rum wash

[alan]

will a molasses wash be OK to run through a T500
Alan

[Capt-Cudellez]

Yes, I've made some excellent rum, pulling it off at 93% on the T500. Still got loads of flavour even at high proof.

[alan]

cheers capt-c

[alan]

just finished running my rum wash ended up with 2.8liters of 93/94% wash finished at 1.10sg I thought i would have got a bit more spirit but what the heck
its the first run.
alan

[Capt-Cudellez]

Can you post your wash recipe?

[alan]

Hi CC This wash was 6.ltrs hot slops,3kg sugar,1/2gallon of molasses.42grams of bakers yeast and a yeast bomb made from the old yeast and sedement left over from my first wash,
alan

[Capt-Cudellez]

Alan, The specifics of the molasses used is what I was more interested in. I've used feed grade at 17% sugar to some treacle at 67% sugar.

So I guess 1/2 Gal is approx 3kg, so you could have anything from 3.5kg total sugar to a smidge over 5kg in your wash.

At 5Kg I would expect around 3lts, not a million miles away - from your results I'd guess you were you using Tate and Lyle treacle which is 64g/100g??

CC.

[alan]

Hi,CC I'm using feed grade molasses its total sugars as sucrose 38%, it tastes an smells just like treacle
i tried some of my wash before putting it in the still its like strong brown ale, this second run smell better than the first one that i pot stilled
alan

[Capt-Cudellez]

I'm just running some feed grade just now - I have 23l of strip @ 50% in the boiler + 3l of wash + 3L water + a tin of treacle.

The only feed grade I could get my hands on was a low sugar mix - loads of flavour, but needed that much brown sugar added to boost the ABV its really going to have to be good, else I'll go back to using food grade molasses.

Going to run this though my column and take off at 95%, and will do another charge the same tomorrow to be pot stilled.

The output of these will be blended together mid week- with maybe a splash of sherry and white wine. then aged on toasted oak and a little bourbon wood @ 65% with some raisins, pepper corns, pineapple, and a vanilla pod, and a tbs of treacle. Should be something worth drinking by crimbo.

[alan]

Hi CC i like your choice of flavouring i might give that a try myself.will you cut the 65% down to 40 later or keep as is.
alan

[Capt-Cudellez]

No, only for aging. More than 65 and I find its a bit woody.

I like mine best in the high 40's, I shoot for 47% when letting down. Some might be kept at proof (57%), but only a bottle or so, as I have a friend that likes it that way.

Keeping it too high doesn't let the flavours out.

[Capt-Cudellez]

A wee update - just made my cuts and ended up with 1-1/2 Gal of white just under 70%.

Split into 2 x5L JD's -
One with 12 raisins + 3/4" vanilla pod + 2 pepper corns + 1/4 slice ripe pineapple + 2tbs brandy.

The other with raisins + 3tbs sweet sherry + 4tbs dry white wine.

Both on med toast oak - need to add a tiny amount of treacle to both in the next few days.

First impressions this has got a smoother taste for being so young, but much less on nose compared to the food grade molasses rum I did earlier in the year. - only time will tell.

Oh and I was left with 3/4 Gal of heads/faints that didn't make the cut, to be added to the boiler next time I run some rum.

Will pull off a bottle of each before I head away at Christmas.

[Capt-Cudellez]

Alan, a wee question for ya. What's the brand of your feed molasses you're getting? Can't find one with that high a sugar content locally.

Been on to HBIngredients about their 25Kg buckets of treacle and blackstrap - Not any cheaper than buying smaller, just handy not having to arse about with wee tins all afternoon making a bloody mess of everything.
Going to cost £47 to ship it as they have to strap them to a pallet, so thats that idea sunk.

CC

[Capt-Cudellez]

Alan, Thanks for posting in the other thread the feed you are using - can't find anything like that locally - I'll keep hunting.

UPDATE on my rum, its a week old and a wee taste just in case. Last week when i was cutting I had a little sniffle - my sense of smell was fine, but it was enough to put doubts in my head.
The cut on the column run stuff was really wide - doing my sums I was thinking something was off. So I cut erring on the side of caution.
I needed the jars back so the faints all went in the rum faints keg.

On tasting today, a week old, its a really light, sipping rum. The pineapple and vanilla were prominent in the aftertaste. Looks like I have cut too narrow after all - it should be a lot rougher at a week old that would mellow in time - this is too nice - so I have decanted the DJ's and pulled out most of the pineapple and only put the tiniest sliver of the vanilla pod back in to avoid making it taste cheep - it doesn't have the back bone to stand up to those flavours.
Wishing now I had trusted myself on the cutting bench - or saved a jar either side of the cut to blend back in.
Late heads and early tails blend in to make the flavour of the rums I like, I like light rums too - a few gals of sipping rum isn't a failure, just not what I was expecting

[Jimmy]

Keep going with these guys, really interested to see how you get on!