Aussiedistiller, Home Distilling, Moonshine, Home Brew

On my 5th Gen of 2nd attempt macrum (1st attempt died due to stupid user error at 4th Gen :crying-blue: ) and trying to decide how I run my spirit run. Do I go pot still or do I throw some plates in. I can go 6 plates max. What is best? What are the differences in regards to rum?
I see plates as being a cleaner end product but am I losing flavour. Or will flavour seperate out better on cuts?
Cheers :obscene-drinkingchug:

I think I may have found my answer under "Running a Plated Column. the easy way" thread :D :D :D

I like 4 plates for good clean rum :handgestures-thumbupleft:

I run 2 plates from rum and whisky as a good happy medium

bluc wrote:I like 4 plates for good clean rum :handgestures-thumbupleft:

@Blue Do you run your packed section when doing the spirit run for rum? Or just 4 plates only?

Thanks @Br00ksy

Just 4 plates. Packed section is only used for for stripping flavour from neutral. :handgestures-thumbupleft:

Muchos gracias Bluc

Hey guys, I live in a small town in Regional North West Vic and im have a very hard time sourcing Unsulfured Black strap Molasses. Does anyone in Vic know where to get it? Failing that any sources country wide might lead me to a distributor. BTW just seen a great utube on rum check it out. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0UlUbeaBCTg&t=4s

I did just find some at the Ballarat home brew shop. $28 for 14L. I guess thats not to bad.

Snibbo wrote:I did just find some at the Ballarat home brew shop. $28 for 14L. I guess thats not to bad.

Does all that is used for stock have preservative as seems to only say not for human consumption .

Not sure about what sulphur does to fermentation. Have had failed ferments but never had whole batch fail. Only use stock quality and from lots different sources..

I have done many rums using feed grade molasses 50/50 molasses and sugar) and cant wait to do the comparison. In that video I linked above it suggests that in distilling you are always looking to remove as much sulfur as possible and that using molasses with added Sulfur only adds to this issue.

Has anyone tried adding some citric acid/lemon juice to the boiler pre strip to boost esterification over 5 gens? I've tried in a few smaller runs and it makes the run come alive with fruitiness if a bit lemony. I used a full bottle of woollies lemon juice 200ml if memory isn't failing me x_x
Definitely lends itself towards lighter rums.

Citirc acid might be a bit better for less lemon taste.
Will be back at it soon with some other washes and will post results here.

Its pretty complex the way esters work certain acids produce certain esters(flavours). To get a high ester rum you need a mix of different acids. This is were infected dunder comes into play.
Lots different bacteria produce lots different acid= lots esters..

@Bluc
hmm yea
Figures that a different chemical profile acids recombines into different esters.
Just very hesitant to use any majorly avialiable acids in leu of bacteria which are the most expensive small things you can buy :O)
Much easier to just make a dunder bucket/wild rum ferment with a ph of 5.5 or more ph wise (basic) and then chuck that in the still with the clean ferment (50/50) to avoid yeast yeild loss to wash infection but still retaining the awesomeness that the random bacteria provide for flavour. I know theres yeast strains out there that are fine with other organisms active but theyre not as cheap or easy to find as lowans or angel beakers yeast for.



(Side note dont use angel bakers yeast for any whisky or crisp/clean finish tasting spirit. It has this weird musty note which dissapears in rum but in whisky and neutral after ageing/distilling twice but does on the 3 time with a packed section on a 4 inch plated still (5 star) it doesnt dissapear. I used it becauise it was super cheap at $4.50 for 500g from my local food service supplier.)

Everybodys dunder will be different depending on location and proxy to bacteria sources like soil and wind flow.
Thats what makes heavy rum so regional! (unless they use lab bacteria)
Its like making a party for bacteria and see who turns up! Or to use a more american expression, send it up the flagpole and see who salutes... :-B

I know that for me the mintyness (have repeatedly cut this out) of whitsunday molasses and the dunder i have aged could create a spirit that is both crisp and having a deep rum base note maybe :think:


@Bluc
Different acids
Yea ive been working my way through the 4th ed. alcohol text book and its great. I wish the rum section was longer though :think:
Spectrum of acids = larger spectrum of flavours because acid + alcohol = ester as you said

Lots different ways to get what you want in your dunder. Cheeses are a good source of different acids pro biotic capsules may contain what you want read and research label. Some vinegar for acetic(perhaps a little mother) some yougurt may help for lacto some fruit banana is popular cant remember at the moment what it brings.
You can also just wing it with open top but more likely get insect infestation.
I plan on starting a pit next season :handgestures-thumbupleft:

This may be of use also
https://www.bostonapothecary.com/confid ... sins-1906/

:dance: thanks bluc! I've been running out of rum literature to read! Looks like a stonker

Has anyone had success in raising the pH of a rum fermentation that has dropped and how did you do it?
I've got a stuck generational rum fermentation that has dropped to about 3.3 according to my new, freshly calibrated pH meter and has stalled. I'm using dry bakers yeast, where I usually use an ale yeast (coincidence, perhaps).

I added a bit more bicarb soda than I dared to add (not my preferred base but all I had available) in a 30L fermenter to try and raise it, but it barely made a dent. From 3.3 up to about 3.5 from about 1 cup of bicarb. That to me seems like excessive amount of alkalinity and not much change to the pH.

Either my pH meter is wrong, or something is up with a rum wash and it reads incorrectly?
Does the molasses affect a pH reading?

Unwanted bacteria perhaps?

It has stalled at 1.080 and from experience using the same batch of molasses, I'm expecting it to go down to 1.020 on the hydrometer.

My recipe, for those who are interested is:
•4L of hot fresh dunder dumped straight on top of the old yeast cake.
•4.5L molasses
•2.5kg raw sugar
•Ground multivitamin tablet
•Extra broad spectrum yeast nutrient
•Yeast of your choosing.

Keen to hear others experience and if it's salvageable.

Cheers

stalled at 1080, what was your OG and the starting PH?
i did a few side by side comparisons with trub, dunder, with and without oyster shells.
i found the combination of trub and dunder to be both acidic and dropped the starting PH of the wash to a bad start of PH 4.3
then the wash dropped to PH 4 before recovering slightly and luckily fermenting out.
in it's side by side, the addition of chicken grit/oyster at the beginning raised the PH from 4.3 to 5.2 in 24 hours.
BTW i use almost the exact same recipe as yours.
early days, i found with generations the ferments got harder and harder, i think it was all PH related.
adding more and more chemicals, more and more yeast to stalled washes just didn't work.
i ended up splitting my last stalled wash and managed to coax it over the line.
since adding chicken grit to the washes, all my PH problems seem to be solved (and the comparisons back that up)
i'm not sure that adding chicken grit will help at your stage, but i might try it.
or split the wash, add appropriate amounts of sugar/molasses and get some chicken grit from the pet store.
hang it in a hop bag.
good luck