I've planted my gardens with 5 lbs of winter rye seed.
What do I need to "malt" the barley,and distill some "ethanol"? (it is illegal to make whisky in the U.S. , but I can make some lawnmower/ chainsaw gas)

Google is your friend.

I would think that the project would be much like making beer until you start distilling.

quote:

Originally posted by mr kablammo:
I would think that the project would be much like making beer until you start distilling.

A client of mine who is a commercial brewer has said exactly that. Leave out the hops, though. Then distill.

I certainly wouldn't post my intentions to do so on a public forum.

That said, from my understanding the end result isn't worth all of the trouble that goes into making a batch. That is, unless you're making a significant quantity. Also, be very careful and edumacate yourself as drinking the wrong cut of the whiskey can be terminal.

Waste of time honestly. After you make it rye sits in a barrel for 2+ years. Usually 4+. At that point it becomes not worth it. Any efforts to age it in smaller barrels turn it to crap because you cant replace time and the hooch going through the wood thru the seasons.

If u want unaged white whiskey then go for it cept both are illegal.

One last thing. Dont do it on your property, if you get caught feds seize your house/land.

The challenge is patience. Get an expensive American oak barrel, char it just the right amount, then fill it with your white dog distillate at no more than 160 proof, place it in a non-climate controlled building that experiences wild temperature swings then wait... and wait... and wait some more. Don't even talk to me until you've been sitting on it for 4 years at a minimum. And don't be shocked when a third of your precious juice has magically disappeared.

This is the reason most "craft" bourbon/rye is expensive and relatively low quality.

Give these guys a look, they have recipes and stills on there. IANAL, YMMV and I didnt sleep in a Holiday Inn Express last night so be sure you're up on any and all laws regarding owning and using a still. Uncle Sam really doesn't like people messing with Alcohol tax.

https://www.clawhammersupply.com/

IMO - It's not worth it, unless you also have a '69 Day-Glo Orange Charger to cart your goods around in.

Not sure where you live but the more temp variation you have the more the whisky is drawn into and out of the wood in the barrel. Oregon disillers get results similar to years in a few months. If you have a cellar in Scotland, yeah you need many years...

That said, it is illegal and not worth it IMO. You could buy unaged white whisky and a small barrel and age your own. You could malt the rye and make a beer, malting is a pita too.

I've made beer from fresh hops picked from a friends house and once took plain 2row barley and modified it into a roasted malt and some crystal malt and made an Amber Ale that was really good. Not worth all the effort, though...

I think it's legal in my state (very small personal batch only). But darn, everytime I do something along these lines (make apple cider, go crabbing or clamming, make beer etc) it seems to be so much work......soooo much! Sometimes it's better to go get yer own crab, cheaper and more fun. But still a lot of work. But usually it seems easier and sometimes cheaper too, to just buy it finished from some expert at the store or their place of business.

BTW, this is a sensitive subject with many laws covering it, do the research and make sure you're legal for what you want to do first. Stills can blow up ya know:-) https://www.leaf.tv/articles/i...uor-for-private-use/

Good luck with it!

quote:

Originally posted by jimb888:
I think it's legal in my state

I thought is was a Federal issue with distilled spirits.

I've thought of buying one of those small 1 gal distillers to make alcohol for gun cleaning etc. After I checked into that I found you'd need to distill 2 or 3 times to get in the 90% alcohol range which, as you've pointed out, is probably too much work for the benefit. Well, unless you're going to sneak a sip now and again, but why bother. Everclear 190 proof is legal in many states if you're up to the burn, and actually 99% isopropyl alcohol is a better cleaner and relatively inexpensive.

quote:

Originally posted by jimb888:
I think it's legal in my state (very small personal batch only).

You’d be wrong. Unfortunately, the federalies don’t allow any distillation even for personal use, and from what I hear the penalties are very stiff.

Federally speaking, start here:

https://www.ttb.gov/spirits/home-distilling.shtml

quote:

Spirits

You may not produce spirits for beverage purposes without paying taxes and without prior approval of paperwork to operate a distilled spirits plant. [See 26 U.S.C. 5601 & 5602 for some of the criminal penalties. You should also review our Home Distilling page.] There are numerous requirements that must be met that also make it impractical to produce spirits for personal or beverage use. Some of these requirements are filing an extensive application, filing a bond, providing adequate equipment to measure spirits, providing suitable tanks and pipelines, providing a separate building (other than a dwelling) and maintaining detailed records, and filing reports. All of these requirements are listed in 27 CFR Part 19.

Spirits may be produced for nonbeverage purposes for fuel use only without payment of tax, but you also must file an application, receive TTB's approval, and follow requirements, such as construction, use, records and reports.

Last reviewed/updated 01/06/2015

https://www.ttb.gov/spirits/faq.shtml

In short, in many states you may legally own a still, for distilling water or essential oils.

Fuel and Spirits require licenses and taxes.

No doubt there are many who skirt the rules, but don't proceed ill informed...

WOW This is amazing!! make all the beer/wine ya'll want but don't you dare make any whisky!!. anybody know why?

Roots are in the Whiskey Rebellion. The last time a president lead troops into battle and over taxes.

Vince

Whiskey Rebellion, Prohibition, Taxes, and Control.

So, basically, government as usual.

Hopefully it'll change one day, but the reality is - as Deqlyn alluded to above, you're very, very unlikely to get anything worth a damn unless it's spent 3-5+yrs aging in a full sized barrel, and even then - most excellent whiskey is more in the 8+yo range, and that's when aging in ideal conditions in terms of temp, humidity, etc.

The difference between, say, Van Winkle 20yo Bourbon (or anything similarly old and considered fantastic) and its cheapest cousin - Weller Special Reserve - is more than just the years of aging, but that the good stuff tends to come from one random corner of the aging warehouse (or some random 2nd tier shelf) because for whatever reason - the Master Distillers there have found that corner/shelf always turns out best, even when there are a few hundred similar barrels all over the warehouse, but this corner... it gets more sunlight in the summer evenings or a cool breeze in the morning, or whatever.

Which is to say, even if you had a great spot in your backyard, and you put 10 full barrels in it, maybe you only one would turn out great, and the rest just average.

Typical, as I understand it.

Whiskey is too much and too long to go about it casually and wait years for average...

quote:

Originally posted by Deqlyn:
Waste of time honestly. After you make it rye sits in a barrel for 2+ years. Usually 4+. At that point it becomes not worth it. Any efforts to age it in smaller barrels turn it to crap because you cant replace time and the hooch going through the wood thru the seasons.

Not correct. Small barrels have way more surface area as a ratio to the liquid volume than the 53g gallon barrels used by the big distillers. Craft distillers are also doing it in all different climates. "Aging" is simply the liquor being drawn into and out of the wood due to temperature variations. The variables are barrel surface area and temp swings. The alcohol doesn't know how long it it sitting there. Great results can be had with smaller barrels in months. Years aren't needed unless you have a climate controlled warehouse and 53g barrels. I've tried a lot of craft spirits since I love craft beer and trying new things. I've noticed that at a similar price point ($29-$55 per 750ml), the craft whiskeys are right there with the big dogs and it is just a matter of preference.

http://www.deepsouthbarrels.co...ns/barrel-dimensions

quote:

WOW This is amazing!! make all the beer/wine ya'll want but don't you dare make any whisky!!. anybody know why?

Beer and wine making are relatively safe.
There are other issues with distilling. Stills can explode. In addition, certain portions of the distillation, especially the first output, are not safe to consume.

I don't believe unaged white whisky is illegal. It is sold locally in liquor stores, one brand is Corn Liquor, the other is White Death.