StillSmart

I actually put in 1 t of medium toasted oak per 750 ml bottle which explains things. Cleaning out the carboy allowed me to quantify; though, I wish I had remembered to have made a note of it here right after oaking.

I have done a second pass for each bottle through three coffee filters which softened the oak presence a bit. I read elsewhere that some triple filter oaked spirit to remove unwanted insolubles such as oak particles.

As for experimenting, I added another 1/2 t of 180 lovibond Belgian candi syrup to make it 1 1/2 t in a trial bottle and it is tasty. Further, it now resides in a decanter. The extra 1/2 t results in a deeper brown color with a lingering reddish hue.

I am using LHBS Belgian candi syrup for repeatable results.

I am going to switch from chips to cubes for future oaking and do a quick soak in distilled water to rinse off dust.

On the oaking subject, I am getting about 5 kg of cut up used Bourbon barrel staves for future oaking.

Continuing the post mortem on my recent rum experience, I determined that I oaked at about 27 g per liter at 40% yielding a pronounced but not overbearing oak presence after filtering twice using coffee filters. The HD parent site suggests 1 t per liter or, after weighing it, 20 g per liter. This is based on using toasted oak chips like those sold by Brewhaus. For a medium bodied rum, I would suggest starting at 12 to 14 g per liter for a subtle oak profile before adding any more.

I have just completed one 25 litre Rum spirit run and have kept the heads and tails seperatly, I have not disposed of the dunder yet so I still have the oppurtunity of isolating the Rhum Oils if needed.

I have more Rum striped for another spirit run, possibly next weekend, the question is, what to do with the feints and maybe oils as well?

I have read many different reports, with some people advocating only using the heads, others heads and tails and some saying to use neither of those but definatly reuse the Rhum Oils.

I am still undecided as to which course to follow, does anyone have any stong feelings one way or the other?

I recycle the heads, tails, and oils. I find that it does make a significant difference and that there are desirable flavours in all three.

The heads I dump. Dont want them around. The tails I accumulate and make a neutral for vodka or gin.The rum is kept very clean.

The oak bite on my rum has been mellowing. Patience is rewarded. Though, it is ever so slightly cloudy.

Cloudiness can come from several directions. If it is from the addition of caramel or sweeteners, the particles are usually way too small to catch in the usual filters you might have around. However, letting the whole lot settle for a few months and then siphon off the top. Should get then job done.

If the cloudiness shows up when you water down high ABV, that is from high levels of fusil alcohols and no amount of filtering will clear it.

The odd thing is that I know I tested the last jar by taking a sample and mixing with distilled water and did not see any resulting cloudiness. That said, there is what appears to be a fusel oil slick in the neck of the bottle; but, there is no brackish smell from an empty glass the next day.

So, the slick could be coming from the maple syrup or the Belgian candy syrup. Or would these additives mask the brackish smell?

If the visual fault is due to fusel oils, then turbo carbon for a couple of days might remedy it.