I hate you all

[mikeac]

I ran a (my first) batch of rum almost 6 months ago and havn't had time to do another yet (I'm up sizing my still and adding many improvements). It was so good we were drinking it before it was done aging and before we had taken the oak out. Since it's long since gone I had a hankering for some rum on Canada day so was forced to by some...granted it was cheap, but never before did I have a problem with it, but ofter tasting my rum this stuff tasted lick rubbing alcohol with a vomity after taste...So thanks to everyone here I will never again be able to go down to the store and by another bottle of rum...I will be forced to slave away making my own by hand ...This is my way of saying THANK YOU.....

[Husker]

I ran a (my first) batch of rum almost 6 months ago and havn't had time to do another yet (I'm up sizing my still and adding many improvements). It was so good we were drinking it before it was done aging and before we had taken the oak out. Since it's long since gone I had a hankering for some rum on Canada day so was forced to by some...granted it was cheap, but never before did I have a problem with it, but ofter tasting my rum this stuff tasted lick rubbing alcohol with a vomity after taste...So thanks to everyone here I will never again be able to go down to the store and by another bottle of rum...I will be forced to slave away making my own by hand ...This is my way of saying THANK YOU.....

I have found this also. The wife STILL buys crappy Captain coconut rum. She refuses drink any of my hooch (even though she knows it is better). She drinks very very little, so it is not a big thing (and I really like the empty rectangle bottles )

But yes, once you do a "good" distillation, and realize what high quality hooch tastes like, that swill you buy at the liquor store is VERY hard to drink.

H.

[Uncle Jesse]

You're very welcome.

[mikeac]

My girlfriend was right beside me pouring rum otta bottles with oak sitting in the bottom of them, we split up the white spirit and flavored it each our own way..they were both fantastic

[Tater]

Yep now your hooked

[BW Redneck]

I have noticed the same as well. Jack Daniel's tastes absolutely horrible now, and I've only been distilling since January. And don't even mention Wild Turkey.
I believe somebody was right when they described JD as "horse piss".

[mikeac]

It's funny, I've been makign wine (kits) for about 3 years and am only starting to get something as good as store bought, beer (kits) for about 4 years and still haven't got anything better (or as good as ) store bought...First try at rum though....can't wait till I get more practice

[Husker]

It's funny, I've been makign wine (kits) for about 3 years and am only starting to get something as good as store bought, beer (kits) for about 4 years and still haven't got anything better (or as good as ) store bought...First try at rum though....can't wait till I get more practice

I feel the same way. I have tried beer a few times, and after you had downed 2 or 3, the rest tasted fine Also, my pop has been doing 40-50 gallons of wine a year since the 70's. Other than a few "rare" instances, I find his wine to be FAR worse than commercial wine in flavor and drinkability.

However, other than my first 2 batches (which were done using sugar and turbos, before I knew better), almost all of my distillation runs have been FAR superior to commercial horse piss liquor. Also, if I get a run that is not as good as I want, I can always toss a column on, and suck out a VERY pure neutral (puts the swill they call vodka to shame). When I started (and the first batches), I was not sure that I would do anything other than making some VERY cheap swill. Well, once I got away from those god forsaken turbos, and did some real washes, I was totally floored.

I just wish the damn govt did not make us into part of the criminal "under culture", just for doing something ourselves. Hell, if it was easy enough to pay taxes, say, fill out a form (1040-Booze) at the end of the year, declare how many proof gallons we have produced, then pay our 13.50 for each (rounded to 10 proof gallons), then I certainly would pay it.

Even with the tax, it is still cheaper (other than the time investment), and what you produce is SOOOOOOOO much better. But all the hoops you have to jump through (as documented by UJ), make it so that 99% of us hobbyists will continue to be criminal in our endeavors.

H.

[blanikdog]

But all the hoops you have to jump through (as documented by UJ), make it so that 99% of us hobbyists will continue to be criminal in our endeavors.H.

So crime does pay/

[Husker]

But all the hoops you have to jump through (as documented by UJ), make it so that 99% of us hobbyists will continue to be criminal in our endeavors.H.

So crime does pay/

No, us criminals do not pay

H.

[wineo]

If you make it from scratch,and practice alot,you will make a better beer than you can buy anyware.The kits are ok,but wont get you there.Its the same for wine.The kits are ok,but you get the same results.With all that being said,I would like to point out a few things.We dont have all that fancy equipment that the wine and beer producers have,or the same yeast strains,or grains and grapes or fruit.There are no rules!! I could try to make a copy,or clone of something thats on the market,but why? We are pioneers,and should be trying to set the bar,rather than copy it.Doesnt matter if your making beer,wine or spirits.Break the mold,make something better,and something different then those guys.There not hard to beat.They do it for the money.I dont make stuff that will give you a bad hangover.They do.We do this for the art of it.And we can do better.So try something different,and dont just try to copy something.If you like whatever you make,thats what matters.And it can always get better.I will stop now,sorry for the rant,but I thought it just needed to be said.
wineo

[goose eye]

husker when they start taxin the taxs its bout enough

[blanikdog]

I dont make stuff that will give you a bad hangover.They do.We do this for the art of it.And we can do better.So try something different,and dont just try to copy something.If you like whatever you make,thats what matters.And it can always get better.I will stop now,sorry for the rant,but I thought it just needed to be said.
wineo

And it was well said, wineo. I fell for the trap of trying to emulate the crap one can buy and then one day I said to myself, "why try to copy the lowest form of the art?".

Even the few gallons of 'poor' quality stuff I have is far better than commercial rotgut and headache tonic.