Proofing / tempering your hootch

[Kentucky shinner]

What ABV do you normally temper to for whisky, vodka, whatever? I normally proof to 75% ABV. I have one buddy thought likes to drink it at 90% ABV.

[MuleKicker]

I like to bottle and drink at no more than 50%. I used to think that a bottle of 95% was better, why transport/store water? just mix lighter, right? wrong! I found I just couldnt judge the best, especially after a few, and got alot drunker.

[rednose]

43% ABV is my choice on whisky and rum.

I make a Pernod like likker which I bring to 38%.

All is based on dozends of folks I invited to test different configs.

[Usge]

Hey 'tuckey, I've always been a fan of high-test.
But, it ain't good for you. It will take the enamel off your teeth, chew out your mouth and throat tissue, etc. Standard procedure would be somewhere between 80-100 proof. I like mine with a little more heat so try around 110-115. If you got some with a really good cut...not much heads... try around 120-127proof. Higher than that, well, I keep a little white-dog around for medicinal purposes (usually 160-170 proof). I mean..a very small 200ml flask of it. And that lasts a good long time. I wouldn't say that I "drink it" more than take a sip of it once in a while.

For oaked spirits...I've never had much luck personally with my own spirits..oaking at higher proofs. They usually come out tannic and harsh/bitter. I found oaking my corn at 120 proof...it will naturally fall to around 110-115....which is about where I like it. If I want it a little lower proof than that, I start it out a little lower on the oak. I dont' like waterin' it after it's oaked...it always looses something.

[Ayay]

Be careful with friends and relatives. They don't know and will easily skull a shot of 90% despite all warnings. Keep your high-proof (65% an over) very private as in lock and key.

Tell a good friend, "this half-shot is 95%, here's the coke and you must dilute it". Quick-as-a-wink he takes a mouthfull because it smells so good..."but all likkers must be savoured in their pureness" says he while gasping and reaching for some water! You are in danger of the consequences which can be severe. Do the dilutin for them before they can screw up.

Whether they stole it from you or you gave it to them...the victim is automatically innocent and ignorant. If it's your hooch you must physically dictate that all play by the rules of safe drinkin.

[mrhooch]

+1 to that Ayay...

I store my stuff as it comes out. Less bottles to mess around with. I measure it out with a special shot glass to make my drinks. 8 shots is my limit for any evening.

I was at a birthday party on Saturday and wuz talking about stillin', while I was mixing a drink. Quick as a wink, and before I could say anything, someone poured themselves a shot and knocked it back. Poor bugger had heartburn the rest of the night. A bit of a discussion followed about "fuel grade" alcohol, a burn off competition, (vodka @ 40 vs hooch @ 92), and what proof to dilute down to to not have major internal damage after you drink it. In EU it is 37% supposedly, here it is 40%, higher than that and you start killing your innards.

Moral of the story? Next time I go to one of those kind of events, I'm going to bring a bottle properly diluted to have shots with and keep the high octane under wraps.

Hooch

[rad14701]

The last batch I ran was for the elderly gent who lives in my building and I delivered it as one liter diluted to 80 proof and one liter at full strength... I told him how to dilute the full strength so he would end up with 3 liters of 80 proof... One night, during a drinking and card playing fest, he offered up a shot of the full strength to his buddies and none of them would do more than take a sniff of it and left it alone... So the elderly gent throws the shot back, gargles on it, and swallows... He could barely talk for 3 days...

The lesson to be learned is to NEVER expect anyone to heed warnings about not drinking full strength spirits... I'll never let any out of my hands prior to being diluted to drinking strength again even if someone else purchased the raw ingredients... You just don't know what someone is going to do after they get liquored up...

[Usge]

Its true....despite warnings...people who don't know, or who have never had any, will usually throw it back and be sorry for it....or pass it off on unsuspecting persons as a joke.

[Tater]

I never let anything over 100 proof outta the house.

[LWTCS]

Pretty good rule of thumb Tater.

Relatively safe and you still get the drama of a nice proofy drink.

Diluted some down to 50 for my visiting uncle. Tea spn of maple surup in the shaker with ice and served martini style. Plenty of buzz and very drinkable. Only needed the one to work up the dinner appitite.

[blanikdog]

40abv is my limit, sometimes 35.

blanik

[Fastill]

My aging stuff is at 120.
My drinking stuff at 90p. and gets plenty of water mixed in before it goes down.
I have yet to try much on my friends, (my boss got some 120, with stern warning and instructions on how to drink.) and he has done well with it, but keeping most for myself untill aging has perfected the flavors.
Just sampling 95% out of the column makes my throat feel raw for the next 3-4 hours, and that is just a teaspoon or two.(Gotta learn not to swallow samples )
I plan on 90 proof when all is done and aged for drinking. I mix with water so I just use less water if I want a stronger drink.

[kiwistiller]

I age around 65, bottle around 50, drink around 35.

[Husker]

Just sampling 95% out of the column makes my throat feel raw for the next 3-4 hours, and that is just a teaspoon or two.(Gotta learn not to swallow samples )

You will be much better served, if you put 1/2 teaspoon full of 95% product out of the still, and 1/2 teaspoon water, and sample that. First off, it will be 'proper' strength. Second, it will help to 'open up' the aroma and flavor. You WILL be able to better detect end of heads and start of tails if you add some clean water. Plus, it will not scrap your mouth/throat like is happening when you sample hi proof.

Just be sure to clean that spoon between samples, so that you are not carrying forward any flavors from the last sample. Also use clean and odor free water (I like sampling with distilled water).

H.

[Fastill]

You will be much better served, if you put 1/2 teaspoon full of 95% product out of the still, and 1/2 teaspoon water, and sample that. First off, it will be 'proper' strength. Second, it will help to 'open up' the aroma and flavor. You WILL be able to better detect end of heads and start of tails if you add some clean water. Plus, it will not scrap your mouth/throat like is happening when you sample hi proof.

Just be sure to clean that spoon between samples, so that you are not carrying forward any flavors from the last sample. Also use clean and odor free water (I like sampling with distilled water).

H.

Yep, I do always have a glass of water and a teaspoon at the still, but it is like the kid staring at the flagpole in below zero weather, sometimes you just gotta try it