Fast Fermenting Molasses Wash

[pintoshine]

Check this out.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JbKQfzutmf4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xi6R4_9-etY

I would like to contribute a recipe for a really vigorous fermenter with a very good taste. Best of all no long cook time.

I mix all my stuff in a large 25 gallon pot.

First I add 6.5 gallons rain water (important ingredient, no chlorine).
I then measure up the wall to twice the height to know when to stop adding water.
I add 3 gallons of GFS (Gordon’s Food Service) Black Strap Molasses.

In a separate pot, on the stove, I put one gallon of rain water. To this I add 4 one a day style multi-vitamins that I have crushed thoroughly in mortar. I then add 13 teaspoons of DAP (one tsp per gallon of wash). I then add one cup (from GFS 2 pound bag) of Red Star active dry baking yeast. I bring this to a boil and simmer for 15 minutes.

Add the contents from the small pot to the large container. Add another cup of dry yeast. Top up with water to the mark. Stir everything thoroughly. I use a paint stirrer and a drill and aerate well.

This gets split between two 6.5 gallon carboys. The first time I tried this I had to drill out the holes in the fermentation locks to keep them from coming off the bottles. This stuff generates a bit of heat so I don’t have to supply any in a 68 degree F room. The last time I made this it fermented completely in 36 hours. This is pretty good for bakers yeast.

After this is distilled (I use a pot still with a glass doubler) this is a fine drink. Despite the aggressive taste of the molasses, it comes off really smooth for white rum. The vigorous and fast fermentation along with the rain water keep the off tastes to a minimum.

I usually get 2.3 gallons of 100P. I usually hit my expected yield.

The Rum recipe originated in trying to ferment HFCS 55 which I get for $0.25 per pound. The first time I used the GFS Blackstrap, it nearly stuck. I tried a heating pad and more nutrients. The resulting spirit was bad. I was pretty sure the Blackstrap was lacking some nutrients to get a faster and thus cleaner fermentation. So I tried my HFCS55 recipe and it worked better than expected. The only difference in the HFCS55 and the Blackstrap is that the Blackstrap already has enough acidity. For the HFCS55 I have to add about a teaspoon per 5 gallons of wash. I usually shoot for a PH of about 5.5 with the HFCS. It seems to not stress the yeast as bad. Also, I generally try to get a SP of 1.070 for the the sugar. When I make up a batch of HFCS I make whopper sized batches for vodka. The low yield is worth the extremely fast fermentation without having to by Turbos. I prefer to distill a lot rather than wait for long fermentations.

[deathwish]

I also have tried this recipe pint walked me through it this is the most amazing thing I have ever seen I highly recomend it stays warm to the touch it is moving so fast it looks like a soda TRY IT

[mtnwalker]

Harry posted an interesting comment- to clarify or clean the molasses:

"To clear the molasses, you mix 2 volumes of water (hot) to 1 volume of
molasses. Let it stand overnight, then pour off the clear liquid into
your fermenter. Throw away the tar sludge that's left behind."

[deathwish]

i just started a version of this yesterday i used 7 gallons of blackstrap molesasses and 4 gallons of cornsurp about a half of cup of dap and topped it off at 50 gallons with water let it cool to 100° F then added a pound of cheap bakers yeast 1 hour after adding yeast it took off the reason i put this post here is because for you guys that ferment put side or in a cold climate this ferments so fast that it actually keeps itself warm the yeast is working so hard that they warm the wash no more electric blankets try it it is great

[mtnwalker]

i just started a version of this yesterday i used 7 gallons of blackstrap molesasses and 4 gallons of cornsurp about a half of cup of dap and topped it off at 50 gallons with water let it cool to 100° F then added a pound of cheap bakers yeast 1 hour after adding yeast it took off the reason i put this post here is because for you guys that ferment put side or in a cold climate this ferments so fast that it actually keeps itself warm the yeast is working so hard that they warm the wash no more electric blankets try it it is great

Thanks Deathwish, at my elevation in the Smokies, it always stays cool. May I ask what you use as a fermentater? And where can I get one? What do you use for a drain spigot?

Glad you didn't laugh yourself to death over my earlier misshaps!

[pintoshine]

For the molasses wash we have the same fermenter setup.
55 gallon Food grade plastic drum, drilled and tapped for a 1/2" boiler drain at the bottom. I drill and tap the thickest part which is at the seam on the side just above the bottom.

The top stays in and the bungs are used. On youtube I have a picture of the top setup. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XwKtFTM7WXM

I use the fine thread side for the barb fitting and the course thread bung for the access hole. The course thread one is easier to get on an off.

I have my drum setting on a full hive body and DW has his on a couple of milk crates to help with siphoning. I siphon mine into a bucket and use my recirculating pump to move it to the pot. I don't like carrying buckets.

[mtnwalker]

I have my drum setting on a full hive body and DW has his on a couple of milk crates to help with siphoning.

Thanks Pint, i'm going to get one.

A full hive body? No wonder you can rob your hives so easy. Dang good honey i'd bet, In this case a leaky valve is an asset?

Thanks much for the reply and hellpful imfo.

[deathwish]

yeah what pint said

[deathwish]

well i added the yeast on tuesday and the batch was done on thursday it is dry no sugar left i am running 10 gallons to see what i get i will let you guys know when it is done so this is also a very fasy fermentation 2 days / 48 hours how ever you want to put it

[deathwish]

out of the 10 gallons i ran i got 3 gallons of 100 proof that is a 15% yeld or how ever you spell it i live in KY give me a break yall

[New_moonshiner]

thanks for sharing ya find Deathwish, this is one a the few sugar washes that I can get to work .lol but it works great, Ky huh Im not to far from ya myself..

[big worm]

holy crap pint, i just watched those vids, that stuff just cooks off i recon i'll try my hand at a this rum wash. is it good oaked and aged? or better left white?
what is a gallon of molassas in yer neck of the woods? i'll have to check the local food service and, salvage place.

[punkin]

holy crap pint, i just watched those vids, that stuff just cooks off i recon i'll try my hand at a this rum wash. is it good oaked and aged? or better left white?
what is a gallon of molassas in yer neck of the woods? i'll have to check the local food service and, salvage place.

It is good oaked and aged, yes. I strip it and do a careful spirit run.

It is better again with 20-25% dunder from the pot after stripping added to the next ferment.

[CoopsOz]

Punkin, did you manage to find Black Strap at a reasonable price in your neck of the woods? I have found small overpriced jars in the organic section of the supermarket and that's it. I tried to substitute it with feed molasses once but the molasses flavour was way too strong....(I still drank it though )

[punkin]

I use feed mollasses Coops.

It's free, is that considered reasonable?

If the mollasses flavour is too strong you could add less (substitute raw sugar at 50% mollasses volume), reduce the dunder to zero, or what i found bestest was to run it off at 96%.