How long are you aging it for before you drink it? what are you using
for oak? I think this would be highly relevent to the discussion. I
have made it with both store bought brandy and the high alcohol
distillate. I think the best ingredient in both cases is time. Make
a lot and wait for a several years. if you try the rum let us know,
sounds interesting.




On Jan 3, 2:40*pm, spud > wrote:
> On Sun, 3 Jan 2010 03:05:40 -0800 (PST), Joe Sallustio
>
>
>
> >I don't know that that is the case Ted, when they talk about brandy as
> >a fortifier it isn't necessarily the stuff you buy, it's usually the
> >high alcohol distillate, it may or may not be aged in oak also. *I
> >don't see much difference in everclear, grappa or pre aged brandy as
> >distilled other than the source of distillate in this application
> >since the goal is to boost alcohol. *I do think everclear has a
> >'sharp' taste if overdone, oak aged brandy is softer to me. *(I do a
> >little Sherry.)
>
> IIRC cavalierhome said the brandy used in Portugal was the first
> ethanol cut off a pot distillation and ~70% or 80%. *It ought to still
> have some kind of flavor vs mutiple distillations for everclear (or
> vodka too?). *
>
> I agree that just everclear is sharp. *That's what went in in the
> first batch, while good, not as good as it could be. *Using a blend of
> EC and brandy for the following year was much more interesting. *
>
> But, I'm thinking EC and 151 Rum might be a smoother or more appealing
> mix for a homemade port. *I like the idea of *bench trials too,
> probably could find a helper/taster or two... * * * * *
>
> Steve
> Oregon