Happy Birthday Odin

[MuleKicker]

Happy Birthday Odin.

[Tater]

Have a good 1

[Prairiepiss]

Yes happy birthday Odin. May your glass be full of some good drink.

[Bushman]

May the best of last year be the worst for the years to follow, have a good one my friend!

[Bubba Q]

Another year older, are you any smarter? whadya learn last year?

[blind drunk]

Happy birthday Odin.

[astronomical]

Having some fine genever I'd imagine. Happy birthday.

[Odin]

Thanx guys! The congrats are very much appreciated!

The wife surprised me with a family trip to Paris, last weekend. That was very nice & educational. Tasted an increadible Calvados (aged apple brandy from Normandy). Well, and we visited the Louvre, Arc de Triomfe, Eiffel Tower, the works.

Last night the kids gave presents. All were related to my distillin' hobby. Imagine self made credit cards or coupons saying "Euro 10 for the best dad in the world, and spend it on making wine or beer" (because that is what I tell them). Paris photo's on the overhead projector, some of my favourite music on the back ground. Makes one feel proud and happy.

We had dinner at a great Greek restaurant in town afterwards. Drank some Retsina, ate some "Kalamaria". And yes, I finished the evening with a genever and a cigar! Only to wake up and see your warm words on our forum. Many thanks!~

Did I learn anything? Get any smarter? Well, I guess my distilling skills improved. On the other hand ... I am not sure. This last year has been about making whiskey (or trying to). UJSSM, even an all grain, barley, millet, SF. I felt it was the natural step from making a pretty decent vodka and genever already. But if I had to draw any conclusions from my whiskey explorations, maybe I should accept that my vodka's and gins are better. Not to say: my whiskey is not good yet. Some times I get there, some times I don't. It is like this: my whiskey may be cleaner than what you can buy in a store, but it doesn't have near the complexity (single malt) or full body (bourbon) in taste. My vodka and genever are both cleaner and better than what I can buy in a store. So why bother to continue the persuit of a great whiskey?

Because I cannot stand not being able to make them as good my other drinks. Stubborn? You bet! Stuppid? Probably. On the larger scheme: I don't only want to make a good whiskey, but want to use that good whiskey as a base for a "Korenwijn", the ultimate Dutch Genever. Pretty much a whiskey distilled twice and then a herbs distillation after that. Ageing on wood, the works. Herb lore meets distillation meets mashing meets ageing. Something like that.

Experimenting left and right (which I like) and hoping to find a grain that suits my taste. Started up a rye wash. Going the right way. So that will be the plan for next year: making a great rye whiskey and a great all rye "korenwijn" genever based on that.

And "upping" my riggs. Turning my CM fractionating still into a one go detuned sorta super potstill doesn't work well enough. So I converted it back to its fractionating status. So I need another potstill connection. Head is there, boiler is there. Maybe make a flute like design as well. Challenging times ahead.

Odin.

[Prairiepiss]

You forgot one thing Odin. Your English has gotten much better. What the Flake?

Don't be giving up on the whiskey. One year to make a perfect whiskey. Is setting the mark a little high if you ask me. And the day you give up. That next recipe that you didn't try could have been it. Keep at it. Maybe you build you a new still just for whiskey. You mite find your interest come back.

Glad you had a great birthday.

[Wim]

Happy birthday Odin, seems you had a nice time with the family. Thats the most important for me on birthdays.

About the distilling, it isn't always as easy as it seems. But as long as you can learn from others there's room for improvement. May the coming year give you the results you desire.

[jake_leg]

Happy Birthday Odin.

[FossZ]

Cheers buddy happy birthday from new england

[heartcut]

Happy birthday, Odin. Want new and different distilling equipment? That's a shocker. Someday, my wifes going to shoot me with a torch in my hand.

[luther-blissett]

Happy birthday!

[Mud Mechanik]

Hope the quest for a new still turns out as good as your birthday with the family......you could even spend those fake credit cards on copper

[rad14701]

Happy Birthday, Odin...

Here's to your learning even more in the next year, as well as your continued contributions to our little community of home distillers...

Don't do anything I wouldn't do... Well, on second thought, that doesn't really narrow the limits very much... Never mind...!!!

Enjoy...

[King Of Hearts]

Happy Birthday Odin. Sounds like it was.

[OlympicMtDoo]

A day late but Happy B-day Odin

[OlympicMtDoo]

A day late but Happy B-day Odin

[Odin]

Thank you guys! You wishing me a happy birthday makes me feel like I celebrate it for 2 days in a row. Good feeling. Keep it cummin'!



Odin.

[fullhouse]

Happy Birthday Odin! hope it was the best!

[rtalbigr]

Happy B-Day Odin! Hope it's a good one.

Big R

[Torp]

Happy belated B-Day Odin, I am happy to hear it was a good one. Thank you for all your posts and knowledge. I appreciate the time you spend on the forums.

[Mr.Brown]

Happy birthday Odin. I'm a bit late getting to the party, but if you're anything like me, it will drag on for a week or so

[bentstick]

Sounds like ya had good day there Odin, happy b-day and more on the horizon for you.