Rum Mollasses wash

[Nardy]

Thanks for the tip rumby. I'm going to run my second molasses wash through the still this weekend, so will be doing some creative blending when it's done. My first lot still has a bit of a strange pong to it, although that's only been on oak for a week.

[MacStill]

I would be careful with your blending (adding tails) to your hearts, just try it in small quantities so you dont bugger the whole run up ;)

I like a smooth rum and never add tails to my hearts, tails get run through the still with the next wash.

Cheers.

edit: it'll take a few weeks for that raw smell to change, unless you've added too much tails to your blend..... in which case you'll need to age it much much longer.

[Nardy]

Thanks McStill - I've split the batch up into 6 different containers to age, with various blends. So no doubt some will be too taily, but I think there was one in there with just hearts (well, what I think is just hearts).

I've got the second batch in the still at the moment coming up to temp, although I just had a look at the hydrometer sample that I put aside when filling the still and it's reading 1026! I figured it was done as it's been in the fermenter for 7 days now, but that seems a bit high. I used 2kgs of raw sugar and about 3.5L of molasses in a 25L wash, with 10L of dunder from the previous run and about 1Tbs of tomato paste. Is the dunder causing a stalled ferment or is the FG high because I used a fair bit of molasses do you think?

Either way it's in the still and reaching 50*C, so no turning back now! 8-)

[R-sole]

Dunder can do it, so can repitching on the lees with the aussie feed mollasses. I think it's got just enough preservatives to allow it to ferment in the right circumstance, but repitching somehow either concentrates the acidity or preservatives.

I make a new wash up every time. It's about the only wash (cept sugar wash) that i check with a hydrometer too.

[Nardy]

Dunder can do it, so can repitching on the lees with the aussie feed mollasses. I think it's got just enough preservatives to allow it to ferment in the right circumstance, but repitching somehow either concentrates the acidity or preservatives.

I make a new wash up every time. It's about the only wash (cept sugar wash) that i check with a hydrometer too.

So 5Star you don't use dunder? I thought dunder was the key ingredient to a good rum?

[R-sole]

Yes i use dunder quite often, i limit it to under 20% though. Just saying that using dunder can acidify a wash to the point that yeast become very unhappy.

I don't use dunder for white rum, just Pints Fast Fermenter as it is.

[wynnum1]

So if can get too acid that means PH has to be measured and adjusted.What is best PH for yeast.

[R-sole]

They're happy round the 5-6 and will keep slugging out down to about 3.5 before stalling.