Starting the rumtopf, thanks to @Phoenikia.
I wanted to get going while we still have seasonal sour cherries and strawberries, and started small in a mason jar. However the project was the perfect excuse to buy a couple of vintage ceramic rumtopf crocks on ebay. As soon as they arrive, I will transfer the brew to a larger vessel so I can add to it.
I’m going to try two versions this year, something along the lines of sour cherry-strawberry-peach-apricot and apple-pear-grape-walnut-cinnamon. I want to try and use as much of our home-grown fruits and berries as possible. I think this is the perfect project for backyard fruits, which tend to be imperfect, and often end up in bite-sized pieces when trimmed of any bad spots.
I went with Mount Gay rum which, in my neighborhood, is top shelf. I’m also thinking of using fermenting weights to keep the fruit under the surface.
