The day our hobby becomes legal

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shadylane
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The day our hobby becomes legal

Post by shadylane »

Jedneck brought this up on another post, figured to start a new topic instead of high jacking the OP's post on wood heat.
What would you do or build if Uncle Sam decided our hobby was legal ?
Personally, I wouldn't distill any more than I do now. I already limit myself to the 200 gallons of beer and wine I'm allowed to ferment.
The building part of the hobby is a different story. If Home-distilling was legal, I'd go crazy building the best, prettiest and safest still possible.
I'd have a legal sized pot with only copper touching the vapor and the distillate only touching 316 SS.
It would be copper and SS porn, that I could proudly show anyone and I would constantly be making it better.
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Badmotivator
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Re: The day our hobby becomes legal

Post by Badmotivator »

I would share more, and get a lot more people informed and interested in the process.
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Brutal
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Re: The day our hobby becomes legal

Post by Brutal »

I don't know if I'd do much differnt. I'd leave the garage door open and smile though!
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Re: The day our hobby becomes legal

Post by jedneck »

I would build a legal size, what ever they decide, wood fired steam injected stripper. I will house it in a small stone spring/still house. The white oak rock in chair that dad made would reside right between the still and the spring. And there will be a sign hung above the door "maken dew tavern"
welcome aboard some of us are ornery old coots but if you do a lot of
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MitchyBourbon
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Re: The day our hobby becomes legal

Post by MitchyBourbon »

Not much will change here. I will continue to serve our hoity toity guests their favorite store bought swill, whilst I drink the good stuff.
Last edited by MitchyBourbon on Thu Sep 24, 2015 4:58 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: The day our hobby becomes legal

Post by pfshine »

Nothing but talk about it more and show people copper porn.
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shadylane
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Re: The day our hobby becomes legal

Post by shadylane »

If it was legal, there would be some backyard works of art. I can see it now, beautiful copper pots with stone fireplaces under them for heat.
Uncle Sam would make a killing off the sales and income taxes involved.
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Re: The day our hobby becomes legal

Post by Kegg_jam »

I'd be sitting on the back porch playing fetch with my dog in between switching jars.
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kiwi Bruce
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Re: The day our hobby becomes legal

Post by kiwi Bruce »

Look at what happened in NZ, commercial booze sales went through the roof, and so did innovative still design.
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Re: The day our hobby becomes legal

Post by StillLearning1 »

I've been daydreaming about this since I first heard about it. As it is now I can only run at night, in my shed out back that the roof is caving in on. Its cramped, dirty, and plain sucks to spend that many hours in there.

First I would get out of the shed and into the sunlight. Run right off my front porch or by the campfire in the front yard. The still would rarely get tore down as its a pain to set it up every time I run. Then I would tell my family about my hobby. My dad is a big science guy so I would love to share this with him even tho he's not a big drinker.

Sure would be great if my hobbie(s) were legal here. I'd love to not be a criminal for once in my life!!!!
But what the heck do I know.....I am still learning.
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bearriver
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Re: The day our hobby becomes legal

Post by bearriver »

Nothing would change for me. Even my neighbors know about the hobbies I keep. My garage door is open right now with the still in sight. I've also identified myself here.

Call it stupid. It probably is. Still, you can count my quantity of f&$&'s given on one hand.

My door is figuratively and literally open.
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Truckinbutch
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Re: The day our hobby becomes legal

Post by Truckinbutch »

Move outdoors so when the temps are 90 to 100+ SOH will not tell me I can't run . Share more knowledge with others to promote the hobby .
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cranky
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Re: The day our hobby becomes legal

Post by cranky »

I don't think I would build anything else, I am very happy with what I already have but it would be nice to admit to knowing what I know and let others see and taste my art work in person.
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Re: The day our hobby becomes legal

Post by googe »

Having moved from a country it was illegal, to a country that it's legal, is very confusing. I still double take when someone asks what I'm using the molasses/ sugar/ yeast for, then reality kicks in and say, I'm making rum :ebiggrin: . It's a strange feeling just blurting it out to strangers, but feels.bloody good :ebiggrin: . I first thought, hmm I'll just keep doing what im doing making enough to keep me happy, but now i want to.distill 24/7, get every bottle, keg, jug, glass full, anything that will hold fluid i want to fill :lol: . So many options, i can.now do some.large long term aging, just need to find a big barrel cheap!. It really is a good feeling!. I didn't think id need a bigger still, thought the 4" Plater would do, but having no size limits, i want an 8" still, I'm not being stupid or greedy, i just want to distill alot to age. I really hope you all experience it soon, i was hesitant at first thinking, oh, it won't change how i view distilling, but it has, for me.
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Re: The day our hobby becomes legal

Post by apdb »

I would certainly have less arguments with the wife about breaking the law with three kids in the house. I might even be able to setup on the porch instead of the crawl space under the house finally.

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Re: The day our hobby becomes legal

Post by Haus »

I can't say too much would change for me. It would be nice to not to care about anyone seeing what is going on though.
I would probably miss the "forbidden fruit" aspect of it.
I could also see a boom in people doing it for a few years until the honeymoon is over and becomes common place much like legalized pot will in another year or so.
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Re: The day our hobby becomes legal

Post by NZChris »

It meant I didn't have to break the still down after every stilling season. Saved me half an hour a year.
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Bushman
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Re: The day our hobby becomes legal

Post by Bushman »

Nothing would change other than probably as mentioned be more open about it in conversation and not hide my knowledge level when visiting micro-distilleries.
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Brutal
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Re: The day our hobby becomes legal

Post by Brutal »

apdb wrote:I would certainly have less arguments with the wife about breaking the law with three kids in the house. I might even be able to setup on the porch instead of the crawl space under the house finally.

Aaron
You distill in the crawlspace??
Steam injection rig http://tinyurl.com/kxmz8hy
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Haus
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Re: The day our hobby becomes legal

Post by Haus »

Brutal wrote:
apdb wrote:I would certainly have less arguments with the wife about breaking the law with three kids in the house. I might even be able to setup on the porch instead of the crawl space under the house finally.

Aaron
You distill in the crawlspace??
lol, I suppose you could put a couple venomous ducks to guard the hole and your good to go. :wtf:
you can lead a horse to water but it's hard as hell to drown it
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Re: The day our hobby becomes legal

Post by S-Cackalacky »

I would take down the sheet I have covering the back window of the basement and post a sign on the basement door saying, "DO NOT DISTURB - i'M DOIN' A RUN OF LIKKER.".
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Re: The day our hobby becomes legal

Post by apdb »

That's awesome. Love the Beasties.
Its only a small step up from the doghouse. Its more like a Hunch over space. I make it my own though. I got Christmas lights strung around for light. I use an office chair with wheels to scoot around on.
Wife won't go down there because I have her convinced its full of spiders. Actually fairly comfortable. There's a space heater and easy access to the outside water faucet. I'd prefer to set up on the porch with my rocking chair and easy access to the 220V in the kitchen.
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Re: The day our hobby becomes legal

Post by Bushman »

I really do have a great location for the current laws as my house is on a dead end road in the country. My outbuilding garage doors face my house not the road. The side of the outbuilding that I distill is the opposite side of the driveway and I have a 15' hedge between me and my neighbor.
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Re: The day our hobby becomes legal

Post by rad14701 »

Things wouldn't change much around here for me... I'm a relatively private person anyway... The only interest that I speak of publicly is wood cutting, which is already legal...
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Re: The day our hobby becomes legal

Post by MichiganCornhusker »

apdb wrote:I might even be able to setup on the porch instead of the crawl space under the house finally.
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bitter
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Re: The day our hobby becomes legal

Post by bitter »

I would still keep things quiet.. I only say I make beer and wine.... ;)

Mind you even if the US changes the rules.. Canada will take a long time to follow.

You guys in the US can get a bottle for about 1/4 to 1/2 what we pay here. A 40 pounder of whiskey is about $40 just for normal average bottles... and goes up from there.

B
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raketemensch
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Re: The day our hobby becomes legal

Post by raketemensch »

I'd just like to be able to freely give away what I make.

You know... Once it's drinkable....
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ranger_ric
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Re: The day our hobby becomes legal

Post by ranger_ric »

I would love to share more of my creations.... In the dog days of summer when it is too hot to be in the shed I would move out under the big shade trees.. Maybe watch my Grandchildren play while I switch jars out.. Not have to wait til I know they wont be showing up to do my runs..
But the way I see Washington working now it wont happen anytime soon...
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NZChris
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Re: The day our hobby becomes legal

Post by NZChris »

raketemensch wrote:I'd just like to be able to freely give away what I make.

You know... Once it's drinkable....
I don't like your chances of that happening. Stilling is legal here in NZ and we can't give it away.
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Re: The day our hobby becomes legal

Post by goose eye »

Hope it do. Crazy it aint.
guess I'll run my first ever charge.

So I'm tole
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