Thread: Homebrew Bayrum Recipes

Hi guys, great thread!

I have a question. Is it only the glycerin that causes the need for shaking the bottle up before use, or do the oils not mix into the alcohol?

Inquiring minds want to know! I live withing walking distance of a gigantic caribbean neighborhood, so I'm sure I can find some bay leaves, and I have a few ideas for other things to add.

Originally Posted by TheZ

Hi guys, great thread!

I have a question. Is it only the glycerin that causes the need for shaking the bottle up before use, or do the oils not mix into the alcohol?
.

mostly the glycerin

Originally Posted by milehiscott

This is my first attempt at making my own Bay Rum (or any after shave). I used Jockeys recipe and the distillation method. I also added a couple of pieces of orange rind (it seemed like a good idea at the time).
After it was done cooking, it smelled nice, but I only had about 2 oz of product (started with 12 oz) and was not overly happy. I let it cool and then bottled it and added 2 drops of glycerin per oz. I then read that the orange can’t be distilled, only pressed. DOH!
The next day I used some after my shave. No burn. I then realized I had distilled out the EO and that was it. I had a bottle of EO and glycerin. DOH!!
So I added Bacardi dark rum back to the original 12 oz and glycerin (2 drops/ oz). I used it today and was happier with the end product.
However, after about 30 min. my face was itchy. What do I need to change? (I mean about this, not everything in my life. That would be a long list.)

While the distillation method you followed is very much right on in principle it's flawed and will likely always produce similar results as yours.

The lid is not sealed so you will lose ethanol. Do not seal the lid or you could be looking at a dangerous situation.

You would need to use a reflux still where the the distillate would continuously and safely pass through the 'spice basket' before it is released through the coil and into a collection vessel. Or you could use a thumper as used in the traditional production of rum as well as gin.

Or you could simply use the method as you did and add neutral spirit (basically unflavored vodka) when you are done to reintroduce the lost ethanol. The higher the proof the better. Grain alcohol, everclear an vodka are the same thing by a different name, a neutral spirit. Grain alcohol is no more potent, just denotes that the mash was made from grain (at least in part). If I can rant and go a little more off topic, much of the cheap alcohol on the shelves today (and likely some expensive) is made from a sugar wash, stripped down to a neutral spirit cut with distilled water and flavored to make it a whisky, gin, rum, or tequila.

I actually really like the distillation method that you used. It might be interesting to rig a basket in a pot still and just run it through a few times.

Just don't tell your brother-in-law about your methods if he works for the BATF .......

It is now a very long time I finished my last batch of Bay Rum, so I thought it was the time to make a new one. I remembered I had a small bottle of Pimenta Racemosa essential oil which I used for making the last batch and all I had to do is going and buy a bottle of dark rum as well as the other ingredients and begin the making.
Here it is my Bay Rum after eleven days of maceration. It begins to have a good smell and the ingredients start to properly mix up together.

Here it is my homemade Bay Rum. I just finished filtering it and it smells great! The typical bay aroma with a touch of orange and cinnamon. I like it, so far. It came out a little hazy, but this is all I can get by using home filtering methods. I guess I will try it at the end of my next shave. Oh yes!

This is a great thread - super informative.

Does anyone have any pictures of the equipment they are using for this? Would really help us newbies in seeing if we're on the right path. Haha.

I can tell you about the equipment I used for making my Bay Rum: a glass jar (the first picture I posted), the empty bottle of the rum I used in the recipe (picture in the second post), a paper filter, a funnel. That's all!

Ladies and Gentlemen, RazorGuy Bay Rum!

Good on you Razorguy. Thanks for taking us through the process.