Rum recipe circa 1881

[Icarus]

Found this recently.

To Obtain Rum from Molasses.

Mix 2 or 3 galls. of water with 1 gall. of molasses, and to every 200 galls. of this mixture add a gallon of yeast. Once or twice a day the head as it rises is stirred in, and in 3 or 4 days 2 galls. more of water is added to each gallon of molasses originally used, and the same quantity of yeast as at first. Four, 5 or 6 days after this, a portion of yeast is added as before, and about 1 oz. of jalaproot powdered (or in winter 1 1/2 oz.), on which the fermentation proceeds with great violence, and in 3 or 4 days the wash is fit for the still; 100 galls of this wash is computed to yield 22 galls. of spirit from 1 to 10 overproof. If the molasses spirit, brought to the common proof strength, is found not to have sufficient vinosity, it will be proper to add some sweet spirits of nitre; and if the spirit has been properly distilled by a gentle heat, it may, by this addition only, be made to pass with ordinary judges as French brandy. Great quantities of this spirit are used in adulterating foreign brandy, rum, and arrack. Much of it is also used alone in making cherry brandy and other cordials by infusion; in all which many prefer it to foreign brandies. Molasses, like all other spirits, is entirely colorless when first extracted; but distillers give it, as nearly as possible, the color of foreign spirits.

Have posted it as a matter of interest.

Any one heard of jalaproot??

cheers, Icarus

[Apple-O-Me-Eye]

It's a form of Morning Glory. Mornig glory seeds are known to be hallucinogenic although I believe that the root is used for it's high nitrogen content.

Here's a link to a site with the description.

http://www.henriettesherbal.com/eclecti ... -jala.html

P.S. The medical used suggest it is used an a laxitive and high doses can be fatal so don't drink the wash!

[eminiM]

Great quantities of this spirit are used in adulterating foreign brandy, rum, and arrack. Much of it is also used alone in making cherry brandy and other cordials by infusion; in all which many prefer it to foreign brandies. Molasses, like all other spirits, is entirely colorless when first extracted; but distillers give it, as nearly as possible, the color of foreign spirits.

It took me a long time to understand that this is truly a common practice in the industry. Most of us try to keep things quite pure but I've been doing a bit of blending and find you can achieve quite interesting results.

Wonder what they're using to color?