Hey guys, enthusiastic learner incoming

[bosnitch]

G'day, I'm Andrew from Toowoomba,

I'm fairly new to all this, been reading round this forum for the last few weeks and have learnt heaps from you all...that and a bit of experience, ha. Out of interests sake how old are some of you blokes and how long have you been at this? I'm just 21 and a keen as rum drinker which is how I arrived here today: I've been known to drink in solid moderation and was searching for cheaper options-my Nan bought me a SS still. Reading here that thing sounds like a bit of a con job, but it's got me onto a hobby I'll have for years to come, right.

Anyhoo, thanks for all the great info, be getting myself onto a real still in the not too distant future (I hope, ha), some rum recipes and practice, practice.

Have a good one

[busman]

Hi Bosnitch,

You might want to edit our your name and location ;)

Welcome aboard, there is heaps of good info and great guys here to answer any questions you might have about your new hobby. I'm 32 and just started this as well, and found this forum to be the best on the web. :mrgreen:

Cheers

[maheel]

hey mate and welcome

i started home brewing when i was about 21 and i am nearly double that now :whistle:

which SS still have you got ? although not the "best" you can still make good product on most things. Just on better stills it's easier to get a much better product.

biggest tip i wish i had got 15 years ago is "get a keg boiler", start with a keg and it's all good from there

[Frank]

Hi mate and welcome.
I started drinking at 16 and will be THREE TIMES that in a few days :shock:
I've been brewing beer for half my life. I've been making spirits for a bit less than a year and am still using MY SS still :lol:. For sure there is lot's to learn (you are NOT Robinson Crusoe on that one BTW) and these fine forum folk are a great mob to learn from IMHO.

The thing is....no matter what your still or how you choose to use it, you will be making better, much less expensive and (most likely) 'healthier' spirits. ;)

Its also a fun thing to do :D All good really. Enjoy.....

[Jimmy1]

G'day dude, welcome
I've only just turned 25 and been making spirits for about 12 months and the best way to learn this hobby is to "just do it", when you read something that doesn't quite make sense once you put it into practice it all comes clear as crystal.
I've been making my own beer out of kits since I just turned 18 (until All Grain took a hold a my life :D ) and the best tip I can give you is fermentation temps mean everything, if you brew a good product it will come out of the still good.(no off tastes pulled through with your spirit)
And with the rum get a molasses wash going and try it through your still and see what flavour you get (oak it too as well) and you will be surprised. Molasses only cost about $6 for 3L and gets cheaper in bulk so it compares with other washes in price.
Also cheap fermeters are the 25L water drums from bunnings for $16 and a tap for $2, no need for an airlock (bubbler) just dont tighten the lid right up and it will ferment just fine.
Have fun mate

[MacStill]

G'day Andrew and welcome to our forum, you'll find plenty here willing to share their knowledge.

Cheers.

[bosnitch]

Thanks for the tips guys.
And it's one of the little 4L ones maheel. First batch of TPW just hit 990, going to take awhile to run 50L through that, ha