Home Distiller

So I have "cut my teeth" on sweet-feed and UJSSM for a while, learned a lot, and am ready to tackle my favorite likker: RUM. I love a good rum, I mean a high-quality flavorful sipping rum, not flavored or spiced plonk (no offense). I like Havana Club 7 (Cuban), Flor de Cana (Nicaragua), Ron Zacapa, Zaya, and lately very much liking Diplomatico Reserva Exclusiva (Venezuela), even though it is a bit on the sweet side. I have studied the T&T recipies here in detail, and read a lot from other sources. I am finishing up a run of UJSSM with rye, and then I plan to start making a rum.

I have a source of panela, not local but not too bad on shipping, and have 50 lbs of that ready. Got some food grade (C) blackstrap coming from on-line, but shipping is a concern. I am still tring to find someone who can get me wholesale baking molasses (A) by the bucket. I have several yeasts to try, and just ordered some EDV 493 as well.

My plan is to make a heavy rum using panela and/or molasses. I run a simple pot still, no thumper, and so I will be stripping several washes and then doing a spirit run. I will be recycling dunder and late tails (rum oils). Rum will go into glass on pieces of charred white oak to age.

Just a little fuzzy on how to calculate sugar content with panela and molasses. From reading the threads on panela, it sounds like 1.5 lb/gal wash is about right, but the molasses data is all over the place, with a lot of folks mixing plain sugar with feed molasses. I guess I will find out. My plan is going to be 1 lb panela with some molasses per gallon wash, enough to get me about 8% ABV wash calculated by ((OG - FG) * 131), since evidently a hydrometer or refractometer is not accurate with molasses washes.

I will update with pics and data as I go along, and eventually tasting notes.

Get yourself a refractometer, around 26 dollars on eBay. This will read in Brix some read both Brix and SG but if not you can easily convert to SG (not exact but close enough for our purpose) by using this formula: 1 + (0.004 X Brix)= SG

jawjatek wrote:I have a source of panela, not local but not too bad on shipping, and have 50 lbs of that ready. Got some food grade (C) blackstrap coming from on-line, but shipping is a concern. I am still tring to find someone who can get me wholesale baking molasses (A) by the bucket. I have several yeasts to try, and just ordered some EDV 493 as well.

I don't know where you live, but if there are feedyards nearby, you may be able to get a bucket full of feed molasses from a feed company or grainery. Very economical and unsulphured. Usually high sugar concentration too. But it might be sorghum based rather than sugar cane based molasses. But still makes a fantastic rum....huge molly flavor.

jawjatek wrote:My plan is to make a heavy rum using panela and/or molasses. I run a simple pot still, no thumper, and so I will be stripping several washes and then doing a spirit run. I will be recycling dunder and late tails (rum oils). Rum will go into glass on pieces of charred white oak to age.

Following the T&T recipes will help you learn the best processes for "how to make" a rum. Then, when you have control over your processes, you will be able to focus on adjustments to make a rum exactly like you prefer (it may actually become a shift of your paradigm tho).

jawjatek wrote:Just a little fuzzy on how to calculate sugar content with panela and molasses. From reading the threads on panela, it sounds like 1.5 lb/gal wash is about right, but the molasses data is all over the place, with a lot of folks mixing plain sugar with feed molasses...

Some molasses supplies will have their Brix (sugar content) listed. But a refractometer is a great tool to have in your inventory. It would tell you the amount of sugars in the wash. With molasses, which has a lot of other solids in it, the hydrometer may potentially read "heavier" than true. The refractometer will give you the true sugar content.
ss

edit: posted with Bushman

I have a refractometer and a hydrometer, and am very familiar with them. And I have read the T&Ts. AS I undertand it , the refractometer does not truly show the fermentable sugar content, only total sugars, and may be affected by the other dissolved stuff in molasses as well. I know it will get me in the ball park...

None of the local feed stores have anything other than dry molasses (I have called far and wide), anyway I want to use better quality molasses than the low-grade feed stuff, or deer molasses with propionic.

Edit to add: IMO there isn't much to learn by following a T&T RUM recipe other than basic concepts I think I have well in hand (oh yes, I did just say that. I'm shocked). They're all basically the same, with common approaches going back to Arroyo's patent and other documented industry practice, nothing magic there (and there's NO WAY I am putting a urea fertilizer in my wash like Miracle Grow). Just want to do things my way and focus on what I like. I make booze for personal recreation, not for others, or for pecuniary interests. If I fail I will learn anyway.

jawjatek wrote: there's NO WAY I am putting a urea fertilizer in my wash like Miracle Grow

Then I'd suggest DAP for supplemental nitrogen in your yeast bomb
And some crushed oyster shells for pH control

A little fertilizer will help you grow! I don't know if I would dirty up Panela with molasses. The combo would be quite strong, possibly overpowering in a pot still. Panela alone makes a pretty fine rum.

jawjatek - on a recent trip to Cuba I fell in love with their rums! Havana club is very good (even the 7 year isn't bad, and since you brought it up I had to pour a glass) but I really loved the Santiago de Cuba 12 year - the Original Bacardi... I can say that I had great success with an all molasses rum recently. the recipe from yummyrum. Took it to a friends house and I didn't leave with it because it was absconded!

I have had some success with the deer feed molasses but like you, decided on some food grade blackstrap for my next rum. I bought direct from golden barrel (GoldenBarrel.com ). 4 gallons for $37.71 with shipping. This is near the same price as the deer stuff i was getting at TSC (slightly less actually)...and delivered. So if you can't find somewhere close to you they are a good source for quality...well...store bought quality at least.

I am interested in what you come up with! Good Luck.

Dammit... now ya got me all into this idea....

http://www.whitelabs.com/files/RumTrifol_chart.pdf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow - here is some good info from white labs about yeasts and other goodies.

rgreen2002 wrote: . I can say that I had great success with an all molasses rum recently. the recipe from yummyrum. Took it to a friends house and I didn't leave with it because it was absconded!:

Shucks rgreen2002 .....pleased it worked for you ,.....and your mate .


jawjatek , Good luck with your Rum endevours .

I agree with you that the T & T are guide lines . They are pretty much fail safe .....but I, like you started experimenting . I also like a strong flavoured Rum with no spicing up ( Puke icon inserted...Oh we don't have one ) . Fortunately for me I live only a 100 km from the southern most Sugar refinery in Aussie so getting Good Blackstrap is easy ...out local feed stock stores have shit tons of at it cheap as chips prices . I get it for 50 cents / liter .

I have tried Food grade Black-strap Molasses @ $4.95 / 500mls .. ( $9.90 / Liter ) and it is IMHO the same stuff . AFAIK its just just the same stuff processed to abide by Health Department regulations .I'm not eating it , I'm fermenting it

As far as Nutrients and yeast bombs go I use a spoon of Epsom salts ( Magnesium Sulfate ) in Rum ferment . I have not found any need for yeast bombs . With just Molasses , water , Dunder ,yeast and a spoon of Epsom salts a Rum fermentation is well and truly over in 48 hours . Now I do ferment at a high Temperature ....Rums love 30-40 Deg C .....don't piss about with 20-25 deg C

Adding sugar ....Hmmm .
This is my opinion ....take it for what it is .

The great majority entered this hobby via the Home Brew shop model . .........Sugar washes and Turbos .....High ABV washes for Maximum output ( 18-20% ABV washes ). Told "Commercial spirits are nasty , ......full of heads .....we can do much better .". The pattern is formed .
Then we try Mollases washes but the yield is rediculously low .....6-7 % ABV washes compared to the 18-20% sugar /turbo . so a compromise Sugar /Molasses developed . A mere 12-14% but its a good output and has flavour .
Then as the Mentality towards high ABV washes causes bad tastes starts to kick in , we reduce sugar even more .

Thing is Commercial Rum distillers don't add Sugar to molasses ......so why do we . So here I am . Just using Molasses and no sugar .....sure its a low ABV wash ( estimated 6-8% ABV ) . ...but it is Rum Surely if the Commercial Rum makers do it this way and they are not regulated , then I think they are onto something .....surely they would add sugar if they thought it would help

I think we have turned in our thinking in the Home distilling community......we are now following commercial ( traditional ) methods ....its now also OK to age spirits in Oak barrels for a year or more .....fancy that .

Sorry to blab on but I think its fine you are having a go ..Make some Rum

Yummyrum wrote:

rgreen2002 wrote: . I can say that I had great success with an all molasses rum recently. the recipe from yummyrum. Took it to a friends house and I didn't leave with it because it was absconded!:

Shucks rgreen2002 .....pleased it worked for you ,.....and your mate .

LOL... I like to give credit where credit is due Yummy.... Plus...now I can build from your recipe because I feel the same way about adding sugar...

Yummyrum wrote:.....surely they would add sugar if they thought it would help

Well, actually, there are some very good rums made straight from cane with no sugar removed and if you are wanting to emulate one of those and don't have access to cane juice or panela, you can make up a reconstituted cane juice to work with by mixing water, sugar and molasses to get back to the ratios they were in the juice.

NZChris wrote:

Yummyrum wrote:.....surely they would add sugar if they thought it would help

Well, actually, there are some very good rums made straight from cane with no sugar removed and if you are wanting to emulate one of those and don't have access to cane juice or panela, you can make up a reconstituted cane juice to work with by mixing water, sugar and molasses to get back to the ratios they were in the juice.

NZChris I agree that there are rums made from Sugar juice .....as you say no sugar removed .Thats fine if you like that lighter style of Rum

But if you are after a Rum that's made from only Molasses ( I like Bundy and Beenliegh and other real full flavored Rums )then I don't see why you would want to add extra sugar .

Incidentally I tried some sugar cane juice recently . In my wildest imagination I can't see how trying to simulate it by adding Sugar , water and Molasses would come anywhere close ....bit like adding all the bits you take off a still and adding them to the stillage left in the boiler and saying it tastes like the original wash ........processes do things that are irreversible ...IMO

I've done all molasses, molasses with "raw" sugar (still is processed but can legally be called "raw" for some reason), molasses with C&H white sugar and now several generations 100% Panela sugar from SugarDaddy.
I gotta say the stuff from the Panela seems a lot more like the "real deal".
The flavor of the rum is the proof.

Yummyrum wrote:Incidentally I tried some sugar cane juice recently . In my wildest imagination I can't see how trying to simulate it by adding Sugar , water and Molasses would come anywhere close ....bit like adding all the bits you take off a still and adding them to the stillage left in the boiler and saying it tastes like the original wash ........processes do things that are irreversible ...IMO

When you don't live in cane country, your options are a bit limited and you have to make do with what you can get, even panela wont make a perfect cane juice replica. What the makers of the straight from juice rums don't tell you, is how they make their essence. As far as I can make out, the likes of Bundy don't bother and rely solely on the flavors from the molasses and added caramel, not even giving their rums a rest for flavor development after they go dead. I've written up a protocol to try a Bundy style rum from what I've gleaned off the net. Unfortunately, I don't rate Bundy that highly, so I suppose if I manage to make a rum I don't really like, I can say I've succeeded

Wow, thanks for all the encouragement. I will def check out some suggestions/recipies posted.

So I have all my ingredients except for the Danstil EDV493 yeast which should be here next week. I have plenty of DADY, SaF instant, and SaF high-sugar-tolerant instant, as well as others in the fridge, but will try the Danstil first since it is made for rum. In the meantime I am still (no pun intended) calling 'round for cheap molasses. I may order the golden barrel stuff, it is cheap enough, but I see a couple wholesale places have it nearby, I just need a friend with a tax number to buy it for me. Restaurant Depot requires a membership.

I finished my spirit run of several generations of UJSSM, and in the last two mashes I added some crushed malted rye from the homebrew store as a flavor component - big rookie mistake. That stuff puked on me during the strip runs and I got tan-colored strip both times in spite of being real careful with the heat. I had to scrub out my boiler, riser, and Liebig to get all the crud out. Then I charged the boiler with water, cranked the 5500W Camco to full power, pointed the Liebig outside, and let it steam out. Yeah, I know I could have added some oil, lesson learned. I am headed to the homebrew store shortly for some anti-foam and a few other things. Already have DAP and epsom salts if needed. The good news is the spirit run came out sparkling clear and is very, um, "malty" tasting with the classic rye spice, and should be some interesting stuff after some aging on charred and toasted oak strips. I collected in pints, and have over 40 airing out and awaiting cuts. Big yield from that spirit run for sure.

Back to molasses... have been studying hard on rum; got Fermented Beverage Production and a few other industry books, as well as reading everything on-line I can find. First run will be straight blackstrap to get some dunder going. I plan to try both molasses, as well as panela. Got my still and fermenters cleaned out and ready to go. As soon as I get this rye cut and bottled I'll be ready to start on the rum.

Nice jawjatek.. keep us posted (especially on the evd 493 yeast!) My golden barrel molly was destroyed by UPS(go figure) and I'm stuck waiting. I've had good results with bread yeast but I would like to choose a "rum" yeast myself.

The stuff we make is so much better than the commercial, I think this is a real possibility. I would like to hit a GREAT rum myself...

Thus thread has inspired me! So I bought 20kg jaggery this morning to have a go

Best anti-foamer I've used so far is about 25g of butter in my 3 gallon pot.

For anti-foam, the brew store had some stuff called Fermcap-S in a small bottle, so I grabbed one.

Does adding butter as anti-foam make cleaning the boiler a hassle? My keg has a 4" side flange, so I can get in there and clean - but I'd rather not need to.

For the same reason, I'm strongly considering clarifying the molasses to eliminate gum buildup. It doesn't seem like to much extra work, and I have not read any downsides to doing it.

Does Costo have molasses? My wife can go on her mom's membership, so I may send her to go check. That is where I've been getting sugar the cheapest.

jawjatek wrote:Does adding butter as anti-foam make cleaning the boiler a hassle?

I'll let you know in a few hours

A bit of puke in a strip doesn't matter. Some of us put a bit of fresh wash in the spirit run, which is the same stuff, just more of it.

I use about a rounded teaspoon of butter in a 6 gallon charge and have never seen any sign of it when cleaning up. It probably all goes onto my weeds with the last bucket of dunder.

Mikey-moo wrote:

jawjatek wrote:Does adding butter as anti-foam make cleaning the boiler a hassle?

I'll let you know in a few hours

No. No harder to clean up for me... YMMV.

Went to my bud's place in the mountains to help with a chore, and filled up on good spring water for my first wash while I was there from his pure spring water. I've been using tap water until now, but this has got to be better; it is pure, sand filtered only, no chlorine or nuttin'...

I am sick of this wholesale-only molasses monopoly crap and will be forming an LLC and getting a tax number ASAP. Then I can get cheap molasses... I've been reading a lot of rum history, and folks talk about the tea tax getting the Colonial's backs up, but noooo... it was the sugar tariffs and the molasses market manipulation that precipitated the real bloody revolution. Don't eff with my drink, bro.

Where I am, there is a long history of moonshining that goes way back, and includes the origins of NASCAR (which I am not a fan of), and you can't swing a dead pole-cat around here without hitting a corn-and-sugar "shiner". They can have that crap. Even my UJSSM is better than that, and I've been making it a very short time. Those guys know ti-ti (fuck-all in Vietnamese) about making a quality product. To me, most store bourbon smells and tastes like a drunk already vomited it up, and after playing blues in a thousand dive/college bars over the last 30 years, that is an odor that is ingrained into my senses forever. Not interested in making that, no. I'll have the rum, please. Oh it will happen.

Jawjatek, good first step on a long and fruitful journey!

jawjatek,

Seems like you are planning on a lot of Rum . I didn't imagine when I first started how much Molasses I would use . In hind sight I should have bought a lot in the first place .

Have you considered buying a 44 gallon drum ( around 200 liters) or even an IBC ( 1000 liter) load . ? Its cheap in bulk , and it lasts a long long time .You can expect a load to last 2-3 years before it goes off ....if you don't use it first

Maybe you might need to buy interstate to get some good stuff . I have seen on another forum where some fine 'merican fellas all put together and shared an IBC of good Molasses.

Mikey-moo wrote:Thus thread has inspired me! So I bought 20kg jaggery this morning to have a go

Best anti-foamer I've used so far is about 25g of butter in my 3 gallon pot.

I made my current gen of UJ with 20lbs of jaggery, and had a horrible smell for much of the ferment. The product is still delicious, though. Let us know if you have a similar experience.

I've used UJSSM style backset as a substitute for dunder to start off a series of molasses ferments. It made a very nice Rumsky.

raketemensch wrote:

Mikey-moo wrote:Thus thread has inspired me! So I bought 20kg jaggery this morning to have a go

Best anti-foamer I've used so far is about 25g of butter in my 3 gallon pot.

I made my current gen of UJ with 20lbs of jaggery, and had a horrible smell for much of the ferment. The product is still delicious, though. Let us know if you have a similar experience.

Will do

My search-fu must be weak. I've called every feed store within 50 mile radius (lots of horses and cattle around here) but the only liquid molasses is the deer stuff, not cheap, and has propionic acid in it as I said before. Also cannot find any food service place that has the 5 gal buckets (or even 1 gal jugs) of baking molasses, which is really all I want (2). There are places I can order on line but shipping is more than the molasses, plus they want a commercial address. I'll keep looking around.

Found this place on line: http://internationalmolasses.com/molasses-for-rum. Hmmm... Yummyrum, I might just have to get me a drum of that! I'd have to buy a real bourbon barrel to fill up, or a butt-load of jars. LOL A friend's brother works at Woodford up in KY (duh), maybe I should call him ...

jawjatek wrote:My search-fu must be weak. I've called every feed store within 50 mile radius (lots of horses and cattle around here) but the only liquid molasses is the deer stuff, not cheap, and has propionic acid in it as I said before. Also cannot find any food service place that has the 5 gal buckets of baking molasses, which is really all I want (2). There are places I can order on line but shipping is more than the molasses, plus they want a commercial address. I'll keep looking around.

Found this place on line: http://internationalmolasses.com/molasses-for-rum. Hmmm...

Walmart.com Delivered to your door free if you order $50.

I think I have been pretty clear to the reader I don't want that stuff. The F&S have it cheaper than WM; still near $10 a gallon. YURZ Thanks anyway...

EDIT: Whoops, sorry, thought that was the deer stuff. Got a link? Don't see it on walmart.com and search comes up empty...

EDIT 2 : damn that was hard to find http://www.walmart.com/ip/Evolved-23201 ... k/24817058

Edit3: It is the deer stuff, mfg is Evolved Habitats same stuff that all the feed stores carry. I'll keep looking for the baker's grade.