Home Distiller

For us Yanks, here's a source for the genuine Dutch rye that Odin uses. You can also get a pair of klompen (wooden shoes) there. You might want to wear them in the still shop in honor of Odin. http://thedutchstore.com/webstore/productinfo.aspx?itemno=04202&code=115&list=104A115&type=ITEM...

Here is an interned read you might enjoy. http://blueridgeinstitute.org/moonshine/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow

A very good book on the subject of prohibition is Last Call by Daniel Okrent.

My local Kroger has a sale - 4lb bag of cane sugar for $.99. I'm buying all they'll let me have.

Gorgeous work!

Ran across this today. Interesting article that doesn't "sensationalize."

http://www.downeast.com/new-bootleggers/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow

Far be it from me to defend a TV show, but Tim has been pretty consistent about claiming to use grains in his recipe. It's also been the same mod - adding a thumper. <edit - misread your 1st comment...> Tim doesn't look the type to me that would grasp enzymes - gotta be malt in there somewhere for ...

Enjoyed the reminiscence GA.

How high is a mouse when it spins?

Your question cannot be answered. We do not know the % of the wash/mash going in, the efficiency of the still, where and how you make the cuts, etc...

A happy Thanksgiving everyone. Even in tough times there remains much to be thankful for.

There are lots of threads on various brandies. Have you done a search?

Maple syrup: I have put it in apple brandy when it goes into the barrel but be careful of the amount. One teaspoon per gallon seems to work for me. You don't want maple syrup flavored brandy after all. (Or do you?) Caramel color: I have used it to get the color of brandies or whiskeys to look right....

I don't think there is near enough space to hold the volume of botanicals you will need.

That us a much better way to explain the reaction. Well done Prairiepiss. Also, the reaction is exothermic which means it creates heat, but I don't know if it would be enough to need to adjust your hydrometer reading. Yes, it will generate quite enough heat to throw your readings off. I've seen 10+...

An easy place to start would be with the Welch's Grape Juice Concentrate wine recipe (available all over the net). Make a wine from that and distill it. If that works out you can get concentrate cheaper and in larger quantities from Grower's Co-op in New York (Google it). Snarky comment: I've had Ch...

My book tastes are pretty eclectic. A series I'd recommend is Wendell Berry's novels about life in hard scrabble rural Kentucky. Titles include: Andy Catlett; Jayber Crow; That Distant Land; Hannah Coulter and others. Beautifully written.

Bayou Classic is way plenty enough for a 15 gal. keg. I have to turn it way down when running the Bok head to keep from flooding the column. A tip: check around at bulk propane dealers or RV/camper places. Some of them refill grill tanks for cheaper than the gas station/hardware store exchange place...

You might want to look into microwave aging (or nuclear aging). http://homedistiller.org/forum/viewtopi ... =4&t=38991

I have used a variation of this method on my once-a-year apple brandy production and on a rye version of UJSSM with good results.

Welcome to the funhouse.

Too bad they don't make peat pellets.

Trust the new one.

Recently, I’ve cobbed together an external worm out of copper tube and a five gallon plastic kitty litter bucket. I have a few apple and peach trees and I hope that by not running water through the internal condenser, I can come up with some decent fruit flavor this fall. You can't run a Bok that w...

I would actually advise against using it for gin. I tried it once and while it tasted pretty good, after three martinis I had an overwhelming urge to lick my arms and legs.

Add my condolences Woodshed. Wife and I both lost parents last year so I understand.

Welcome from another Hoosier. What part of the state are you in? Generally. Go ahead and source a 15.5g keg to start with. You'll end up with one sooner or later anyway. You can build a simple pot still head easily and that's what you want to make brandy for the wife and for stripping runs. For vodk...

FYI, I've been using the same teflon gasket in my tri-clamp connection for going on two years with no leaks.

Gosh. First post and he knows he wants a flute.
And he knows what a flute even is?
Good job!
Took me many months of reading before I figured it out.

I doubt using an infusion basket with bananas will get the flavor pop you are looking for. I think you'd be better off adding a concentrated flavoring oil to your rum. They are used in candy making. A brand name is "LorAnn."

This has using a 2 run process before oaking. I would ideally like to run whiskey in one run if its possible and get a clean spirit with flavor,

Seems to me it would be easier to add a thumper to your pot still and get effectively two runs in one.

I make no claim to having THE answer, but my general target for apple brandy is to cut the first 20% as heads and the last 15% as tails. But I am not weded to those numbers and will adjust according to taste.

Unless you have a whopping big soldering iron and pretty good skills, I'd say, no. In order to sweat solder joints you need to get a fairly large area pretty hot, and copper is really good at transferring heat from the hot area to the cooler area, sucking heat away from where you are trying to solde...