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Author Topic: Distilling  (Read 23849 times)

Offline Joe Sr.

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Re: Distilling
« Reply #90 on: October 20, 2010, 02:42:17 pm »
Look, I was an anarchist before you were born, but this isn't the right place for parts of this discussion.  That's all I'm trying to say.  We're all guests here and we all should do as our hosts ask.

Denny - I'd like to think we're all members.  Not that membership confers a right to flaunt rules, but it is very different than being a guest.

That being said, I don't really have anything to add to the discussion and tend to agree with the concerns/guidelines you've put out there.
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Offline denny

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Re: Distilling
« Reply #91 on: October 20, 2010, 02:55:13 pm »
Denny - I'd like to think we're all members.  Not that membership confers a right to flaunt rules, but it is very different than being a guest.

Darn good point.
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Offline a10t2

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Re: Distilling
« Reply #92 on: October 20, 2010, 03:19:12 pm »
Distilling, to me, isn't worth the effort.  The cost-benefit analysis of distilling vs. going out and buying your own bottle of whiskey is a clear choice.  It's cheaper, easier, and less work to buy your own, not make your own.

Isn't that true of brewing as well?
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Offline denny

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Re: Distilling
« Reply #93 on: October 20, 2010, 03:35:14 pm »
Now where were we?  Oh yes, anarchy.  Denny, were you responsible for the WTO riots in Seattle?   ;D

Nah, I was an upstanding hippie businessman by that point.  Those were just kids!   :)
Life begins at 60.....1.060, that is!

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Offline weazletoe

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Re: Distilling
« Reply #94 on: October 20, 2010, 04:01:35 pm »
Nah, I was an upstanding hippie businessman by that point. 

Now there's an oxymoron.
 
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Offline denny

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Re: Distilling
« Reply #95 on: October 20, 2010, 04:07:47 pm »
Nah, I was an upstanding hippie businessman by that point. 

Now there's an oxymoron.

Not if you live in Eugene!   :D
Life begins at 60.....1.060, that is!

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The best, sharpest, funniest, weirdest and most knowledgable minds in home brewing contribute on the AHA forum. - Alewyfe

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Offline tubercle

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Re: Distilling
« Reply #96 on: October 20, 2010, 04:18:47 pm »
Look, I was an anarchist before you were born...

 That's funny right there. Hell, I got 8 track tapes older than most folks on here myself ;D

 Tubercle hasn't joined in this illicit discussion so far because, thank goodness, there ain't any illegal distilling going on in South Carolina. ;)
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Offline Mikey

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Re: Distilling
« Reply #97 on: October 20, 2010, 06:00:34 pm »
Look, I was an anarchist before you were born...

 That's funny right there. Hell, I got 8 track tapes older than most folks on here myself ;D

 Tubercle hasn't joined in this illicit discussion so far because, thank goodness, there ain't any illegal distilling going on in South Carolina. ;)

"The tendency to refer to oneself in the third person is often viewed by psychologists as a symptom of narcissism". :D

Offline weazletoe

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Re: Distilling
« Reply #98 on: October 20, 2010, 06:59:19 pm »

"The tendency to refer to oneself in the third person is often viewed by psychologists as a symptom of narcissism". :D

 The Weaze does not agree.
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Offline SwashBuckling Drunk

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Re: Distilling
« Reply #99 on: October 20, 2010, 07:36:50 pm »
Nah, I was an upstanding hippie businessman by that point. 

Now there's an oxymoron.

Not if you live in Eugene!   :D

My wife and I lived in Eugene when we got married.  We got married at the little stone shelter up on Cape Perpetua (small, intimate setting on the Oregon coast).  After the ceremony, my father-in-law (a cool, retired union sheetmetal man from St Louis) shook my hand and said to everyone "I'm just glad your not one of those damn Eugene guys".  Needless to say, the crowd was roaring.

Offline bluesman

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Re: Distilling
« Reply #100 on: October 20, 2010, 08:36:29 pm »

"The tendency to refer to oneself in the third person is often viewed by psychologists as a symptom of narcissism". :D

 The Weaze does not agree.

The bluesman is ROTFLHAO.  ;)
« Last Edit: October 20, 2010, 08:42:24 pm by bluesman »
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Offline punatic

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Re: Distilling
« Reply #101 on: October 20, 2010, 08:38:42 pm »
Until Jimmy Carter legalized homebrewing in 1979 making your own beer was against the law too.  It seems funny to me that some homebrewers find discussing distilling objectionable.  To me it's the next step in the process.  A big part of distilling is the fermentation process that comes first.

Yes distilling alcohol is illegal in the U.S.  The big taboo is that the US Treasurery Department feels that ALL distilled spirits must be taxed; in other words, lost tax revenue.  Are they overly concerned about lost revenue from homemade beer, mead or wine?  Talking about distilling is not illegal.  

There is a great deal of misinformation about distilling and distilled spirits out there; even more so than misinformation about homebrewed beer. Think about the misinformation you encounter about homebrewing, then take the stories you hear about distilling with a grain of salt.  Very high quality distilled spirits can be made on a small scale.  With a bit of caution, the chance of hurting oneself or others can be reduced to zero; much the same as using glass carboys for fermenting safely.

Craft distilling is taking off now like craft brewing did 20-30 years ago.  That's very exciting!  Home distilling is legal in some countries, including New Zealand.  I think it can be legalized in the U.S. too if people make the effort to educate the public and dispel the ubiquitous myths surrounding home distilling.

Perhaps Denny is right.  This may not be the right forum for discussing distillation.  
Tony Ackland of New Zealand has put together an excellent home distillers’ forum at:
http://www.homedistiller.org/

Another excellent forum is the Artisan Distiller at:
http://www.artisan-distiller.org/
« Last Edit: October 20, 2010, 08:58:51 pm by punatic »
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Offline Mikey

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Re: Distilling
« Reply #102 on: October 20, 2010, 08:46:42 pm »
+1 Punatic.

Offline punatic

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Re: Distilling
« Reply #103 on: October 20, 2010, 10:00:08 pm »
Oh yeah... did I mention, the first rule of Fight Club is you don't talk about Fight Club? ;)
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Offline beersk

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Re: Distilling
« Reply #104 on: October 20, 2010, 10:23:06 pm »
Distilling, to me, isn't worth the effort.  The cost-benefit analysis of distilling vs. going out and buying your own bottle of whiskey is a clear choice.  It's cheaper, easier, and less work to buy your own, not make your own.

Isn't that true of brewing as well?

From what I gathered by talking to a guy once who distilled his own spirits, it's A LOT of work. Homebrewing gains you way more than buying beer.  Distilling your own gains you way less than buying your own.  You might get higher quality, but it's gonna cost ya.
Jesse