just bin on a visit.

[RustyHinge]

And I mean bin...

Got a bockle of sherry and one of port, to entertain the visitors of
course, don't y'know.

While I was there (The Whisky Exchange) I got what I went there for, a
bottle of Laphroaig 10 Year Old, and was diverted by a bottle of poteen,
and to reduce the price ( to get free delivery) I added one of Shiraz.

Not sure how that works, but.

I *have* tasted poteen before: a cleric of my onetime acquaintance used
to visit the west coast of Eire, and would bring back a bottle of Holy
Water

<Customs> "Taste it, Father!" </Customs>

<Fr. M> "Seall ma tha! A Miracle indade! </Fr.M>

--
Rusty Hinge
To err is human. To really foul things up requires a computer and the BOFH.

[Lafe]

RustyHinge <rusty...@foobar.girolle.co.uk> wrote in news:ska2tg$nbg$1
@dont-email.me:

> And I mean bin...
>
> Got a bockle of sherry and one of port, to entertain the visitors of
> course, don't y'know.
>
> While I was there (The Whisky Exchange) I got what I went there for, a
> bottle of Laphroaig 10 Year Old, and was diverted by a bottle of poteen,
> and to reduce the price ( to get free delivery) I added one of Shiraz.
>
> Not sure how that works, but.
>
> I *have* tasted poteen before: a cleric of my onetime acquaintance used
> to visit the west coast of Eire, and would bring back a bottle of Holy
> Water
>
> <Customs> "Taste it, Father!" </Customs>
>
> <Fr. M> "Seall ma tha! A Miracle indade! </Fr.M>
>

Is the poteen a vodka? I find myself woefully ignorant. How did it taste and
what was it made of? Or must I languish in wonder?

[Ahem A Rivet's Shot]

On Mon, 18 Oct 2021 02:15:10 -0000 (UTC)
Lafe <la...@lafes.invalid> wrote:

> Is the poteen a vodka? I find myself woefully ignorant. How did it taste
> and what was it made of? Or must I languish in wonder?

Poitín is a moonshine made with (among other things) potatoes -
these days there are legally bottled versions but the real thing gets
distilled to nearly pure alcohol.

--
Steve O'Hara-Smith
Odds and Ends at http://www.sohara.org/

[RustyHinge]

On 18/10/2021 05:44, Ahem A Rivet's Shot wrote:
> On Mon, 18 Oct 2021 02:15:10 -0000 (UTC)
> Lafe <la...@lafes.invalid> wrote:
>
>> Is the poteen a vodka? I find myself woefully ignorant. How did it taste
>> and what was it made of? Or must I languish in wonder?
>
> Poitín is a moonshine made with (among other things) potatoes -
> these days there are legally bottled versions but the real thing gets
> distilled to nearly pure alcohol.
>

When it arrives - well, after it arrives - I'll report on how it
compares with Ballymuchtoostrong, conceived and executed on an island
when the weather was too unclement for its inhabitants to receive
unwelcome visitors.

[RustyHinge]

On 18/10/2021 10:01, RustyHinge wrote:
>>
> When it arrives - well, after it arrives - I'll report on how it
> compares with Ballymuchtoostrong, conceived and executed on an island
> when the weather was too unclement for its inhabitants to receive
> unwelcome visitors.

Ballyhorridnoseandflavour. Won't be getting any more of that. Had to
douse it in Ribena to make it almost tolerable.

Nothing at all like Ballymuchtoostrong.

[Ahem A Rivet's Shot]

On Mon, 18 Oct 2021 10:01:24 +0100
RustyHinge <rusty...@foobar.girolle.co.uk> wrote:

> When it arrives - well, after it arrives - I'll report on how it
> compares with Ballymuchtoostrong, conceived and executed on an island
> when the weather was too unclement for its inhabitants to receive
> unwelcome visitors.

That'll be the real thing, the islands off Kerry and the mountains
in West Cork are the main molishing spots in Munster, or so I'm told.

The older locals here will tell anyone who listens that the American
moonshiners learned their art (none too well) from the Irish. There are
probably Eastern European areas with similar claims - and they may well all
be right.

[RustyHinge]

I was taught how it *should* be done by a molisher in Perthshire of
rather pleasant stuff by a Scottish practitioner, and there used to be a
butcher's siop in Fort Billy where, if you looked knowing and asked for
a particular English cut of mutton, you got a string-tied brown paper
parcel of something which went 'bwuip, bwoop, bwuip if you listened very
carefully as you turned it end to end.

Other cuts of meat were just wrapped in brown paper and tied with string.

[Tease'n'Seize]

Ahem A Rivet's Shot wrote:

> The older locals here will tell anyone who listens that the American
> moonshiners learned their art (none too well) from the Irish. There are
> probably Eastern European areas with similar claims - and they may well all
> be right.

Some a tad closer to rustyland than the wet coast.

<https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2011/jul/14/inferno-moonshine-liquor-factory-five-dead>

[RustyHinge]

I unforget that, and I knowed at least one Romanian who mysteriously
went AWOL around the time.

[Lafe]

Ahem A Rivet's Shot <ste...@eircom.net> wrote in
news:20211018054416.d8ee...@eircom.net:

> On Mon, 18 Oct 2021 02:15:10 -0000 (UTC)
> Lafe <la...@lafes.invalid> wrote:
>
>> Is the poteen a vodka? I find myself woefully ignorant. How did it taste
>> and what was it made of? Or must I languish in wonder?
>
> Poitín is a moonshine made with (among other things) potatoes -
> these days there are legally bottled versions but the real thing gets
> distilled to nearly pure alcohol.

Thanks for the clarification. It sounds a bit like a vodka in spirit, but
perhaps is more spirited in the flesh.

Do I gather correctly that it didn't taste as good as a person could hope?

Lafe

[Ahem A Rivet's Shot]

On Sun, 24 Oct 2021 06:03:33 -0000 (UTC)

Lafe <la...@lafes.invalid> wrote:

> Ahem A Rivet's Shot <ste...@eircom.net> wrote in
> news:20211018054416.d8ee...@eircom.net:
>
> > On Mon, 18 Oct 2021 02:15:10 -0000 (UTC)
> > Lafe <la...@lafes.invalid> wrote:
> >
> >> Is the poteen a vodka? I find myself woefully ignorant. How did it
> >> taste and what was it made of? Or must I languish in wonder?
> >
> > Poitín is a moonshine made with (among other things) potatoes -
> > these days there are legally bottled versions but the real thing gets
> > distilled to nearly pure alcohol.
>
> Thanks for the clarification. It sounds a bit like a vodka in spirit, but
> perhaps is more spirited in the flesh.
>
> Do I gather correctly that it didn't taste as good as a person could hope?

If it's the real thing, properly made then any consideration of
taste is eliminated by the need to get the 80% or better (90+ if the maker
is good) alcohol into your stomach and diluted before it dehydrates and
kills every cell in your throat and oesophagus linings. The cross-eyed look,
wheezing and burning sensation are all normal, pass quickly and become
unnoticeable after the third or fourth shot.

If it is not the real thing, properly made then it either tastes
awful or it is commercial and made to taste good enough that you'll buy
more.

[RustyHinge]

On 24/10/2021 07:03, Lafe wrote:
> Ahem A Rivet's Shot <ste...@eircom.net> wrote in
> news:20211018054416.d8ee...@eircom.net:
>
>> On Mon, 18 Oct 2021 02:15:10 -0000 (UTC)
>> Lafe <la...@lafes.invalid> wrote:
>>
>>> Is the poteen a vodka? I find myself woefully ignorant. How did it taste
>>> and what was it made of? Or must I languish in wonder?
>>

>> Poitín is a moonshine made with (among other things) potatoes -

>> these days there are legally bottled versions but the real thing gets
>> distilled to nearly pure alcohol.
>
> Thanks for the clarification. It sounds a bit like a vodka in spirit, but
> perhaps is more spirited in the flesh.
>
> Do I gather correctly that it didn't taste as good as a person could hope?

My experience is that the bottle I bought legally tasted foul, and not a
bit like the illegally distilled poitín I'd tasted before.

[Ben Newsam]

Ahem A Rivet's Shot wrote, though the Organization header says "A
noiseless patient Spider":

> If it's the real thing, properly made then any consideration of
>taste is eliminated by the need to get the 80% or better (90+ if the maker
>is good) alcohol into your stomach and diluted before it dehydrates and
>kills every cell in your throat and oesophagus linings. The cross-eyed look,
>wheezing and burning sensation are all normal, pass quickly and become
>unnoticeable after the third or fourth shot.

I have had home-distilled (legally[1]) brandy in France that was so
strong that you had to throw it into your wide open mouth. If it
touched your lips, you could feel it spread out across your face! :-)
Once it was safely in, it would go off like a bomb in your stomach.
Like liquid sunshine, it was, and more or less colourless.

[1]Apparently, way back when, probably in the time of Napoleon,
farmers lost the right to distill limitless quantities of brandy, and
in return were given an inheritable right to make 6 litres every year
for home use only. More recently, another famous French leader,
probably General de Gaulle, specified that the right to distil those 6
litres would no longer be inheritable, and so would die out with the
rights holders. The brandy I tasted was part of the six (hem, hem,
believe that if you want to) litres from the local farmer. There was a
still on wheels that was trundled from village to village for the use
of such people, and I assume they paid in kind for its use.
--
Ben

[RustyHinge]

My brother's 'exchange' lived in a château where there was such an
hereditary licence, and they made some awesome plum brandy.

We were given two bottles of same, one of Quetsch and the other of
Mirabelle. One Christmas the Old Man decided that brandy was too
expensive to waste on snapdragons, where muscatels were spread out on a
plate or tray, doused in brandy and ignited.

A little blue flame would course round amongst the fruit, which you'd
pick out and eat while still alight.

He sloshed on some Mirabelle and lit it. *WHOOMPH!* - The flame went up,
met the (high) ceiling and spread out over it.

When the flames had died down the muscatels had assumed spherical form
and charred, the skins were decorated by red veins of glowing carbon
meandering over their surfaces.

When they'd cooled enough our bull terror enjoyed the remains, and spent
a contented afternoon snoozing - after staggering round with legs
splayed for added stability and some animated sliding on the polished
floor on strategically-placed rugs.

[Ben Newsam]

RustyHinge wrote, though the Organization header says "Diss
Organisation":

>My brother's 'exchange' lived in a château where there was such an
>hereditary licence, and they made some awesome plum brandy.
>
>We were given two bottles of same, one of Quetsch and the other of
>Mirabelle. One Christmas the Old Man decided that brandy was too
>expensive to waste on snapdragons, where muscatels were spread out on a
>plate or tray, doused in brandy and ignited.
>
>A little blue flame would course round amongst the fruit, which you'd
>pick out and eat while still alight.
>
>He sloshed on some Mirabelle and lit it. *WHOOMPH!* - The flame went up,
>met the (high) ceiling and spread out over it.
>
>When the flames had died down the muscatels had assumed spherical form
>and charred, the skins were decorated by red veins of glowing carbon
>meandering over their surfaces.

Heh heh.

>When they'd cooled enough our bull terror enjoyed the remains, and spent
>a contented afternoon snoozing - after staggering round with legs
>splayed for added stability and some animated sliding on the polished
>floor on strategically-placed rugs.
--

Ben

[Lafe]

Ahem A Rivet's Shot <ste...@eircom.net> wrote in

news:20211024081716.3d3f...@eircom.net:

> On Sun, 24 Oct 2021 06:03:33 -0000 (UTC)
> Lafe <la...@lafes.invalid> wrote:

<snip>

>> Do I gather correctly that it didn't taste as good as a person could
>> hope?
>
> If it's the real thing, properly made then any consideration of
> taste is eliminated by the need to get the 80% or better (90+ if the
> maker is good) alcohol into your stomach and diluted before it
> dehydrates and kills every cell in your throat and oesophagus linings.
> The cross-eyed look, wheezing and burning sensation are all normal, pass
> quickly and become unnoticeable after the third or fourth shot.
>
> If it is not the real thing, properly made then it either tastes
> awful or it is commercial and made to taste good enough that you'll buy
> more.

So it tasted well enough htat ones' head was against the board.

Oesophagus linings are overrated, I think. In the face of pure enjoyment of
distilled spirits.

Again, thank you for sharing your experiences.

[RustyHinge]

It seems to me that we are trying to nail jelly to the wall. We're
talking about poitín (more often spelt the English way) poteen, which
label comes from the Erse poitín - little pot - and which generally
means any spirit distilled illegally using a small pot-still.

'Pot still' is important, as it is a crude but effective way of
concentrating alcohol from the original 'wash' - usually any fermented
solution of sugars and/or starches, and the flavours in the original
wash are represented in the resulting constant boiling mixture of
alcohol and water.

A safer but less flavoursome product can be made on the same scale using
a fractionating column. The result is pretty-well impossible to
distinguish from any other fractionated alcohol whatever the original
sugar used for fermentation of the wash.

Such alcohol (silent spirit) is usually blended with strongly-flavoured
pot-stilled products or flavoured with 'botanicals'. The former (due to
powerful lobbying in Parliament in the 19th century) is permitted to be
called 'Scotch whisky' if a certain percentage of pot-stilled whisky is
used in the blend. Usually this is malt whisky, brewed from the sugars
extracted from malted barley and distilled from the result using a pot
still - not necessaril small.

Rum is made from fermented cane sugar, and gin (usually) from silent
spirit usually made from wheat or maize, and flavoured with 'botanicals'
usually based on juniper berries, but some gins are made from malt
liquor - Barra Gin q.v. and flavoured with other 'botanicals'.

Which confusion leaves us with poitín - true poitín is made from a
pot-distilled wash of fermented grain, malted grain or potatoes, and IME
not flavoured with anything else, unlike the ghastly stuff I bought
recently, which (at an educated guess) is flavoured with carrageen.

It should be noted that even the shape of a pot still can influence the
flavour of the product, as can its size and allegedly, the material it
is made from.

HTH

[RustyHinge]

On 14/10/2021 21:11, RustyHinge wrote:
> And I mean bin...
>
> Got a bockle of sherry and one of port, to entertain the visitors of
> course, don't y'know.
>
> While I was there (The Whisky Exchange) I got what I went there for, a
> bottle of Laphroaig 10 Year Old, and was diverted by a bottle of poteen,
> and to reduce the price ( to get free delivery) I added one of Shiraz.
>
> Not sure how that works, but.
>
> I *have* tasted poteen before: a cleric of my onetime acquaintance used
> to visit the west coast of Eire, and would bring back a bottle of Holy
> Water
>
> <Customs> "Taste it, Father!" </Customs>
>
> <Fr. M> "Seall ma tha! A Miracle indade! </Fr.M>

Bin there again (and yet again) to get a bockle of port, and found one
called 'Port of Leith'. Seems the port (& sherry) was purchased by the
bottlers because they wanted good quality wine casks in which to mature
their new distillery's malt whisky.

Seemed worth a try and I got a bottle of tawney port.

Got the bottle and was very pleasantly impressed, so the very next day
(today) bought another three bottles of the nectar for Christmas - one
for me and two for pressies.

I commend 'Port of Leith' tawney, and if the rest of the fortified wines
from the vinyard are of similar quality, them too, especially as the
price is rather keen.

Available from the distillery https://leithexport.com/ or from
https://thewhiskyexchange.com

No, I don't get commission...

[Chris Bacon]

On 25/10/2021 10:11, RustyHinge wrote:
> (booze)

I used to distil my own. Rum, from dark sugar & molasses; also a yellow
concoction with caraway seeds steeped in it, and a "whiskey" (named
"Glenflitwick", if you happen to know the place, and how to say it,
transparent and colourless), and other spirits. Good stuff. Matured 0
years. Would take the shine off gloss paint, and discolour lino. Blow
your c-c-c-c-c "cap" off. Not sure where my still is now. Maybe I left
it at work.