Any Alaskan distillers here?

[Hilltop]

I can think of no tougher place to make liqueur other than Siberia! Lol! I imagine just getting grain can be tough in Alaska. Speaking for me I would love to hear some this is how we do it in Alaska stories.

Just knowing some up there have it a hell of a lot tougher than most gives me the fortitude to press on, ya know when ya get down as bad as it may be, you can always think " well those northern Distillers have it worse so what ya bitching for."

For starters, I'm wondering if wood is the preferred choice for still fuel or propane, as i don't see too many electric elements running off solar or wind power.

[MidnightBrewer]

Well, I'm from the geographical middle of BC, in a mountain range, so not quite there, but somewhat comparable.

Mountains and cold make for thin air and more energy to heat. I use propane; it's cheap, easy to carry around, quick to light, better temp control, less mess and can be easily extinguished.

Sometimes i can take about 30 minutes to an hour to clean up and reset for the next run, which means water in my condenser is starting to ice up on the surface, pipes are froze and my woodpecker is froze in on the end. Not enough to seal my pipe, but constrict it. It all melts out 30 minutes after startup.

Check the weather first! If u don't have a shack, then outside tempratures and wind are an issue.. snow is irrelevant itself. Try battling the wind to keep the flame at a good temp, then have the wind die and your cook temp spike. Flavour ingredients come with the usual storage/shipping costs.

Spring and summer are wonderfully green and sourcing is far simplier. Berries are the most abundant source around here, as people here pick berries as a way to pass time and make jams. Root vegetables are a good source. Fruits around here are grown by hobbyists.

Personally I'd avoid moonshining in the woods during spring and summer, as it gets hot and dry enough in our dying forest to cause serious forest fires, and we don't need a repeat of last year.

A lot of this is the same for alaska. Winter is cold, and windy with sunny periods. Summer is very green and... I'll call it warm.
30°C has the other locals complaining of the heat, in summer. I've been south and enjoy the heat. Winter can dip to -40°C on bad weeks, where that is closer to normal for alaska.

All in all, distilling in the cold has its draw backs and advantages. .... a reflux or thumper system in the cold produces a slightly higher percentage drink, it seems to me.

Also interested in hearing what its like to distill further north than here

[Shine0n]

I bitch about the weather in central Virginia. lol