Homemade Vodka - Easy - 4 Cents a drink

[Bob W]

Best comment I've ever seen on this forum!  lol

My friends and family all say I'm a Jack N.  lookalike.

[Bob W]

Learning curve continues ---  So the charcoal medium left my beautiful Halfka a light inky color.  I filtered through paper but it did not remove the color.  So I ran another Sparkaloid clarifier session.  It was pretty clear this morning.  So I'll wait another couple of days for the process to finish.   It did seem to taste a bit cleaner this morning.  (just a tasting sip)

Should finally be ready for this weekend.   So instead of spending 12 bucks on beer, I will drink my Halfka for about 50 cents in costs.  Lifetime savings at 9% for 40 years for spouse and me = $400,000. 

[Spiliph]

Good job, and thanks for sharing. What an interesting read. What have your family said now that your halfka is clearly a success?

[Bob W]

Good job, and thanks for sharing. What an interesting read. What have your family said now that your halfka is clearly a success?

So I decided to go ahead and do some freezing.  The product didn't freeze entirely in my freezer.  I dripped out the unfrozen liquid.   

The final product still maintains a very slight yellowish color and has a slight wine flavor.   It mixes well and goes good with straight ice or a little water.   I didn't give it a test last weekend as I was bit ill.  So tomorrow,  Halloween,  I'm attending a party and will give it a 4-8 drink test to see just how much alcohol it might have.   

I will definitely be continuing this process and note improvements as they occur.  Different yeasts may yield different results with regard to flavor and color.   

My family still thinks I'm crazy of course!  lol     I'm headed towards the Bob's Lemonade concept for the wife. 

[fireferrets]

This is the most interesting thing I've read here. Bar none. Pun intended!

A++ awesome pun

[GumbyPickles]

Good job, and thanks for sharing. What an interesting read. What have your family said now that your halfka is clearly a success?

So I decided to go ahead and do some freezing.  The product didn't freeze entirely in my freezer.  I dripped out the unfrozen liquid.   

The final product still maintains a very slight yellowish color and has a slight wine flavor.   It mixes well and goes good with straight ice or a little water.   I didn't give it a test last weekend as I was bit ill.  So tomorrow,  Halloween,  I'm attending a party and will give it a 4-8 drink test to see just how much alcohol it might have.   

I will definitely be continuing this process and note improvements as they occur.  Different yeasts may yield different results with regard to flavor and color.   

My family still thinks I'm crazy of course!  lol     I'm headed towards the Bob's Lemonade concept for the wife.

Probably following this post more than any other lol...

Have you done any other batches?  I have purchased a 2 gallon container, pot, and yeast. I still don't know what to purchase for charcoal filtering, any suggestions?  Other than that....I think I'm ready to go for this weekend?

EDIT: Also, how was Halloween w/ 8 drinks?!?!?!?

[dragoncar]

Need updates!  Did you die?

[NorCal]

I'm curious, did you check your final alcohol content with the hydrometer?

I've used to do a lot of homemade wines, and I remember most yeasts maxing out in the 13-16% range.

For those interested in home wine-making, I recommend starting with a kit wine / grape juice concentrate.  After that, pick up the book "Making wild wines and meads" for some excellent ideas.  A dry cherry wine has always been my favorite.

[alsoknownasDean]

I'd be a bit concerned with sanitation. Did you leave it to ferment out in the open?

Might want to cover it to stop wild yeasts and bacteria getting in and ruining your halfka. That and sterilising the bucket before brewing. There's a reason why most homebrewers use covered fermenters with airlocks :)

As an additional Mustachian move, the yeast can probably be re-used for another batch. It's fairly common in the homebrew beer world :)

Most beer yeast likes to be around 18-20°C ideally. I suspect the turbo yeasts are similar, although higher brewing temperatures may generate more esters.

[Bob W]

I'd be a bit concerned with sanitation. Did you leave it to ferment out in the open?

Might want to cover it to stop wild yeasts and bacteria getting in and ruining your halfka. That and sterilising the bucket before brewing. There's a reason why most homebrewers use covered fermenters with airlocks :)

As an additional Mustachian move, the yeast can probably be re-used for another batch. It's fairly common in the homebrew beer world :)

Most beer yeast likes to be around 18-20°C ideally. I suspect the turbo yeasts are similar, although higher brewing temperatures may generate more esters.

I wasn't overly concerned with sanitation.  Washed everything thoroughly.  Food grade 5 gallon bucket. 

Sadly, I most report that I have given up on this effort for now.   The effort involved vs the final product taste wasn't worth it in the end for me.   I guestimate the alcohol content close to 15%. 

I don't drink enough to justify a still set up, so for now, I've cut my drinking of beer out and discovered a product of 80 proof Long Island Tea made by the Barton company for $7 a bottle.   I mix it with a little sweet and sour (Final Call brand) and a splash of Coke.   Makes a fine cocktail.   We've cut back on the drinking so a fifth produces about 10 strong drinks at a cost of $1 per drink.    So maybe $20 per month. 

 

 

[dragoncar]

I'd be a bit concerned with sanitation. Did you leave it to ferment out in the open?

Might want to cover it to stop wild yeasts and bacteria getting in and ruining your halfka. That and sterilising the bucket before brewing. There's a reason why most homebrewers use covered fermenters with airlocks :)

As an additional Mustachian move, the yeast can probably be re-used for another batch. It's fairly common in the homebrew beer world :)

Most beer yeast likes to be around 18-20°C ideally. I suspect the turbo yeasts are similar, although higher brewing temperatures may generate more esters.

I wasn't overly concerned with sanitation.  Washed everything thoroughly.  Food grade 5 gallon bucket. 

Sadly, I most report that I have given up on this effort for now.   The effort involved vs the final product taste wasn't worth it in the end for me.   I guestimate the alcohol content close to 15%. 

I don't drink enough to justify a still set up, so for now, I've cut my drinking of beer out and discovered a product of 80 proof Long Island Tea made by the Barton company for $7 a bottle.   I mix it with a little sweet and sour (Final Call brand) and a splash of Coke.   Makes a fine cocktail.   We've cut back on the drinking so a fifth produces about 10 strong drinks at a cost of $1 per drink.    So maybe $20 per month. 

 

Maybe check out Trader Joe's Blended Scotch.  It's like $10 for a liter.  It doesn't "score" well, but I like it fine.

http://drinks.seriouseats.com/2013/09/taste-test-scotch-whisky-at-trader-joes-highland-single-malt-blended-scotch-cheap-alcohol-review.html

[Bob W]

I'd be a bit concerned with sanitation. Did you leave it to ferment out in the open?

Might want to cover it to stop wild yeasts and bacteria getting in and ruining your halfka. That and sterilising the bucket before brewing. There's a reason why most homebrewers use covered fermenters with airlocks :)

As an additional Mustachian move, the yeast can probably be re-used for another batch. It's fairly common in the homebrew beer world :)

Most beer yeast likes to be around 18-20°C ideally. I suspect the turbo yeasts are similar, although higher brewing temperatures may generate more esters.

I wasn't overly concerned with sanitation.  Washed everything thoroughly.  Food grade 5 gallon bucket. 

Sadly, I most report that I have given up on this effort for now.   The effort involved vs the final product taste wasn't worth it in the end for me.   I guestimate the alcohol content close to 15%. 

I don't drink enough to justify a still set up, so for now, I've cut my drinking of beer out and discovered a product of 80 proof Long Island Tea made by the Barton company for $7 a bottle.   I mix it with a little sweet and sour (Final Call brand) and a splash of Coke.   Makes a fine cocktail.   We've cut back on the drinking so a fifth produces about 10 strong drinks at a cost of $1 per drink.    So maybe $20 per month. 

 

Maybe check out Trader Joe's Blended Scotch.  It's like $10 for a liter.  It doesn't "score" well, but I like it fine.

http://drinks.seriouseats.com/2013/09/taste-test-scotch-whisky-at-trader-joes-highland-single-malt-blended-scotch-cheap-alcohol-review.html

No Trader Joe's around here.   I have found that if I'm in a whiskey type mood that I much prefer blended Canadian Whiskeys over scotch or single malts.   

Alcohol is by far my biggest beverage category at this point.   I drink water and tea mostly.   My tea cost is around $1 per month these days with the $1 per hundred bags available at WalMart.   Water is essentially free from my well.  My wife is still a Coke Zero addict. 

I'm shooting for a sub $250 annual booze budget for 2 adults this year.  If I can find a cheap still set up I may convert to that in the future to make a super premium very inexpensive home distillation.     I enjoy Titos vodka but it is almost 3 times the price of the bottom shelf stuff.   I understand that a home distiller can surpass the quality and taste of Titos so that may be the hobby I eventually end up with.   

[James]

No Trader Joe's around here.   I have found that if I'm in a whiskey type mood that I much prefer blended Canadian Whiskeys over scotch or single malts.   

I really enjoy Pendleton whiskey, it's not super cheap but it's less than the big names and has great flavor to my uneducated tastes.

Thanks much for sharing your discoveries, I found this entire thread great to follow and learn from. Once my kids are older I plan on experiment more, I tried the MMM hard cider and found it unacceptable in my version. I hope to get into home brewing beer at some point, but don't have the time or effort to put in right now.

[dragoncar]

I'd be a bit concerned with sanitation. Did you leave it to ferment out in the open?

Might want to cover it to stop wild yeasts and bacteria getting in and ruining your halfka. That and sterilising the bucket before brewing. There's a reason why most homebrewers use covered fermenters with airlocks :)

As an additional Mustachian move, the yeast can probably be re-used for another batch. It's fairly common in the homebrew beer world :)

Most beer yeast likes to be around 18-20°C ideally. I suspect the turbo yeasts are similar, although higher brewing temperatures may generate more esters.

I wasn't overly concerned with sanitation.  Washed everything thoroughly.  Food grade 5 gallon bucket. 

Sadly, I most report that I have given up on this effort for now.   The effort involved vs the final product taste wasn't worth it in the end for me.   I guestimate the alcohol content close to 15%. 

I don't drink enough to justify a still set up, so for now, I've cut my drinking of beer out and discovered a product of 80 proof Long Island Tea made by the Barton company for $7 a bottle.   I mix it with a little sweet and sour (Final Call brand) and a splash of Coke.   Makes a fine cocktail.   We've cut back on the drinking so a fifth produces about 10 strong drinks at a cost of $1 per drink.    So maybe $20 per month. 

 

Maybe check out Trader Joe's Blended Scotch.  It's like $10 for a liter.  It doesn't "score" well, but I like it fine.

http://drinks.seriouseats.com/2013/09/taste-test-scotch-whisky-at-trader-joes-highland-single-malt-blended-scotch-cheap-alcohol-review.html

No Trader Joe's around here.   I have found that if I'm in a whiskey type mood that I much prefer blended Canadian Whiskeys over scotch or single malts.   

Alcohol is by far my biggest beverage category at this point.   I drink water and tea mostly.   My tea cost is around $1 per month these days with the $1 per hundred bags available at WalMart.   Water is essentially free from my well.  My wife is still a Coke Zero addict. 

I'm shooting for a sub $250 annual booze budget for 2 adults this year.  If I can find a cheap still set up I may convert to that in the future to make a super premium very inexpensive home distillation.     I enjoy Titos vodka but it is almost 3 times the price of the bottom shelf stuff.   I understand that a home distiller can surpass the quality and taste of Titos so that may be the hobby I eventually end up with.

Are you planning to brew yourself or just redistill the bottom shelf vodka?  I guess it's easier to redistill but you still pay the taxes, so might not be cheaper.  You'll probably lose a decent amount in redistillation because you are throwing away all the crap.

[Bob W]

No big plan, just a pipe dream at present.   I would lean to brewing and distilling myself though.  The brewing part is just too simple and cheap.  I assume I would loose about 80% to achieve the super premium level.  So that would come in at maybe $5 for 750 ml.   And then the 80% would be for mixing or household chemical usage.