Accidental Distiller

[Daveweldz]

Greetings from Washington State (The Ever wet, I mean Evergreen State)
An old German couple who went thru the war in Germany spend their summers on my place in their RV. One day I came home from work and found them busy cleaning over ripe plums. They informed me that we were going to make plum schnapps. I was told this meant distilling and that my job was to make a still. They were sure just leaving the mashed up fruit in the bucket for a few weeks would work. Knowing just enough to be dangerous, I added some water, sugar and baker’s yeast to the mix and covered it with a garbage bag tied with bailing wire. I figured this was doomed to failure, but always up for an experiment I moved forward. I built a simple pot still with stuff I had laying around. (With great glee I pointed out to my wife the wisdom of keeping a shop full of “junk”) After three weeks I took the entire contents of the bucket and dumped into the boiler. To my amazement we ended up with a couple jars of 100 proof? (It would burn) I knew enough to toss the heads and what was left could best be described as rocket fuel but it worked. After some serious sampling it was decided to start another batch. Bold with success and the last few swigs of rocket fuel I cobbled together a reflux column. Again I wouldn’t have had to buy anything but I was afraid those “decorator” marbles I filled it with would be missed from the vase on the coffee table. I was shocked to get an honest 160 proof from the next batch (had a hydrometer by then). That was all it took, I am hooked, wish I had found this site sooner. Based on what I’ve learned from you all I have another 12 gallons bubbling merrily in the bathroom and getting together the bits to build a proper set up. I look forward to asking dumb questions and getting the right answers.

[rad14701]

Welcome to the forums, Daveweldz...

Get rid of the plastic hose in the vapor path...

Good luck...

[Daveweldz]

And the aluminum pot......

[Ayay]

Great story, and fast learner!