How to make your own rum at home

If you’re a rum lover you might be considering making your own, well you’re in the right place. Here’s a recipe that will allow you to make rum at home - The easiest recipe you’ll find, with a bit of forward prep, some weird ingredients and a bit of investment you’ll be making rum at home in no time! The perfect way to spend national rum day!

What Is Needed to Make Rum at Home?

Recipe for a 23 L fermenter - 10% abv

Ingredients:

Molasses – 3 litres
Brown Sugar – 2.5 kg
DAP ( Diammonium Phosphate) – 1 tsp
Bakers yeast – 1 pack or 10 grams

Materials:

20 L pot
Large stir stick (stainless steel)
23 L fermenter ( food grade)
Digital thermometer
Pot or Reflux Still

How do I make rum?

Add the brown sugar, molasses, DAP and Citric acid into a large pot.
Top with 10 litres of hot water to the pot.
Stir until sugar and molasses dissolves fully
Keep on the hob until it’s at a rolling boil, at this point take off and leave to cool until it gets l to between 25 – 30 oC.
Pour into the fermenter and top with water between 25 – 30 degrees.
Use a digital thermometer to measure temperature
When it’s 25- 30 oC add a packet of yeast. (Be sure not to add the yeast any hotter or it will spoil).
Leave for 1 hour and stir.
Leave for 24 hrs and stir again to aerate sugar wash
Let stand until the fermentation is complete. This usually takes approx 4 – 8 days depending on temperature.
Try to keep sugar wash between 20- 25 c while fermentation is underway. This is the ideal temp for the yeast.
Check to see if fermentation is complete after 4-8 days - when you are no longer able to taste the sugar or when bubbles stop passing through the airlock.
Once fermentation is complete wait a couple of days and then transfer into another container.
Wait another couple of days and transfer it into the fermenter - this allows it to clear and removes most of the unfermentables left over.
At this point, you can consider adding flavour to your rum by oaking it or adding spices such as cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla, dried fruit or maple syrup.
Strain into a bottle or container.
Once you’ve completed the above steps it’s time to enjoy!