First finished batch: is it normal to be afraid to drink it?

[Nomad04]

To my surprise, all my work to this point has gone incredibly well. Building the still (fractionating column) was much more straightforward than I expected. I ran a vinegar run, a sacrificial run, and two beer stripping runs. All went exactly as predicted based on what I've read on this site and elsewhere. This weekend I distilled the product of the beer stripping runs and ended up with about 1150ml after the foreshots were thrown out, broken into sequential 150ml cuts. I was very conservative, using only the middle ~1/3, saving the rest to recycle in my next batch. That 1/3 resulted in 3.5L of 40 proof neutral spirit. I did a tasting and it's almost completely tasteless and odorless and actually pretty smooth! But for some reason, I'm afraid to actually drink it and/or mix it in a cocktail. The process seemingly worked perfectly, but I'm still worried I messed something up and don't have what I think I have!

Did anyone else have this hesitation before enjoying their first home distilled batch?

[beelah]

likely, but from the sounds of things you did very well...enjoy a few shots until you start to feel that glow on then stop....drink some water and relax...go to sleep, wake up with no head ache, eat breakfast, go to work, smile secretly all day, come home and pour yourself two fingers worth and enjoy again...repeat until all gone...you are now a home-distiller, breaking the law, but not paying the tax man his cut.

[Skyraider2012]

Sounds like you did well.. but im a little confused.. you said 40 proof? that is only 20% ABV that is reallly low. Did you mean 40ABV i.e. 80 Proof?


Thanks and drink it.. I would...

To my surprise, all my work to this point has gone incredibly well. Building the still (fractionating column) was much more straightforward than I expected. I ran a vinegar run, a sacrificial run, and two beer stripping runs. All went exactly as predicted based on what I've read on this site and elsewhere. This weekend I distilled the product of the beer stripping runs and ended up with about 1150ml after the foreshots were thrown out, broken into sequential 150ml cuts. I was very conservative, using only the middle ~1/3, saving the rest to recycle in my next batch. That 1/3 resulted in 3.5L of 40 proof neutral spirit. I did a tasting and it's almost completely tasteless and odorless and actually pretty smooth! But for some reason, I'm afraid to actually drink it and/or mix it in a cocktail. The process seemingly worked perfectly, but I'm still worried I messed something up and don't have what I think I have!

Did anyone else have this hesitation before enjoying their first home distilled batch?

[Nomad04]

That's after adding water to get dilute it!

Sounds like you did well.. but im a little confused.. you said 40 proof? that is only 20% ABV that is reallly low. Did you mean 40ABV i.e. 80 Proof?


Thanks and drink it.. I would...

To my surprise, all my work to this point has gone incredibly well. Building the still (fractionating column) was much more straightforward than I expected. I ran a vinegar run, a sacrificial run, and two beer stripping runs. All went exactly as predicted based on what I've read on this site and elsewhere. This weekend I distilled the product of the beer stripping runs and ended up with about 1150ml after the foreshots were thrown out, broken into sequential 150ml cuts. I was very conservative, using only the middle ~1/3, saving the rest to recycle in my next batch. That 1/3 resulted in 3.5L of 40 proof neutral spirit. I did a tasting and it's almost completely tasteless and odorless and actually pretty smooth! But for some reason, I'm afraid to actually drink it and/or mix it in a cocktail. The process seemingly worked perfectly, but I'm still worried I messed something up and don't have what I think I have!

Did anyone else have this hesitation before enjoying their first home distilled batch?

[Nomad04]

likely, but from the sounds of things you did very well...enjoy a few shots until you start to feel that glow on then stop....drink some water and relax...go to sleep, wake up with no head ache, eat breakfast, go to work, smile secretly all day, come home and pour yourself two fingers worth and enjoy again...repeat until all gone...you are now a home-distiller, breaking the law, but not paying the tax man his cut.

Sounds like a plan! I'm smiling all day at work thinking about it anyway!

Smiling, but also planning some modifications and improvements..,

[Rastus]

i think it is normal, i guess it is kinda like the first time you jump off the high dive as a kid... a little apprehension before the act, after that there no stopping.

like the others said sip slow wait and feel... if you feel a headache you'll know it... if not means you did just fine.

I admit i had a little apprehension with my first batch, and it is good cause it just shows you are aware of the dangers of doing it improperly and it can cause undesired effects, always good to respect the dangers. that is why i cut heavy on the foreshots, and then use small jars till i don't feel the chemical burning on my tongue.

enjoy and let us know how it went!

Rastus

[Roundyround]

First sips are what friends are for.

[wv_cooker]

I think it would be normal to feel that way. I know I kinda felt that way for a few seconds lat night as I took a drink of my own, But then I thought of back when I was younger all the swill I drank that everyone else made and my family and I had a nice toast with Apple Pie that I had just finished. It was my first and it was fantastic. Don't go overboard just jump in and try it you'll be happy you did.

[Nomad04]

First sips are what friends are for.

To this point I've been a bit discreet about who I share my new hobby with. But once I have a bit more confidence that I'm making something worth enjoying, a few select friends will definitely be sharing in the enjoymenet!

[jholmz]

i say if you done it right shouldnt be a problem drinkin it, if not then the result of drinking it is your own fault enjoy

[Nomad04]

Thanks for the support everyone. I'm sitting here enjoying the first real drink, and honestly, it's incredibly smooth and incredibly tasteless. For these purposes, we'll chalk that up as a success. With a touch of vermouth and stirred with ice, it makes a decent martini.

Now I just need to figure out how and where I want to infuse the botanicals to get some high quality gin. Then it's time for a real martini!

[blind drunk]

"The first sip is the deepest", to paraphrase Cat Stevens.

[wv_hillbilly]

It crossed my mind for a second, then it was like, I'm not letting all this time and money go to waste. It was fantastic, the taste, the feeling that I made all of this with my bare hands, just short of orgasmic.

[Rafe Hollister]

My first shot made me feel like cro-magnon man did when he first discovered fire. I was so proud of myself you couldn't slap the smile off my face. I was like "Yeah, that's right, I made that from scratch!

Don't be afraid... Take pride in the job well done!

[Danespirit]

It seems like you have done things the right way.

As you run a fractionating column... Everything that comes out the product end and is crystal clear,smells like nothing, has a high proof and is enjoyable when dilluted..You CAN drink!

Safe materials for the still, an acceptable fermentation and the right cuts.....You're on man!

First time i made some booze, i was a bit concerned about having all the foreshots out of the product. Thats about the most important thing to get rid off! If you got any tails in the product ...belive me you would know about that very quickly...a sniff to the stuff..and your mind will tell you: "DON'T DRINK THIS SHIT!"...

Happy stilling

[Stillatryin]

If you did as I did, you'd be afraid to drink the product. I threw out roughly a cup of foreshots, then drank some (about a shotglass and a half) of what would be called "heads"... the hangover the next day was worse than the time I drank 2 bottles of MD 20/20 when I was in my early 20s. Live and learn. That was my very first run in potstill mode. I stopped distilling before I reached the tails because of the late hour. Next time I make a run, I'm going to start early in the day.