Rich Morgan

You are absolutly spot on regarding the textbook. It is really a collection of professional articles. But, there are some gems hidden in all that academc treatise. The hardest thing about making rum is the determining the cutting points, unlike vodka (no fusels whatsoever) its the fusels that make rum what it is. They vary depending on the batch as well. You have a lot of trial and error ahead of you...

Firstly I am assuming that you want to make a good Dark, Golden or OP (Naval) style rum. Not that white lighter fluid in a bottle..... What types of molasses work best for what styles?Blackstrap is what most Rum distilleries use, but the definition is varaible worldwide. Some use a mixture of blackstrap, and High Test Molasses (better food grade) [*]What types of yeasts? There are seveal molasses yeasts available, but any yeast that works well with Sucrose (i.e has high sucrase activity) will work. I have found the best are from Lallemand, specifically the Danstill CM and CR1 [*]What brix should it be lowered to for fermentation? You really should trial this, but most molasses yeasts loose it above 22Bx, but temperature and pH have a big factor We run ours at 20Bx [*]What acidity? Bring it down to about 3.3-3.5, I have found Citric Acid rather than Phosphoric to work well, as the last thing you want to add to molasses is more phosphorous. [*]How to sterilize the molasses wash before pitching the yeast? It has been my experience that this is a waste of time (major debate starts here <----). It is better to bring on a rapid fermentation rather than muck around with sterilisation. Most spoilage microbes do not survive well at 20Bx and pH less than 3.5. [*]Should it be filtered, fined, etc. before pitching to get rid of unfermentable solids? Screen out the mice and snakes, dilute (hot water to bring it up to pitch temperature) [*]What temperatures for fermentation? Again this is a function of your chosen yeast. Some of the Carribean strains like +30C, and produce some interesting esters. My preference is to pitch at 30C, get the ferement started, and then bring it down to 28C. This is very much about the style you are wanting and is the secret of the great Rums. [*]How long should the fermented wash be stored for before distillation. Fresh vs. aged? Never store rum wash, its unstable as hell, and in a warm climate (where it all started) the wash is turned straight into the stills as soon as it has settled. If you do not want to distill off the lees, then fine the wash with some bentonite. [*]Pot still versus reflux? Rum is tradditionally made in a double pot configuration, similiar to Scotch. But a lot of the West Indies use a large pot, driving a short (<8 plate) column. Its important to know that a lot of rum pots use direct steam to assist with the reduction of some of the unfermentable sugars. There is a big flavour difference between direct steam, coils, and direct fired. [*]Aging the final spirits? Types of barrels? used vs. new? barrel size? Dare not comment on this as US oak is vastly different to what is used elsewhere. But tradditionally they were 400L (US 100Gal ?) barrels, unless it was Naval Rum, which was allways in 100L casks. [*]How to speed up the aging processs and develop the best flavor profile? You don't. Good rum takes time in wood. Have a look at all the countries that are renowned for Rum (Australia, West Indies, Carribean etc) they all have minimum bond under wood reglations of between 3 and 5 years.

You MUST get yourself a copy of the Alcohol Textbook. The late John E. Murtagh was the renowned for his work on Rum. The book has several articles on handling, fermentation management etc. What molasses to use, simple... whatever is cheap, but get an assay before you buy, as the truth is in the detail.

We have tried both, and granulated is FAR superior in every way, plus you can recycle/re-activate granulated, but not powdered (easily). Not to mention that powdered is such a mess to use. We only use powdered to correct the colour in some lighter brandies. rich..

Definition of a CRAFT DISTILLERY is when..... you do not have Diageo PLC or Pernod Ricard on your business card (HA !)

I had a similiar issue when we established initially in Australia, different laws but I assume the same principals. Funderementally the issue of hazardous sites / dangerous goods relates to the concentration of the alcohol being stored. ISO standards only consider ethanol to be a DG when its concentration is over 75% ABV. A brewery and/or winery probably would not get the same treatment as you are getting. Try to argue the point that although you hold lots of ethanol, its all not at over 75%, and if it is its only in small quantities pending rework or dilution. Its not what you tell them but how..... Hope this sparks some ideas.

Yep, its bloody tough sourcing organic feedstock. You should live in a country thats coming out of a 6 year drought. We had contracts on two organic growers for 300 tonne organic A1 Hard wheat, both planted in June, and lost the whole crop. There is no scarcity of organic grain here during good times, but at the momement its fetching crazy prices. We are lucky in that we use wheat, I know some mates of mine in the organic beer business can not get any 6 row whatsoever. But its worth the effort !

Most commercial distilleries have two different cooling loops. The first is a tradditional chilled brine or glycol loop running at around -4C (sorry can not work in Farenheit) used to chill the fermenters, spirit at the bottling head etc. The other is of much larger capacity and is usually uses a closed loop water recirculation system, cooled normally by a fan assisted falling water cooling tower. Remember that with cooling the condensors in the stills you only need to bring the distillate down to room temperature less 2-3 C. Cooling a still condensor with sub zero glycol will ultimatly lead to metal fatiuge and a host of weird thermodynamic problems. We have two towers one at 20 ton, andthe other at 200 ton (ice per hour). They are brought up as needed depending on demand. Cooling towers are superb for this application as the cooling effect is provided by evaporation, not refrigeration. Here in Australia, I regularly get effective cooling even when the air temperature is over 30C and the humidity os over 65%RH. There are strict management concerns with cooling towers with regards to keeping the water loop bacteria free. They have been linked to Legionaires disease, but a simple automatic anti-bacterial dosing system will solve all that.

Always after dilution, to at least 40% ABV. We use steam activated, granulated coconut derrived carbon.

Hi, My name is Richard Morgan, and I am the Distiller at Hunter Distillery, in Rothbury, NSW Australia. We produce Organically Certified Vodka, Gin and Schnapps. Just laid down our first second year of Fine Grape Brandy (can't say Cognac anymore). Absinthe is on the way. I am an active member of the Institute of Brewers and Distillers, and very interested in getting the US slant on the industry. Cheers, rich..