Beginner's Guide

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Welcome to the Home Distiller's Beginner's Guide. Use this page to begin your journey.

Legality

Other than New Zealand distilling is not a legal activity. Don't fool yourself.

Safety

We at Home Distiller take safety extremely seriously. It is easy to be safe but there are pieces that can be harmful if you don't understand the danger.

The Home Distiller Forums & reading lists

Reading list for beginners: As you start your journey you need to read. And read. And read more. This is not a good hobby to just try out without researching. Bad things can happen easily.

Where to Start

Start by reading the above links. Then think about what you want to make. If you've never brewed beer before you can try something easy to ferment like a Rum or Sugarhead. It requires very little equipment. Rum can be as simple as putting some molasses, water and yeast in a bucket and waiting. Sugarheads are just as easy.

What are the different Spirits made with?

What is: Whiskey - Rum - Brandy - Vodka - Gin - Sugarheads - Cordials - and Liqueurs - Other Spirit types

Base Flavor Spirits: Whiskey, Rum and Brandy develop their flavors from their base ingredients. Whiskey is made with grains. It takes the most time and equipment to get to a point of fermentation. Rum is made with molasses or a form of it. Brandy is made with fruit juices.

Vodka and Neutrals: Vodka and Neutrals are made to have very little flavor. They can be made with either grains or sugar. They can be drunk straight, as a mixer or used as a base for other spirit types - Gin, Cordials, etc.

Gins and Sugarheads: There are three major types of Gins/Sugarheads:

Vapor Infusion: Using a neutral as a base, botanicals are used to infuse flavor in the vapor path of the still.
Spirit Maceration: Using a neutral as a base, flavoring agents are macerated into the spirit. They can be used as a finished spirit
Wash Maceration: During fermentation flavoring agents are added to the wash. It is then distilled as normal.

Cordials & Liqueurs: These use a base spirit, normally a neutral, and then flavoring and sweetening agents are incorporated.

What kind of equipment do I need to make X?

Stills: Types and what they are used to make?

Distilling

Cleaning the still

Vinegar Cleaning run

Sacrificial Run

Understanding Fractions & Cuts

Distilling separates the factions. Read these links below to understand what that means.

Blending, Aging, Dilution

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