Hi- I'm Johnny108

[johnny108]

I'm new to this forum, but not to distilling.
my history: I worked in a homebrew shop for about 7 years- the 2nd year I worked there the -"build a world-class distillation apparatus" file came out, so did the Homedistiller.org website. until then, I had been using a pressure cooker and a coil of 1/4inch copper tubing in a leaky bucket. Working in a homebrew
store had MANY advantages- low-prices, and an environment that encouraged learning. I bought a EuroStill, and used my freezer and a icewater/wok still for many years (the Eurostill was repacked with copper raschig rings and scouring pads), I used Babelfish to translate German schnapps books, and was, at one point, running a batch every 2 days- because my boss at the homebrew shop could write off "experimental/research recipes", as a business expense.
The readers of Homedistiller.org knows me as "Jack","UPS474/747", or as, "A.nonymous". I used to email Tony constantly with results from my experiments, and he would always ask "hey- how come you are doing another batch every few days?"
I quit submitting info to Homedistiller.org and to it's forum because I recieved an IM from someone who seemed intent on getting me to admit that I had distilled illegal alcohol inside the US. I figured him for a fed/cop- and resigned from the forum the next morning.
I kept going with the hobby until the desert wars started to play on my mind- my first love was not distilling. it was stuff that goes "boom". I joined the army-
specifically I joined the US Army MOS 89D (Google it- I don't want to post it here). I spent 6 years in this job. Iraq, Afghanistan, Kosovo, Albania- been there, done that- and, when I was in barracks- I made liqueurs for the wives' of the married guys- my marriage had since fallen apart. I met an American servicewoman in Iraq, and fell in love again- she came with me to Germany after Iraq, then left me. I met and married a German woman, and got out of the army, now I am on a visitor/worker visa in Germany. Money, and the availability of regular, American-style homebrew supplies is limited (light malt syrup is about $4/pound here).
I am very suprised by how much the technology has advanced in the 7+ years I've been gone- I bought the 1st edition of Nixon/Stones' book, but never got around to building it. I now live in a small apartment, with my German wife- using a freezer to double the mash %, and a 2L flask as a potstill, and putting together a 20L potstill with a coil. Keeping myself and the co-workers happy, so to speak.
Really looking forward to learning more!

[maheel]

Welcome Jhonny108

seems you have had an interesting distilling journey :) glad your here for a look.

things sure have changed on the distilling front in that time and i am sure you have already made about some new discoveries about equipment and recipes

welcome aboard

[SBB]

G'day Johnny, excellent intro and glad you could join us.
It sounds like youve had an interesting life.
With your history of schnapps and liqueur making Im sure you have plenty to contribute to this forum.

[Classified]

Welcome Johnny, enjoy your stay. There is alot of info on these forums, troll around and see.

[devotus]

G'day Johnny, nice intro. So North east? North west? Kiel side or Hamburg side?

[johnny108]

Hamburg side!

[devotus]

Well you're probably not too far from me, ......crap weather lately eh?. At least no snow yet.