StillSmart

Panela rum

Ok I got around at last to making this recipe that I found on another board...this was fun....these blocks of cane sugar are so hard you could build an house with them...until it rained

I started off by putting a block in a bucket, pouring boiling water over it.....this did work slowly, but it worked. When it was dissolved I tipped it into a fermenter..did this with another 3 blocks...now don't laugh, I lost count of how many liters I got to....so I now added cold water up to the 22liters mark.

I dropped the hydrometer in and it read 1.066 at 25c...so that gave me 1.067....just where I wanted to be. On the sugar wash calcs 4kg sugar in 22 liters should be 1.070...I ain't gunna worry about it....it'll do for me.



Now you read on these recipes that use the feed molasses, hydro's are of no use because of the fibre in the molasses....well when these blocks dissolved they seemed free of anything like that.

I followed most the recipe... epsom salts, vit B tablet, put some dead yeast in about 2 cups...followed up with fresh bakers yeast. Never used it before always used the dried so this will be something new to me.


Edit..

I did this post within 15 mins of pitching the yeast....that was 12.49.
I've just come in from the outhouse at 1400 and it's going like a train.

@Ice: I will be interested to see how this comes out. Should be a walk in the park. I wonder why you added the Epsom salts, dead yeast and Vit B tabs without testing to see if they were necessary. White sugar - yes. Brown sugars - not likely.

I am watching this one with interest,
I can source Panela almost as cheaply as Ice.
It seems worth a go,against a Tate and Lyle syrup run.

Robert.

RumJohn wrote:@Ice: I will be interested to see how this comes out. Should be a walk in the park. I wonder why you added the Epsom salts, dead yeast and Vit B tabs without testing to see if they were necessary. White sugar - yes. Brown sugars - not likely.

Hi John...Thanks for the input...I've never done anything like this before, so I just followed the recipe that I found on the net. As I understand the dead yeast & vit B tablet are only yeast nutrients...the Epsom
I'm astonished at the speed it took off, I'll drop the hydro in later today/tomorrow just because I'm curious

Easydrinker wrote:I am watching this one with interest,
I can source Panela almost as cheaply as Ice.
It seems worth a go,against a Tate and Lyle syrup run.

Robert.

When I found that I could source Jaggery/Panela...whatever name it goes under....Cane sugar at £1.78 per kilo against brown sugar at £2.25...and it's not refined I thought why not have a go.

Quick update...dropped the hydro in this morning, hovering around 1.010/1.012...it still has small bubbles rising...strange colour though not use to it.

That is a very strange orange colour! My panela wash stayed dark brown like your first picture.

Still sweet tasting or is it dry and tart?

chill wrote:That is a very strange orange colour! My panela wash stayed dark brown like your first picture.

I'm surprised at the colur...it's so...vivid..
I did a gall molasses last year and that stayed a dark colour.

FullySilenced wrote:Still sweet tasting or is it dry and tart?

On the % calc SG..1066...now down to 1.010...that's 7.3% abv. I've just had a taste and it's like a slight sweet weak wine....no flavor as such...I wouldn't say it's tart.

Could it be anything to do with the yeast??, I used fresh bakers yeast..never done that before....or the 2 cups of boiled yeast that was added??.

That orange color makes the wash look toxic.

RumJohn wrote:That orange color makes the wash look toxic.

Not the most encouraging remark RJ!
I am curious to see how this one turns out Ice,although I have no advice to offer.

Robert.

I don't think it is the fresh bakers yeast. I have used that before and... no Orange Soda colours. :-) Watching this one with interest.

RumJohn wrote:That orange color makes the wash look toxic.

Cheers John.... I smegging hope not...I did a taste and I'm still here...
It does look a little clearer today....like the colour is settling out???
I'll do another wash and take your advice about the Epsom, and just go with a straight cane sugar wash.
I can't remember when the colour changed...at what point...will have to check every day on the next one.

Reminds me of a 'drink', I was offered at a winemakers meet last year.
15% fully fermented Robinsons Barley water.

OMG

The question about the colour of this wash may have been answered, it's been suggested by someone that the culprit could be the vitamin tablet....and the second part of the suggestion was to see what happens if one of the tablets was dissolved in water.

I've now tried this and low & behold the water changed to a lovely mango colour.. ...so for the next wash I shall forgo the tablet and see what happens.

Vitamin b1 (thiamine) is the one - pure white powder. Use sparingly