SBB's Solera Rum Barrel Setup

[Saltbush Bill]

Here are some photos of my Rum Solera set up, its rough but here it is...function wins over beauty for me every time.

Definition
Solera is a process for aging liquids such as wine, beer, vinegar, and brandy, by fractional blending in such a way that the finished product is a mixture of ages, with the average age gradually increasing as the process continues over many years.
Links below for a better explanation for those who want one.
https://homedistiller.org/wiki/index.php/Solera_Aging
https://flaviar.com/blog/solera-rum-aging-process

I started off aging my Rum this way with just 3 barrels ,1x25 L from Roll Out The barrel and 2x 5.5 L barrels found at garage / yard sales.
As time has gone by Ive added more barrels including the 9 gal stainless beer keg that I use for pre-oaking. I pre-oak because all of my barrels have done a lot of work at at this time in their life and can probably do with a little help before they start the job.
There are many ways ...this is just how I choose to do it.
First off the new make Rum / Whitedog goes into a 9 gal beer keg, for ease of use the keg has been fitted with a 4 inch fill port and a stainless tap. I try to keep this barrel about 3/4 full so that it has a bit of head space .....once in a while I take the filler cap off for 20 mins or so.

A stainless.jpg

In this barrel is a mix of toasted Oaks , From left to right they are some fancy A.P Johns Med toast American Oak pieces meant for small barrels once they have been used a few times, Thanks for those CHR :handgestures-thumbupleft: Next are some Med Toast French oak from AP Johns ....the ones that got nicknamed the "fence palins" elsewhere....thanks MT :handgestures-thumbupleft: Then we have some Med toast American Oak Dominos from Still Dragon. What is in the photos are not the actual amounts used ...just examples of what is currently in the stainless keg.

B oak.jpg

From there the rum goes into a 25L barrel from ROTB.... this is a standard toasted American Oak barrel. Its the one on the right in the photo.

C rotb.jpg

From this barrel the rum goes into the first of four 5.5L oak barrels ....I have no idea if these are charred , toasted or any thing else.....as time and space permit the rum moves its way down the line through these barrels.

D four.jpg

Once its gets to the forth barrel small quantities are drawn off for drinking. It comes out at this ABV and looks like this

E abv.jpg

F colour.jpg