Home Distiller

Posted: **Wed May 13, 2020 10:53 pm**

I have purchased a T500 reflux still and are trying to get the best product possible.
I have started using brown sugar, mead yeast and the same process as shadys sugar shine. (I also boil old yeast for a added nutrients)
I clarify using gelatin and turbo clear.
I dont care how long it takes to ferment or age. I want to know what to do.
These are my questions.

1. After distilling should I leave it with a cloth wrap over it for 2 days?

2. Should I aerate it with a fish pump?

3. What essence makes the best jamacian rum style? Still Spirits, Edwards, Or something else..

4. Age it on Charred oak for 3 months add complexity?

5 should I add Glycerine for mouth feel?

Kind regards

Posted: **Thu May 14, 2020 1:17 am**

Where to start ?

Grey Elf wrote: ↑Wed May 13, 2020 10:53 pm I have purchased a T500 reflux still and are trying to get the best product possible.

Reflux stills are not made to make rum or flavored spirits,They are designed for making Vodka or Neutral type spirits.

Grey Elf wrote: ↑Wed May 13, 2020 10:53 pm I have started using brown sugar, mead yeast and the same process as shadys sugar shine. (I also boil old yeast for a added nutrients)

I dont know what to think about this idea...I doubt much flavour will come through from the brown sugar seeing you are going to be refluxing it.

Grey Elf wrote: ↑Wed May 13, 2020 10:53 pm I clarify using gelatin and turbo clear.

Why ? No one else uses those or bothers to clarify a Rum wash. The Turbo clear is just making the homebrew shop owner money. Its not helping the wash.

Grey Elf wrote: ↑Wed May 13, 2020 10:53 pm After distilling should I leave it with a cloth wrap over it for 2 days?

You need to read this and understand it or you will be wasting your time. viewtopic.php?f=15&t=11640 It applies to all types of stills equally ....not just pot stills.

Grey Elf wrote: ↑Wed May 13, 2020 10:53 pm 2. Should I aerate it with a fish pump?

Give it a good vigorous stir to get some oxygen into it before pitching the yeast and then leave it alone.

Grey Elf wrote: ↑Wed May 13, 2020 10:53 pm 3. What essence makes the best jamacian rum style? Still Spirits, Edwards, Or something else..

From what Ive read and my own experience none of them are wonderful, I'm sure others will be along with their opinions.
You best bet would be to make a pot still head for your boiler, buy a cheap power controller , and learn to make proper rum by following one of the many Tried and True recipes from the forum.
Here is an example....I made this to fit my T500 boiler years ago......it's now my gin still.

Posted: **Thu May 14, 2020 1:29 am**

Agree with Saltbush. I have a T500 too, but use the copper dome and condensor for flavourfull spirits like rum and whiskey which works fine. I find the Still spirits flavoring ok, however you cannot compare it to a proper rum wash see tried and true recipes and make sure to use molasses. you'll not go back to flavorings after. But this wont work with your reflux column, it will come through close to flavorless, this is just how a reflux has been designed.

Posted: **Thu May 14, 2020 2:17 am**

The picture of the pot still is really helpful. And I am already looking at brazing a pot still to fit the kit I have.

I dont have a pot still I have the T500 but still want to make a flavoured nuetral.
I am asking what is the best I can do with nuetral spirit and essence.

I used the turbo clear to reduce any sulfates in the boiling phase. Had it laying around and I work in a homebrew store so it doesnt cost me much.

I understand cuts but I dont have a pot still. I cut the first 150ml from my T500 reflux still to be sure, to be sure, to be sure. I have read the link before posting the question but read it again to see if there was anything helpful with the equipment I have.

"Give it a good vigorous stir to get some oxygen into it before pitching the yeast and then leave it alone."
I meant to aerate the neutral spirit. I know how to brew got a few gold medals actually.

3. What essence makes the best jamacian rum style? Still Spirits, Edwards, Or something else..
Some answers to this question would be really helpful.

But thankyou for your reply.

Posted: **Thu May 14, 2020 2:25 am**

Agree with SBB and BB.

I started with a reflux still I bought from a Home Brew shop and thought that thats what you do... make a Neutral and add essences .
I must have tried dozens from all different makers , Still spirits , Essencia , Edwards etc ... but they all tasted crap and nothing like Rum .

It took a lot of reading here before I had a lightbulb moment that real spirit isn’t made that way . And while I have go admit that years later , I still make Gin with Neutral and essence , I have realised that if you want to make Rum that tastes like Rum , you have to do it by fermenting Molasses ...and I use Blackstrap , not fancy , age it on Oak for at least a year and don’t use a reflux still as it will strip out all the good flavour you just put into the wash .

Having said that , getting back to what you are doing , using brown sugar ( which is refined white sugar with tiny bit of Molasses mixed through it ) and then running it through a reflux still will result in pretty much the same as if you just used plain o’l white sugar .

Thats what refux stills do , they strip all the flavour right out . Now , if you made an all molasses wash like saltbush bills recipe n the tried and true section and run it through your T500 , you will end up with more of a Baccardi type of white Rum as despite thier ability to knock back the flavour , Molasses has a real strong flavour and still comes over slightly .

If you want a Jamacan style Rum , look at how they do it . Sorry but the Essences are not good when it comes to Rum

As far as Sulfites go , clearing won’t help , copper in the Vapour path takes care of it

Posted: **Thu May 14, 2020 2:35 am**

Grey Elf wrote: ↑Thu May 14, 2020 2:17 am The picture of the pot still is really helpful. And I am already looking at brazing a pot still to fit the kit I have

If you go down that path buy a second lid for the boiler ...they don't cost much and it makes it easy to swap over from one still head to the others.

Grey Elf wrote: ↑Thu May 14, 2020 2:17 am I dont have a pot still

We understand that.

Grey Elf wrote: ↑Thu May 14, 2020 2:17 am I used the turbo clear to reduce any sulfates in the boiling phase. Had it laying around and I work in a homebrew store so it doesnt cost me much.

Doesn't happen, only copper in the system will do that for you.

Grey Elf wrote: ↑Thu May 14, 2020 2:17 am I cut the first 150ml from my T500 reflux still to be sure, to be sure, to be sure.

To be sure of what exactly ? You really think that by doing that you will make the best booze you can ?

Grey Elf wrote: ↑Thu May 14, 2020 2:17 am I know how to brew got a few gold medals actually.

Sure isn't helping you make rum. Seem to have no idea about that.

Grey Elf wrote: ↑Thu May 14, 2020 2:17 am What essence makes the best jamacian rum style? Still Spirits, Edwards, Or something else..
Some answers to this question would be really helpful.

If others bother to comment you will find that very few people here or on other forums use Essences, The simple reason for that is that we can make much better at a much lower cost using proper methods.

Posted: **Thu May 14, 2020 2:39 am**

If you ever make decent rum with a T500 and brown sugar, I'd love to know how you did it.

Posted: **Thu May 14, 2020 3:47 am**

Too much in a rush?

So when you say "best rum", what does that mean?

What style rum (or rhum) do you personally prefer?
Jamaican, Barbados, Puerto Rican,,,,spiced, silver, navy, etc, etc.

Posted: **Thu May 14, 2020 4:17 am**

Gray Elf,
Take a deep breath and read through the write ups for new distillers. I’d be surprised if you won an accolade by jumping into brewing without taking the time to understand the process.
In this craft, you need time. Time helps in all aspects of this craft, time on the still and the spirits need time on oak. You can make a great white dog, but it will never compare to properly aged spirits.
Don’t let the elders discourage you with harsh criticism. You asked for help and you will get it here. I’m sure you have read through some, maybe even all the newbie stuff. In reality, we have all been in your shoes as a FNG. The answers to the questions you seek have already been posted, I can assure you of that.
Read up and use the google search.
Ask questions if you are confused.
Patience, practice, research! Mix that combo up any way you like.

Cheers grasshopper
Irish

Posted: **Thu May 14, 2020 5:12 am**

You came in here and pompously asked to be spoon feed for advice. That advice was generously provided to you. Then you got arrogant because you couldn’t track the information laid out for you on a silver platter. The answer to your pathetic question is this: There is no such thing as a “best rum from a brown sugar wash and reflux still.” Take your gold medals and shove them up your reflux, they will serve you better in that way.

Posted: **Thu May 14, 2020 5:13 am**

I will argue that a reflux still can make a decent rum, but it’s needs to be detuned a little. First decide how much funk you want in your rum. For a lot of funk, use blackstrap molasses. For less funk mix molasses and sugar, maybe even use fancy or baking molasses. Then use bread yeast or a rum yeast. They both work well for sugar based washes. I found a small amount of nutrient helped, don’t need much.

Now for the distilling part, imho a white rum needs to be fairly clean to drink right away. To this end I would run 3 plates with a wash of 10:1 sugar to blackstrap by weight and aim for an abv of around 160 proof off the still. Then back sweeten with a little caramelized sugar. Let it sit for a week or two before drinking. With good cuts this makes a fine mixing rum. This was one of our best selling products.
For more funk, go 50:50 sugar/molasses or higher molasses. Distill with 2 plates and hold abv to 125-135 off the still. Barrel and wait. If you want it to be a more bourbon style rum, use a new charred oak barrel, if more classic rum the a used bourbon barrel. Can back sweeten this as well.

Posted: **Thu May 14, 2020 5:26 am**

If you want to do Jamaican rum...

Most sought after Jamaican rum is fermented from molasses, made in pot stills, and aged in ex bourbon casks.

Most of them are made of various marks and blended together. A mark is a recipe if you will.

Which do you like best? Appleton is great but mellow compared to the rest. Worthy Park, Moneymusk or the in your face Hampden and Wray and Nephew?

For high ester rums, there's a lot of reading here to do.

As for best essence, I'd think dunder

Please don't add glycerin.

I know it's tempting but don't bring stuff from work with you for a while.
Get that pot still done and start with an all mollasses recipe. Look for Saltbush Bill's in tried and true to get you started.

Best of luck!

Posted: **Thu May 14, 2020 6:39 pm**

OK so we have a really interesting discussion.
I have posted some responses to the feed back below.
The specific rum feed back on process is very helpful

I thank everyone for their feed back. Even the guy who called me pompus.

I really appreciate the comments and understand what everyone is saying.
THAT THERE IS NO RUM ESSENCE THAT IS AS GOOD AS A POT or ALEMBIC STILL.
I have plans for a pot still...the pictures I have found are great for designing.
I am saving money for equipment and looking at designs as we speak.
I understand packet soup is not as good as home cooked minestrone.

I really do like gin and I add a bit of a cumquat brandy tincture to mine for extra zesty flavour....
I like the Kookaburra Gin Essence buy the way with the Lemon Myrtle essence...and the still spirits "blue saphire rip off" essence.
(These were the type of comments I was looking for.)

However the the thread was created to see what is the best I can do with the equipment I have.

Essences, best sugar wash and neutral spirit....with a reflux still to make a rum.
Is it ok to have a thread that has this information on it?
I am interested in what people have done with neutral spirits who were happy with their results.

Posted: **Thu May 14, 2020 6:42 pm**

bluefish_dist wrote: ↑Thu May 14, 2020 5:13 am I will argue that a reflux still can make a decent rum, but it’s needs to be detuned a little. First decide how much funk you want in your rum. For a lot of funk, use blackstrap molasses. For less funk mix molasses and sugar, maybe even use fancy or baking molasses. Then use bread yeast or a rum yeast. They both work well for sugar based washes. I found a small amount of nutrient helped, don’t need much.

Now for the distilling part, imho a white rum needs to be fairly clean to drink right away. To this end I would run 3 plates with a wash of 10:1 sugar to blackstrap by weight and aim for an abv of around 160 proof off the still. Then back sweeten with a little caramelized sugar. Let it sit for a week or two before drinking. With good cuts this makes a fine mixing rum. This was one of our best selling products.
For more funk, go 50:50 sugar/molasses or higher molasses. Distill with 2 plates and hold abv to 125-135 off the still. Barrel and wait. If you want it to be a more bourbon style rum, use a new charred oak barrel, if more classic rum the a used bourbon barrel. Can back sweeten this as well.

Thanks for this info.

Posted: **Thu May 14, 2020 6:54 pm**

There is no shortcut to making flavors. What is sold as essence is junk that is for the unsuspecting. Much like turbo yeast. Does it have a place, yes for making fuel. Not for something you drink.

Honestly rum is easy to make. It’s cane sugar and yeast. Doesn’t get any easier than that. I can make a decent white rum with bread yeast and c&h sugar with a column still. I can make it better with some molasses and raw sugar. Now making great rum is another story. Some day I might even try using sulfuric acid, dunder, etc to see if I can get some real funky rum. Rum is simple yet complex.

Posted: **Thu May 14, 2020 8:18 pm**

bluefish_dist wrote: ↑Thu May 14, 2020 6:54 pm Honestly rum is easy to make. It’s cane sugar and yeast.

Show me a large commercial distillery that makes a good rum from plain old sugar.
Sugar makes sugar shine.

Posted: **Thu May 14, 2020 9:20 pm**

Hi, Grey Elf,
You said, 'I really do like gin and I add a bit of a cumquat brandy tincture to mine for extra zesty flavour....'
Can you tell me more about that; my brother has a cumquat tree bearing lots of fruit and I will see him on Tuesday...

Geoff

Posted: **Thu May 14, 2020 9:44 pm**

Replace some, or all, of your usual citrus in one of your gin bills with Kumquat.

Dry zest to preserve it for later use.

Run your usual gin base spirit through a gin basket packed with whole, or halved, Kumquats to make essence for blending into gins. If you make it intense enough, you can try it in an existing gin.

Anything else you can think of.

Posted: **Fri May 15, 2020 12:57 am**

Grey elf ,
I just had a flashback , there was only one Rum Essence I could stand. . Its from a mob called QBrew

LOL probably more like can soup than home made Minestrone

By the way ,the way you have responded to all the members is commendable .

I think you will fit in well here.

Posted: **Fri May 15, 2020 6:49 am**

We can agree to disagree on a few comments made on this subject. First I totally agree with LWTCS, when he asks what kind of rum are you looking for. Everyone’s tastes are different light vs heavy or somewhere in between.
I respect the knowledge of some of my colleges and would agree about a pot still if I only ran my VM still. However if you look at some of these professional rum distilleries some of them are running double thumpers. I feel I have run my CM still enough that I can dial in similar results. A well designed and built CM still has a lot of flexibility. I currently have built 3 stills (pot, CM, and VM) I know longer run my VM still but use both my CM and pot still.

Posted: **Fri May 15, 2020 7:04 am**

Saltbush Bill wrote: ↑Thu May 14, 2020 8:18 pm
bluefish_dist wrote: ↑Thu May 14, 2020 6:54 pm Honestly rum is easy to make. It’s cane sugar and yeast.
Show me a large commercial distillery that makes a good rum from plain old sugar.
Sugar makes sugar shine.

I guess I should have been more clear, a sugar cane sugar source, be it juice, molasses, or sugar. I am sure no major rum distillery uses refined sugar as it’s expensive. Cheaper to use molasses or raw juice.

Posted: **Fri May 15, 2020 4:43 pm**

So I really appreciate the responses.
I made a TPW, ran it through a carbon filtre and did the following.
Still spirits jamacian dark rum essence and aged on bourbon staves for 3 months... and was not that good. 3/5
Seabeast (Forgot who makes it) supposed to be a kraken...and was not that good. 2/5

So moving on I have 3 options
1. Get the skills on brazing, decide on design and do an easy build pot still. I have read a few threads on pot stills.
2. Buy the Still Spirits Alembic.
3. Using the T500 in Pot Still mode with separate water inputs for the column and condenser. Follow the suggestion above.

So I might try 3...and are undecided on 1 and 2.

To BAKER for cumquat brandy. This was the liquid left over after you have made brandied cumquats. Basically put cumquats in a jar with some sugar and brandy and leave for a year (make sure the cumquats are submerged). They are great on icecream. But if you chop them up and add them to Sticky Date Puddings with a cream.....well you will love it. I made a lot of it and kept the syrup...and added small portions to my gin.

Posted: **Fri May 15, 2020 6:12 pm**

bluefish_dist wrote: ↑Thu May 14, 2020 5:13 am To this end I would run 3 plates with a wash of 10:1 sugar to blackstrap by weight and aim for an abv of around 160 proof off the still.

bluefish_dist wrote: ↑Thu May 14, 2020 5:13 am For more funk, go 50:50 sugar/molasses or higher molasses. Distill with 2 plates and hold abv to 125-135 off the still.

Im not sure how this is in any way relevant,? I thought we were dealing with small T500 reflux still here, not a six inch plated column.

Bushman wrote: ↑Fri May 15, 2020 6:49 am I feel I have run my CM still enough that I can dial in similar results. A well designed and built CM still has a lot of flexibility. I currently have built 3 stills (pot, CM, and VM) I know longer run my VM still but use both my CM and pot still.

I agree Bushy , Many here could make a good rum using other types of stills, especially if they unpacked the column of their reflux stills and had control of the power being input to the boiler.
In this case my advice was the best I thought I could give at the time to a complete novice , who has a T500 with no means of power control that I am aware of.
The boiler on these things runs full power at all times, with a controller added it may be a better proposition.
Without knowing if it is the full copper version of the T500, or the stainless job with the plastic cap at the top I was hesitant to suggest it be run in any way other than intended.

Posted: **Fri May 15, 2020 6:35 pm**

Saltbush Bill wrote: ↑Fri May 15, 2020 6:12 pm
bluefish_dist wrote: ↑Thu May 14, 2020 5:13 am To this end I would run 3 plates with a wash of 10:1 sugar to blackstrap by weight and aim for an abv of around 160 proof off the still.
bluefish_dist wrote: ↑Thu May 14, 2020 5:13 am For more funk, go 50:50 sugar/molasses or higher molasses. Distill with 2 plates and hold abv to 125-135 off the still.
Im not sure how this is in any way relevant,? I thought we were dealing with small T500 reflux still here, not a six inch plated column.

FWIW I have made rum at those abv’s off the still from a 2” packed column using packing to equal 2 or 3 plates, also a 4” packed, plated, and 6” plated. Just because I ran big stuff doesn’t mean you can’t scale it to smaller stills. One of my best white rums was made off a keg with a 2” copper column and packing. Just wasn’t as fast as the big still.

Posted: **Sat May 16, 2020 4:34 am**

bluefish_dist wrote: ↑Fri May 15, 2020 6:35 pm
Saltbush Bill wrote: ↑Fri May 15, 2020 6:12 pm
bluefish_dist wrote: ↑Thu May 14, 2020 5:13 am To this end I would run 3 plates with a wash of 10:1 sugar to blackstrap by weight and aim for an abv of around 160 proof off the still.
bluefish_dist wrote: ↑Thu May 14, 2020 5:13 am For more funk, go 50:50 sugar/molasses or higher molasses. Distill with 2 plates and hold abv to 125-135 off the still.
Im not sure how this is in any way relevant,? I thought we were dealing with small T500 reflux still here, not a six inch plated column.
FWIW I have made rum at those abv’s off the still from a 2” packed column using packing to equal 2 or 3 plates, also a 4” packed, plated, and 6” plated. Just because I ran big stuff doesn’t mean you can’t scale it to smaller stills. One of my best white rums was made off a keg with a 2” copper column and packing. Just wasn’t as fast as the big still.

I like light rum
The best one i have made was bluefishes recipe
Good flavor but light
Even my wife enjoys it
10 to 1 sugar to molly
And drinkable off the still.
One thing i have learned
You need to get lots of copper in the vapour path with feed grade molly
It makes a big difference with the stuff
Last run i done i filled th column with copper rings and run distillate of a 80 % abv the whole run per bluefishes suggestion
It had nearly no bite watered down to 40

Posted: **Sat May 16, 2020 5:05 am**

Bushman wrote: ↑Fri May 15, 2020 7:49 am
I feel I have run my CM still enough that I can dial in similar results. A well designed and built CM still has a lot of flexibility. I currently have built 3 stills (pot, CM, and VM) I know longer run my VM still but use both my CM and pot still.
Saltbush Bill wrote:
I agree Bushy , Many here could make a good rum using other types of stills, especially if they unpacked the column of their reflux stills and had control of the power being input to the boiler.
In this case my advice was the best I thought I could give at the time to a complete novice , who has a T500 with no means of power control that I am aware of.
The boiler on these things runs full power at all times, with a controller added it may be a better proposition.
Without knowing if it is the full copper version of the T500, or the stainless job with the plastic cap at the top I was hesitant to suggest it be run in any way other than intended.
[/quote

Posted: **Sun May 17, 2020 12:53 am**

Grey Elf wrote: ↑Fri May 15, 2020 4:43 pm So I really appreciate the responses.
I made a TPW, ran it through a carbon filtre and did the following.
Still spirits jamacian dark rum essence and aged on bourbon staves for 3 months... and was not that good. 3/5
Seabeast (Forgot who makes it) supposed to be a kraken...and was not that good. 2/5

I have used the Jamaican Dark Rum in the past, and have found it ok. Remember a lot will also depend on your cuts: Keeping too much heads and it will be harsh even if you age it for three months). Keeping too much tails in and you will carry over dusty, sweaty old funky sock flavor that will not mix well with anything and aging will not get rid of tails taste. Keeping both too much heads and tails and you can imagine you'll be in a world of pain regardless what you mix it with. Take tight cuts to start with, and take it from there.

Reg.
The Bastard

Posted: **Wed May 20, 2020 12:07 am**

Thankyou to Saltbush Bill for the picture of the Pelican Pot Still. That is my new project

Posted: **Wed May 20, 2020 12:15 am**

It can be a more simple shape.
I did it that way because I already had the parts and to try to distribute the weight a little more evenly on the lid , as those lids are kind of flimsy.
A simple prop between floor and condenser will do the same thing.

Posted: **Wed May 20, 2020 12:40 am**

Saltbush Bill wrote: ↑Wed May 20, 2020 12:15 amA simple prop between floor and condenser will do the same thing.

All of my pot still condensers are hung from whatever is available, usually rafters, but anything will do except during storms.

Home Distiller

What is the Best rum from a brown sugar wash and reflux still

What is the Best rum from a brown sugar wash and reflux still

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Re: What is the Best rum from a brown sugar wash and reflux still

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Re: What is the Best rum from a brown sugar wash and reflux still

Re: What is the Best rum from a brown sugar wash and reflux still

Re: What is the Best rum from a brown sugar wash and reflux still

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Re: What is the Best rum from a brown sugar wash and reflux still

Re: What is the Best rum from a brown sugar wash and reflux still

Re: What is the Best rum from a brown sugar wash and reflux still

Re: What is the Best rum from a brown sugar wash and reflux still

Re: What is the Best rum from a brown sugar wash and reflux still

Re: What is the Best rum from a brown sugar wash and reflux still

Re: What is the Best rum from a brown sugar wash and reflux still

Re: What is the Best rum from a brown sugar wash and reflux still

Re: What is the Best rum from a brown sugar wash and reflux still