Home Distiller

Well, I have been reading through the forums for most of the afternoon, and I have a few questions. I am sure they are answered somewhere else already, but I have not seen them yet.

I am primarily looking to distill whiskey and bourbon and so, per the instructions on this site am looking to build/buy a pot still of some kind or use the beer brewing equipment I already own to fashion one.

If I am looking to produce a flavorful product, without an extended aging time, is a thumper/ additional run really a good idea? I understand that the alcohol would be less refined, but it would also be less stripped of flavor.

I already make All Grain beer and would be distilling it. So, do I need to add hops to the beer? or will most of the flavor disappear from the distilling process? I am just curious as to how much flavor actually comes through the distilling process.

Thank you in advance for help and look forward to learning a lot from y'all.

4>---->

4arrows wrote:Well, I have been reading through the forums for most of the afternoon, and I have a few questions. I am sure they are answered somewhere else already, but I have not seen them yet.

I am primarily looking to distill whiskey and bourbon and so, per the instructions on this site am looking to build/buy a pot still of some kind or use the beer brewing equipment I already own to fashion one.

If I am looking to produce a flavorful product, without an extended aging time, is a thumper/ additional run really a good idea? I understand that the alcohol would be less refined, but it would also be less stripped of flavor.

I already make All Grain beer and would be distilling it. So, do I need to add hops to the beer? or will most of the flavor disappear from the distilling process? I am just curious as to how much flavor actually comes through the distilling process.

Thank you in advance for help and look forward to learning a lot from y'all.

4>---->

There are a dozen ways to build a pot still. They are pretty basic and it depends on the existing equipment you intend to use.

Distilling beer isn't the greatest but I attached a link below to get you started.

I also attached a link about shortening your aging. I can say though, if you want good whiskey, time must be involved. I can make vodka ready to drink in a week but whiskey and rum need to mellow.

Use of googe search brought these up..... look in my signature block for instructions. It is a very helpful tool.

http://homedistiller.org/forum/viewtopi ... =4&t=38991
http://homedistiller.org/forum/viewtopi ... =3&t=14981

Thank you so much for the links and the help using the search function, I would have never found it otherwise.

Point very well made, NO HOPS.

I guess I am looking for a point of familiarity between brewing beer and distilling. The wash that goes into the still seems very similar to beer with NO HOPS. Am I right there?

Thanks again for all the help

4arrows wrote: I guess I am looking for a point of familiarity between brewing beer and distilling. The wash that goes into the still seems very similar to beer with NO HOPS. Am I right there?

Spot on.
Beer is just unfinished whisky
Usually a more simple recipe and mashing process, although not always, but beer.
Grains, yeast and water

well there are differences. Basically when mashing for whiskey usually (there are exceptions) you don't do a protein rest as you don't need an extra clear mash, you use a lower temp mashing since you don't want to have complex sugars that give flavor but don't convert to alcohol (you aim for 1.000 or less FG), of course no boil at the end of the mash and you can do without lautering.

cheers

Take a look at some of the tried and true recipes in the forum. They might be a bit simpler. I have not made beer before (just drank it) but even a simple sugar and cereal wash smells like old stale beer when it is done fermenting. You are halfway there. A good ferment is the largest part of a good liquor.