Aussiedistiller, Home Distilling, Moonshine, Home Brew

Just finished my last stripping run of my "burnt" molasses wash. Been a fun night sitting outside with lots of friendly mosquitoes.

I bought two buckets of molasses at the same time. Can't say they were definately from the same batch but seems likely.

I clarified the first one as best I could, diluted to about 110 litres and added some (4kg) sugar.

This one I did as all molasses diluted to about 90 litres but was a bit lazy with the clarifying - I didn't boil it for as long which is why I am surprised that this one is the one which now smells burnt. I just got it boiling, added some lime and kept it hot for as long as I could.

I used about 20 litres of dunder in both batches, this makes it a higher percentage in the second batch but not by much.

I assume from Yummy's comment that I am best to do my spirit run of this on it's own rather than combined with my first batch.

Cheers,

Richard

Richard. I would say if in doubt leave it out so it won't contaminate the other strip.
I'd do a separte spirit run on each.You may find it is OK .

Just curious about your pot that you used to heat it up in .Love to see a pic of it as it must be huge to handle a 100liter wash and did you saiy it had elements in it.What size do you use ? How long does it take to heat up.
I've been using an 80 liter keg with the top cut off on gas but its a it dodgy how I set it up high enogh to rack out of.

Yummy the reason for my impatience with clarifying is that I was using a 30 litre urn which I set up on a bench above one of my 200 litre drums. I would get it boiling, mix in some lime and then open up the tap to drain it into the bigger container. It stayed hot/ warm all day (but not boiling continually) then I siphoned it into another fermenter leaving behind the sediment.

This was the best I could do which is why I described it as only partly clarified.

Sorry if I painted a picture of something better.

Cheers,

Richard

Where the hell can I buy molasses... I live Sth East of Melbourne.

Are you guys just buying stockfeed molasses?

pt49 wrote:Where the hell can I buy molasses... I live Sth East of Melbourne.

Are you guys just buying stockfeed molasses?

Yep, stockfeeders it is mate :handgestures-thumbupleft:

5 o'clock wrote:Just finished my last stripping run of my "burnt" molasses wash. Been a fun night sitting outside with lots of friendly mosquitoes.

I bought two buckets of molasses at the same time. Can't say they were definately from the same batch but seems likely.

I clarified the first one as best I could, diluted to about 110 litres and added some (4kg) sugar.

This one I did as all molasses diluted to about 90 litres but was a bit lazy with the clarifying - I didn't boil it for as long which is why I am surprised that this one is the one which now smells burnt. I just got it boiling, added some lime and kept it hot for as long as I could.

I used about 20 litres of dunder in both batches, this makes it a higher percentage in the second batch but not by much.

I assume from Yummy's comment that I am best to do my spirit run of this on it's own rather than combined with my first batch.

Cheers,

Richard

Just did the (pot still) spirit run of this burnt rum.

I diluted it again and did another stripping run a couple of weeks ago to try to clean it up a bit more before this run.

I collected my cuts and will see how it goes with a few days airing but I am not confident there will be much good stuff in there.

Definately no distillers privilege in this rum.

Have converted to all mollases Rum, I think I'm lucky enough to have good clean Molasses from the feed store.

Was doing some reading online re: clarification processes, it seems the sugar mills do mention clarifying their molasses to remove solids. Rocky point Sugar mill, privately owned over South-East of Brisbane, clarifies their molasses and supplies to Beenleigh Rum, who also makes Inner Circle. Beenleigh Rum's website states they pour the hot dunder back into molasses to clarify it. It's obviously simplified to whatever else they add, so I thought I'd do that, it's essentially what you've been talking about, just really simple.

After last strippping run on ANZAC day, I poured approx 8L hot dunder onto approx 8L molasses, stirred up, allowed to cool overnight in Dunder bucket, poured back onto yeast bed, slow to kickstart over next day and so added some more Lowan's and progressing along fine. This is approx 8th gen, I don't test pH, SG or anything, just let it ferment out. Probably the benefit of a reasonably hot climate in a steel shed with relatively constant temp, I might strike problems down the track with pH??

brudda wrote: I might strike problems down the track with pH??

I recon you will mate, dunder can get quite acidic and the fact that you said it's "ticking along" suggests that it is a slow ferment.
which could be attributed to the low pH.
I think, from memory, you want to be around the 4.5 - 5.5 mark ;-)

So after ending up with a stockpile of Bourbon on oak for the next year, and have some free time again, I'm moving on to my beloved rum :drool:

Yummy (or anyone else), have you had any further success in the all molasses final results? I did a clarification trial with a small amount of molasses, just used a simple boil to separate solids, and fermented it out to test a fruit yeast that I have (SafSpirit Fruit - Saccharomyces bayanus). The simple boil seemed fine to me in terms of the SG and fermentation...all comes down to the final product taste I guess...

I'm keen to expand my no-sugar/AG product line :handgestures-thumbupleft:

Okay, I'm doing my FIRST rum ever this week coming, and am going for 100% molasses wash without any refined sugar added.

So for those in the know...going off of a previous test batch I did, I'm looking at a boil clarification with 2:1 water to molasses. So for approx 40L wash, going for 13L molasses + 26L water for 39L wash.

Sound about right? From my test batch at 2:1, I think I fermented to about 8 - 9% alc/vol...

Good luck brendan.
I usually go 1 part mollasses to 3 parts water.

But when adding dunder I use less than 1 part Dunder and make up to the three parts with water....if that makes sense...see recipe on page one.

You may well get away with a 1:2 if not adding dunder.Theres no rule book...only guides.

Just ferment it hot and fast......and don't forget the epsom salts.

My grain whisky project will be done in the next couple of weeks, then I have 200Lt of slowly fermenting TPW to deal with. 8-} But after that it's rum! I like the idea of all molasses and have picked up a few 14kg cubes of Bundaburg refinery molasses to play with. These are food grade so will hopefully not need any clarifying :romance-kisscheek: .

There only 10c more a kg the my local stockfeed place sells... well stockfeed.
My tentative plan at the moment is to use one cube (14kg) per 40Lt ferment. I'm not sure of the sugar content of this molasses, people quote molasses at being about half sugar but being food grade I guess it could be higher? :think: I could make slightly bigger or smaller washes but it seems like I could get close enough to the right size not to bother leaving some in the bottom or taxing a little off the next cube. Plus I can fill up the empty cubes with hot dunder after stilling, no chill style or top off for the funk :handgestures-thumbupleft:
At the moment it's probably going to be bakers but I could drop the first wash directly onto my ag whisky lees (safesprite malt yeast) :teasing-tease: Pretty odd thought, has anyone done similar?
I'll get my ducks in a row soon enough, can't wait for this one; it's going to be like a holiday after my ag adventures. :greetings-waveyellow:

Res where do you buy your molasses. My stock feed place is out.

pulsetech wrote:Res where do you buy your molasses. My stock feed place is out.

Merchant Australia
Food &/or General Store Supplies
24-46 Westgate Drv, Altona North, VIC 3025
03 9931 6666

It cost $18.50 for a 14kg cube :handgestures-thumbupleft:

I got there last 5 cubes but I'm sure they will have more soon, just call first to be sure. 8-)

Awesome. Not far from work either. I will give them a call

:handgestures-thumbupleft:

Good man

It's an odd place, in no way a shop but they have the goods. There is a stock list for them around here somewhere, might have some other stuff you guys need like yeast or sugar etc. I found them on the forums ages ago, can't remember where at the moment. :doh:

Cheers res for the suppler they are only 10 mins from me, just saved me some hunting. :handgestures-thumbupleft:

res wrote:My tentative plan at the moment is to use one cube (14kg) per 40Lt ferment. I'm not sure of the sugar content of this molasses, people quote molasses at being about half sugar but being food grade I guess it could be higher? :think:

Res, normal blackstrap contains 50% total sugars which typically includes 16-17% sucrose, and the rest (~33%) is glucose and fructose. Bundy refinery molasses contains typically 48% sucrose and at least 60% total sugars, so possibly up to 70%.

I've got the same 14kg cubes as well. Was originally going to do 13L to a 40L wash (2:1 water:molasses), but due to the higher sugar content of this fancy stuff, I'm going with one 10L cube to 40L. I'll be interested to see the comparison between our yields and potential, as mine might be too strong or yours might be too weak? Also, i'll still be doing a simple boil and decant clarification to remove solids and assist to reduce foam up and the like.

Definitely keep us updated with how you go. I'm looking heavily into the wash pH, ferment temperatures, and distillation style to play around with a few different types and compare the results :handgestures-thumbupleft:

Yummyrum wrote:that yeild is also what Bundy say they aim for ....700mls per Liter of Mollases.

Just did the math after distilling 160L of all molasses wash this week...I'm getting 600ml of 40% per litre of molasses. Considering Bundy's cuts (or there lack of), I'll take that as a win :D

Res, I also went 7.5L molasses per 40L wash ie. 3/4 of a cube. Worked out at 7-8%abv :handgestures-thumbupleft: