Still Smarter

I am making a rum but I don’t have an alembic dome and condenser as they are a little pricey for a trial run I don’t want to strip the run I want the flavour of rum so i am told I can take the packing out of my t500 and use it that way but if I run the cooling water through the condenser as normal it will go through the reflux will it then start to strip my flavour out or can. I run the water through the condenser and use the outlet at the top to discharge my cooling water bypassing the reflux

Mike, I have no idea. I have the same thoughts while I use my old Still Spirits Super Reflux Still (SRS), which is the Reflux Still before the T500. How much flavour carry over do,you get!?

I make nuetral for Gin, it, the SRS works well for that. But, if I make a porpose wash for rum or whisky, rather than using a turbo, how much flavour will I ge after it has been distilled?

Answers please......

Hi
I don’t know how much flavour will be carried over I think it will be suck it and see I will post results when i have had a go that should be in a couple of weeks as I so producing gin at the moment that should come out around the 92abv mark

If you have a standard T500 take the packing out of the column. No reflux. Run water just through the condenser. This is the closest to can get to "pot still" mode.

Can you solder?

Michael10 wrote: Tue Jan 30, 2024 3:12 pm ... I don’t want to strip the run I want the flavour of rum so...

Dictionary corner:
Stripping run refers to removal of the a large ammount of the water. Typically a term for pot still.

Spirit run refers to the concentration of the spirit. The real "distilling" bit of you like. This can be done on a pot or a column. The outcomes will be different.
Ps. The is a lot of grey in between the two.


For you....
Key bit is the reflux or packed column will remove flavour.

Removing the packing & cooling makes a 'column' into a 'pipe'. You will need to run it twice, through that setup. Cuts determine the flavour.

What rum are you aiming for?

Hi thanks for the info I will do 2 runs without packing and see what the outcome is and post results when completed

Rum takes time and multiple runs.
Each new run leaves a huge amount of flavour in the boiler. For your first generation only keep a small sample of the best of the hearts. Recycle everything else. Use the boiler stillage (dunder) to start the next fermentation. You may need 5 fementations before you get to a stabilised flavour profile.

Ok Myles thanks for the information i will give it a bash

It makes sense to wait until you are ready to start your next fermentation before you do your strip run.
You can use the hot dunder straight out of the boiler to dissolve whatever sugar source you are using.

You can use anything up to 100% dunder, but try to use at least 25% dunder to 75% water.
There are differing opinions - the more under you use the slower your fermentation will be.

I don't like fast fermentations as they increase the amount of heads. I also add my sugar in 2 batches to reduce the stress on the yeast.

Does that apply for darker rums, or all rum?

All rums.
I aim for an 11% fermentation, with the sugar added in 2 batches. I like my fermentations to take about 3 weeks or more.
Hot fast fermentations just produce more heads compared to slower fermentations.

That is good to know. Thank you.

Mash wrote: Fri Feb 02, 2024 6:10 am Does that apply for darker rums, or all rum?

Don't forget, the commercial rum world is a bit strange as rum is the only spirit where they're allowed to add flavour/colour i.e. they often use a caramel to standardise both.

Oak isn't used as much in runs as it it with brandies and whisky's.

Anecdotally they are also allowed to add both fermented wash and backset to the final product.

Good luck trying to get confirmation of this though. Backset I can understand - there is a lot of flavour in it!!!
Buccaneer Bob's recipe uses a homemade essence made with 50:50 undiluted hearts and backset.