last year I helped a friend distil some cider he’d had knocking about. First time for both of us, we didn’t make the cider and the still was a home-made gift. We read a couple of books, watched lots of YouTube videos and nervously went ahead. -It was some of the best spirits I’ve ever tasted, It was amazing! Did we just get very lucky? Are our perceptions warped because of our pride in our first attempt? Was it due to quality of the cider in the first place? I want to try and make something as good with this years cider, but I’m worried I won’t be able to get lightning to strike twice; any suggestions or comments?
The good news is that in this hobby, if you don’t get it right this next time, try, try, try, try again until you do.
TAKE DETAILED NOTES of your process, even on your failures.
“The only difference between screwing around and science is writing it down.” Adam Savage
Don’t get too laid back or cocky that you have it down pat. Some little variable you missed will reach up and bite you. Like a mud dobber starting a nest in your cooling line while in storage….yep, that made for an exciting startup.