Comments on: How to make Homemade Rum http://shonari.net/tutorials/homemade-rum/ A man without a mission Tue, 15 May 2012 02:30:30 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Alex http://shonari.net/tutorials/homemade-rum/comment-page-2/#comment-1969 Alex Fri, 11 May 2012 06:16:32 +0000 http://shonari.net/?p=560#comment-1969 Made a HUGE batch that took four months to ferment. 12 pounds of brown sugar, a gallon of molasses, 4 gallons of water, 3 ounces of whoe allspice, 12 ounces of vanilla extract, a pound of raisins, and a dozen packets of good old quick-rise bread yeast. Given the random weather in Missouri, it was a wonder the yeats survived at all, but the final beer before distilling was rather strong when I began. I distilled a gallon at a time, with each gallon producing a little over a quart of rum, until I had a full gallon and a half of rum. This in turn was all blended together to even out the flavor. Still havent used a hydrometer to get the actual alcohol content, but it burns when a match is set to it, so pretty high. Overall, the flavor is very siilar to Captain Morgan's Tatto, but without the bite. This batch was sampled by over a dozen people at my son's engagement party last weekend, all of whome were impressed with the flavor and strength. Work to the wise: for absolute safety, I throw out the first 2 to 3 ounces of liquid from each distilling, this practically gaurantees that any methanol is gone. It is also worth noting that I only distill my rum nce, and it is both strong and flavorful, without any hint of oiliness. My main fermenting vessel is a 7 gallon Coleman waterjug, I leave the vent cap slightly loose to let CO2 escape and keep critters out. IMPORTANT NOTICE: Someone I though might know what they were about suggested using dry ice to cool the coil. DON'T DO IT. My pressure cooker exploded because the dry ice overcooled and blocked the coil, thus buildinng pressure to lethal levels. Luckily nobody was hurt, but the mess will haunt me for months, as will the 2x5 foot hole in the garage wall. Made a HUGE batch that took four months to ferment. 12 pounds of brown sugar, a gallon of molasses, 4 gallons of water, 3 ounces of whoe allspice, 12 ounces of vanilla extract, a pound of raisins, and a dozen packets of good old quick-rise bread yeast. Given the random weather in Missouri, it was a wonder the yeats survived at all, but the final beer before distilling was rather strong when I began. I distilled a gallon at a time, with each gallon producing a little over a quart of rum, until I had a full gallon and a half of rum. This in turn was all blended together to even out the flavor. Still havent used a hydrometer to get the actual alcohol content, but it burns when a match is set to it, so pretty high. Overall, the flavor is very siilar to Captain Morgan’s Tatto, but without the bite. This batch was sampled by over a dozen people at my son’s engagement party last weekend, all of whome were impressed with the flavor and strength. Work to the wise: for absolute safety, I throw out the first 2 to 3 ounces of liquid from each distilling, this practically gaurantees that any methanol is gone. It is also worth noting that I only distill my rum nce, and it is both strong and flavorful, without any hint of oiliness. My main fermenting vessel is a 7 gallon Coleman waterjug, I leave the vent cap slightly loose to let CO2 escape and keep critters out. IMPORTANT NOTICE: Someone I though might know what they were about suggested using dry ice to cool the coil. DON’T DO IT. My pressure cooker exploded because the dry ice overcooled and blocked the coil, thus buildinng pressure to lethal levels. Luckily nobody was hurt, but the mess will haunt me for months, as will the 2×5 foot hole in the garage wall.

]]> By: Zouthernborne http://shonari.net/tutorials/homemade-rum/comment-page-2/#comment-1959 Zouthernborne Sat, 05 May 2012 20:06:21 +0000 http://shonari.net/?p=560#comment-1959 Jerry, your "shine" coming out smelling like that could be any number of things. But smart money says you are running your still too hot. You shouldn't really have to go above the medium setting on your burner. Low and slow is the secret to good rum. Let it drip about 5 drips per second, collect in small jars and let them air out overnight covered with paper towels or something. Smell and taste the jars, don't use the first couple that smell sweet, or the last ones that smell like wet cardboard. Most of you people have this whole thing dead wrong. Jerry, your “shine” coming out smelling like that could be any number of things. But smart money says you are running your still too hot. You shouldn’t really have to go above the medium setting on your burner. Low and slow is the secret to good rum. Let it drip about 5 drips per second, collect in small jars and let them air out overnight covered with paper towels or something. Smell and taste the jars, don’t use the first couple that smell sweet, or the last ones that smell like wet cardboard. Most of you people have this whole thing dead wrong.

]]> By: jerry brown http://shonari.net/tutorials/homemade-rum/comment-page-2/#comment-1955 jerry brown Fri, 04 May 2012 22:29:16 +0000 http://shonari.net/?p=560#comment-1955 When im destilling my shine comes out smelling lije water and it doesnt burn Help me please !!!!!! When im destilling my shine comes out smelling lije water and it doesnt burn Help me please !!!!!!

]]> By: George Rum http://shonari.net/tutorials/homemade-rum/comment-page-2/#comment-1954 George Rum Wed, 02 May 2012 14:30:33 +0000 http://shonari.net/?p=560#comment-1954 Made a how to video referencing the first part of instructions on this site :) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qd8iZ19iJzY Made a how to video referencing the first part of instructions on this site :)  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qd8iZ19iJzY

]]> By: kyle http://shonari.net/tutorials/homemade-rum/comment-page-2/#comment-1952 kyle Tue, 01 May 2012 19:52:45 +0000 http://shonari.net/?p=560#comment-1952 just thought i'd throw this out there so people don't kill themselves.  There should be NO Methanol at all in the final product.  If there is some in your product you did it wrong, this is not normal.  a basic thermometer should be attached the same way the copper tubing is attached to the closed teapot (don't use a pressure cooker, it can result in explosions at worst and destroy alcohol chains at best).  Methanol evaporates at a lower temperature than Ethanol (around 135, and 175 respectively).  The distilled liquid that comes out first with be the methanol, you should watch your thermometer during this, as the temperature will not rise at all so long as there is Methanol present.  It will plateau for a time, then the temperature will raise again and more liquid will come out at the new plateau temperature, this will be your Ethanol.  Here the first few drops should be discarded to ensure ridding any excess Methanol.   There should be no Methanol at all in your drink, there is a tolerance of 0% in all liquors, and this is the reason why distilling is illegal without proper licensing of a still.  Methanol can kill you quickly if consumed in large/any amounts, and causes blindness along with a host of other illnesses. just thought i’d throw this out there so people don’t kill themselves.  There should be NO Methanol at all in the final product.  If there is some in your product you did it wrong, this is not normal.  a basic thermometer should be attached the same way the copper tubing is attached to the closed teapot (don’t use a pressure cooker, it can result in explosions at worst and destroy alcohol chains at best).  Methanol evaporates at a lower temperature than Ethanol (around 135, and 175 respectively).  The distilled liquid that comes out first with be the methanol, you should watch your thermometer during this, as the temperature will not rise at all so long as there is Methanol present.  It will plateau for a time, then the temperature will raise again and more liquid will come out at the new plateau temperature, this will be your Ethanol.  Here the first few drops should be discarded to ensure ridding any excess Methanol.  

There should be no Methanol at all in your drink, there is a tolerance of 0% in all liquors, and this is the reason why distilling is illegal without proper licensing of a still.  Methanol can kill you quickly if consumed in large/any amounts, and causes blindness along with a host of other illnesses.

]]> By: jerry brown http://shonari.net/tutorials/homemade-rum/comment-page-2/#comment-1946 jerry brown Thu, 26 Apr 2012 06:46:02 +0000 http://shonari.net/?p=560#comment-1946 I got half alcohol half smells like dirty water why?? I got half alcohol half smells like dirty water why??

]]> By: jerry 3 http://shonari.net/tutorials/homemade-rum/comment-page-2/#comment-1943 jerry 3 Sun, 22 Apr 2012 00:39:31 +0000 http://shonari.net/?p=560#comment-1943 thanks people i really appreciate it i was going nuts because my shine wasnt coming out of my tube i was just sitting in there but i havent tried it out again but if i do should i do it with water to see if it works and if so how ? and how long does it take for the pot still to start dripping thanks people i really appreciate it i was going nuts because my shine wasnt coming out of my tube i was just sitting in there but i havent tried it out again but if i do should i do it with water to see if it works and if so how ? and how long does it take for the pot still to start dripping

]]> By: Stan http://shonari.net/tutorials/homemade-rum/comment-page-2/#comment-1942 Stan Sat, 21 Apr 2012 22:20:26 +0000 http://shonari.net/?p=560#comment-1942 regarding using a balloon. It really is not necessary if you simply put on a loosely fitted cap. Contamination gets in through dust and the fermenting produces CO2 that forces any remaining oxygen out of the container and weighs more than oxygen. So the CO2 sits on the fermenting medium. Oxygen is necessary at the start of fermentation because the yeast needs it to multiply and once consumed the expanded yeast colony converts sugar etc. to alcohol. That is why it is important to shake the container after adding yeast to aerate the liquid. regarding using a balloon. It really is not necessary if you simply put on a loosely fitted cap. Contamination gets in through dust and the fermenting produces CO2 that forces any remaining oxygen out of the container and weighs more than oxygen. So the CO2 sits on the fermenting medium. Oxygen is necessary at the start of fermentation because the yeast needs it to multiply and once consumed the expanded yeast colony converts sugar etc. to alcohol. That is why it is important to shake the container after adding yeast to aerate the liquid.

]]> By: Stan http://shonari.net/tutorials/homemade-rum/comment-page-2/#comment-1941 Stan Sat, 21 Apr 2012 22:13:56 +0000 http://shonari.net/?p=560#comment-1941 regarding methanol. I understand that distilling pure molasses will not produce any methanol. However, distilling sugar will produce small amounts of methanol. The amounts, at best, might contribute to a hangover effect but are not dangerous (remember in distilling beer and wine none of the methanol is removed and the key issue is the amount of alcohol consumed -- you will drink more wine then distill alcohol to get a similar effect) regarding methanol. I understand that distilling pure molasses will not produce any methanol. However, distilling sugar will produce small amounts of methanol. The amounts, at best, might contribute to a hangover effect but are not dangerous (remember in distilling beer and wine none of the methanol is removed and the key issue is the amount of alcohol consumed — you will drink more wine then distill alcohol to get a similar effect)

]]> By: Brent http://shonari.net/tutorials/homemade-rum/comment-page-2/#comment-1940 Brent Fri, 20 Apr 2012 23:29:39 +0000 http://shonari.net/?p=560#comment-1940 i made the batch and it worked great i got 500ml. i have a hydrometer to measure the alcohol content and was very high thanks for all the help :) i made the batch and it worked great i got 500ml. i have a hydrometer to measure the alcohol content and was very high thanks for all the help :)

]]>