bradocaster Posted December 2, 2014 Share Posted December 2, 2014 Is anyone using caramel to color rum? We had planned to do this but we are having trouble getting a dark enough color without the caramel tasting bad. We are looking for a good way to color a spiced rum. Thanks for any help. Brad Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3d0g Posted December 2, 2014 Share Posted December 2, 2014 Tried dunder? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bradocaster Posted December 2, 2014 Author Share Posted December 2, 2014 We have not tried using dunder. the whole process seems like it would be tough to create consistency. Is this something that you have tried? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3d0g Posted December 2, 2014 Share Posted December 2, 2014 Not personally but I know some some like Lost Spirits are. It's typically mixed 50/50 with new make and left to settle for a couple weeks before use. Obviously it's a strong flavor so overpowering your spices could be a concern. Might be worth a test bottle or two though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JustAndy Posted December 2, 2014 Share Posted December 2, 2014 Are you using commercial coloring (like DD Williamson 570? http://www.ddwcolor.com/select-your-class-class-i-caramel/) or are you trying to make it yourself from sugar? I don't have any practical experience with caramel, but it is easy to imagine that trying to make your own would give something with an acrid, bitter taste. I doubt Lost Spirits colors their rum with dunder, as dunder (stillage which is left to bacterially re-ferment) is not palatable in the slightest. It is mixed with the wash in different ratios for consistency, pH, or microflora reasons, and mixed with low wines prior to spirit distillation to create heavier, more estery rums. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3d0g Posted December 2, 2014 Share Posted December 2, 2014 Lost Spirits is pretty open kimono JustAndy. Read Bryan's books. He uses dunder and the rums are magnificent IMO. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JustAndy Posted December 3, 2014 Share Posted December 3, 2014 I read his book on whiskey, I didn't know he had a book on rum. I am positive he uses dunder, I just don't think he is coloring rum with it as my experiences with dunder make me think that would taste really bad and I've never heard of another distillery doing that. If you know a link where he talks about that I'd love to read it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3d0g Posted December 3, 2014 Share Posted December 3, 2014 My source is 3rd hand so I don't want to be misleading. Bryan's done a number of interviews were he discusses his dunder management, but he gets a bit secretive about his aging / coloring processes. It is considerably more controlled than tossing it in a pit to fester and hoping for the best for a year or two. I've also seen on the various home distilling forums where fresh dunder has been used for coloring with great success. Personally, I think fresh out of the still and cooled it has a pleasant taste, but I'm weird that way. http://spiritsjournal.klwines.com/klwinescom-spirits-blog/2014/2/5/rum-super-geekdom.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ebstauffer Posted December 4, 2014 Share Posted December 4, 2014 I cant imagine anyone would mix rum backset with something a human would consume. It's a vile tasting liquid fit for niether man nor beast (yes I know, the beast thing isn't accurate). Now.. don't get me wrong. It does wonders as a pH buffer and flavor deepening in the ferment. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3d0g Posted December 4, 2014 Share Posted December 4, 2014 Well, I'm drinking a dram of Navy Rum 68 this very moment and there's no way all this color is from a sherry butt. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LibertyCall Posted December 8, 2014 Share Posted December 8, 2014 Define "tasting bad". I hand make the caramel that we use in our rum for color, and it gives the rum really good depth of flavor. It definitely has a burnt sugar taste to it (which is what you'd expect from a caramel), but in our spiced rum it really works well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sorghumrunner Posted December 8, 2014 Share Posted December 8, 2014 I also can't imagine that dunder would be used to color finished product. I use it in my rum and sorghum fermentations, but no way I'd put it in finished spirit. That being said, I am interested in production of caramel for coloring. If anyone with experience could share any tips on that I'm all ears. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daveflintstone Posted December 8, 2014 Share Posted December 8, 2014 Commercial caramel coloring is not caramel. That is just the name of the color. There is no flavor in the small quantities necessary for darkening rum. The caramel color companies will send you free samples to try. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kckadi Posted December 16, 2014 Share Posted December 16, 2014 Any rum coloring whether it is from Dunder/backset or commercial caramel or other coloring would still require a TTB formula approval, correct? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sorghumrunner Posted December 17, 2014 Share Posted December 17, 2014 Take a look at the BAM Chapter 7. Rum may contain Harmless Flavoring Coloring Blending Blending Material not to exceed 2-1/2% by volume of the finished product with no label disclosure required. http://www.ttb.gov/spirits/bam/chapter7.pdf Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kckadi Posted December 17, 2014 Share Posted December 17, 2014 Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Humulus Posted December 19, 2014 Share Posted December 19, 2014 Sethness.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mendodistilling Posted December 26, 2014 Share Posted December 26, 2014 PECNER RENÉ SON HOUSE Cognac, France Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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