can't say that I have knowingly had any grappa style shine but grappa is some great stuff. i have had something like shine made from sour apples like wild crabapples or something like that. it was really really dry on finish, kind of strange but in a good way.
pretty basic settups out there, just make the mash , let ferment, then boil it to distill it and collect the steam , ya can double distill it for uber potent shine, its easier and faster than growing weed, you can use pretty much anything from apples to zuchinni