Category Archives: Distilling 101

Is Making Moonshine Illegal In Alabama? (Explained!)

Image of diy distilling is making moonshine legal in the state of alabama is distilling legal in alabama

Alabama has a rich cultural tradition of moonshining, but is it actually legal? In this article, we’ll look at the legal requirements to produce moonshine in Alabama. What is Moonshine and why is it called Moonshine? The term “moonshine” comes from bootleggers in the prohibition who made their liquor in homemade stills under the cover of{…}

How Much Does A Distilling License Cost In Australia?

Image of diy distilling is it legal to distil in australia and how much does a distilling licence cost

For Aussies, doing it yourself is in your DNA. I’ve lived there myself and seen firsthand how the ‘have a go’ attitude works. So why can’t you distill alcohol yourself in Australia? Why do you need a license? This article will answer the questions you have regarding the cost of a distillery and the licenses{…}

How To Get A Distilling License (In The USA)

Image of diy distilling how to get a distilling license in the usa and what are the state and federal requirements 1

During the prohibition era, Americans operated illegal moonshine stills and produced homemade spirits in secret.  Although prohibition ended, there are still laws preventing the unregulated distillation and sale of spirits in the US. If you want to distill liquor at home or open a small craft distillery, you can make this dream a reality, but{…}

Why is Moonshine Dangerous (Must Read)

Image of diy distilling why is moonshine dangerous

Moonshine is synonymous with illegal and highly potent hooch that’s been distilled in the dead of night. As well as being illegal, it gets a bad rep for being dangerous. But what makes it dangerous? The term moonshine often refers to a homemade corn whiskey or other home-distilled spirits. If not done correctly, moonshine can{…}

The Best Sugar for Distilling (Sugar Explained!)

Image of diy distilling the best sugar for distilling the best sugar for brewing

To make the most of your brewing and distilling experience, you need to have a good understanding of which is the best sugar for distilling and what it does. Sugar and its alternatives can provide you with a host of opportunities to fine-tune your next batch. What is Sugar? Sucrose is a molecule composed of{…}

What Is A Still? (Distillation Equipment Explained!)

If you want to produce your own spirits at home, you need to distill them using a still.  But what is a still? How do they work? And how can you find the right still for you? In this article, we’ll tell you everything you need to know about stills – how they work, the{…}

The Best Sanitizer for Brewing and Distilling (In 2023)

Image of diy distilling the best sanitizer for brewing and home distilling

Cleaning and sanitizing are two crucial but often neglected steps in the brewing and distilling process. Sanitizing kills bugs – bacteria that can infect your brew and create unpleasant unwanted flavors in the final product. Worse, they can ruin the entire batch or make people sick. In this article, we’re going to explain what the{…}

The Best Brewing Software (In 2023)

There’s more to brewing your own beer, wine, or coffee than simply buying a kit and following some instructions. Think tracking complicated recipes, scaling ingredients, managing inventory, performing calculations, converting between metric and imperial, logging the result, and much MUCH more. This is where brewing software comes in. Picking the right software for brewing can{…}

The Ideal pH for Mashing And Fermentation (+ How To Adjust It!)

Image of diy distilling h ow to choose the best ph for fermentation

It’s important to know and control the pH all the way through the brewing process. From mashing, to ensure optimal starch conversion, through to fermentation, so our yeast propagate correctly and produce the desired flavor congeners. But what pH are we trying to get to? The best pH varies based on what you’re brewing, be{…}

The 7 Best Whiskey Books (For Whiskey Lovers) In 2023)

Image of diy distilling the best books for whiskey makers and drinkers

These are some of the seven best books for whiskey, written by folks who have spent decades in the trenches researching and tasting whiskey, visiting distilleries, pubs, and libraries in an attempt to figure out what makes our country’s favorite spirit so excellent.  Please pick up a few of these whiskey books, study them, and{…}

How to Make Pitorro At Home (Step-by-Step Guide)

Pitorro is a popular Puerto Rican drink, especially during special occasions. It follows the same{...}

The Best Still For Making Whiskey (In 2024)

With so many whiskey-making stills on the market, choosing one that will cater to your{...}

The Best Still For Making Vodka (In 2024)

I make a lot of gin, and to make gin you need vodka first. Over{...}

The Best Thermometer For Distilling (In 2024)

One aspect that allows us to create high-quality spirits hinges on having a reliable and{...}

How To Cut Heads and Tails When Making Gin

One question we get asked a lot in the Facebook group and our Ask an{...}

A Distillers’ Guide To Excise Duty (Excise Tax Considerations)

From the Author: This article has been written as a necessity given the variety of{...}