Newbie back for more
Posted: Fri Jan 16, 2015 5:42 pm
I was on here a while back under another name but screwed something up with an email change. I decided to let it go as that user name I have used other places, and wanted a "home distillers only" name. admin edit all posts have been changed to new name
I started getting interested in distilling after being given some home made "apple pie moonshine" a friend had gotten off another guy. I like local grapes, and figured I might be able to learn how to make a decent brandy or even try a whisky. A coworker of mine built a still from a 16 quart canning pot (one of those enamel covered steel things). For our first run, we dumped in two gallons of the cheapest win we could find at the store. New nothing about heads, tails, and hearts. The stuff coming out of the worm was about as foul as you could get, but it worked. I built a couple of pressure cooker stills, and after using brass fittings on the first one, and deciding it was too small, I learned to solder copper and stay away from brass. I have learned that pressure cookers are verboten, and I'm moving up to a SS Beer Keg.
My pressure cooker stuff, mostly fruit at this point, all sort of tastes the same. Its pretty hot (sort of a spicy note), and smells similar, despite using peaches, grapes, and even pure sugar.
I did have success with a pure malted barely scotch. It definitely tastes different, but I used just grain, no sugar, and a special "whiskey yeast" with an enzyme. Me and my coworker tried a sweet feed shine, which tasted okay, and smelled like corn liquor, but we couldn't get over the fact it was made from animal feed and he convinced me to throw it out.
So I'm back to learn a bit more and start over with a Home Distiller Forums "approved" still, and hopefully improve my flavor and taste.
I started getting interested in distilling after being given some home made "apple pie moonshine" a friend had gotten off another guy. I like local grapes, and figured I might be able to learn how to make a decent brandy or even try a whisky. A coworker of mine built a still from a 16 quart canning pot (one of those enamel covered steel things). For our first run, we dumped in two gallons of the cheapest win we could find at the store. New nothing about heads, tails, and hearts. The stuff coming out of the worm was about as foul as you could get, but it worked. I built a couple of pressure cooker stills, and after using brass fittings on the first one, and deciding it was too small, I learned to solder copper and stay away from brass. I have learned that pressure cookers are verboten, and I'm moving up to a SS Beer Keg.
My pressure cooker stuff, mostly fruit at this point, all sort of tastes the same. Its pretty hot (sort of a spicy note), and smells similar, despite using peaches, grapes, and even pure sugar.
I did have success with a pure malted barely scotch. It definitely tastes different, but I used just grain, no sugar, and a special "whiskey yeast" with an enzyme. Me and my coworker tried a sweet feed shine, which tasted okay, and smelled like corn liquor, but we couldn't get over the fact it was made from animal feed and he convinced me to throw it out.
So I'm back to learn a bit more and start over with a Home Distiller Forums "approved" still, and hopefully improve my flavor and taste.
