30%. The one quart I tried I used about 150ml to get a nice Amber colour spirit. Also, I tried to filter the dunder with coffee filters, didn't work at all, still cloudy.

[NZChris]

I distill twice then decide on the cuts, sometimes doing two different cuts from the one spirit run. A wide cut for dark and long aging, and a narrow cut for a light rum. The trick is keeping good records so that you can repeat your successes.

[S-Cackalacky]

You might also try something other than molasses. Molasses is a byproduct of making processed sugar and has a high concentration of flavor. Some form of raw sugar might deliver a more subtle flavor. Something like Turbinado sugar, or Demerara sugar. I think I've seen both at Costco for a fairly decent price. If you do some searches, you will also find some references to "panela". It's my understanding that panela is simply a reduction of sugarcane juice.

Even a brown sugar recipe might give you something closer to what you're looking for. The "Hook Rum" recipe provides a brown sugar alternative. Brown sugar is a combination of molasses and white sugar. Dark brown has about 6.5% molasses and light brown has somewhere around 3%.

Good luck with it.

[thatguy1313]

I do 20 gallon washes and only use 1 gallon molasses. Rest I make up with dark brown sugar and white sugar. I do 1.5 runs. I like the way it comes out.

[Antler24]

I do 20 gallon washes and only use 1 gallon molasses. Rest I make up with dark brown sugar and white sugar. I do 1.5 runs. I like the way it comes out.

I used 2 gallons of molasses and when fermentation slowed added 5lbs granulated sugar. I'll do 2 runs on my next ferment see how it turns out. Then my plan is to drop the molasses down to 1 gallon and try single running it, if it's still a little heavy on molasses flavour I'll add it to the next wash for a 1.5 run.

[MichiganCornhusker]

I did several batches of BB rum, and I was very happy with all of it. I used a bucket of "supreme baking molasses", not blackstrap.
I used white sugar for some of it, and panela for some of it. The stuff I used the panela in was super flavorful, so much so that I did do a double distill on some of it.
The double distillation cut the flavors pretty much in half, definitely made it more like a store bought rum.
I prefer the stuff I did using panela for sipping rum, and the double distilled for mixing.
The batch I did with white sugar was also much milder than the panela batch, that would probably be very clean with double distillation, or even like you are suggesting with a 1-1/2 distill.