Completely new to all of this

[poundtowne]

1. I am completely new to distilling. I haven't made a still yet or ever distilled alcohol in any form.
2. I would like to learn how to build a still capable of making 95%+ abv. I am only focusing on making vodka at this time. It is my dream to eventually make a product that I can sell. I have a few marketing gimmicks up my sleeve for that when the time comes but for now I need to learn how to make a consistent, high quality neutral spirit. I also want to learn about the different filtration methods and most efficient ways to remove impurities and taste (I've already done some reading on this ie activated carbon etc so I'm not completely ignorant).
3. I believe I want to make a fractioning column still. I want to work with either a 55gal base or a keg sized base and maybe a nixon-stone head... this is where I need your input. I am open minded and want to learn as much as I can from other members and from reading on this site. In the end i just want something capable of making a decent amount of end product with very high alcohol content.
4. I am in Michigan in the US.
5. Thank you all for your help and for sharing your triumphs and failures. I welcome everyones opinion and am very excited to start this new adventure.

[rad14701]

Greetings, poundtowne...

This being the Welcome Center we probably won't be addressing all of your concerns... They should be asked in a more appropriate subforum... However, unless you have proper permits and licenses we do not allow discussions of stills larger than 30 gallons, and that is up from the original 15 gallons and, subsequently, 25 gallons... I hope when you talk about selling that you have every intention of doing so legally... If not, you may find yourself banned... Please refer to The Rules We Live By for a broader explanation of our rules... You'll learn everything you need to know about making distilled spirits here if you take the time to do ample research... A goof place to start is the "A little spoon feeding for New & Novice Distillers" link in my signature...

Good luck, stay safe, and enjoy the journey...

[poundtowne]

Absolutely. My dream of selling means I want to learn how to make a product I can sell and market commercially and legally. It is relatively easy to get a license to distill and sell liquor here in Michigan. I love vodka so no better dream than to strive for making money doing something you love. I welcome all advice and direction and hope you all can help me on my journey.
The length and scope of my intro was by the book in regards to what the moderators were looking for in the introduction forum. I went through the bullet points and addressed all the things they asked for. Thanks again for your help.

[rad14701]

Ok... The state side of things may be easy like you say... The federal side of it is just as complicated regardless of which state you reside in... We have a limited amount of related information here in the forums because every situation is different... Good luck with that...

[Thatstink]

Hi and welcome. I am also new here and only been distilling a short time. Do you plan to build a huge column straight off or start small. The first thing I noticed as a first time distiller is to do things safe and get a drinkable produce takes time. I can just about manage to produce enough for myself and my misses. Good luck.

[poundtowne]

I dont want to build anything huge. I suppose if I could build a 25 gal still to start with thay would be great. Again, I'm just looking for some direction here and rad I totally understand what you are saying. Nice worries though, not a single drop of alcohol will be sold by me until my product is perfect and my licensing is in place and I have a feeling that it will be quite some time before both those things materialize.

[Deerhunter]

Welcome to the forum. I wish you great success on your journey. You have a great deal of reading and learning to do. But your in the right place.