Molasses & Grain Rum

[DUDA]

This is the first time trying this. I tried an all molasses rum (a recipe i found on here i forget which one) i personally was not a huge fan of the STRONG molasses flavor i got from it so i decided to try partial grain. Its four days into ferment Starting gravity was 1.070 and has dropped to 1.043 i will edit my post and report back after running and tasting.

The Plan is to brew the same recipe again on the day i run it and instead of dissolving the molasses in water, dissolving it in dunder.

I used
15 lb cracked corn
2 lbs of wheat
12 lbs of oats
5.5 lbs of molasses (from what i understand, a half pound of molasses is about 5.5 lbs i wanted to use a half pound)

i put 9 gal of water in my false bottom mash kettle
heated my strike water to 180F
mashed in the corn, wheat and oats.
the temp dropped to about 160F
let it sit for 10 min and then added some AMYLASE. (i need to check my notes as to how much Amylase)
I spent the next hour and 15 min recirculating the wash out the bottom and back on top taking temp reading trying to keep it about 155-160F
i then drained off the wash into a fermenter collecting (if i had to guess) 4 ish gallons maybe 5
i then dissolved the molasses into about a gal half of hot water and added that to the wash.

the SG was 1.070 or about 9.9% potential ABV
the molasses really boosted my pot. abv i was sitting about 4.5% or 5% (i have to check my notes)

I dont expect it finish dry as the molasses has some unfermentable sugars.

I will run and report in a few days.

[still_stirrin]

Hmmmm....a bourbon with rum. Hot buttered bourbon? A unique flavor combination. I would have made a rum (molasses and some sugar) and a bourbon (the mashed grains), and then blended them to balance the contributions to the flavors.

You brewed them simultaneously in the same vessel. So, there isn’t much balance adjustment potential. But heck, if you get it right (lucky) the 1st time...congratulations.

Good effort. I tend to suggest a new distiller start with a Tried & True recipe from the forum. They’re listed there because of the many trials and validation of the recipe by many distillers. Well proven over time. A lot less “finger-crossing”.
ss

[Saltbush Bill]

personally was not a huge fan of the STRONG molasses flavor i got from it

Mind if I ask a question or two ? How long after it came off the still was it before you first tasted it ......did you oak it , If so what sort of oak and for how long? Barrel or on Glass?

[DUDA]

i tried later that day. i did not oak.

[DUDA]

You brewed them simultaneously in the same vessel. So, there isn’t much balance adjustment potential. But heck, if you get it right (lucky) the 1st time...congratulations.

could you please explain?

thanks

[Saltbush Bill]

i tried later that day. i did not oak.

You got a lot to learn about making Rum.
Half day old all molasses Rum isn't the smoothest of drinks, it needs time and oak to mellow and to bring out its better qualities.
Ever wondered why the stuff you buy in a bottle has been oaked in a barrel for two or three years before you buy it ?

[DUDA]

i tried later that day. i did not oak.

You got a lot to learn about making Rum.
Half day old all molasses Rum isn't the smoothest of drinks, it needs time and oak to mellow and to bring out its better qualities.
Ever wondered why the stuff you buy in a bottle has been oaked in a barrel for two or three years before you buy it ?

Oh okay, and i was looking for more of a barcardi, white rum, not an aged or spiced rum. and i was overwhelmed by how strong the molasses flavor was, not a light or white rum flavor, more of a eat molasses straight out the jar flavor. not wha ti expected

my plan for this run is to strip and then re-run nice and slow. then talk several small cuts and let them sit out with a coffee filter for a few days before tasting.

[Saltbush Bill]

Oh okay, and i was looking for more of a barcardi, white rum

Try a wash with a lot of sugar and a little molasses through a pot .....or a lot of molasses then run it through a good reflux still at as high ABV as you can get.
By reflux still I don't mean a plated column.
That should get you closer to what your looking for.

[DUDA]

Oh okay, and i was looking for more of a barcardi, white rum

Try a wash with a lot of sugar and a little molasses through a pot .....or a lot of molasses then run it through a good reflux still at as high ABV as you can get.
By reflux still I don't mean a plated column.
That should get you closer to what your looking for.

Okay i will try that thank you. i was reading that bacardi makes their rum with mollasses and distills it twice. thats al the information i could find on the topic though.

[Corsaire]

Bacardi still their rum to very high proof, then barrel age it, then charcoal filter it to remove color and flavor.

[DUDA]

Bacardi still their rum to very high proof, then barrel age it, then charcoal filter it to remove color and flavor.

i have a charcoal water filter i use only for alcohol, how many times do you have to filter it or how much filtering is required to strip the color? i want to build a larger filter and make my own charcoal so i can filter more liquid quicker.

[Corsaire]

I don't know. I've never filtered any of the stuff I make. I think if you see color you need to filter some more

[Saltbush Bill]

Your own home made charcoal wont do the same job as far as I am aware. You need activated carbon to remove colour.

[DUDA]

Your own home made charcoal wont do the same job as far as I am aware. You need activated carbon to remove colour.

http://www.differencebetween.net/scienc ... -charcoal/ i guess it depends how you make it.

[The Baker]

And make sure the filter is not made of plastic.

Geoff

[mjm952]

I just did this recipe more or less last week. turned out pretty good. i am not going to age it though as i didnt make enough. It knocked down some of the corn taste.

[Brick wall 5+]

I've found that if you want light rum substitute brown sugar for some of the molasses. Tends to smooth out the finished product.

[SassyFrass]

You should try the sweet feed recipe in tried and true. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised at the ease and taste of sweet feed. Sounds like that's the taste you're looking for.
SF

[SpeakEasy]

A lot of great info in this thread. I have an abundance of dried molasses in the garage so rum (or a variation) will be in my future.
Duda, thank you for posting this.