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Greetings from Chisinau, Moldova


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Hello All, I just found this form. I am an American living and teaching abroad. I have been brewing beer for a couple of years now, and would like to take the jump to distilling some of the beers, I looking into the legality of distilling in Moldova(but many people have stills here). This liquor is cheap here but I like to craft my own stuff. I am also researching the viability of an export company to bring Moldavian product to the US. So far from the little bit I have looked at the site it looks like there are some really talented distillers and business people here, I hope I can glean a little of your knowledge. As they say here Noroc(Cheers)

Nick Leone

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Yes, I have read about the hop oils doing funky things, but I was thinking of starting a science experiment just some sugar water, yeast nutrient, and yeast. It has been difficult finding product here to work with I have not made any beer since moving here. And I am fairly certain the local made beer uses the foreshots to fortify their beer and use less grain, after two beers I have a MASSIVE hangover. But I am working finding a supply of barley malt, hops, and proper yeast.

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Yes Pete, traditionally most grain spirits don't use hops in the mash/wash and there are probably decent reasons for that. When I first heard about it I had the same reaction as you, but once I learned about the company and their products and the reputation they've developed, I changed my view. I haven't even had the product, but my understanding is its quite good.

smile.gif

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So tonight I was told by an official that distilling is perfectly legal in Moldova, so I will now also let you guys know that I bought a still from a Roma(Gypsy) last week and I am looking forward to running a batch threw soon. I am planning on doing a cleaning run with water, then one with a cheap wine, and then with a wine that I will try to drink the distilled product of.

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Please accept my apology if I sound ignorant or uninformed.

My comment is not meant to profile or be harmful. But, if you bought a still from someone you do not know (a gypsy?) or does not have a positive reputation as a manufacturer, beware! I would rather think you have a garden ornament than a piece of equipment meant for beverage ready ethel alcohol consumption. Concerns are with, and of course not limited to, the copper itself. Contaminated? Junkyard refuse? How about the solder, usually in the workplace an alloy of tin & lead. Do you want lead in your consumable? Maybe Jesse @ Trident or Pint O'Shine can chime in to either support or correct my concerns.

Also,"told by an official that distilling is perfectly legal in Moldova", if you are confident about that, fine. But get more confirmation. Go to a couple of those great Mondovian vinyards, the professionals, and ask them. I could not tell you how many people come through our facility and comment proudly how "yes, I know at the federal and state level a license is required. But it is ok for me to distillback home because my town does not require a license". Oye!

Good luck with your effort.

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  • 3 weeks later...

Please accept my apology if I sound ignorant or uninformed.

My comment is not meant to profile or be harmful. But, if you bought a still from someone you do not know (a gypsy?) or does not have a positive reputation as a manufacturer, beware! I would rather think you have a garden ornament than a piece of equipment meant for beverage ready ethel alcohol consumption. Concerns are with, and of course not limited to, the copper itself. Contaminated? Junkyard refuse? How about the solder, usually in the workplace an alloy of tin & lead. Do you want lead in your consumable? Maybe Jesse @ Trident or Pint O'Shine can chime in to either support or correct my concerns.

Also,"told by an official that distilling is perfectly legal in Moldova", if you are confident about that, fine. But get more confirmation. Go to a couple of those great Mondovian vinyards, the professionals, and ask them. I could not tell you how many people come through our facility and comment proudly how "yes, I know at the federal and state level a license is required. But it is ok for me to distillback home because my town does not require a license". Oye!

Good luck with your effort.

Hey all,

Im gonna have to Google that Moldova..not sure where that is,lol. Thanks Bob, I would love to help in the interest of safety if nothing else. If you can send me a picture of what you have, I can then ask some questions and give some suggestions. I also may be able to offer a better mousetrap. maybe not too. By the way, if the beer is fortified as you suspect, drink NO more. Methanol alone is underestimated. one sip-likely blindness. one ounce=sure death. Look it up, dont take my word for it. I was told by a chemist that the unofficial immediate treatment for suspected methanol ingestion was copious quantities of Ethanol. again, look it up. I dont take this one to heart. But I did tell him, Better safe than sorry. :o) My e-mail is jesse@tridentwelidng.com, My number is 617-849-2849.

I hope I can help,

Jesse

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Hey all,

Im gonna have to Google that Moldova..not sure where that is,lol. Thanks Bob, I would love to help in the interest of safety if nothing else. If you can send me a picture of what you have, I can then ask some questions and give some suggestions. I also may be able to offer a better mousetrap. maybe not too. By the way, if the beer is fortified as you suspect, drink NO more. Methanol alone is underestimated. one sip-likely blindness. one ounce=sure death. Look it up, dont take my word for it. I was told by a chemist that the unofficial immediate treatment for suspected methanol ingestion was copious quantities of Ethanol. again, look it up. I dont take this one to heart. But I did tell him, Better safe than sorry. :o) My e-mail is jesse@tridentwelidng.com, My number is 617-849-2849.

I hope I can help,

Jesse

correction--- my email is jesse@tridentwelding.com

sorry

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  • 2 weeks later...

Haha, no I dont really think the beer is fortified with anything other than the cheapest corn, rice, and barl(they use so little it is not even worth spelling out)they can get, I have been on the factory tour. As far as the still I will post a few pics or email them. I am going to our office managers family home in the country where they brew, and distill, and some guys from the bar around the corner gave my buddy and I some homemade vodka and it was some of the smoothest tasteless vodka I have ever had, I teach a little english and he teaches me some russian. I think I have him talked into teaching me how it is done. It is pretty cool, and i am becoming a Vodka and Cognac snob too. I guess life is too short to drink swill.

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I was told by a chemist that the unofficial immediate treatment for suspected methanol ingestion was copious quantities of Ethanol. again, look it up. I dont take this one to heart. But I did tell him, Better safe than sorry. :o)

Nutshell reply: it's not just the unofficial immediate treatment, it is the official immediate treatment (albeit administered intravenously). Both methanol and ethanol are metabolized by alcohol dehydrogenase, but there's a much stronger affinity between ADH and ethanol so copious quantities of ethanol will prevent the methanol from being metabolized into its toxic by-products, because it uses up the available ADH and gives the body time to eliminate the methanol. The other treatment is dialysis.

In any case, plying someone with booze after methanol ingestion could very well save his or her life.

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Actually Distilled Beer is an actual class of spirit. I have had several distilled beers from American distillers, including Charbay. And Charbay get $300-400 a bottle for theirs.

Welcome. You don't want to distill regular beer with hops in it, won't come out good. When we say beer we really just mean some sort of malt, water and yeast; maybe some yeast nutrient too.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Hey Jonathan,

Do you know what kinds of beers are typically used for this (bierschnaps?)?

I was talking to our brewer today and want to give it a shot but don't know if I'm going for

IPA style heavy on the hops or something with a lighter touch. I could try them both of course.

Thanks

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