"Rum" questions

[RobWalker]

Would love to make some gold/spiced rum, or maybe a range of types, but I'm interested to see if I'm doing it right...

White rum is basically just fermented sugar, right? So I could ferment sugar to 18-20%, then age and spice as I want to...

Will I need turbo yeast for this?

 

[Moley]

White rum is basically just fermented sugar, right?

Well, sort of.

Rum is generally made from molasses, white rum could be made from sugarcane juice like cachaca.

While there are a few wine yeasts which may tolerate 20% alcohol, they won't ferment just sugar and water, no matter what you try to give them in the way of nutrients. I've tried it, it doesn't work, it takes a very long time and then sticks leaving you with a very sweet brew.

So unfortunately, if you want to ferment to around 20% you have to use turbo yeasts, and that will usually necessitate carbon treatments to get rid of off tastes.

If you do that, then there are white rum and spiced rum flavouring essences available. I can't recommend any as I don't drink rum in any form following a university Christmas party some 37 years ago :sick:

 

[Duncs]

I had some homemade rum while in New Zealand made with molasses, some of the best rum I've ever tasted. Unfortunately it's not legal over here to make it that way :nono:

 

[Alexv]

Molasses is different than plain sugar, I don't think if you ferment sugar it will turn out white rum.

 

[Badger]

Aint Molasses just treacle? I've heard of people buying the stuff for horse feeds and using that!