Hook's Modified Rum Recipe

[Bushman]

I thought I would start a new thread on my first rum run. I modified Hooks recipe (thanks Hook). Below I will document my steps and results. First the recipe I used:

FERMENT

For a 5 gal ferment at 10% abv.

Ingredients

3.25 lbs of Panela

0.5 gallons of molasses

2 tablespoons Tomato Paste

1 heaped teaspoon of citric acid. (Did not have Dunder to use as it is my first run)

Pinch of Epson Salt

Clean, well aerated water to make up the final volume.

3 Tablespoons of dried bakers yeast.

Steps:
Made a double batch to add to 2 six gallon fermenters.
Heated the panela, molasses, Tomato Paste, citric acid, Epson Salt, and 1 gallon of water.
Allowed to cool to 80 degrees then poured into my fermenters and added water to bring up to 5 gallons on each fermenter.

At this point I took a brix reading of 17.5 which converts to 1.07 SG. This should give me a potential for 10%.

Pitched yeast and put into my heat controlled fermentation cart will keep it between 25-30 C. Looks like she has started bubbling and smells great.

Future Plans
I have to make a decision but have a couple days to consider the next step (hoping for input by members here). I have to decide whether to run it the way I do all the other runs through my CM or pull the packing and run it like a pot still. If I choose to run it as a pot still then I will probably do stripping runs and save it up for a spirit run.

[moosemilk]

When I do hook rum I always strip in my pot still until I have 4 or 5 gallons of low wines. Then when I do a spirit run (pot still), I put in the low wines and a fresh wash with it. I find this gives me the flavor I enjoy. It still retains a lot of the molasses flavor, but not overpowering.

I am thinking your CM would provide a lighter flavor rum, but have no experience myself with CM's so just a guess.

[Bushman]

When I do hook rum I always strip in my pot still until I have 4 or 5 gallons of low wines. Then when I do a spirit run (pot still), I put in the low wines and a fresh wash with it. I find this gives me the flavor I enjoy. It still retains a lot of the molasses flavor, but not overpowering.

I am thinking your CM would provide a lighter flavor rum, but have no experience myself with CM's so just a guess.

I am leaning toward running it as a pot still, never made a run not using the dephlagmater and pulling all the packing out. Obviously with a 50" column it won't be as efficient as a pot still column but am really interested in giving it a go.

Hoping LWTCS chimes in would love to hear what his thoughts are!

[Oldvine Zin]

I just finished running my 30 gals of panela on my flute - managed to play around with the deflem and got a flavorful 75 ABV output, that was running on three plates instead of my usual five.
Good luck Bushman, I'm sure that you will make a tasty drop!

[Oldvine Zin]

When I do hook rum I always strip in my pot still until I have 4 or 5 gallons of low wines. Then when I do a spirit run (pot still), I put in the low wines and a fresh wash with it. I find this gives me the flavor I enjoy. It still retains a lot of the molasses flavor, but not overpowering.

I like that idea adding some fresh wash for flavor, I may try that on my next run

[pythonshine]

I have not had the experiance Bushmen, but i would ask myself the questions as follow:

What flavors do I enjoy.

Do I want this to be an experiment?

I would do like moosemilk suggested. 1.5 run for a full flavor on potstill mode. If I wanted a light rum I would strip cm and then spirit run on potstill. Again this is just from what I have read. I most certainly would not call myself more than a noob.

[Bushman]

I have not had the experiance Bushmen, but i would ask myself the questions as follow:

What flavors do I enjoy.

Do I want this to be an experiment?

I would do like moosemilk suggested. 1.5 run for a full flavor on potstill mode. If I wanted a light rum I would strip cm and then spirit run on potstill. Again this is just from what I have read. I most certainly would not call myself more than a noob.

I actually get good flavor in my AG runs with my CM but would like to try something more traditional to compare. I guess I have been designing and experimenting most of my time in this hobby (isn't that part of the fun?)

[pythonshine]

Tis the hart of it eh? Thats what I will be doing. Full flavor pot stilled 1.5 run. Although I would like to try a full cm run...just not a fan of white rum. If you do end up running this recipe through reflux i hope you post your results!

[googe]

1.4 kg panela, 1.8L molasses, 18L wash. I had to convert to our stats bushman lol. Sounds lowish on sugar for the brix?. What sugar content is your molasses?. My still is very similar to yours now, I have the addition one one plate. I used to strip and do 1.5 runs, but I like white rum, similar to mount gay. So I strip and straight spirit run now. I've only tried lava with rum, cleans it up well but removed some flavor and made the lava stink. I take off at 83~85% using reflux, gives a really nice flavour, not the deep molasses flavour, just a nice raw sugar/molasses blend. I blend late heads into one mix and early tails into another blend, gives variety.

[Bushman]

1.4 kg panela, 1.8L molasses, 18L wash. I had to convert to our stats bushman lol. Sounds lowish on sugar for the brix?. What sugar content is your molasses?. My still is very similar to yours now, I have the addition one one plate. I used to strip and do 1.5 runs, but I like white rum, similar to mount gay. So I strip and straight spirit run now. I've only tried lava with rum, cleans it up well but removed some flavor and made the lava stink. I take off at 83~85% using reflux, gives a really nice flavour, not the deep molasses flavour, just a nice raw sugar/molasses blend. I blend late heads into one mix and early tails into another blend, gives variety.

I thought the sugar sounded low as well but was converted from Hook's Rum 60 liter to 5 gallon fermentation buckets, did not read the sugar content on the molasses but it is currently in the third day of fermenting and smells great. Like I mentioned converting from brix to SG it started at 1.07.

60 liters is 15.85 gallons divided by 3 (this is how I converted each section) Thus 5 kg sugar = 11 lbs, divide that by 3 and I get 3.25 lbs.

[Sungy]

Hook rum is my favorite rum. I run it with only two plates on my CM still. After many runs I have learned to run it at a higher power input (18.5 amps at 200 volts = 3700 watts) with reduced reflux back into the boiler. I have and hour slow warm up to boiling, at the same power input to reduce foaming and add 4 ounces of olive oil to the boiler,to aid in foam reduction as it helps break the surface tension of the bubbles and they are smaller, taking up less head space in the boiler and less chance of puking. Processing 12 gallon runs after coming to full reflux for 15 min usually takes 2 hours, at aprox 1 liter every 15 min. Airing out over night will help with cut. I have also learned that collecting down to 40% ABV is important for a good tails cut and a deep rummy flavor. I like to turf 4 ounces for shot. Then I turf aprox 10 to12 ounces heads. Collection of the harts and tales are saves for making cuts. I like some deep tails at 40% abv in the final product. Taste at the time of making cuts is not so pleasant at blending time ( sharp and stingy with a rum flavor and tailsy). After 2 months on toasted oak ( baked in oven At 415f for 2.5 hours) and charred oak ( toasted oak that has been burnt a bit) the flavor is amazing ( think vanilla and caramel with a nice mouth feel and lasting throught flavors) with a beautiful color and very smooth. . I use 1 of each type of the sticks ( 5/8 x 5/8 x 6) in a one gallon jug. This is how I make mine. Sorry if this process sounds familiar, but this site is where I pieced all of the details together to produce a repeatable spirit of fine quality. Of course longer aging will produce a smoother spirit.

Good luck.

[Bushman]

Thanks for sharing that info Sungy.

@ googe, I went back and read Hooks rum recipe and he states that the molasses is 50% sugar. So if I do a conversion and not sure it's correct but 40 lbs of sugar = 3.5 gallons and I added a 1/2 gallon to each wash so if my calculations are correct that would equal 5 lbs of sugar added to my already 3.25 lbs of panela that would be the equivalent of 8.25 lbs. which would yield 1.65 lbs sugar to gallon of water.

[nerdybrewer]

I got feed molasses locally and there was a label on the bucket that said it had "at least 35% sugar content".
So I always added sugar of some kind to my molasses washes, seems to have turned out fine but I did find white sugar produces a harsher flavor profile than the more "natural" sugars. It ages out and mellows with time.

[Bushman]

I got feed molasses locally and there was a label on the bucket that said it had "at least 35% sugar content".
So I always added sugar of some kind to my molasses washes, seems to have turned out fine but I did find white sugar produces a harsher flavor profile than the more "natural" sugars. It ages out and mellows with time.

The crude molasses I just got at the feed store says it's 33% sugar which is lower than Hooks but on the first run I used regular molasses my son got me at his restaurant (not sure what % sugar was in it). But like you said with my next run I will be adding Dunder which will up the sugar ratio. But as mentioned it is on it's third day and still fermenting nicely and with my brix reading I took I think I will be fine.

[Oldvine Zin]

doing my cuts on the the last run, three plates pulled off at 75 to 80 abv and wow the aromas are great!!

[Oldvine Zin]

I got feed molasses locally and there was a label on the bucket that said it had "at least 35% sugar content".
So I always added sugar of some kind to my molasses washes, seems to have turned out fine but I did find white sugar produces a harsher flavor profile than the more "natural" sugars. It ages out and mellows with time.

The crude molasses I just got at the feed store says it's 33% sugar which is lower than Hooks but on the first run I used regular molasses my son got me at his restaurant (not sure what % sugar was in it). But like you said with my next run I will be adding Dunder which will up the sugar ratio. But as mentioned it is on it's third day and still fermenting nicely and with my brix reading I took I think I will be fine.

Not sure if there is much sugar left in the dunder

[Bushman]

I will check the next generation before pitching the yeast and adjust accordingly.

[Bushman]

Just took a reading, looks like the fermentation has stopped after 5 days and the brix is at 7. If I plug the start and finish into Jimbo's calculator I get the following abv.

If you cannot read the image it say's I should have an abv of 9.3%

[Bushman]

Pulled the packing out of my CM and currently doing a stripping run. Just checked it and collecting at 58%.

[Bushman]

Stripped down to 40% ended up with approx 1.43 gallons. Next run I am going to up the panela to 4 lbs per 5 gallon wash keeping the 1/2 gallon of blackstrap molasses and the next run will have 1.25 gallons of Dunder so we will see what happens.

[googe]

Good stuff bushman!, nice smells in the strip?.

[Bushman]

Yea, I was surprised the flavor that came through, of course it was a stripping run so a lot of smearing. First time running my 4" CM as a pot still without packing (did not run the dephlagmater). I believe once I got up to temp the total distilling time for stripping was about 1 hour (will try to pay better attention on the next run). Really liking the length and size of my shotgun condenser as it handled it with no problem.

[Shine0n]

Sounds like it will make a very fine drink Bushman I ran mine through a 2" potstill with thumper, only once and the flavors were amazing. Will you be keeping it white or oaking? I did half and half to have the best of both worlds.

[Bushman]

Probably follow your lead, not sure it will be 1/2 and 1/2 but will definitely save one or 2 bottles white. Just finished my 2nd stripping run yesterday.

[nerdybrewer]

Probably follow your lead, not sure it will be 1/2 and 1/2 but will definitely save one or 2 bottles white. Just finished my 2nd stripping run yesterday.

2016 is my year of dieting so...
I save out a good amount of my Panela rum white as I find it mixes very well with Coke and Sprite Zero.
That's my go to, daily driver beverage. (ok, no actual driving just can't think of the right word there)

[Bushman]

Just put up three 6 gallon fermenters, next week I will do one more stripping run with two of the fermenters then the next day add my collection of stripped rum with the third fermenter and do a spirit run. Brix has risen from 17.5 without Dunder to 20.5 for my original gravity.

[ShineonCrazyDiamond]

So, been reading through the tried and trues, researching rum. Thanks to the PNW crew here lately . Dammed if I didn't create my own rum ratios, just to find out it is a spitting image of yours, here. I posted in one of the panela threads, but I think the molasses may be a bit unwelcome there lol.

So, I want to add my journey here. Just cooked it up yesterday. ..

My collection

My first rum...

2 gallons of Grade A unsulfered, 80% sugar molasses (total of 18 pounds sugar, each jug $12).

9 lbs panela. Store bought, $2/lb.

So, at $42 for 15 gallons, it is twice as expensive as my all grain Bourbons. But, still worth it. I hope. Using top grade Barbados molasses, and the panela should be less when I have time to order it through sugar daddy.

Also decided to make a yeast bomb. But I used 6 ounces of tomato paste instead of fertilizer.

And, I am using real fresh bakers yeast, not dried. This should be delicious. 1/2 lb went into the bomb, the other 1/2 will be my sludge. This will take off like a rocket after I invert the panela. ..

[ShineonCrazyDiamond]

I pitched 10 hours ago, and it was bubbling, cute like. I realized that I meant to put oyster shells in for later in the ferment. Well, threw a handful in, and it EXPLODED. In a good way, foamed up and had vigorous activity. Is rolling now.

I didn't have backset, so I threw in a few teaspoons of citric acid, and a cup of lemon juice yesterday when I was inverting the panela.

So, I definitely recommend some calcium or shells. I don't really get into ph strips much, so I don't know what the molasses does to it. But it seems that it benefits from a buffer.

[Bushman]

You can also cut down on the cost of molasses by using Blackstrap I purchased it at the feed store for $18.00 for 40 lbs which is 3 gallons. Just got a coupon for $10.00 off if I purchase $50.00 or more at the feed store so next time will buy three of the 3 gallon barrels.

I wasn't measuring PH as well but decided I better start so instead I bought some PH Stabilizer (one tablespoon per 5 gallons) sets the PH to 5.2.

[ShineonCrazyDiamond]

You can also cut down on the cost of molasses by using Blackstrap I purchased it at the feed store for $18.00 for 40 lbs which is 3 gallons. Just got a coupon for $10.00 off if I purchase $50.00 or more at the feed store so next time will buy three of the 3 gallon barrels.

I wasn't measuring PH as well but decided I better start so instead I bought some PH Stabilizer (one tablespoon per 5 gallons) sets the PH to 5.2.

I thought about it. I looked at the feed store, but they were $10/gal. But $6/gal is definitely nice. But there is something else to consider. ..

The feed store is 33% sugar, or 4 lbs sugar (gallon molasses is 12 lbs from my measurement. ..first squeeze, anyway). I looked up the nutritional value on the Barbados, and it comes to a whopping 9 lbs of sugar out of 12 lb. Almost 80%. At $12 a gallon, it's more than twice the sugar in a $6 gallon of Blackstrap.

I ain't above blackstrap, don't get me wrong. Just reading up on the math.

So beyond that, hopefully it offers a better flavor, and it doesn't have to be clarified as it doesn't have all that extra fat and such in it. So hopefully it ferments drier, too. Hopefully.

I got it at a restaurant supply store that I opened an account at (need tax id). So, not always an option for everyone, but I figgured why not. If I couldn't get it, I would be super jealous of your blackstrap pricing.

Per 5 gallons
2/3 gallon molasses
3 lbs panela

1.082 sg.