Dilution of Distillate

RobertS

Our rum was stable at room temperature, but we tested at freezer temperatures to preempt silly customers. I respect the unfiltered label idea, but that's not the brand identity we're building. Did just what @jacksonbrown described, oils dropping out when chilled but liquefying again at room temperature. In my beginner's opinion, I believe our chill filtering only removed what I should have in the tails cut anyway.

The flavor was pretty simple to start with, all-molasses wash and no bacterial pitch. I'm kicking myself a little for not keeping one of the chill-haze test bottles for R&D comparison, but with before and after being a day apart there wasn't a noticeable difference. I would call the end product a solid clear rum, but it probably lacks the complexity to age well. I'll be in DC next week with a bottle if there's anyone in that area who wants to give me an opinion.

Unsensibel

I won't make it to DC but you can have my opinion anytime :D

Anro

@RobertS Thanks for the feedback. I have distilled my spirits again to see if I can get a clearer dilution. I get to about 48% abv before the final product becomes cloudy. I have not tried cold filtering, but will give it a go. I am starting to think that it might be a congener in the spirit from the yeast that I was using. I could not get distillers yeast and used yeast that is provided for the brewing of traditional sorghum beer for my fermentation.

grim

Traditional sorghum yeast? Are you in Africa?

From what I've read, the traditional sorghum fermentations tend to use lacto - which means you should be getting a strong bacterial contribution - but the end result (esters) of lacto shouldn't necessarily cause clouding that high. I've done lots of lacto fermentations without that problem.

I suspect maybe higher fermentation temps causing high congeners, which probably bled into hearts, or maybe a late cut.

Would love to hear more about traditional techniques.

Anro

@grim I am in South Africa in a small town about 130 km west of Johannesburg. I have done some schnapps (mampoer as we call it) in my column still without any reflux. For fruit they traditionally use wild yeast. I have read a very good phd from Dr Garth Cambray from Rhodes University for mead production. He did a whole study on the cultural fermentation of mead.

RobertS

I would love to read that paper on mead if you have a link to it or can refer to where I can get the publication.

Anro

@RobertS Here is the link to the library of the university. I hope you can access it from here.

African mead biotechnology and indigenous knowledge systems in iQhilika process development @ SEALS

RobertS

I can! Thank you very much, @Anro.