Making Homemade Bay Rum

Good luck with it, Fred! I hope you find the results to your liking! The hardest part is the wait...

 

The thing is, I would definitely drink both of them separately haha they are not bad products. they are just "cheap" compared to the other bottles =)

 

@HolyRollah Hey Kevin, 1 more question =P you are gonna start hating me soon. But when you added the lime zest to the mixture, did you not get the lime scent or was it just to light for your liking?

 

Too light. I like the lime scent in a BR, and I just found it too mild in the batch I made.

 

If I make a batch of this, could I try it with the zest first and then when the final product is done and I want more lime scent just add essential oil? Or will I have to wait a while after I add more essential oils to try it on.

I like lime but and would like to add that to the mix too. But I'm not sure if what you felt was to mild would be to mild for me as well

 

You can always add more lime EO to the mix afterwards to your particular 'taste.'

 

Thats what I wanted to know =) Thanks, Im thinking of adding like 5 cloves to the mix. I like clove =)

 

Great info here...I'm contemplating my approach. Instead of using fresh lime how about using dried lime/orange zest...same as what's used in beer brewing...there may be more of a concentrated smell from that. Also, other alternatives would be lemon grass, lemon balm leaves or kefir lime leaves. Anyone ever tried these or have any reservations on using them?

 

Out of curiosity, why do you think that dried lime zest would have more concentrated scent?

 

I'm not so sure that it does. In the brew process, it adds flavor and essence that stays. Maybe you could boil the water with the lime..lock the essence in, let cool then add to rest of recipe.
One could maybe try that approach with adding all your dry spices and herbs....just with the water...no alcohols or hazel, Cool it. Then add that with the alcohol concoction and any oils or fresh green herbs. Boiling would leech out flavor in a more controlled measure and may even cut down on wait time for final product. On other hand, boiling may be too harsh....maybe just warm water and rest it...sort of like tea brew approach.
Put it all in a sealed jar and (no alcohol yet) and let it brew in the sun...like sun tea.

 

Also, if you go heat route....I wouldn't go it long on the cool down because the mix could sour on you...do it for a length of time that makes sense then cool it down quick (ice bath in sink, submerge your boil pot and stir) and then add alcohols to stabilize it. All shot in the dark stuff here.

 

It sounds like something you Should try first hahahha. I getting some vodka and rum to try this, but I value the WH bottle im getting from the UK, i dont Wanna ruin a couple ounces of WH

Its a bit difficult to find for someone in sweden. Its not as widely available like in the U.S.

 

@HolyRollah Quick question, I didn't see in your first post anything about heat infusion, are you just adding your dry ingredients to the liquid and letting them rest for 6-8 weeks?

 

Not heating involved in the process I used.

 

@HolyRollah
If I may suggest....On your next batch, try using a double boiler heat infusion method for your dry ingredients before letting your batch rest. The heat will infuse the natural scents of your ingredients during the process. The alcohol you use will then finish the extraction throughout the resting phase. Be sure to gently shake your mix every couple of days during resting phase. Doing this may help bring out some the notes that were too light for you so that you don't have to add any extra EO.

 

@Fish-O and @Omelmad -Using dried ingredients for extracting in fragrance blends is best. The water and moisture from fresh ingredients can sour, mold and make your blend go rancid. And if you're considering using a boiling or heat infusion, never use an ice bath afterwards. The extreme temperature difference could cause the glass container you use to break. Always allow it to cool to room temperature.

 

Haha, that's sounds like a stuff I have never tried before =P I'm gonna try the fresh ingredient way first =)

 

@HolyRollah

Can you remind me of the ratio of rum, witch hazel and vodka?

In the pictures is it 6oz rum, 6oz WH and 4oz vodka.

But here:

"
Here's the original recipe I used.
I modified it a bit and probably would alter it again in the next batch. (* means alterations)

Bay Rum

Vodka 6 oz
Dark Jamaican Rum, 4 oz
Witch Hazel 6 oz
Essential Oil (5/2 ratio, Bay to rosemary) 40 drops total;](*added Lime EO: 20 drops)
Bay Oil (Pimenta Racemosa) 28 drops
Rosemary Oil 12 drops
(*I added Lime EO: 20 drops)
Allspice 3-5 berries, cracked(*I doubled this amount)
Black Peppercorns 6-19, cracked(*I doubled this amount)
2 sticks Cinnamon, broken in pieces
Lime Zest from 1 Large or 2 small (2 TBLs)(*I doubled this amount)
Ginger Root, chopped (1 tablespoon)

Add after straining liquid through cheesecloth or paper filter, add:
Glycerin 1tsp

Begin by grating the lime peel to get its zest. You want the green part of the peel, not the white beneath.
This usually yields about two tablespoons of zest. It’s fine if you have more or less than this.
Once you have the zest, put it in your pint jar along with the cinnamon stick (break it up ), the ginger, and the allspice berries.
Next add the rum and vodka. Next fill the jar with witch hazel distillate. This will be just under two cups.
Finally add 40 drops of the essential oils (bay & Rosemary. Cover the mixture with a tight fitting lid and shake well.

Shake it well every day for 4 - 6 weeks. Once the homemade bay rum is done, strain off the ingredients and add the Glycerin,
This makes enough to fill two 8 oz bottles."

It is, Vodka 6 oz, Rum, 4 oz, Witch Hazel 6 oz.

I wanna go with the ratio of the pictures because it feels like a not so strong rum scent. But I'm not sure what I like better a strong rum or mellow =P

 

'6-6-6' and you'll be fine.
4oz vs 6oz on the vodka will not make a significant difference in the outcome.

 

Oki Doki. I thought about doing that actually. But I thought maybe the rum will be overpowering.

I'm making half your recipe though. So for me it will be 3/3/3. Or just 100ml of each