Slivovitz and Pisco

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Kapo's thread reminded me I said I was going to put this up here, hopefully he can add to it.

Slivovitz (Croation plum brandy)

Ingredients;
50 gallon drum soft ripe plums
Water

Fill 50 gallon drum 6" from top with plums, top off with water (warm-cool water, you don't want to kill the yeast with hot water)
After a couple days, try to mash the plums to the bottom of the barrel with a 3" oak plank.
Let ferment to about 5% abv. Strain liquid off pulp and pits (reserve pulp) and charge pot still.
Run fast and collect everything down to 10 - 12%
Put all the pulp in a smaller bucket and add distillate to it. Let sit for about 2 weeks, then strain the liquid off and run this in a pot still. Discard fores, collect everything down to 35%abv. Filter, age for 3 months. Then water down to 40% and bottle/drink.

Pisco (Peruvian brandy)
As above but use grapes. Use new grapes for the soaking. A light champagne grape works best.
Pisco is not usually aged, but if it is, use stone crocks. It is generally not watered down, if a weaker spirit is desired, collect further into the tails.

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Ive made the slivovitz, wasn't too bad, but some might not like it.

I made some cuts, and aged some on oak. turned out pretty good.

I havn't made the Pisco, so your on your own there.