Meet Johnny108

[johnny108]

I'm new to this forum, but not to distilling.
my history: I worked in a homebrew shop for about 7 years- the 2nd year I worked there the -"build a world-class distillation apparatus" file came out, so did the Homedistiller.org website. until then, I had been using a pressure cooker and a coil of 1/4inch copper tubing in a leaky bucket. Working in a homebrew
store had MANY advantages- low-prices, and an environment that encouraged learning. I bought a EuroStill, and used my freezer and a icewater/wok still for many years (the Eurostill was repacked with copper raschig rings and scouring pads), I used Babelfish to translate German schnapps books, and was, at one point, running a batch every 2 days- because my boss at the homebrew shop could write off "experimental/research recipes", as a business expense.
The "homepage" of Homedistiller.org knows me as "Jack","UPS474/747", or as, "A.nonymous". I used to email Tony constantly with results from my experiments, and he would always ask "hey- how come you are doing another batch every few days?"
I quit submitting info to Homedistiller.org and to it's forum because I recieved an IM from someone who seemed intent on getting me to admit that I had distilled illegal alcohol inside the US. I figured him for a fed/cop- and resigned from the forum the next morning.
I kept going with the hobby until the desert wars started to play on my mind- my first love was not distilling. it was stuff that goes "boom". I joined the army-
specifically I joined the US Army MOS 89D (Google it- I don't want to post it here). I spent 6 years in this job. Iraq, Afghanistan, Kosovo, Albania- been there, done that- and, when I was in barracks- I made liqueurs for the wives' of the married guys- my marriage had since fallen apart. I met an American servicewoman in Iraq, and fell in love again- she came with me to Germany after Iraq, then left me. I met and married a German woman, and got out of the army, now I am on a visitor/worker visa in Germany. Money, and the availability of regular, American-style homebrew supplies is limited (light malt syrup is about $4/pound here), so the "all bran" recipe is VERY helpfull to me.
I am very suprised by how much the technology has advanced in the 7+ years I've been gone- I bought the 1st edition of Nixon/Stones' book, but never got around to building it. I now live in a small apartment, with my German wife- using a freezer to double the mash %, and a 2L flask as a postill. Keeping myself and the co-workers happy, so to speak.
I love the new forum, and have learned a great deal from it (cereal was what you ate while watching your still come to the right temperature- not something you mashed, when I started!!)
I hope I can help out- without incriminating myself...........

[LWTCS]

Welcome home (Jack) Johnny108

[Prairiepiss]

Welcome aboard again I guess.

The guy e-mailing you was more likely a troll. If the government wanted you they would already know who you are. Be a cautious as you want.

[Braz]

Welcome. I guess you are one of the really old timers on the list if you are quoted on the parent site.

Interesting MOS - to say the least. I spent most of my active duty in Germany, on a very small intel base and have a fondness for the country. That was a while ago - we were concerned with "commies" back then.

[Bushman]

Great story, looking forward to more info as we go along, you say you have learned a lot from this forum but you sound like one of the guys that got the ball rolling

[AKAAB]

So, what your'e saying is you are distilling illegally in Germany? Ya? (Kein problem...)

I was an auslander in Berlin for a year. At the time, the beer and schnapps in the O club was enough for me.

[Samohon]

Great to have you home johnny108....

Nice read btw... As you know, fly low and they'll never know...

See you around man...