Nosy ATF

[Hippie Rancher]

Thanks! Might be one of those cultural things I need to look into if I ever get east of Texas :lol:

I alway thought Applejack was an apple wine based brandy, didn't know it was grain based. I have had store bought and liked it quite a bit.

Have tried some kind of homemade whiskey, brought out by friends but who knows what the real story was? And that was back in dumb youth days with no real appreciation for product, only looking for buzz.

The bacanora I mentioned is made from the heart of agaves (sort of a cactus like plant that is actually more closely related to grasses than cactus) they only flower once then die so those stalk buds are FULL of sugars. They are roasted in pits over wood coals, giving them the smoky flavor. Then they are pressed and the juice fermented before distilling.

 

[Jogeephus]

So bacanora isn't exactly beer since you distill it. All of this sounds similar in principle just different base ingredients then just pulling the alcohol out of a solution of whatever it might be. Names of products like Applejack are just catchy names someone throws on it for no particular reason. Sometimes its named after sampling some of the first drippings from the worm. Kinda like naming a new calf. Recipes from one area to next could be as different as night and day. The AppleJ I was given was definitely not brandy. It burned with the bluish of flames and had been cooked off. Don't know what proof it was but I never finished a glass. I'd have called it Sleep Juice. ;-)

Since I will only drink on rare occasions, my interest is based solely on preserving a historic art or craft just as I find syrup making. In tweny years I'm afraid this will be gone if someone doesn't preserve the knowledge.

 

[Medic24]

Jogeephus seems to have a great concept of the recipe....but everyone makes it a little different to suit themselves for either taste or ease.
And of course like anything else there are sooo many different recipes out there. Many which can be found right here on the internet.

I learned by being shown, and also inherited an old actual recipe book. This by no means makes me an expert. I have had to dump a few runs in the past, and no doubt will have to again, as I am always trying to make it just a little bit better each time.

The sugar is added insurance for a faster and higher octane run.... and as said before not a purist type of ingredient...............

But the most important parts of the run besides the main ingredients, include patience, cooking temps. especially NOT to exceed, and the vessel material you use. I have both copper and SS double boiler type pots. Prefer the copper. Would never use aluminum or soft metal, and I am sure of the purity of the inputs.no trash or other shortcuts goes into the pot.

It's made here mostly cus we can, and it's a rebel type of thing.........after it's all said and done, it's alot less work,and money to go to the liquer store for it.

Just by happenstance, I saw information that confirms that this little area (especially across the mountain in Carter County TN) is the leading producers and consumers of homemade.......Guess thats how the world got the name of "Johnson City Jake Leg" some time ago, after some idoit started making and selling a toxic brew, the folks drinking it lost the ability to walk normally, and forever more walked with a distinctive kind of gate/limp.

One last thing, if you make high test (high proof) and want or need to dilute it down a bit, use only distilled water, plain water leaves behind minerals that would make your work cloudy looking. I am told it's the iron, but not sure. I have also tried a few different fruit juices to add different flavor, but have yet to find anything that really rocks. We will keep working on it. :cboy:

 

[SmokeStackFarms]

I clicked one of the "google" ads that was above this post.
It had to do with moonshine.

Great!!
Recipes/every variety of still imaginable!
http://www.coppermoonshinestills.com/id16.html

worth checking out.

I am contemplating a "Farmer's elixir" label. check on an info commercial---ad some herB supplements---Get an "Aunt Bee" to sponsor some in home party's (AMWAY-MARYKAY).
Build a multi-network of this product and then not worry about the roll-a- coaster of farm income.
(all agree riding a roll-a-coaster is thrilling-----but who wants to ride to Chicago on one)

No-I haven't been dipping in the elixir.

 

[Hippie Rancher]

Had a chance to visit the Alsace area of France and I guess it is an area of craft distillers, along with wines. One place we visited had all kinds of fruit flavored "brandies" - one of the best surprisingly was plum (prune).

I remember distilling in organic chem lab, but other than that it sounds like I need to do some "research" and check out some working set-ups somehow. ;-) I have already spent too much money on the beer equipment - you know - started because it was supposed to be cheaper than buying beer. Yeah right. It can be of course, but then you are making the homebrew version of old milwaukee and what is the fun in that?

I think the Mexican Bacanora makers use old auto radiators somehow. Seems I read that in a newspaper article. In the last few years Cuervo or somebody started selling a legal version of it and it is or was available here in the US. In my opinion it was nowhere as good as some of the homemade I have tried. Think very high quality tequila with a smokey taste that is way more pronounced than being aged in charred oak.

 

[Jogeephus]

Hippie, I hope they don't use radiators in the process. That's prettty dangerous. At best, you might get some popskull but it could also lead to lead poisoning and other nasty things like Medic pointed out.