Hello From the Heartland

New to distillation, or simply new to the HD forums.
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WillieP
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Posts: 76
Joined: Tue Apr 24, 2018 2:27 pm

Hello From the Heartland

Post by WillieP »

First post as required.....
I started making homemade fruit wines more than a dozen years ago, and can say that I produce a better product today then I did in the beginning. LOL
I then picked up home-brewing beer about 5-6 years back. I started with extract and moved on to all grain. This is a little more my speed and I have really enjoyed it so far. (the Mrs. is the wine drinker) I have attend a monthly homebrew meeting with some of the members having 25 years of experience and a couple that brew professionally the last couple of years, and that has certainly helped with my brewing.
I recently researched the making of mead, and have dabbled in it just a touch, but then my interest shifted to home distilling.........
I have been lurking in the shadows of this site for several months doing the required reading and soaking up all the knowledge I can. My desire is to make the finest product that I am able to produce. I'm not a cut corners on quality kind of guy. I am a DIY kind of guy though, and enjoy the challenge of building the required hardware myself when able. I've built a yeast stir plate, a copper manifold for a mash tun, controller of a fermentation chamber, and a PID controller for a HERMS system. I have began the build of my still, after much reading. I've chosen to use the 15 inch salad bowl and 8 gallon brew kettle as my boiler with a 2 inch by 30 inch column and a 36 inch by 1/2 inch condenser with a 1 inch water jacket. My interest lays more with bourbon/whiskey and rum so I plan on running as a pot still, though I like the idea of adding packing and seeing if I can get any reflux out of it if I decide to try some neutral.
So far, so good for a guy that has not as of yet made a single wash.....
This site has a wealth of knowledge to draw from. I am in agreement that one should be willing to do the digging if they want to drink from the well. Although it is sometimes nice to be able to ask someone where to dig.

Cheers,
Willie P.

P.S. I also enjoy smoking meats and making cheeses
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fizzix
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Joined: Tue Dec 05, 2017 4:08 pm

Re: Hello From the Heartland

Post by fizzix »

Wow, nice rap sheet. Your odds on making some good liquor are pretty high with those accomplishments.
That, and with the support of this great community if and when you need it.
(I don't know if you've run across the Tried & True Recipes yet, but the Honey Bear Bourbon is killer.)
Welcome WillieP to Home Distiller!
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MoonBreath
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Location: Horseshoe Bend, Ky.

Re: Hello From the Heartland

Post by MoonBreath »

Welcome to HD from Horseshoe Bend Ky!
An eye bleeder of an intro..Sounds as if you've done some research..Distillers yeast is where I'd start, then derive yourn with the 'yeast tray'..Pics would be proper before you clean and get to the point of no return without rebuild..Experienced critique may save you time and some money, and can reassure your choices and confidence.
Have fun and be safe, post your journey ifn possible.
Good luck.
*Spend it all, Use it up, Wear it out*
Beware of sheet-sniffers and dime-droppers!
WillieP
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Posts: 76
Joined: Tue Apr 24, 2018 2:27 pm

Re: Hello From the Heartland

Post by WillieP »

Thanks for the welcome, and the tips.
I have read all the tried and true's, there is some really great info in there. Especially the all grain stuff. IMHO
Good tip about posting photos of the proposed still build, I hadn't thought of that, and I will work on it. Where should I post that type of thing?
Cheers,
WillieP
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TDick
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Posts: 1365
Joined: Thu Jun 01, 2017 9:25 pm
Location: Sweet Home

Re: Hello From the Heartland

Post by TDick »

WillieP wrote:Thanks for the welcome, and the tips.
I have read all the tried and true's, there is some really great info in there. Especially the all grain stuff. IMHO
Good tip about posting photos of the proposed still build, I hadn't thought of that, and I will work on it. Where should I post that type of thing?
Cheers,
WillieP
Welcome from way down South!
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