Rum Recipe Discussion

[Rush006]

Ive been doing nothing but rum for a few years and the only puke was the second 100% molasses run i did the other week.. I only do 30l in 50l keg.

[bluc]

For those with no puking do you clarify the molasses? Thinking its protein break not unfermantable sugar causing puking..

[EziTasting]

I have early up but can't comment on if that's caused the puking.

The last time it puked, I didn't clarify.

[EziTasting]

So doing Gen4 of a mainly molasses rum and am finding that my pH is going up slightly.. . Has anyone ever had that? What did you do about it?

Details:
55L FV;
Bakers yeast (sprinkled over the top);
Yeast added @35* ;
~8-10L molasses;
~8-10L dunder;
Tablespoon DAP;
Tablespoon Epsom Salts;
15-18L of bottled water. Wash aerated with drill/paint mixer, pH of the Dundee & molasses 5.1 end pH (after everything was mixed) 5.3!

Had expected the pH to go down from what others have been saying..,

[bluc]

Whats the water ph? :-B did you use same water in all gens?

[coffe addict]

5.3 is a good pH, adding more dunder will help lower pH but it should be fine as is.

[bayshine]

Table spoon of epsom salt is a bit much and might have something to do with it :think:

[EziTasting]

Whats the water ph? :-B did you use same water in all gens?

Yer it's good ~7.2 and yes, Definitely always use this water! Our Tapwater is shyte and has made evey wash taste similar! :puke-huge:

5.3 is a good pH, adding more dunder will help lower pH but it should be fine as is.

Ok yes, wasn't to worried about its 'current' pH but the 'Process of Generations and the effect on pH' so I guess I was a little concerned that I'm stuffing up!

Table spoon of epsom salt is a bit much and might have something to do with it :think:

I'm guessing this is too much; how much would you suggest?
Since I haven't made an "Irridium" or "El Dorado" rum I'm open to suggestions! :-B

[PeterC]

The WPOSW for 23L (6US GAL) has less than 1/8 tsp Epsom salts (magnesium sulphate) compared to a tsp of DAP so I am guessing the yeast does not need much magnesium as a nutrient (Gudday bud :D )

[bayshine]

I put in a 1/4 tee spoon of magnesium in 100 lt wash :handgestures-thumbupleft:

[pingu]

Hey guys making a batch of mcrum following the original recipe and it has finished fermenting in 2 days. no bubbling at all. SG 1.087 down to FG 1.016. Tastes very bitter.
Just wondering if leaving it to settle for a few days is beneficial or not? As I'm eager to run and get the next gen going.
Cheers :happy-partydance:

edit: also should i be adding more tomatoe paste, epsom salt and a vit B tablet to each gen or just the first?
Thanks

[bluc]

Leaving it sit should help stop puking..

[Dig Brinker]

There's no tomato paste or vitamin B in the original recipe... so no. :teasing-tease:

[Zak Griffin]

Leave the tomato paste. A crushed vit B tab won't hurt.

[pingu]

Ok thanks guys,
Appreciate it. :greetings-waveyellow:

[Cheersbigears]

G'Day All

I have done 50/50 and 100% molasses before with a great product. This time the molasses from the same place was a 100% wash but was not the best so just stripped it. Done a 50/50 wash and with all the stripped stuff from the 100% into the boiler yesterday. With the boiler filled lower for the rum wash it still puked like a bitch and then some so taking forever to get up to temp going slow so as not to get the shit into the column. The whole time running this wash after getting to temp there was almost clear bubbles on top (which I have not seen before) with the normal brown ones lower. I'm thinking this lot of molasses had a lot more preservatives as it was out of the crushing season. Doing 280ml cuts every 8 minutes so about the 2100 lts per hour that is a little slow have done a little faster and running 4 plates as I do with rum. After the heads and should of been into the hearts sometimes it tasted great off the still and then like shit done this the whole time in the run. Do not know why.

I'm think it's more preservatives in the molasses this time of year still tasted the same bitter and sweet like the other stuff I have used.
As well as it took so long, can I restart the wash to get the rest out or that's not a good idea. Restarting any wash is ok or not.
Should I put it through again with the still set up as a neutralizer or will it still taste like shit.

Anyones 2 cents at the moment, as the only next thing is to sterilize everything and start again instead of putting a new wash straight down.

[rumsponge]

If the molasses had preservatives in them your fermenation would likley have been affected. Was it a normal wash fermenting out in 2-4 days ?
With bulk molasses from feed stores I find that the majority are already active with wild yeast when buying them (bubble development), whereas the food stuff is dead.
If the wild yeasts are active, its a good sign that there arent preservatives in there. Another way to find out is your supplier (they should have spec sheets).

The whole time running this wash after getting to temp there was almost clear bubbles on top (which I have not seen before) with the normal brown ones lower.

Not sure if I get this, do you mean bubbles on the top bubbler plate ? If yes and you used a bubbler, ALL the plates should always have clear liquid/bubbles. If you got brown stuff - its a sure sign of puking or entrainment = Poor/no separation of volatiles. If this happens, put the column in full reflux and the brown stuff should disappear back into the boiler.

[Cheersbigears]

Yeah the wash was a little slow but I just just that down to the temp was a little cooler lower about 30 -33 instead of the 38 or so.
No. Not on the plates I try and make sure I turn it down before that. In the boiler I have the wash level down about 6-8in down from the top for the puking. Once in the run it's happy with minimal and small bubbles as per any wash. This time had the same but with large almost clear ones on top I was making sure that they didn't get to the column as well. Very odd in this wash to have next to or little color in a the bubbles.
I have some more of the same molasses there and it is feed molasses but been ok before these two. What should I look for in the molasses. If it has bubbles it has wild yeast and thats a bad thing and will give off tastes correct.

Is it any good to go through a neutralizer or just throw the lot.

Just reread your post off to look and hope to see bubbles

Yes I have bubbles in the molasses

[rumsponge]

What should I look for in the molasses. If it has bubbles it has wild yeast and thats a bad thing and will give off tastes correct.

not necessarily. some of the best rum yeasts come from wild yeast isolates that grow on cane or in molasses. if you want to be sure to have controlled conditions and no wild yeast, boil the molasses before fermentation (adding your yeast). This will also get rid of some the unfermentables (proteins), which will precipitate out.

[bluc]

Hey rumsponge how much of a pita is it to boil molasses so it doesnt stick and burn. Should it be mixed 50/50 with water or something?