Using 'Red Gum' charcoal for rum filtering

[Frank]

Does anyone know what ACTUALLY is the redgum as used by Bundaberg Rum? I'm on a mission (hey SPUD1700 ;) ) to work out if I can source some 'locally', but have no idea what the actual native tree is that is 'used'. Best I could find was a bit of a rant :? at Homedistiller (see topic redgum filtering/aging) but that didn't help me much. I'd like latin botanical names, if you please :lol:

[MacStill]

When we did the rum tour of the distillery I got the impression it's just used because it's readily available and they can easily source it locally, there didnt seem to be any real science involved in the methods they used either.

They just burn the wood and use the charcoal to filter the rum, it mellows the rum (their words) by stripping some of the flavor, the charcoal filtering they do does nothing to add flavor.

[R-sole]

Why would you want to?

It's not even very good rum.

As McStill said, it's just using what the cheap ingredients name is to gimmick it up, use any old charcoal if you want to charcoal filter a perfectly good rum for some reason.

Is there particulate matter in the spirit or some other reason (like head content) you want to filter it?

[MacStill]

Why would you want to?

It's not even very good rum.

Geez you rate it highly :lol: :lol:

[reknaw]

Wouldn't putting it through red gum, malaluka etc give different flavour profiles? I know it's used to "clean up" rums, I remember someone useing Malaluka and they were saying it was worth doing (someone from NZ, may have been kiwi?)

Thought it might be worth a try :)

[MacStill]

Depends if your talking about aging it on redgum, or filtering it through charcoal, as I said earlier the charcoal filtering removes flavor.

But aging on redgum wasnt what Frank was talking about, and I cant say what species of redgum bundy rum uses so cant answer that one, I'm only passing on what we were told at the distillery.

And from the taste testing we did I thought bundy red was more akin to goats piss than a rum :lol:

Before you go aging on any type of wood other than known oaks that the distilleries use, I would get samples of your redgum tested for toxins, it is widely known that a lot of plants carry natural toxins, a lot of these toxins can be removed by burning the wood and turning it into charcoal. They (bundy rum) crush and screen the charcoal then only use a certain sized particle for filtering.

All of bundy rums product is oaked in huge vats made from imported oak, they only use redgum as a cheap source of charcoal for filtering "bundy red" and dont filter any of their other product IIRC.

[Frank]

Why would you want to?
It's not even very good rum.
Is there particulate matter in the spirit or some other reason (like head content) you want to filter it?

No, 5Star, for the record I dont want to do any of these things. To be honest, IMO I actually think pretty well all rum is akin to animal p#ss or some such thing :o and Bundaberg Rum is particularly nasty. I wouldn't think for a second about wasting any distillation effort on making the stuff myself ;) . I was simply wondering what tree 'they' actually use because a 'rum-liking' mate was interested in trying it and I reckon, with 50 acres of forest here, I'd probably have lots of 'suitable' wood. BTW, I also agree with McStill that toxins (for humans) potentially abound in eucalyptus trees...the oil alone can kill an adult in concentrated form.

[Frozenthunderbolt]

Wouldn't putting it through red gum, malaluka etc give different flavour profiles? I know it's used to "clean up" rums, I remember someone useing Malaluka and they were saying it was worth doing (someone from NZ, may have been kiwi?)

Thought it might be worth a try :)

I doubt it would have been Malaluka, when us kiwis say tea tree we mean maunuka or kanuka. I have got this chared in my rum ATM, cant imagine auzzie tea tree in my booze - Tea tree oil (malaluka) is pretty pungent and rugged.

[reknaw]

Hey FTB, yep one in the same, tea tree, I know a couple from NZ they mentioned it, there is also a fella on HD who uses it. He puts neutral through it twice, apparently three times is two much.

[rumby]

Jezz gentlemen, a few here are little harsh on the Bundy Rum, I know it is quite a dirty made rum, but fair go, we have to do something with all that mollasses, this topic is disscussing "rum filtering" not slagging Bundy products.

I am Bundy biggest fan. (Used to be, not anymore as they dont get my hard earned pay anymore, but I take offence, to these insults).

And maybe a "I dont like Bundy Rum" topic should be started.

[MacStill]

Jezz gentlemen, a few here are little harsh on the Bundy Rum, I know it is quite a dirty made rum, but fair go, we have to do something with all that mollasses, this topic is disscussing "rum filtering" not slagging Bundy products.

I am Bundy biggest fan. (Used to be, not anymore as they dont get my hard earned pay anymore, but I take offence, to these insults).

And maybe a "I dont like Bundy Rum" topic should be started.

Crikey rumby dont take it so personally, nobody is going to be gagged on here for stating an honest opinion whether you like it or not ;)

I cant understand why anyone would want to replicate bundy red because in my opinion it is the worst tasting of all the bundy products, and others obviously agree with me to some point, and they are also entitled to express that opinion just as your entitled to yours........ but c'mon man how the fuck can you take offence to what has been said here? :roll:

You cant turn pig shit into strawberry jam, no matter what other ingredients you throw in :lol:

[rumby]

Fair response.

I hate Bundy Red, but I think it was an automatic reaction, like defending one of your children, and my little outburst probably belongs on other sites.

My apoligises ladies & gents.

Sorry to go off the topic, but has anyone had success, making the own rum essence? (I will start a new topic)

I dont drink Scotch or Burbon.

[wynnum1]

Bundy Rum anyone got old bottle to see if flavor has changed in the last 40 years.

[SBB]

I have a bottle here thats close to 25 years old..........I aint opening it for love nor money......its worth to much :lol:

[busman]

My dad had a bottle of Johnny Walker Black Label that his boss had given him some time in the 70's, and he was always going to open it on his 55th birthday 'cause thats when he was planning on retiring. He got to 55, decided not to retire but cracked the bottle on his birthday anyway. The stuff must have been 25 years in the bottle by then..... and if you were to blindfold me and make me taste test it against a bottle that had just been bought from the shop, I don't reckon I'd have been able to tell the difference :lol: :lol: So I don't think Bundy would be much different...

[SBB]

This is the original Bundy Red.......the double OP with the red cap. This was the original "rocket fuel". Hasnt been produced in years and a full bottle is now as rare as rocking horse s$%$.
Note the ALC/VOL on label. I can assure you that this stuff DOESNT taste like other Bundies due mainly to strength both flavour and ABV). One small nip of this straight will make you pull faces you didnt know you could pull and burn in places you didnt know you had :lol:
Im not suggesting anyone would or should at this ABV.....
Dilluted to the appropriate ABV it tastes just like the OP or UP of today depending on how far you go.

[crozdog]

One small nip of this straight will make you pull faces you didnt know you could pull and burn in places you didnt know you had :lol:

HAHA I remember doing that!!!! Couldn't talk for a while afterwards! lol

[oakburner]

Hey all, (first post - long time reader and enjoyer of all of your science).

To address the OP question, there are a number of species of Eucalyptus in Australia referred to as "red gum" like Eucalyptus camaldulensis which is the common River Red Gum, and is mostly found away from coastal areas up the east coast of Aust.

My suspicion is that they are referring to Eucalyptus tereticornis which has a few common names - one of which is "Forest Red Gum", and from survey work I have done in the area is very very common throughout the Bundy - Hervey Bay areas.

I imagine that filtering through charcoal would be fine - but I would be careful about soaking distillate in any of the Euc's as there are some significant toxins in Eucalyptus timbers.

cheers boys!

oakburner :)

[MacStill]

Thanks oakburner ;)

Oh! and welcome aboard :handgestures-thumbupleft:

[law-of-ohms]

They prob use old redgum railway sleepers....

there cheap!

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