My experience so far

smokerscully1 · Post by **smokerscully1** » Fri Jan 11, 2008 8:29 am

I enjoy this site so much and have learned so much that I just have to say a big thank you to everyone.
I saw several stills in operation when I was a kid in South Missouri--this was back in the '50's and my dad had an old truck with a meat saw and grinder--he was a butcher and sausage maker and would travel from farm to farm to process hogs and cattle in the fall of the year. He was frequently paid in moonshine--not that it made any difference to me as a young boy I was more interested in the fighting chickens than I was some ole thump barrel still.
It seems the older I get the more important history and family genealogy become.
So a couple of years ago I download the parent site buy a few books and start reading. Doesn't take long to realize that stillin must be like meat cutting--you can read all you want but sooneer or later you are going to have to get your hands bloody. I'll bet that just like meat cutting it probably reads more complicated than it really is. I hope so anyway.
Over Xmas I'm cruising around on e-bay and spot a nice looking still for not much money--put a bid in as a lark and won the darn thing. Merry Xmas to me. I'm still waiting on delivery but thats Okay gotta gets some beer brewing for something to distill. I'll try birdwatchers sugar wash 1st since it seems the simplest. I got one 5 gal batch worked off and another one in the carboy--once the still gets here I'll be running some wter runs first. I'll prolly ask some stupid questions in the appropriate topic sections soon.
By way of introduction 2 things have to be remembered about me--I live in very isolated place--it's a 37 mile drive to the post office or grocery store--so picking up something as simple as a bakers yeast packet requires a little pre-planning.
The secong thing to remember about me is that I'm an alcoholic--haven't had a drink in 24 years and have no intention of starting now. There is nothing wrong with a good stiff drink if you can handle it--I'm just one of those peole who can't handle it. I don't think this will be a problem since most of my friends enjoy a good drink and in my buisness there are always lots of taste testers hanging around.
Didn't mean to make this so long for a first post but just wanted to say thanks.

stoker · Post by **stoker** » Fri Jan 11, 2008 8:39 am

hi, welcome!

I don't drink eather, it might be an issue to make your cuts. So you wont even taste a single drop? it must be a dangerous hobby for you.

I notice there are a lot of new members lately, and they all say they have read a lot, and they are both good!
UJ, do you have some data of the activity of the last months?
it seems like there are more new topics every day!

Post by **HookLine** » Fri Jan 11, 2008 8:49 am

Welcome smokerscully1.

Gotta admit I find it interesting that some people are non-drinkers but run a still anyway. That's dedication! What is your interest in stillin, Stoker?

I hardly drank at all, maybe 15-20 drinks a year... Until I discovered this site and built a still.

Still don't drink a lot, but much more than I used to.

As fascinating a skill and practice as it is, there is no way I'd still if I didn't drink.

smokerscully1 · Post by **smokerscully1** » Fri Jan 11, 2008 9:39 am

Some additional info about my personal situation. I own a small hunting and fishing resort--a couple of cabins and the main lodge--my house. Not trying to drum up any buisness here--I'm pretty much booked a couple of years in advance. I also have a game meat processing shop and cut up about 150 moose per year. I do some amature taxidermy too so I can use alot of alochol--its a great degreaser and disinfectant.--Yeah I know Clorine bleach is prolly cheaper. Also--who cares about making cuts if you're just going to wash the floor with it anyway.
Here's another thing--the nature of tourism has changed--it's not just about fishing and hunting anymore--I've got 2 cabins full of snowmobiliers here right now and all they are looking for is deep snow--got that up to a tall Indians butt right now. These guys are really interested in my sugar wash thats bubbling away--they are interested in the process--just like making sausage or cuttin up a moose.
One more thing to consider is the illegality of it--thats a real attraction to some people to see a process that the gov't has declared illegal. It's not illegal to make a sugar wash but to build a backyard still and concentrate that alochol is. It is also illegal for me to make some moose sausage and then give some away--except to immediate family memebers. Some of these very resitrictive laws aren't well enforced--that doesn't mean that they won't be sometime in the future--just look at Aus and Canadian gun control!!
One last thing--I need a lot of distilled water--I draw water straight out of the lake in my front yard--I drink it--I cook with it and this absolutley upsets the tourism liscensing board in this province. I have to warn everyone here not to drink the water--not cause there is anything wrong with it--but it has not been inspected by the appropriate gov't agencies. By law I have to provide bottled drinking water or distilled water to my clients. I bought a stainless steel and copper still for about half the price of table top water distiller. I know I have a lot of moose hunters who are interested in how this thing operates.

punkin · Post by **punkin** » Fri Jan 11, 2008 9:51 am

If you can get around the issue of making cuts, ( i know my nose isn't good enough and i rely on taste) you'll be very glad when you try out the UJSM.
You're guests will love the bourbon type spirit. I have people tell me all the time that it's soooo much better than store bought.

I've got tomatoe plants eight foot tall ATM. I'm picking heritage tomatoes that are over a pound each, missus loves em, i'm giving em away to workmates and neighbours....but i don't eat em myself...just like growing em.

stoker · Post by **stoker** » Fri Jan 11, 2008 10:12 am

smokerscully1, I like what you do. you must have a peacefull life out there, and still people comming around. It would be a pitty, not to make bourbon

distilled water is not something that you should drink instead of regular water, not in large quantities or for a long time.

BW Redneck · Post by **BW Redneck** » Fri Jan 11, 2008 12:43 pm

This is all a very nice discussion here. I'm not much of a drinker myself. My philosophy is: Don't drink to get drunk. Drink because you like the way the drink tastes. That's why I started doing this; commercial was just too shitty, and I was too liquor-snobby. Plus, I'm surrounded by incredibly cheap fermentable materials. No one has any kegs though.