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Rum barrel entry proof

crozdogcrozdog
edited July 22 in Distillers Pub

Just wondering what everyone is barrelling their rum at?

Whisky in Scotland it traditionally done at 63.4% while I've noticed there's been a move in the US to lower entry proof in the 50-57% range.

However I haven't seen anything much for what everyone is doing for rum.

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Comments

  • grim
    edited July 16

    I find the lower barrel entry proofs to be sweeter, and the higher to be dryer. I tend to prefer the sweeter end of the spectrum, so I'm usually around 55%, but go up to 62.5%.

    I've done a few barrels last year in the 75% ranges, wanting to do an aged overproof. I think they are coming along nicely, but are definitely already leaning to the oaky side.

    Second use barrels are far more forgiving at higher barrel entry proofs than new oak. All my rum is in second or third use. By third use I mean something like a cognac or port barrel, used to finish bourbon, then refilled with rum. Third use wine take a looooong time to get any color.

  • richard

    I am about to do my first rum run and like the idea of sweetness with 55% max

  • grim
    edited July 16

    We've been laying down a lot of rum recently for the long haul. We don't move a lot of rum compared to other spirits, but I've got a soft spot for it. We're running through 2 totes a month recently (2000l high test molasses), so we've been laying down lots of variants. God willing, we hit 20+ years on these.

    We've done one in a crazy old Hors d'Age Cognac, that oak will probably be 50+ years old when we dump.

  • crozdogcrozdog

    Thanks Grim, I have been thinking abut goin in under 60. Have a couple of ex madiera barrels that i reckon will work well

  • DonMateo

    I barrel whiskey at between 53 to 55%.

  • richard
    edited July 24

    Sorry to hijack the thread, but looking for recommendations for a whiskey barrel. ..... 100% malted barley whiskey

    I have a whiskey barrel (American oak, ex bourbon) at approx. 61% and has now reached 3 years and am looking to take it further.

    My thought is to transfer to a port or sherry barrel and dilute to approx. 44% and leave it there for a further 6 months and then bottle.

    Suggestions ??

  • crozdogcrozdog

    @richard finishing in another cask type can be a good idea with the resulting product often marketed as "double cask".

    Why dilute from 61 to 44?

    I'm a believer of letting the spirit tell you when it's ready instead of assigning an arbitary duration. It might need more or less time to get to where you want it.

  • richard

    @crozdog said: richard finishing in another cask type can be a good idea with the resulting product often marketed as "double cask".

    Thanks

  • DonMateo

    Hey @richard. You might want to be careful barrelling at below 45% abv. I cant remember the reason why but below 45% the aging process produces methanol. I once made a decent wheat whiskey and barrelled it at 45%. After about 4 months in a hot environment it had aged but it had a methanol burn to it. I had to give all 150l to my gardener. He flogged it to his mates. I have barreled from 45 to 65 and for me 53 to 55 % is the sweet spot. Its when the whiskey really talks to you and you know when its ready.

  • richard

    @DonMateo Thanks. Noted for Methanol and certainly not what one wants. Maybe I will final proof down then to around +- 53% for the sherry / port barrel and then final barrel

  • grim
    edited July 30

    You may need less than 6 months in a fresh-dump port or sherry barrel. It will pick up a lot of flavor very quickly.

    We pushed a sherry finished batch to 9 months, it was fine, but too sweet and more finish-forward than I would have preferred. 3-6 is the most common range.

  • richard

    @grim Thanks

  • DonMateo

    I agree with @grim on finishing. With finishing less is more so to speak. Especially with a sherry cask. When i finish on a lenga barrel its only a couple of months.

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