How mad was your SOH when you bought/built your first still

[moonmom]

Pikey,

He is from Lancashire county. Not domineering, but much like his father, whom I loved. You give some very good advice. Insightful.
I do think your advice is good in regard to asking his opinion and getting him involved.
As I said, he is supportive, he thinks its really cool that his wife is making shine. He is just not complimentary.
He is a man of few words and doesn't throw out compliments unless really warranted. Maybe you're right...he's just being honest, but me being his wife, I'm too sensitive, because I'm seeking his approval. Something like that. How much do I owe you for this therapy session!?

MoonMom

[jon1163]

I know the food is different than alcohol and how people regard the taste. With alcohol people commonly associated quality with price. So when you give them home brew even if it's fantastic the preconceived notion that it is Homebrew will make them taste an inferior product.

I've actually tested this several times. If you give someone two drinks telling them one is home brew and one is a good quality bourbon but switching which one is which without them knowing they will often give you, what they think is an honest opinion, and say something like, " it's good but it's not very smooth. I'm just not a fan of Homebrew" speaking of what is really the fine Bourbon and " I just really like Brand X's quality".

It's probably a lot like if you had a really good steak but it was colored yellow. You might not think it tasted as good as the same steak it was meat colored.

[Antler24]

I know the food is different than alcohol and how people regard the taste. With alcohol people commonly associated quality with price. So when you give them home brew even if it's fantastic the preconceived notion that it is Homebrew will make them taste an inferior product.

I've actually tested this several times. If you give someone two drinks telling them one is home brew and one is a good quality bourbon but switching which one is which without them knowing they will often give you, what they think is an honest opinion, and say something like, " it's good but it's not very smooth. I'm just not a fan of Homebrew" speaking of what is really the fine Bourbon and " I just really like Brand X's quality".

It's probably a lot like if you had a really good steak but it was colored yellow. You might not think it tasted as good as the same steak it was meat colored.

Ain't that the truth. I have a Coors Light loving buddy who I could never please with my honebrewed beers. So while he ran to the store I took one of his Coors soaked the label off and replaced the cap with mine. He opened it up took a few sips and says "I hate to pour it out bud, but it's too yeasty I don't like it" as he dumps it down the drain. Walks over to the fridge pulls a Coors out of the same case the "yeasty" one came from and downs half the bottle. That was years ago and he still doesn't believe me. Fuck look at me rambling on three jacking again...

[ben stiller]

When I started my soh didn't really give me a hard time just an occasional disapproving look. Shortly into the hobby she was there when I had all the jars lined up and took a keen interest in smelling and tasting them.Basically got involved in the cuts and boy did they get tight LOL. She really came around after that. Seemed that involving her was the thing to do and she was good at it..

[goinbroke2]

We were maybe 2 miles from my cousins when I first took her home and I said "don't be surprised if someone is building a carburetor on the kitchen table or there a still running". She gave me a WTF??? type of look.
sure enough, cousin was doing a starter on the table and my aunt was making shine. lots of wine/beer/shine in my family. To make a really, really long story short, I was in a library one day with the kids and saw the book on moonshining by McGraw or whatever his name is. Liked the book and it got me thinking, remembering my first still when I was 14. Wife got me that book for my birthday and I started building. As time went by I got several other books on distilling (ian smiley's/etc) and then found this site in 2008 or so.
Her only reaction I guess was a frown with "you built a what?.....mmm.....I wondered why you wanted that book"
I've received the same "that's all you do....." as I've received for everything else.
"All you do is read car magazines" (I've got thousands going back to late 50's hotrod)
"All you do is work on the racecar"
"All you do is work in the garage"
"All you do is work on the motorhome"
"Every weekend you're gone racing" (same as an "all you do.."lol)
"All you do is go on that computer"
"All you do is go on that ipad"
"all you do...."

She likes the likker but hates the time I spend away from her, (not making it per se, just away from her) So, now I'll spend a couple hours in the evening when she's working to put on a batch (80-100L) and then in a few days/week when it's done I'll run it when she's going to her parents or has something going on. Sometimes if she's working evenings (12-10pm) I'll have it filled the night before and as soon as I get home I'll turn it on. 1hr heat up/1hr strip/1hr 2nd heat up/1hr 2nd run/ clean up by 10pm. Following night get home and run a spirit run and be done by 10pm.
Minimal time in her eyes and lots of likker so she's happier now.

[justsomeguy]

I wish my wife would get into stillin. But then again I was butthurt for quite a while when she decided to get a job after 7 years as a housewife. Drove me up a wall. Now that I have come around a bit its sort of OK. She figured out how to homeschool the kids (they are middle and high school age) while working full time. SHe has her own checking account so she can do whatever she damn well pleases with her check, I will stay pay all the bills and such. But it makes her happy. So in a long winded way IF she got into it I would be happy she had a hobby she enjoyed. She wont drink a drop of mine, and I think its because she has a negative opinion of it in her mind because she will drink so shitty store bought.

[Pikey]

.......... I was butthurt for quite a while when she decided to get a job after 7 years as a housewife. Drove me up a wall. Now that I have come around a bit its sort of OK.

............... She figured out how to homeschool the kids (they are middle and high school age) while working full time.


SHe has her own checking account so she can do whatever she damn well pleases with her check, I will stay pay all the bills and such. But it makes her happy. So in a long winded way IF she got into it I would be happy she had a hobby she enjoyed. She wont drink a drop of mine, and I think its because she has a negative opinion of it in her mind because she will drink so shitty store bought.

Where to start ?

Here I think -

"............... She figured out how to homeschool the kids (they are middle and high school age) while working full time. "

Why "Home school" the kids - cannot you get them to a school ?

[Jerrycan in Japan]

My wife has no appreciation of ANYTHING I do and that’s ok tbh I couldn’t care less what she does either . Different folks different strokes . She likes Gucci I like Japanese rope play Harley and university girls I sure don’t expect her to get behind those hobbies.

[Jerrycan in Japan]

Wasn’t fussed about it and still doesn’t care Much more then to think it’s a waste of time and I’d have been better served to either buy stock in a distillery or a barrel.

[dukethebeagle120]

at first she was ok with it
but we did begin to drink more then before
now shes not so keen
i only still occasionally now
but now when i am malting my grain she always ask``another batch``
and i get the `` look``
she know malting means mashing
and more stilling
i may drink a six pack a week and a gin and tonic or two on friday night
but bad behavior i guess leaves a sour taste in a chicks mouth

[aircarbonarc]

I was engaged then I discovered distilling, well I'm single and I have fast cars and distilling I'm my life so im happy.

[Wild Bill]

I always subscribed to the theory, “ build it and they will come” and she did. I make beer, sausage,kill cut and wrap all my own game meat, catch and process all our own seafood, and many other diy projects. Now we are stillin. She has endorsed it all and enjoys the fruits of my labor and occaisonally helps in the process as well.

[Alchemist75]

When my wife met me I was already producing and the lab was already fully set up along with my workshop. Not only did she not mind me doing it, she actually encouraged it because she knows that my crafty side needs to be constantly busy to keep me sane. Maybe too because she knows that I do some cool shit on multiple fronts. A few times she's brought my sweet little daughter into my lab and refers to what I do as "daddy's magic". The little one stares at the equipment in fascination. Apparently she liked it even though she only consumes the medicines I make as opposed to the poisons I.e. booze. My little one will one day know at least part of what I know and be the better for it. It'll be a family thing and I'll hand down whatever I have of value to my baby girl. Around our house this is the way and I take great pride in it.