Home Distiller

I don't know many people who can actually distinguish quality booze. Most people I know drink mixed drinks or take shots. The term "sippin whiskey" seems like some sort of oxymoron to them. My BOTLs are the only ones who know whats up. That being said, I rarely share my booze. I have to mask it in a commercial bottle when I'm out and about. I just say its really old JD. They don't know wtf whiskey tastes like. They just drink it. I usually get a pretty solid response when its cloaked as something its not. Its funny how the eyes and the brain tell your nose and mouth what to think. I get mixed opinions with a biased tasting. In a blind tasting it always ranks high.

This brings me to a tangent. I've done some blind tastings (I usually organize these when we have a herf [cigar smoking day]) and people have realized that they like something, of equal price, more than "their brand". The funny part is, more often than not, they continue drinking what they've always drank. Seems like a drink defines you somewhat (for some folks). My drink defines how good I am at distilling and my advertisement is pure smoothness to my tastebuds. It rolls incognito as a torrential whiskey hurricane.

How many of you actually have people who appreciate your drink for its quality? I can't watch foolish drunks shoot shots of my pride and make faces like people do after whiskey shots in bars. It seriously bothers me.

Blah. I'm a damn elitist. "No, you may not drink my drink. You suck at getting imbibed. Learn to be a better lush and I will consider a re-evaluation"

That's too funny man.

I remember when I would skull pretty much anything myself. I hope I am now a better class of drunk

Just give them the mistakes at the back of your cupboard, assuming there are some!

I give my genever to an old time. He is 75 years old and a very, very good friend, eventhough I could be his son. He has been drinking genever since his navy seals days. So from the time he was like 18 years old. Three glasses every evening. Maybe one more when I visit him. I make a very light genever for him. A "young" one, maybe closer to a vodka than to a gin. But many young genevers are like that and this is how he likes it. When I first introduced my genever to him, he imediately switched to mine. I bring him a bottle now every week. It is not only that he likes it, he keeps on telling me how with the other stuff, three glasses was really the limit. Giving him head aches and such. From mine, he always awakes fresh and sound. Now that is a big compliment to me.

Other story: brother in love likes to drink & eat. "Gourmand", "bourgondic" that's what he thinks he is. He drinks whiskey (JD or Jim Beam). Mostly with cola, but maybe that is not a bad choice. I made a pretty good whiskey. Handmade, a lot of time & effort invested. I served it at a party he was as well. At one moment I see him poor like a double shot of my whiskey (mite be a triple too) ... and top up the big glass he was drinking from with apple juice. Felt discusted. Somebody told me: "if you give it away, don't hassle. You gave it away, anyone can do what he likes with it!" But this like ... hurted.

So many people like it. Some just cannot appreciate it. Not because they don't like it, but because they are insencitive to the effort you put in to make it. Now imagine my BIL to make a nice meal (and he can cook), say goulash (he is Hungarian), and I put in like half a liter of ketchup. Don't think it would be appreciated.

Odin.

You are absolutely right. I don't have a lot of good home brew, so I don't share. I had a bottle of Blantons single barrel and a friend went to mix it with 7up. Wtf? You might as well drink Windsor. I like mine, but I like the adventure of trying a new bottle of bourbon. Comparing to mine and others. I made a bunch of neutral when I first started out. Needless to say, it got better the more I made. I could taste some of the early stuff, and off favors we're rampant. Even when mixed, I could taste it. It wasn't bad, but in my head I knew it was there. I passed it off at parties in punch bowls and what not, everyone loved it. Nobody called it out for a off taste. You have to know how to taste I think. The more whiskey I sip, the better I get at tasting. And the more disappointed I get

So to answer your question here, the answer is no.

Early on I was just tickled pink to just have a product fit for consumption....It tasted different but was not bad at all....And apart from monies spent on my build obsession,,,,,it was cheaper to make than to buy......and my friends seemed to enjoy the free buzz and the mystique of the home made....

I didn't start to appreciate the progress I was making till after a year or so I bought a bottle to compare and gauge my progress. I was surprised and grateful that my product seemed at least on par with store bought...Then I went on a weekly sample spree to further gauge and the quality of my cuts became quite evident.

The descriptor that most people use to describe mine is that it was "smooth" or "really smooth" even at 100 proof.

And that old timer from the Bacardi organization seemed quite happy to ask for more. I feel like that lets me know I'm on the right track weather most that try my likker can tell any difference or not.

I have had people that really appreciate some of the things I have made. I share a lot of it if its good. The things that really amazed my friends were:

1. Oatmeal Rye
2. various versions of Thai Terror
3. Genever as Odin describes.

I shared lots of all grain stuff that was aged in Gibbs barrels. My whiskey drinking friends love that.

Now that I think about it, I only shared stuff with people who would appreciate it! But they all loved it. No one ever said yuck, altho thai terror did cause a few people to start cussing...

Junkyard,

So you made genever? Wow, I see some revival on that drink. Could you tell us (maybe off topic) how you made it? Did you follow some things I posted or make an interpretation of your own?

Back on track, on topic it is:

My only true problem with making my own booz' is that I can hardly stand other stuff anymore. Store bought gives head aches. And what I liked at first, now I don't anymore. "Elitist" Astronomical writes, and even though I do not feel it like that, sometimes I see my friends frown and I can almost hear them think it, when I try to politely turn down a many bucks single malt they happen to love.

The funny thing is, that it is the whiskey making that I have been trying to master of late, that made my taste "progress" if that is what you can call it. My first Limoncello was great. My friends loved it. I was invited by a Italian web shop that sells likker to a tasting session with my Limo. They loved it. Few months ago, I tasted some again. I could feel that the cuts of the underlying neutral should have had less heads in them. The heartcut had a smell of heads. I knew, it embarrassed me, but nobody else seemed to notice of my mistake.

Odin.

Go ahead, talk about gin, I've been following along on that. My whole family is gin drinkers. I have a whole "pallette" of mascerations of interesing herbs and spices and I think I'm gonna try and make some interesting twists. Fresh juniper berries are in the mail today on their way here. Its off topic discussion, everything goes.

Back on track.

I still like to buy a lot of booze too, but, I only buy things I love or new things to try. I wanna make rum like Ron Zacapa. I've tasted very few good rums, but, I know I like them. I have found myself visiting the bar less and less. Man I hate that new honey JD. My buddy always buys it. Its like watered down pisskey with bee shit in it. Ironicly, he likes my stuff.

I learned not to tell people "Its smooth" or "it wont give you a hangover". I say its smooth and I have someone drinking 50% who never drinks shit neat and they expect it to be water. I dont make my cuts THAT tight. I want some flavor. I say it wont give you a hangover and they kill a big bottle with me and wonder why the have a hangover. Its not magical dammit. Ya still need to stay hydrated.

I'm still pretty self critical of my booze. I think its a good thing. I don't think i'll be scoffin at this years product next year though. This year I used last years product to clean my new still . I was ashamed of it (the booze). Poorly made neutral in my PSII. I think that not having 100% reflux ability didnt help. After a year of neutrals I finally came here and learned some shit. I was using wineos recipe and making neutral for absinthe.

I woulda been making whiskey all along if it werent for my stupid ass assumptions. I thought it was ag or extracts or nothing. Saw the term UJSSM tossed around and never looked into it cuz I needed neutral. Man I felt dumb when I finally saw the Tried n True recipes.

Odin, I followed the spirit of your recipe and used local ingredients.

I used many gallons of heads and tails that I had around to reflux up some very high proof clean likker. I used lemon, juniper, coriander and blac pepper. That all was macerated for a while. I filtered the solids out and when I was in the hearts of my run I stopped collecting, put the still into full reflux and poured the seasoned alcohol into the condenser to be returned to the column. After a few minutes I started collecting again. I ended up with about a gallon of very clean hearts with a strong gin flavor. I gave a bottle to a friend who is into fine dining... he's a chef... with a taste for finer things... He said it was brilliant! and wants more... It was brilliant... It had such a crisp, fresh flavor. Like gin, but stronger and bigger and smooth. Unconventional methods, but spectacular results...

I have a friend that likes to sip with me. I want to have some feed back. Because I am never fully happy with anything I make. Don't get me wrong. It's good. And I would drink it over any store bought. But there is always something there that I'm not quite sure of. A little something that's off. My problem is when my friend tastes it. He just tells me its great the way it is. Not well I do taste a little ? . So I just go on. I have gotten this friend interested in the hobby though. He started his first batch of beer this week. I think once he gets some brew under his belt. He mite start really critiqueing my stuff. I'm sure he will want to build a still soon. I think it would be nice to have the two of us experimenting and we can work off each other. He called me earlier today to tell me he went out and bought 4 different beers last night. So he could do some taste testing. So I think he is on the way.

Oh and I do have another friend who I gave a bottle of corn white dog too. For a wedding present. I knee he liked corn whiskey. His grandpa was a shiner. So I knee he would drink it right and appreciate it. When I went to do the final cut. I added a touch more tails then I wanted to. It was good. But it was still not what it could have been. I was kinda upset. And almost didn't give it to him. But I went ahead. The next time we talked all he could say was he loved it. And his grandpa even liked it. And I could tell he knew moonshining when he brought me back the jar. Nobody ever gives jars back.

I think its harder for me to enjoy my own stuff. Then it would be to enjoy someone else's. Here's why. I still it I'm checking it the whole time. I know this jar is this that jar is that. When I mix it I know what each tasted like. And I will know after if I put to much of that in it. So now its stuck in my head forever. That this bottle has to much of that in it. So it will always stand out to me. But to someone not there for the blending. They see it as one thing. And if its better then anything else they drink. That's all they care about. Unless they make their own. It's more then likely not going to be a good judgement.

Now to the ones that mix your good stuff with cola. Give them a break. That is how they normally drink it. That's what they are comfortable with. Until I started this hobby I did mix. I still do. But I also will go straight up. For the learning experience. I will have a coke on the side. Some just can't drink it straight up. I look at it like this. If I come to your house and you have cooked all day and made the best liver ever made. I'm sory I'm gona drownd it with something. I mite try a bite before smothering it. But you will be lucky if I can even eat it. Not because its not good. But because I'm not a liver kind a guy. I have a friend who puts ketchup on her tacos. Won't eat them any other way. And loves them. That's how she has always eaten them. That's what it should taste like in her mind. It's not that she don't lake salsa or taco sauce. I've seen her tear a bowl up with chips. It's just how she wants to eat her tacos. So would you be offended if she came to your house. And put ketchup on the tacos you just slaved over and even made home made taco sauce and salsa? You can't be mad at her for being her. That's who she is. You can't make her someone else. And she will be able to tell if its a good taco or not. Because that's how she eats them. Trust me I know. She can tell you what the ratio of cumin to chili powder is in the taco spices used. I changed my recipe because of that. And its much better now.
So if you don't want them drinking it the way they want to drink it. Don't give it to them. But you never know what feedback you mite get from them.

Too true Mr. Piss! People who habitually drink their likker with coke will not be able to judge a likker without the coke. Tasting the cuts mixed with water and spitting is work. But sitting down to a relaxing drink of my favourite sundowner - a good shot in a glass of pepsi - is the final test...this is where those small mistakes show up. If it passes the sundowner test it will be even better sipped neat.

My friends tell it's good. First comment is always, "Very smooth", no matter how it's mixed. Later on they realise the lack of headaches and hangovers are less severe than normal. They know that the more expensive the taste, with few exceptions the less you can drink. They are hangover connoisseurs first; taste is welcome if it's in addition to the first.

It seems so plentiful in the beginning, but it's only plentiful if it's about equal to, or a shade better than store bought. Go a few steps further and it becomes more scarce and more priceless.

Gave a bottle of my most precious genever recipe to my oldtimer gin friend. He called me and told me it was the worst I had ever made. It was actually the worst he had drank in his life. WTF?

Turned out I gave him a new bottle, from a 3 liter batch I just made the day before, instead of from the supply I try to keep and that usually gets like a month of rest. I told him to keep the bottle, just let it sit. In a week he tried again and he appologized. I explained him, it really wasn't his fault. The oils just need time to somehow settle and if they are not there yet. the product does taste "wrong".

Told this to an oldtimer moonshiner and he told me that the more taste you put in a product, the more careful you have to be to give the drink an "apeasement rest". When he still made genever, travelled to a friend, gave him a bottle ... he would instruct the fellow to not open the bottle, but leave it for 2 days. Even the travel can upset the drink.

I know this goes for wine too, this after travelling rest. Whiskey, I don't know. Vodka probably not (eventhough it does improve for a month or rest after distilling).

Odin.

Once in a while my product will make its way onto the tastebuds of somebody who knows their shit, and the feedback is very gratifying.
Mostly, though, people appreciate it more for being made by me than for whatever it tastes like.
I do have one acquaintance who is both a whisky snob and an arsehole (the two perhaps go hand in hand?), who does not accept my product because it was not industrially made and flavoured with caramel, like their favoured single malts. The irony is that they would fall over themselves to purchase (at great expense) a product similar to mine, if released by one of the big producers as an "authentic" or "olden time" whisky.

I too like LWTCS have come a long way in quality. I am probably the snob as I don't let my friends taste it unless I have compared it with a top shelf brand. My fishing partner is Irish to the point it gets a bit redundant when everything is compared to his drink of choice (top shelf bushmill). Our grocery bill for our fishing trips used to be huge as we would take 4 bottles of $60.00+ Bushie on the trip. Now he prefers mine and it is my donation to the fishing trip, his is elk burgers and steaks. I think it's a good trade off and we have saved several hundred bucks on our annual trip up north in which my wife likes. But like I tell my wife since I have retired it is a full time job feeding the family hence I got to go fishing!

I also do blind taste test otherwise your friends are just going to be nice to you. Not often do they pick the store bought as better tasting!