What has this hobby taught you?

Little or nothing to do with distillation.

Moderator: Site Moderator

FLquacker
Novice
Posts: 92
Joined: Wed Sep 02, 2009 8:01 pm

What has this hobby taught you?

Post by FLquacker »

Aside from the obvious....

Patience?

How to convert mls to ounces?

Came home yesterday to a stream running out the garage.....blasted water heater!

I'm gonna save about $300....I've learned to solder :ebiggrin:
kiwistiller
retired
Posts: 3215
Joined: Tue Mar 03, 2009 4:09 pm
Location: Auckland, NZ

Re: What has this hobby taught you?

Post by kiwistiller »

I think this hobby is great, teaches you bio-chem, fluid dynamics and other physics, thermodynamics, If I wasn't lazy and just got other people to make my still it would have taught me metal work... :lol:

best thing it does is make your palate better. I can analyse tastes much more effectively after learning to make cuts and critique spirits, especially in trying to clone commercial liqueurs.
Three sheets to the wind!
My stuff
rubber duck
retired
Posts: 3452
Joined: Tue Feb 10, 2009 9:33 am
Location: brigadoon

Re: What has this hobby taught you?

Post by rubber duck »

Booze is cheep,( I like to break things down to the lowest common denominator ). :)
Ideas are like rabbits. You get a couple and learn how to handle them, and pretty soon you have a dozen. John Steinbeck
Barney Fife
Distiller
Posts: 1249
Joined: Wed May 21, 2008 5:20 am
Location: Mayberry, NC

Re: What has this hobby taught you?

Post by Barney Fife »

This hobby as taught me so much, I can't begin to write it down; yeast, what they are and what they do, enzymes, malting, various grains and how to mill them, sugars and what makes what, as well as inverting sugars, oaking, carbon, charcoal, what it is and how to make it, PH balance, sanitation, etc, etc, etc. . Unfortunately, I can't even share my hobby with family members for fear of the law, so the closest I can come to sharing what I've learned is through this site. And that is sad. I keep store bought crap on hand for when guests come over, because when I sneak a bit of mine in, they -always- ask what brand/kind/"where can I get this?". I've learned not to sneak anyone my product. That's tough...

This hobby has taught me how to lie.
olddog
retired
Posts: 3618
Joined: Fri Jan 16, 2009 6:16 pm
Location: WEST OZ

Re: What has this hobby taught you?

Post by olddog »

Just put your product in store bought bottles. :D :D :D
OLD DOG LEARNING NEW TRICKS ......
Barney Fife
Distiller
Posts: 1249
Joined: Wed May 21, 2008 5:20 am
Location: Mayberry, NC

Re: What has this hobby taught you?

Post by Barney Fife »

Tried that, and still do, but there's no gettin' past it; better is better, smoother is smoother, sweeter is sweeter. Even if I could pull it off, it would only mean I've become a better liar.
HookLine
retired
Posts: 5628
Joined: Sun May 13, 2007 8:38 am
Location: OzLand

Re: What has this hobby taught you?

Post by HookLine »

Learning how to be an effective liar is one the most necessary basic skills of life. Sad but true. We all gotta lie sometimes, for good reasons, like avoiding pointless trouble with the family or law over a hobby that should not be illegal in the first place.

Besides all the stuff others have mentioned, I have a new found respect for New Zealand. Any country that legalises home stilling is a great place in my books. Still too cold though.
Be safe.
Be discreet.
And have fun.
kiwistiller
retired
Posts: 3215
Joined: Tue Mar 03, 2009 4:09 pm
Location: Auckland, NZ

Re: What has this hobby taught you?

Post by kiwistiller »

HookLine wrote: Still too cold though.
man up :lol:
Three sheets to the wind!
My stuff
HookLine
retired
Posts: 5628
Joined: Sun May 13, 2007 8:38 am
Location: OzLand

Re: What has this hobby taught you?

Post by HookLine »

kiwistiller wrote:
HookLine wrote: Still too cold though.
man up :lol:
Two can play that game.

We are coming into the of the hottest time of year here. Temps are in the high 30s and humidity hitting 70%, no serious rain since April and not likely to be any for a few more weeks, etc.

Come over for week.

:mrgreen:
Be safe.
Be discreet.
And have fun.
olddog
retired
Posts: 3618
Joined: Fri Jan 16, 2009 6:16 pm
Location: WEST OZ

Re: What has this hobby taught you?

Post by olddog »

Makes your ferments go faster :D
OLD DOG LEARNING NEW TRICKS ......
kiwistiller
retired
Posts: 3215
Joined: Tue Mar 03, 2009 4:09 pm
Location: Auckland, NZ

Re: What has this hobby taught you?

Post by kiwistiller »

HookLine wrote:Come over for week.
touche, Mr Sinker. I wouldn't give up my spring skiing for the world, we've got fresh powder and temperatures above zero! (and ujsm in a flask for the chairlift).
Three sheets to the wind!
My stuff
Robsta
Novice
Posts: 23
Joined: Sat Sep 12, 2009 9:24 pm

Re: What has this hobby taught you?

Post by Robsta »

touche, Mr Sinker. I wouldn't give up my spring skiing for the world, we've got fresh powder and temperatures above zero! (and ujsm in a flask for the chairlift).
What A life! 8) Any jobs over there!? Im a High Rise window cleaner (rope access tech.) If there is, Im coming :lol: :!: :lol:
kiwistiller
retired
Posts: 3215
Joined: Tue Mar 03, 2009 4:09 pm
Location: Auckland, NZ

Re: What has this hobby taught you?

Post by kiwistiller »

there was a guy cleaning my office window last week, so I presume there are :) yar, its a pretty good lifestyle here. there aren't many places where you can be skiing one day and go to the beach the next. wages are comparatively low, though. most kiwis that can escape do so for 10-20 years, then come back when they have some cash.
Three sheets to the wind!
My stuff
goose eye
Master of Distillation
Posts: 2846
Joined: Wed Oct 25, 2006 3:19 am

Re: What has this hobby taught you?

Post by goose eye »

blamein cookin for you to ever of started liein. need to hone it a wee bit more.

work ethic principles decipline so forth an so on

hopefully it taught all yall it is work .aint nothin easy bout makein good likker.
so next time you hear someone say how easy it is - think to yourself-
if he only new.
so im tole
HookLine
retired
Posts: 5628
Joined: Sun May 13, 2007 8:38 am
Location: OzLand

Re: What has this hobby taught you?

Post by HookLine »

blamein cookin for you to ever of started liein. need to hone it a wee bit more.
he he he

Nah, Goose, we ain't blaming the cooking for it, we were liars long before we fired up our first run. :wink:

And you saying you never tell Mrs Goose that her new dress is pretty and suits her just fine, when it really it an expensive coal sack in disguise? :mrgreen:

There is lies, and then there is lies. The trick, sir, is knowing when it is okay to tell 'em, and the right way to do it.
Be safe.
Be discreet.
And have fun.
goose eye
Master of Distillation
Posts: 2846
Joined: Wed Oct 25, 2006 3:19 am

Re: What has this hobby taught you?

Post by goose eye »

she learnt 2 thangs along time ago not to ask me no questions an not to touch me while im sleepin.
User avatar
LWTCS
Site Mod
Posts: 13026
Joined: Mon Jan 26, 2009 6:04 pm
Location: Treasure Coast

Re: What has this hobby taught you?

Post by LWTCS »

goose eye wrote:she learnt 2 thangs along time ago not to ask me no questions an not to touch me while im sleepin.
Yet another quote of the ages to get printed on a t-shirt.

yer a hard man Mr. goose eye
Trample the injured and hurdle the dead.
MuleKicker
retired
Posts: 3111
Joined: Sun Jun 14, 2009 2:14 pm
Location: If I told you, I'd have to Kill You.

Re: What has this hobby taught you?

Post by MuleKicker »

goose eye wrote:she learnt 2 thangs along time ago not to ask me no questions an not to touch me while im sleepin.
Now thats just f****ing funny! :lol: oh crap, i think i just peed alittle.
-Control Freak-
AKA MulekickerHDbrownNose
FLquacker
Novice
Posts: 92
Joined: Wed Sep 02, 2009 8:01 pm

Re: What has this hobby taught you?

Post by FLquacker »

YEEHAW!!.....Heater change went smooth as silk :D

But I must confess....I'm now in the same boat as Barney. Along with the water heater I picked up, an assortment of copper fittings went on the bill that had no intentions of being used on the replacement project.....wife says, "This cost a little more than I thought it would...and all those fittings you had to buy!....."

My response...."Yea, that's where they get you" :oops:
goose eye
Master of Distillation
Posts: 2846
Joined: Wed Oct 25, 2006 3:19 am

Re: What has this hobby taught you?

Post by goose eye »

freedom aint free
Usge
retired
Posts: 3243
Joined: Sat Aug 18, 2007 8:22 am

Re: What has this hobby taught you?

Post by Usge »

goose eye wrote:...hopefully it taught all yall it is work .aint nothin easy bout makein good likker.
....
so im tole
It sure has goose. I would even say, in my experience it was a lot of work, and wasn't easy, to make bad likker either :)
blanikdog
Angel's Share
Angel's Share
Posts: 4545
Joined: Tue Aug 09, 2005 11:55 pm
Location: Bullamakanka, Oztrailya

Re: What has this hobby taught you?

Post by blanikdog »

Usge wrote:
goose eye wrote:...hopefully it taught all yall it is work .aint nothin easy bout makein good likker.
....
so im tole
It sure has goose. I would even say, in my experience it was a lot of work, and wasn't easy, to make bad likker either :)
I'm with you on that, usge.

blanik
Simple potstiller. Slow, single run.
(50 litre, propane heated pot still. Coil in bucket condenser - No thermometer, No carbon)
The Reading Lounge AND the Rules We Live By should be compulsory reading

Cumudgeon and loving it.
Usge
retired
Posts: 3243
Joined: Sat Aug 18, 2007 8:22 am

Re: What has this hobby taught you?

Post by Usge »

blanik...you an me. I sweat like a pig haulin 5 gal pails back and forth. I an't spry like I used to be. .....(edited for drunkiness)
Photonic
Novice
Posts: 81
Joined: Tue Sep 22, 2009 1:01 am

Re: What has this hobby taught you?

Post by Photonic »

It's taught me the real meaning of several cliches, they all have the same meaning, but the politest one is...

Garbage in, Garbage Out.

Before I tried this, I used to think that distillation meant purification (I had no idea why someone would "triple distill"), but now I know that if I put a manky wash into my tiny potstill, I will get manky spirit.
So I'm striving for something decent before I distill.

(Thanks for the help and tips everyone)
rad14701
retired
Posts: 20865
Joined: Wed Dec 19, 2007 4:46 pm
Location: New York, USA

Re: What has this hobby taught you?

Post by rad14701 »

You're learning, Grasshopper - I mean Photonic... The better the wash you start out with the less work it takes to produce good spirits... It's all part of the learning experience...
HookLine
retired
Posts: 5628
Joined: Sun May 13, 2007 8:38 am
Location: OzLand

Re: What has this hobby taught you?

Post by HookLine »

The better the wash you start out with the less work it takes to produce good spirits...
+1

The best way to keep the work to a minimum is to get it (more or less) right the first time.
Be safe.
Be discreet.
And have fun.
User avatar
goinbroke2
Distiller
Posts: 2448
Joined: Mon Mar 24, 2008 6:55 pm
Location: In the garage, either stilling or working on a dragster

Re: What has this hobby taught you?

Post by goinbroke2 »

Dad always said, "why is there never enough time to do it right the first time...but always time to do it over"?

Another one was, "in five years, no one will know how quick you did the job, but everyone will see the quality of the job with your name on it".

I applied my metalworking,soldering,beer making skills to good use, but I learned a lot or perhaps dispelled a lot of inaccurate "wives tales" when I got serious into it. Yes it's better to make clean 10% wash then scanky 18%, no it won't make you go blind by drinking homemade hootch one night, you get hangovers from the heads/tails left over in the store bought crap not "I mixed it with pop" or "I drank it with a straw". What else...keep your mouth shut about stuff (my biggest failing as I blab a lot about everything)
Numerous 57L kegs, some propane, one 220v electric with stilldragon controller. Keggle for all-Grain, two pot still tops for whisky, a 3" reflux with deflag for vodka. Coming up, a 4" perf plate column. Life is short, make whisky and drag race!
violentblue
Rumrunner
Posts: 729
Joined: Thu Dec 20, 2007 12:20 pm

Re: What has this hobby taught you?

Post by violentblue »

goose eye wrote:aint nothin easy bout makein good likker....
so im tole
Its doesn't count as work if you enjoy yourself.
Dnderhead
Angel's Share
Angel's Share
Posts: 13666
Joined: Sun Dec 23, 2007 8:07 pm
Location: up north

Re: What has this hobby taught you?

Post by Dnderhead »

aww come on guys ,just tell the truth-- next time tell the misses that her dinner taste like shit,(when it does) ,,,then wate and see what happons.

( move over old dog cause a new dog is moving in)
goose eye
Master of Distillation
Posts: 2846
Joined: Wed Oct 25, 2006 3:19 am

Re: What has this hobby taught you?

Post by goose eye »

if it taste like shit an you dont say nothin you deserve to eat shit. she can learn from the truth but she cant learn from no lie. same with likker

so im tole
Post Reply