My first rum

[claes]

I'm on a roll now and my rum wash should be done in a few days.
I am using this recipe and it seems to be coming along nicely:
http://www.ebrewcraft.co.nz/site/brewcr ... _yeast.pdf

My plan is to do a stripping run as normal, but after that I'm a bit unsure on how to proceed on the smartstill to get the best flavor. When to do the cuts?

What is the experience of the veterans here?

[Toper]

I'm not an expert, neither am I fully convinced I have the answer, but I am responding the the phrase,

“ When to do the cuts?”

Within the Forum under Index, you can find, Resources/Distilling Booklets /“Airstill Brief”

viewtopic.php?f=7&t=3436


Brief but very informative and downloadable.

It covers your question.

[Easydrinker]

claes, I wish you well with your wash and distillation.
Having read the method that you are following, I would not do this.
For me, no Turbo charcoal and no Turbo clear.
I am not sure how the link that Toper indicated will help you as that was intended for neutral spirit.
Try reading posts by Anavrin and Icefever, they are Rum lovers.
On a smaller scale, Chill has experience with Rum and an airstill.

Robert.

[gaza the instructor]

With you on the horrid black stuff and the
turbo clear Easydrinker, not needed.
If you stand after racking off somewhere
cool for a few days will settle naturally.
I dont think a Rum wash will ever clear like a
neutral. Other thing is using Demerara sugar
for more flavour, cheap in Lidls.
Good luck Claes.

[claes]

Thanks for your input!

I have had a xmas break, but now the smartstill is up and running again.

I decided to follow the recipe from stillsmart, using the "horrid black stuff" .
Just want to see where this brings me before I try to experiment with other recipes.

However, the recipe is made with a T500 in thought. I will do as I have done before with a neutral wash, but follow the tips on here on where to do the cuts. The stripping run is going at the moment and it looks promising.

[claes]

I know you guys don't like the turbo carbon, but I am just wondering about a thing in the recipe. They say I should dillute to 50%, then put it in a bucket for three days adding turbo carbon. Then I should stir it twice a day before letting it settle on day three. Then I should fine filter it.

Sounds a bit weird to me. I thought the turbo carbon was only meant for the wash...

[YHB]

I have no experience of turbo carbon but the instructions do not seem to make sense.

On the one hand the are saying do not pass the distillate though activated carbon and then saying put turbo carbon into the distillate. Is turbo carbon activated carbon or not?

Leave in a bucket for 3 days. This conjures up images of you puting your distillate in a plastic bucket with no lid. Only put your distillate in glass or stainless steel and keep a lid on it or the alcohol will evaporate.

This method seems a typical Home Brew Shop system encouraging you to use as much expensive ingredients which are only available from their shop.

[Easydrinker]

I would not store 50% spirit that I intended to drink in a plastic bucket, even short term, as YHB stated.
I do know that Anavrin has used carbon filtering to turn an aged and coloured Rum to clear.

I have just taken the time to read the recipe that you are following.
Malaysia’s best selling Dark Rum is not really made using Turbo clear and Turbo carbon.
Don't ask me how I know that, I just do.

I don't know who authored that piece, but really!

"For an amazing quick result, add one of the Classic Rum Essences."
Blatant commerce.
You have made Rum, why add an essence intended for use with a neutral spirit?

The best advice that I feel able to offer you is to finish the strips, run the spirit washes, no more carbon, make some cuts and see where that leaves you taste wise.

I hope that was of some help,ATB

Robert.

[Curmudgeon]

NB I have not used turbo carbon and am guessing what they mean.

IF I did use the turbo yeast/carbon route, I would follow the recipe before stripping run.

After stripping run, I'd do spirit run, then let my jars air, then do my blending/cuts, then carbon filter (not the same thing as putting more carbon in the distillate)

If they are suggesting adding more carbon after strip run and before spirit run and letting it clear, then I guess it could work, but more for neutral than rum and I'd definitely use glass vessels.

edit : Robert posted while I was typing and I totally agree with what he said. If you are using expensive rum ingredients (molasses) don't use turbo yeast and let your spirit develop with time. If you use turbo yeast and carbon and a flavour/essence, use a cheap sugar wash.

[gaza the instructor]

@ easydrinker.
Dont about you , but I think this recipe
is a stinker from start to finnish.
Turbo carbon,yeast and adding a flavouring ??

[Easydrinker]

Personally I would go down the neutral and essence route for a Rum, just because it is easy and acceptable.
I can understand others striving for something better, and salute them, for seeking a superior product.
I feel for claes and the recipe that he is trying to follow, it does not seem a good one to me, but if it furnishes a drinkable product, then all will be good, and what do I know?

Robert.

[claes]

All the input I got in this forum made sense, but I followed the first part of the recipe just as written. Then Intended to do as most of you suggested - skip the part with the turbo carbon after the spirit run.

However, after my spirit run, I was not pleased with the results. The heads and tails were way too strong on fusel oils and bitter taste. I left it to breathe for a few days, but decided to experiment with one litre of hearts.

I added 1/4 of a sachet of turbo carbon to a 1 liter jar of 50% rum hearts. I gave the pitch black liquid a good stir and left it for 24 hours. The next day most of the carbon had sunk to the bottom. I siphoned off the rest and ran it four times through a coffee filter, which left no traces of carbon.

I was curious what this would taste like, and I guessed it would be almost like neutral alcohol, but to my surprise, this was not the case. It was good rum! With most of the bad fusel oils gone.

I am not sure if this can be applied to many other distilling methods, but in this case it definetly worked, and I will for sure apply this to the rest of the rum. Yes, it is meesy and black and looks awful, but it's only carbon, and with some patience it is easy to filter off.

I learn more and more each day. Today I will expiriment with different types of oak and next week- calvados!

[Easydrinker]

It is all about learning my friend, and what works for me this week may not work for you.
Next week the roles may be reversed.
Keep trying, keep improving.
One day you will have your regular washes, ferments and distillations so organised that it will take very little effort to run them.
That point brings a real smile to your face, it takes awhile to know that it is there!

Robert.