rumfarmer

At .995 the rum was amazingly flavorful with a nice vegetal nose and finish. Remember, though, I am using freshly juiced cane from my own farm. I cut, juice, and pitch all in the same day. I have no experience with molasses or sugar washes. I don't see what value there would be in an unfinished ferment, but I would like to hear what others think.

Congratulations! My path has been very different. Will have my DSP for 1 year next month and my Honolulu manufacturer's license for 6 months, but I continue to fight over permitting issues in order to get operational. There is a reason Colorado is becoming the epicenter of the craft distilling movement. Hawaii could learn a lot from watching the growth in Colorado. The beat goes on, but I am always excited to hear about new operational craft distilleries! Excited to see your products on the shelf some day. I am using the same bottle as you, as well.

I buy ex-bourbon and neutral whites. No trouble so far, but I don't buy large quantities. What are you guys having trouble finding?

Got the device. Very cool. Should prove a big help.

Will place the order today. Thanks for the feedback.

I am about to place an order for a new Anton Paar DMA 35. I realize this will not suffice for TTB and the use of certified hydrometers will always be required until I have the cash flow and production to justify a DMA 500. I am wondering if people out there already using the DMA 35 are happy with them and if there are any basic comments about their use in a production setting. Pros/Cons? My setting is highly variable, as I hand harvest sugar cane and will do this year round. Brix will vary depending on my harvest time. I have been using a temperature adjusted refractometer up until now, but the Anton Paar device should make things a lot easier in truly tracking my ferments at the start. Also hoping it at least helps in monitoring proof when I need a quick look. Any thoughts before plunking down $2500 will be appreciated.

I love technology, and I'm a farmer, too. Jim, great clarification. I don't think I've ever seen such a succinct description. I think you will sell a lot of stills.

I have picked probably the most expensive place in the US to do a farm-to-bottle(glass) distillery. I truly grown my own sugarcane, harvest it by hand (I have help), juice it at the distillery, ferment and distill all in one place. Land, water, labor, energy...the list goes on and on. EXPENSIVE, especially in Hawaii. It is up to me to make a great product and convince the market that my price point is justified by what I do and how I do it. I, for one, do not want the government getting further involved in an already over-regulated industry to help me tell my story better. I can tell my own story. And, if someone else has a better story than me, or can convince the consumer that my price being 2X that of a molasses based rum is rediculous , then they deserve success because I miscalculated. If someone else can trick the consumer and poach my sales, then I again have failed to carry my message properly. This is an industry of entrepreneurs. The risk is high. Nothing will be handed to you without hard work, dedication, and a little luck. Better to have success on your own terms, IMHO. No more regulation. Just my 2 cents.

I have heard of people having to put up the full bond amount in an escrow account to satisfy the TTB when they have difficulties securing the bond. This is second hand, but if all else fails, I believe this is a path available to you.

Hey John. Can you post an image of your bottle and label? The race labeler sure is a lot cheaper than the TAMP.

Qbic is a great bottle. I am working with them, too. I have not gotten a machine yet, but I was contemplating one from Label One Connect. Link here: http://www.labeloneconnect.com/tamp-label-applicator-p-7-l-en.html My only issue is that it is expensive. But, square bottles are not easy.

Turbinado sugar and ECJ are generally interchangeable, although there are non-food grade ECJ products that would probably work better and be cheaper for distillation. I think there are lots of people making rum with Turbinado, but I am not one of them. I am sure someone on this forum has done it. Not sure you can really make a cachaca style rum without cane juice, but it is worth trying. There are great rums made with molasses, syrup, refined sugar, pure juice, and a combination of any and all. Try different stuff and see what you get.

Sugarcane juice is just what it sounds like. It is unrefined juice pressed from sugarcane. It spoils very quickly, so distilleries that use it generally have sugarcane growing nearby. Once crushed, cane juice spontaneously ferments almost immediately. If you are in the midwest, it will probably be difficult to make a cachaca or agricole style rum unless you order refrigerated container loads of sugar cane from Texas or Louisiana and crush it at your distillery. The next closest thing to juice is cane syrup. It is much more stable and can be stored longer. But, it is very hard to find a bulk cane syrup supplier. Next, go for evaporated cane juice (ECJ). This is a crystalized sugar that is not completely refined yet. You might still get some trace elements of the vegetal notes you are looking for in the rum. I live in the tropics, so I grow my own sugar cane near my distillery. Even with a sugar industry here I found it hard to source any cane juice or even syrup. Best of luck!

Congratulations!

Thanks Dave. I am looking for something a little more automated. Still haven't purchased, as my square bottle has failed in 3 pre-production tests. This get's back to Arron's discussion above about China. The Chinese bottles have simply not come out right.

I love this way of thinking!

I agree completely with you, Chuck. I hope Hawaii blossoms the way the Pacific Northwest has in micro-distilling. We have unique vodka, rum, okolehao, and shochu here now, and I expect to see more and more growth given the tourist market and affinity for Hawaiian things on the mainland. I also believe some will inevitably fail and there will be a consolidation much the way micro-breweries consolidated in the past. I have spent nearly 4 years getting my distillery going, and I am still not operational. While I agree this can be done on the cheap, the barriers to entry are still significant for most entrepreneurs. Hard to quit your day job and start a distillery, and, as far as I know, not too many VC are out there with big dotcom style funding opportunities. We might hit 1000 distilleries as many suggest, but most of them will serve smaller markets and just be good old fashioned cash flowing small businesses. I think that's good. One size doesn't need to fit all in this business. Find a good niche and exploit it from all angles. Then, stay fresh and present. It really is a fun business, so I hope everyone just enjoys the journey.

Very nice. Congrats on the story.

Looks great. Like a "mini me' to mine. Someone will be very happy with it.

Funny, after the backdoor naming suggestion I was wondering how long it would take Mr. Flintstone to chime in. Right on cue.

Sorry, I didn't notice the post until just now. The wash produced a dry wine flavor. Not sweet.

Not sure where you are located, but I recently got some Maker's barrels from Rock Mountain Barrel Company. Good guys to work with. Can't say that about all the barrel people I've dealt with. http://rockymountainbarrelcompany.com/brewers/

Just FYI, my bottle is 375ml, not 750ml. Could have something to do with the price difference you factored. Probably should have mentioned that

Could not have said it better myself! I am sad I couldn't get to Colorado this year to meet everyone in person. Delay, delay, delay in my launch. Next year I will be there.

ADI is a great resource for you. All work is hard if you intend to do well. Distillation is no different. And, as a life long entrepreneur, I can tell you most people have told me not to do the things I have done in life. There are always a lot more reasons to quit than persevere, and most people are quitters, or naysayers in the world. Just a basic fact of life. ADI pushes teaching through courses and provides great information for all levels. Go out and look at home distiller, too. And, talk to the people on this forum who care and enjoy the craft. They will truly help you without any arrogance. I have spent hours on the phone with people I've never met talking distilling. Don't give up. Just find good mentors.