Home Distiller

Does anyone think having 14 1/2 gallons of ready to drink spirits in their gun safe is too much?
Asking for a friend.

My word that's a lot of spirits in one place.

Everyone knows guns and liquor go together.

That quantity of 'ready to drink' could be construed as 'ready to sell' if you had a visit from Mr Plod.

I only ever have enough bottled for my immediate needs, the rest is aging barrel strength product still on the wood, high proof essences for future blending, or high proof neutral for gins etc.. Even my gins are distilled and stored as essences and need to be cut with neutral and proofed before they are drinkable. Mr Plod would be lucky to find a full bottle of anything that was ready to drink in my cellar.

NZChris wrote:That quantity of 'ready to drink' could be construed as 'ready to sell' if you had a visit from Mr Plod.

I only ever have enough bottled for my immediate needs, the rest is ageing barrel strength product still on the wood, high proof essences for future blending, or high proof neutral for gins etc.. Even my gins are distilled and stored as essences and need to be cut with neutral and proofed before they are drinkable. Mr Plod would be lucky to find a full bottle of anything that was ready to drink in my cellar.

I am sure Mr. Plod is not a connoisseur of fine spirits.
He doesn't care whether the connoisseur would regard the spirits as ready for drinking.
Just, does it contain ethanol?
And if so and you are not licensed to produce fuel alcohol (and are complying with those conditions), you are in trouble.
He will leave it to the judge as to your intention, to sell or whatever, if that even comes into the rules.

Of course New Zealand is a special case where you can distil as a hobbyist but NOT to sell unless licensed.

Fortunately except in blatant cases of lawbreaking, or a report from a concerned citizen (!!) that he has to follow up, Mr. Plod usually has a lot of more important stuff to worry about.

Geoff

Yeah, one quart or 14 gallons is illegal to make here. I ran out last winter and don't want to do the same this winter!
Might be I give some away for Christmas
Anyhoo, 55 gallons of mash running at present and I think I'm going to do 55 gallon of pear mash soon.
I just like making it. Important Info:

Bama,

Ya, I agree. Sometimes the pleasure we all get with the production and experimenting leaves us in a conundrum of having way to much hooch onsite. The common sense guideline of "don't tell and don't sell" makes it hard (impossible) to reduce stock. What to do????? Drinking more is not the answer!

BamaBill wrote:Yeah, one quart or 14 gallons is illegal to make here. I ran out last winter and don't want to do the same this winter!
Might be I give some away for Christmas
Anyhoo, 55 gallons of mash running at present and I think I'm going to do 55 gallon of pear mash soon.
I just like making it. Important Info:

!

I'm gonna come watch the Ole Miss Game at YOUR house!

NZChris wrote:That quantity of 'ready to drink' could be construed as 'ready to sell' if you had a visit from Mr Plod.

I only ever have enough bottled for my immediate needs, the rest is aging barrel strength product still on the wood, high proof essences for future blending, or high proof neutral for gins etc.. Even my gins are distilled and stored as essences and need to be cut with neutral and proofed before they are drinkable. Mr Plod would be lucky to find a full bottle of anything that was ready to drink in my cellar.

Bold by me.
This would mean that you mix and dilute your drink today and maybe drink it tomorrow. Does it not need some days to rest, to reach an equilibrium?
I find recently mixed and diluted drinks are rather sharp for some time.

No, it means I don't bottle more than I need to, especially with aged products, as ageing pretty much stops when it's off the wood.

NZChris wrote:No, it means I don't bottle more than I need to, especially with aged products, as ageing pretty much stops when it's off the wood.

for the most part i'd agree with that, but it does change in the bottle too. I noticed a big change in fresh bottled that was left in the sun for 2 days. i also have some 1.5 yr old in bottles that has changed. but by and large, the big changes stop out the of the barrel. I also tried some over 50 year old whisky that was 7 years old when it went in the bottle. It tasted like a dusty old library book.

HDNB wrote:

NZChris wrote:No, it means I don't bottle more than I need to, especially with aged products, as ageing pretty much stops when it's off the wood.

for the most part i'd agree with that, but it does change in the bottle too. I noticed a big change in fresh bottled that was left in the sun for 2 days. i also have some 1.5 yr old in bottles that has changed. but by and large, the big changes stop out the of the barrel. I also tried some over 50 year old whisky that was 7 years old when it went in the bottle. It tasted like a dusty old library book.

There are the initial changes that Kareltje is referring to, but beyond those, as long as the bottle is securely sealed and not left in the sun etc., the changes aren't as dramatic, or as desirable, as they are in product left in contact with the wood and some O2, which is a big reason why I would rather proof my last bottle off the wood in a year's time rather than do it tomorrow and cellar it to be be drunk in a year.

I have had a bottle of white dog UJSSM outside in the sun and weather for a couple of years or more. It tastes nastier every time I try it.