Total noob from southeast Saskatchewan

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GrumpyJohn
Novice
Posts: 14
Joined: Sun Apr 09, 2023 9:56 am
Location: SE Saskatchewan, Canada

Total noob from southeast Saskatchewan

Post by GrumpyJohn »

Hey everybody,
Just purchased my first still (no time to build one), haven't even done the cleaning process yet...

So much info, makes a guy reluctant to actually put his hand to the plow, so to speak. Been reading up on distilling now and then for about a year, but the amount to learn is daunting.

Anyways, my wife and I want to distill some high-proof vodka for making tinctures and (mostly :lol: ) for medicinal purposes. Will experiment with sipping likkers down the road! We are also interested in distilling essential oils. The equipment I bought will hopefully be able to do all of that in time!

My only experience with making booze to this point is a few batches of mead that I made in Fall 2021/Spring 2022 from honey that we harvested from our own beehives. Did some plain mead, as well as a grapefruit mead and a Saskatoon berry mead. It turned out really well, and was more powerful than I expected it to be!

I'm pretty sure my wife believes that distilling is as simple as throwing potatoes in the pot and setting it to boil... so I've got an uphill battle with that as well... but I'm looking forward to getting started and learning a lot here.
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Berserk
Bootlegger
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Joined: Wed Jan 18, 2017 7:22 am
Location: The chilly north

Re: Total noob from southeast Saskatchewan

Post by Berserk »

Welcome to the craft and the forums!

If you've been reading for a year it sounds like you've done your homework, although you never stop learning in this hobby :)

What kind of still did you buy?
Cheers,
Berserk

He who stumbles around in darkness with a stick is blind.
But he who sticks out in darkness is fluorescent!
Bradster68
Master of Distillation
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Location: Canada

Re: Total noob from southeast Saskatchewan

Post by Bradster68 »

Welcome neighbor and 🍻. This a great place for learning. Start reading and check out the Tried and True. Follow these recipes exactly like they say and it'll make starting out much easier. There's a few in their for vodkas
I drink so much now,on the back of my license it's a list of organs I need.
GrumpyJohn
Novice
Posts: 14
Joined: Sun Apr 09, 2023 9:56 am
Location: SE Saskatchewan, Canada

Re: Total noob from southeast Saskatchewan

Post by GrumpyJohn »

Berserk wrote: Sun Apr 09, 2023 11:49 am Welcome to the craft and the forums!

If you've been reading for a year it sounds like you've done your homework, although you never stop learning in this hobby :)

What kind of still did you buy?
Well, I've not devoted a tremendous amount of time... more reading in spare time (which there is not much of). Mostly have learned enough to know that there are a lot of ways to mess up, lol.

I bought a 30L stainless reflux still with electric heat control. Also bought a pot still head and a second boiler and connecting pipes for distilling essential oils.
GrumpyJohn
Novice
Posts: 14
Joined: Sun Apr 09, 2023 9:56 am
Location: SE Saskatchewan, Canada

Re: Total noob from southeast Saskatchewan

Post by GrumpyJohn »

Bradster68 wrote: Sun Apr 09, 2023 12:17 pm Welcome neighbor and 🍻. This a great place for learning. Start reading and check out the Tried and True. Follow these recipes exactly like they say and it'll make starting out much easier. There's a few in their for vodkas
I will do that! Thanks.
MooseMan
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Joined: Fri May 28, 2021 4:54 am
Location: Wales UK

Re: Total noob from southeast Saskatchewan

Post by MooseMan »

GrumpyJohn wrote: Sun Apr 09, 2023 10:48 am Anyways, my wife and I want to distill some high-proof vodka for making tinctures and (mostly :lol: ) for medicinal purposes. Will experiment with sipping likkers down the road! We are also interested in distilling essential oils. The equipment I bought will hopefully be able to do all of that in time!
Welcome John, hope you enjoy your new hobby but be careful, it will take over!

I would love to hear about your tincture experiments as that's something I'm very interested in myself.
Last edited by MooseMan on Mon Apr 10, 2023 4:02 am, edited 1 time in total.
Make Booze, not War!
Wildcats
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Location: Kentucky

Re: Total noob from southeast Saskatchewan

Post by Wildcats »

Welcome aboard man. Have fun and stay safe
GrumpyJohn
Novice
Posts: 14
Joined: Sun Apr 09, 2023 9:56 am
Location: SE Saskatchewan, Canada

Re: Total noob from southeast Saskatchewan

Post by GrumpyJohn »

MooseMan wrote: Mon Apr 10, 2023 12:57 am I would love to hear about your tincture experiments as that's something I'm very interested in myself.
Haven’t tried too many yet, as we’re still in a stage of learning which herbs that grow around us are safe and useful. There are many! I anticipate that this summer and fall we will be trying it out. Picked up a book called “The Herbal Medic” which has a lot of really good detail how to make different remedies and medicines.

During the Scamdemic, there was an extended period of time here in SK where those of us on the “wrong side of the argument” (if you know what I mean), we’re not allowed into liquor stores. If something like that ever happens again, we will need to have the ability to distill our own killer in order to produce tinctures/medicines.
MooseMan
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Re: Total noob from southeast Saskatchewan

Post by MooseMan »

I'll look for that book John, thanks.
I assume it's not restricted to the plants in your part of the world?

I'll suggest one that you might want to get for knowledge building but a generally enjoyable read - The Drunken Botanist.
Make Booze, not War!
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sadie33
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Re: Total noob from southeast Saskatchewan

Post by sadie33 »

hello and welcome!!
GrumpyJohn
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Posts: 14
Joined: Sun Apr 09, 2023 9:56 am
Location: SE Saskatchewan, Canada

Re: Total noob from southeast Saskatchewan

Post by GrumpyJohn »

MooseMan wrote: Mon Apr 10, 2023 7:48 am I'll suggest one that you might want to get for knowledge building but a generally enjoyable read - The Drunken Botanist.
Thanks, MooseMan... I will check out that book. Herbal Medic is written by Sam Coffman, former Green Beret and Medic. Covers many topics related to first aid and herbs, emergency medicine, definitely not location specific.
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