Homebrew / Moonshine - Sink vodka appreciation

[Troonos]

Just throw out the 1st fluid ounce or two of liquor coming out of the still per gallon of stuff you're putting in the still depending on how high it's alcohol content is.
You aren't making the methanol, it already exists in things like wine and beer alongside ethanol. Generally speaking if you forget to throw it out you just end up with a nasty hangover.
Also don't try to put things over like 20% abv into a still, you shouldn't be boiling liquor. If you're re-distilling something you should water it down first.

If you can safely make crab salad or sushi then you can probably handle brewing wine or beer, if you can handle deep frying things and using pressure cookers you can probably handle distilling liquor.

Agreed. People worry about methanol from brewing beer, where it isn't even a valid concern, but don't realize that in distilling where it actually is a concern, you just have to dump the heads and tails and you're fine.

 

[augustuscaesar]

Enjoy https://odysee.com/@spqr:e/mead:f

 

[Captain Wetbeard]

Agreed. People worry about methanol from brewing beer, where it isn't even a valid concern, but don't realize that in distilling where it actually is a concern, you just have to dump the heads and tails and you're fine.

I mostly agree, but you really only have to toss the foreshots that come before the heads. Heads and tails have impurities, but the issue with them is more down to off flavors if you're looking for something really clean like a vodka. Personally I like adding a bit of heads and tails to taste with my stuff for some added character, but that's absolutely a matter of your personal tastes. The best part of home brewing and home distilling isn't cheap liquor, it's being able to make exactly the liquor you want to drink.

Also I'm really hyped for this thread and this board in general, I definitely look forward to sharing some of my recipes with you all and trying out some of the stuff you all enjoy.

 

[Aero the Alcoholic Bat]

At the risk of being a moralfag and obtaining lots and lots of puzzle piece stickers, I must ask, despite my Kiwifarms username, what would the purpose of moonshine or homemade alcoholic beverages be during an emergency?

It's best to be stone sober for these types of situations, and especially because the ability to exercise self-control makes you more able to stand up to your enemies and less susceptible to coercion. You don't want to be a slave to anything, especially not your own base instincts if you're predisposed towards alcoholism.

I can think of a few:

1. Being able to trade your booze for money or supplies
2. The ability to disinfect drinking water (might be a moot point, as unscented bleach or boiling might be better)
3. Fire starter or stove fuel
4. First aid disinfectant
5. Morale

Any other thoughts?

 

[Catgirl Tyranid]

At the risk of being a moralfag and obtaining lots and lots of puzzle piece stickers, I must ask, despite my Kiwifarms username, what would the purpose of moonshine or homemade alcoholic beverages be during an emergency?

It's best to be stone sober for these types of situations, and especially because the ability to exercise self-control makes you more able to stand up to your enemies and less susceptible to coercion. You don't want to be a slave to anything, especially not your own base instincts if you're predisposed towards alcoholism.

I can think of a few:

1. Being able to trade your booze for money or supplies
2. The ability to disinfect drinking water (might be a moot point, as unscented bleach or boiling might be better)
3. Fire starter or stove fuel
4. Morale

Any other thoughts?

All of what you described are good uses, but I'd add food preservation plus it's something to do with bumper crops that would otherwise go bad. If you have fields of berry bushes accessible and all of them provide fruit at the same time, you need to be able to do something with what you can't eat or trade away.

Further, Alcohol can bridge gaps and if you're in a long term SHTF situation and you need to parlay with another group in your vicinity to keep the peace or form a coalition it might pay to have enough wine to "wine and dine" them on hand.

 

[Troonos]

At the risk of being a moralfag and obtaining lots and lots of puzzle piece stickers, I must ask, despite my Kiwifarms username, what would the purpose of moonshine or homemade alcoholic beverages be during an emergency?

It's best to be stone sober for these types of situations, and especially because the ability to exercise self-control makes you more able to stand up to your enemies and less susceptible to coercion. You don't want to be a slave to anything, especially not your own base instincts if you're predisposed towards alcoholism.

I can think of a few:

1. Being able to trade your booze for money or supplies
2. The ability to disinfect drinking water (might be a moot point, as unscented bleach or boiling might be better)
3. Fire starter or stove fuel
4. First aid disinfectant
5. Morale

Any other thoughts?

Yes, all those reasons, plus we need enough liquid stress relief in this civil society, so imagine how great it would be to have a few hours of mental numbness between zombie invasions.

 

[Braphamut]

4. First aid disinfectant

I'd just expand that to Medicinal Uses, as there are simply a ton of applications beyond cleaning wounds. Tinctures, herbal extracts, sanitizing equipment, treating livestock, pest control.

and to add a category, crafting. Useful if you want to make dyes, paints, inks, and wood finishes.

 

[Captain Wetbeard]

At the risk of being a moralfag and obtaining lots and lots of puzzle piece stickers, I must ask, despite my Kiwifarms username, what would the purpose of moonshine or homemade alcoholic beverages be during an emergency?

It's best to be stone sober for these types of situations, and especially because the ability to exercise self-control makes you more able to stand up to your enemies and less susceptible to coercion. You don't want to be a slave to anything, especially not your own base instincts if you're predisposed towards alcoholism.

I can think of a few:

1. Being able to trade your booze for money or supplies
2. The ability to disinfect drinking water (might be a moot point, as unscented bleach or boiling might be better)
3. Fire starter or stove fuel
4. First aid disinfectant
5. Morale

Any other thoughts?

If for no other reason, it's fantastic for trade. Luxury goods are always fantastic for making friends, and brewing is a mostly passive activity.
Liquor is a fairly universal currency for barter, because it's stable and most people want it. There is no guarantee that people will accept fiat in an emergency.
Also self sufficiency isn't solely for emergency preparations, it's also nice to be able to make your own stuff for the joy of it. Relying on others for everything kind of sucks.

 

[Joshua Connor Tomar]

is this real chat? https://cei.org/news_releases/feder...l-ban-on-at-home-distilling-unconstitutional/

 

[Troonos]

is this real chat? https://cei.org/news_releases/feder...l-ban-on-at-home-distilling-unconstitutional/

God, I hope so. Next, abolish the ATF.

 

[Captain Wetbeard]

is this real chat? https://cei.org/news_releases/feder...l-ban-on-at-home-distilling-unconstitutional/

I was following this case for a while and trying not to get my hopes up, and it went about as well as it could at this stage.
This doesn't help all of us yet, right now it's limited to the parties involved in the specific case similar to how some of the gun cases were before SCOTUS overturned some of those laws.
It'll also make a stop at the district's court of appeals before making its way to SCOTUS, but is very likely to be heard.
Everyone else will have to wait until (hopefully) the next SCOTUS session, but we'll likely be getting a ruling for everyone pretty soon.
It's really damned good news, but don't get caught fucking around before we have a final ruling from the SCOTUS.

 

[Catgirl Tyranid]

is this real chat? https://cei.org/news_releases/feder...l-ban-on-at-home-distilling-unconstitutional/

Fuck yeah!!!! Roll back the tide on Prohibition once and for all!!!

Anywho, I recently bottled the sugar wine sitting in my 3 gallon carboy (I should have done this probably a month ago, but this thread seeing an uptick got me to get off my ass and back into brewing). In the end I ended up with 13 and a half bottles of 12% abv demmerara sugar wine.

Here's some pictures.

 

[IdiotPlusPlus]

Anywho, I recently bottled the sugar wine sitting in my 3 gallon carboy

Do you drink it straight? Or do you mix it with juice like the Finns do with kilju?

 

[Troonos]

Fuck yeah!!!! Roll back the tide on Prohibition once and for all!!!

Anywho, I recently bottled the sugar wine sitting in my 3 gallon carboy (I should have done this probably a month ago, but this thread seeing an uptick got me to get off my ass and back into brewing). In the end I ended up with 13 and a half bottles of 12% abv demmerara sugar wine.

Here's some pictures.

View attachment 6183874

View attachment 6183872

View attachment 6183877

When are you going to distill it?

 

[Catgirl Tyranid]

Do you drink it straight? Or do you mix it with juice like the Finns do with kilju?

I usually pour it over ice and add a few dashes of Angostura bitters, but I'm not above drinking it out of the bottle. Occasionally I'll splash some fresh lemon juice and simple syrup in there for a hard lemonade.

When are you going to distill it?

I won't. Not this batch anyhow. I need to see if the decision holds up in the appeals court first. Then I need to convince my wife. Which might take a while.

 

[Captain Wetbeard]

Fuck yeah!!!! Roll back the tide on Prohibition once and for all!!!

Anywho, I recently bottled the sugar wine sitting in my 3 gallon carboy (I should have done this probably a month ago, but this thread seeing an uptick got me to get off my ass and back into brewing). In the end I ended up with 13 and a half bottles of 12% abv demmerara sugar wine.

Nice, I've been thinking about starting a 5 gallon batch of sugar wine to see how it turns out. I usually work with fruit or molasses but it might be fun to try something more neutral.

 

[Catgirl Tyranid]

Nice, I've been thinking about starting a 5 gallon batch of sugar wine to see how it turns out. I usually work with fruit or molasses but it might be fun to try something more neutral.

Let me know if you have any issues with your yeast slowing to a crawl in the bigger container. When I use the 1 gallon carboys they chug along at a fast pace with some minor tapering off before completion, but it took much longer for the yeast to do their job in my 3 gallon carboy than I would have expected.

Also, what do you use for nutrients? I generally chop up a small handful of raisins rather than going down the store bought nutrient route.

 

[Captain Wetbeard]

Let me know if you have any issues with your yeast slowing to a crawl in the bigger container. When I use the 1 gallon carboys they chug along at a fast pace with some minor tapering off before completion, but it took much longer for the yeast to do their job in my 3 gallon carboy than I would have expected.

Also, what do you use for nutrients? I generally chop up a small handful of raisins rather than going down the store bought nutrient route.

When I need a bit of extra nutrients I usually go for golden raisins, but most of what I work with doesnt really need it. A lot of the time I'm boiling fruit and then straining that before adding yeast and a bit of sugar to that, or I'm boiling some bananas and adding a bunch of molasses to send away to the liquor fairy. Right now I've got a couple gallon jars with strawberries and rhubarb chugging along nicely.
For the sugar wine I'll definitely be adding a bunch of golden raisins or some dates since they're about the most neutral fruit out there.

 

[Troonos]

When I need a bit of extra nutrients I usually go for golden raisins, but most of what I work with doesnt really need it. A lot of the time I'm boiling fruit and then straining that before adding yeast and a bit of sugar to that, or I'm boiling some bananas and adding a bunch of molasses to send away to the liquor fairy. Right now I've got a couple gallon jars with strawberries and rhubarb chugging along nicely.
For the sugar wine I'll definitely be adding a bunch of golden raisins or some dates since they're about the most neutral fruit out there.

Raisins are okay for some mild tannic value, but you need several pounds of them in a gallon to provide any appreciable nutrition, which would be counterintuitive since many raisin brands contain sulfites which will slow yeast reproduction.

 

[Captain Wetbeard]

Raisins are okay for some mild tannic value, but you need several pounds of them in a gallon to provide any appreciable nutrition, which would be counterintuitive since many raisin brands contain sulfites which will slow yeast reproduction.

Good to know, when I've used them I just toss a couple handfuls in per gallon at most so probably not doing much