Ponkin' Moonshine

[grundle]

I was reading a turn of the century treatise on the fine art of fermenting and distilling various farm crop products. I came across a section that mentioned you can actually still up pumpkins and get a yield comparable to potatoes.

I believe the yield they mentioned was about 2-3 gallons per bushel. I am sure that commercially we have been able to increase that in the last 100 years, but I found that fairly interesting.

I never heard of a pumpkin liquor, so I wanted to ask if anyone of you have heard tell, or even tried a spirit derived from pumpkins.

For a farm pumpkins seem like a really nice product. You can use the seeds to press oil from. The oil having thousands of wonderful uses ranging from diesel fuel to cooking oil. The rind can be made into soup, or distilled with the byproducts being liquor as well as feed for your livestock.

If TSHTF in a long term scenario I know that spirits would be a valuable trade commodity. Being able to produce it cleanly, readily, and regularly would be a boon to any self-sufficient venture. Oftentimes people forget that a spirit can double as antiseptic in case of injury, or as a preservative. It has many great uses.

Just some thoughts.

[Rick]

I would think you can still any vegetable or fruit. The higher the sugar content the better so I understand.

The guy that would know is Coot. Not that he's ever done that (you never know who's monitoring these places) but he's read a lot of stuff and if he WERE to make it I'll bet he would know what to use, how long to let it age (minutes or hours) and the proper method to dispose of, should you have to.

[grundle]

Well if this could some-how get launched into a discussion on the finer points between a single and double still I wouldn't mind learning for only academic purposes.

I seen some still diagrams that are downright complicated and confusing. I was hoping someone could clear that up for me.

[Rick]

I just hope that isn't some patent pending problems that would limit the discussion. Some fellas are a bit closed lip thinking they might get out stilled.

[tennecedar]

A guy on another forum said he got a federal grant to build a still. For the production of alcohol as a fuel. I asked him what the difference between fuel alcohol and drinking alcohol was. He replied that he didn't add any sugar to the corn mash and after distilling he added a chemical to make unfit to drink. The stuff that makes it denatured. He got the plans, materials, and supplies from the web. Worth looking into? *shrug*

[grundle]

A guy on another forum said he got a federal grant to build a still. For the production of alcohol as a fuel. I asked him what the difference between fuel alcohol and drinking alcohol was. He replied that he didn't add any sugar to the corn mash and after distilling he added a chemical to make unfit to drink. The stuff that makes it denatured. He got the plans, materials, and supplies from the web. Worth looking into? *shrug*

Yep, that sounds right, although you really don't have to add sugar to your grain for drinking alcohol. All that matters is fermentation itself. Most likely people add sugar so that they can increase the alcohol content as the mash ferments, which would give you a higher yield when you run the still.

I have done considerable research on the net, and the vast majority of articles and information provided are specifically for single still operation. From what I understand a double still will give you better purity, better quality end-product which is why I was interested in finding more data on double still.

[crashdive123]

Pumpkins - who would've thunk it. I know that cucumbers work well.

[trax]

I would think you can still any vegetable or fruit. The higher the sugar content the better so I understand. --That's my understanding too
The guy that would know is Coot.--Yep, I'm waiting for Pop to weigh in on this one. Not that he's ever done that---goodness no! (you never know who's monitoring these places) but he's read a lot of stuff and if he WERE to make it I'll bet he would know what to use, how long to let it age (minutes or hours)---I've heard of that "aging" business before, I once let a batch set a whole ten days and I could find no discernible difference and the proper method to dispose of, should you have to.

Oh yeah, and disposal services are something that I might be able to provide if you can't find a way to get rid of the stuff, yeah I could do that. You may also want to consult with quality control before taking any rash actions.

[grundle]

Oh yeah, and disposal services are something that I might be able to provide if you can't find a way to get rid of the stuff, yeah I could do that. You may also want to consult with quality control before taking any rash actions.

Aging is pointless if you don't add yeast!!!!

It is the yeast that is going to produce your alcohol. Yeast eats sugar and makes alcohol as its by-product.

In the art of brewing/distilling the adage should be "Cleanliness next to godliness" because contamination is usually the cause of lower yields and spoiled mash.

I can't wait to see what Coot has to say too.

[Beans]

I can't wait to see what Coot has to say too.

Coot where are you????????????????????????

[Ole WV Coot]

I get home and read this Sacrilege concerning the nectar of the Gods being contaminated with "punkins"? Other vegetables, might as well drink water. You just need water, corn if you want something fancy, charred wood chips or just middlings(pig food), sugar.NOW. dump middlings, corn, dead cat into a #2 washtub, sugar & water, stir (don't stand downwind). Nice fire and stir while getting close to the boiling point. Cover with another tub that has a worm(1/4" copper tube) kinda twisted. The steam(if it don't blow up) goes thru the worm, condenses and you have the liquid. CAUTION don't lay under the end of the worm with your mouth open, it's HOT so let it run thru the charred wood, strain into a Mason jar to cool. At this point you may find a bug or two in the brew, don't worry about them they will never be more sterile. Shake and watch the beads form, if it takes close to a minute for them to break you got a decent brew. The acid test that I have posted before is tie up your best friend, put one drop of the "brew" on his forehead and if his tongue beats his brains out trying to get to it, it's just right. It can be aged, I have seen some aged for as much as three days before being consumed. Now in a survival situation without any of this fancy hardware take an old radiator and use for the worm, quick cooling and a little lead never hurt anyone. The "ole family" recipe is a little different but anything even,(gasp) punkins would work. I could get more detailed but it's time for me to get ready for church.

[Rick]

dump middlings, corn, dead cat into a #2 washtub

Yeah, well, so much for all that cleanliness is next to Godliness crap.

[grundle]

Yeah, well, so much for all that cleanliness is next to Godliness crap.

Most of that was tongue in cheek, but well...cleanliness is good if you want a higher yield thats all.

The part I don't see in Coot's post is the fermentation stage. Are you saying you just prep up and don't allow for fermentation before running your still? Your post seems very sequential, meaning not a lot of time delay between each step...

[Ole WV Coot]

Most of that was tongue in cheek, but well...cleanliness is good if you want a higher yield thats all.

The part I don't see in Coot's post is the fermentation stage. Are you saying you just prep up and don't allow for fermentation before running your still? Your post seems very sequential, meaning not a lot of time delay between each step...

Since this part of the country is the main supplier you're talking about mixin' the mash, letting it work and then the mixture is vaporized and returned to a liquid thru condensation in the worm, therefore it is ready to go right out of the pipe, nice & clear. When you dodge the law sanitation isn't important and I have known men who used a radiator as a worm. This run was not for local consumption. Yeast is sometimes used if available, works faster but not necessary. For family reunions and as a gift to the sheriff corn mash or the hog feed is used along with sugar and yeast, doesn't take long to ferment and running the shine thru burnt hickory imparts a nice taste and is called of course "charred shine". The shaking and timing the bubbles breaking can tell a person familiar with either buying or making if and how much it has been "cut" or watered down. This is what I have heard over 50 yrs of sampling said brew which will make you bring back things you didn't steal and make your ugly cousin or the local livestock look kinda cute.:innocent:

[tennecedar]

sampling said brew which will make you bring back things you didn't steal

true story: Tequila made me do that once. Oh I had took it alright, just tried to give it back to the wrong person. (really it was only borrowing since it got returned eventually. nobody got fightin mad)

[canid]

you can get a much higher yeild from pumpkinds that from potatoes, as pumpkins are naturally high in sugars. potatoes generally have to modifiedto break down the starches, and even yams/sweet potatoes would be a better bet without needing to use enzymes.

[Rick]

Here is a resource for stills:

http://www.moonshine-still.com/page2.htm

[Smok]

Here is the one I use all the time and one of the best www.milehidistilling.com (http://www.milehidistilling.com)

[grundle]

Here is the one I use all the time and one of the best www.milehidistilling.com (http://www.milehidistilling.com)

That is interesting, so you use a reflux still. I have read that reflux will give you more pure alcohol, whereas a pot still will give you an alcohol that still has some flavour to it.

Smok, can you comment on the flavour differences of different mash stock (i.e. grain, potato, or fruit) ? Do you perceive a noticeable difference in taste using the reflux still?

[Alpine_Sapper]

I was looking for a good image of the reflux still. They claim to have one, there's even an image there, but I'll be damned if I can find the still in that photo. :drool:

[Smok]

grundle With the reflux still there is less impurities so less flavors to get ...Flavor it is dune after the distilling this is in the aging . to get a fruit flavor just add fruit to you alcohol to make Gin you add Juniper Berry's .For more go to the top and look up Moonshine Recipes..... Agrippa is made from the must left over from wine press so there is flavor just very little , it has to be add back...... Alpine Sapper it's there I have the one that fits on the 15 gal. beer cage go to the Catalog

[Alpine_Sapper]

grundle With the reflux still there is less impurities so less flavors to get ...Flavor it is dune after the distilling this is in the aging . to get a fruit flavor just add fruit to you alcohol to make Gin you add Juniper Berry's .For more go to the top and look up Moonshine Recipes..... Agrippa is made from the must left over from wine press so there is flavor just very little , it has to be add back...... Alpine Sapper it's there I have the one that fits on the 15 gal. beer cage go to the Catalog


lol. Yeah, I saw it. I was referring to the hot blond they have straddling the pole that's attached to the top of the keg. I would have posted the image, but they are ******** and copyrighted the image, and disabled right click to prevent "stealing" of said image. :)

[Smok]

Hay that is my Sister :blushing:

[Rick]

True story. Four or five of us were in the office one day and one of the guys pointed out a young lady walking down the street. "Look at the ****** on that one."

A voice in the back of the group. "Yep. That's my daughter."

[grundle]

grundle With the reflux still there is less impurities so less flavors to get ...Flavor it is dune after the distilling this is in the aging . to get a fruit flavor just add fruit to you alcohol to make Gin you add Juniper Berry's .For more go to the top and look up Moonshine Recipes..... Agrippa is made from the must left over from wine press so there is flavor just very little , it has to be add back...... Alpine Sapper it's there I have the one that fits on the 15 gal. beer cage go to the Catalog

That is interesting to note. I guess there are two ways to go about flavour then.

The more pure flavour from the reflux still where you age the relatively tasteless liquor with a component so that it will sap flavor into it. From my reading I have read that a pot still will still leave a lingering flavor, which is mostly due to the lower purity of the alcohol.

Do you have a link to the recipes you mentioned? It sounds intriguing, and it will probably fill a gap in my knowledge.

[Alpine_Sapper]

Hay that is my Sister :blushing:

Um, are you serious, or are you joking? If you are serious, your sister is HOT. Hook it up bro! :winkiss:

[trax]

Yeah, well, so much for all that cleanliness is next to Godliness crap.

You wanna get next to Godliness? Sample the product..

[Smok]

No....Just having fun

[Alpine_Sapper]

No....Just having fun
! *walks away kicking trashcans

[Smok]

I am sorry I am so sorry .. :dodge:...But look at it this way , if she had been my sis she would have been had so your :creepy:, in luck she not my sis lol...:chair:..Some how that just came out bad.......:blushing:...:innocent:

[chiangmaimav]

I have a pumpkin farm here and they are very useful as you say; here they make fried pumpkin, pumpkin curry, pumpkin soup, pumpkin pastry, but never heard of pumpkin whiskey. Not that it couldn't be done. I think rice works better, though.

[grundle]

I have a pumpkin farm here and they are very useful as you say; here they make fried pumpkin, pumpkin curry, pumpkin soup, pumpkin pastry, but never heard of pumpkin whiskey. Not that it couldn't be done. I think rice works better, though.

It is all up to the gluten content and the fermentation that takes place when it is mashed.

By the way, do you know if they press oil from the pumpkin seeds? Those things are loaded with seeds, and I do know that pumpkins have a decent amount of oil content per seed.

I am going to try pressing some from the seeds I get this year.

[Ole WV Coot]

I think it's wrong for any brew that doesn't come out of KY or WV is even called 'shine to begin with. These Chinese knockoffs and other places that I won't mention are barkin' up the wrong tree. If it ain't genuine made in the hills brew it might as well be after shave.

[Rick]

I had an Uncle that liked that, too. Old Spice was his favorite.

[trax]

I think it's wrong for any brew that doesn't come out of KY or WV is even called 'shine to begin with. These Chinese knockoffs and other places that I won't mention are barkin' up the wrong tree. If it ain't genuine made in the hills brew it might as well be after shave.

Pop, you may have just started a civil war with Tennessee....

[Beans]

I think rice works better, though.

Confused :confused:

How do you use rice to make Pumpkin brew????????????: :ohno::ohno: :FRlol::FRlol::FRlol:

[grundle]

Confused :confused:

How do you use rice to make Pumpkin brew????????????: :ohno::ohno: :FRlol::FRlol::FRlol:

lol, okay I'll bite just in case you aren't kidding.

You can use rice to make alcohol. Distilled rice is known as sake, or in China they just call it "wine" but it is more like white lightning than "wine".

[tennecedar]

Pop, you may have just started a civil war with Tennessee....

Nah, a drinking contest should hash out where real shine is made. There would have to be some rules tho. The run can't be more than 3 days old and:cool2: none of charcoal nonsense..... tap to jar.

[Schleprok]

Coot, dunno about that radiator biz. Kinda scary. Granpap always told me if a feller was using a radiator in his still, he would run outta customers and the funeral home would increase business.
One way to tell good "sqeezins" from bad was the burn. If it made your throat pucker, quit drinkin that rotgut. If you thought youz drinking a glass of water, good stuff. Don't try to stand up tho... :)

[canid]

If it ain't genuine made in the hills brew it might as well be after shave.

you look me in the moon-shinin' beard and say that friend.

:tough-face:

[Ole WV Coot]

you look me in the moon-shinin' beard and say that friend.

:tough-face:

:drool:I thought CA folks were wine sippers with their pinkie finger sticking out to pick their nose.:noway: Now TN does make some good stuff, but I always was curious why it was made where you couldn't drink it:sneaky2: If it ain't made in the Appalachian chain it ain't real and be destroyed :smash: The "radiator worm" was for sale to tourists passing thru, and they did pass on:dead: Too many imposter's, so few true connoisseurs

[Smok]

I hate to say this but here in the North state of Calif. we have people that thought they were still part of Mex. just 10 years ago . They were back in the woods that long ..:innocent:.. You do not have the market on being isolated ,:blushing: this is were Ishsi was found ..And there may still be others out there like him . I know for a fact were there are wild horses that the State knows nothing about ..