StillSmart

What are folks using for this ? Has anyone tried using botanicals with the reflux column and if so, did any flavour at all carry through ?

Yes it will carry through, also the ceramic saddles will be a bugger to clean and you will impart strong flavours on the the next few distillations in my experience.

The T500 boiler is really easy to clean, I'd build a separate pot head if doing flavoured spirits.

Building a pot head is certainly my intention, ...but in the meantime how did you use the botanicals ? I.e method of suspending them or whatever and method i.e. On the strip or spirit run, and quantities etc

suspend in a basket is the chosen method
by most. look up sputnik.
Also Smart/Air Still perfect for Gin.

H12rpo wrote:Building a pot head is certainly my intention, ...but in the meantime how did you use the botanicals ? I.e method of suspending them or whatever and method i.e. On the strip or spirit run, and quantities etc

For quantities, check the recipe section.
And use botanicals after the strip run.
Gin is rectified.
Not distilled. A subtle difference,
Maybe read a little more,you don't seem to have the full picture?
Just trying to help.

Robert.

Thanks Robert.
I am confused you're right ........I thought rectified spirit was

"Rectified spirit, also known as neutral spirits, rectified alcohol, or ethyl alcohol of agricultural origin[1] is highly concentrated ethanol which has been purified by means of repeated distillation, a process that is called rectification"

How is that not distilled ?

Or are you saying rectifying is the process of flavouring a neutral after distillation by maceration or infusion?

H12rpo wrote:
Or are you saying rectifying is the process of flavouring a neutral after distillation by maceration or infusion?

You got there!
But sorry to say, the product of such a maceration is then usually re-distilled, any infusion usually happening at that time.
Did I say this was going to be easy?
You come across as a smart cookie, I have stopped worrying about you.
You know how to sort stuff.
(It's a learning process, asking helps, finding out for yourself is worth 10 x more)
Best wishes.

Robert.

strip run with pot still, then through the alembic column making my cuts, used only the hearts in my spirit run, used the pot still with botanicals crushed and macerated and left overnight, did the spirit run taking out only the orange peel and keeping all of the spirit run except for first 200ml, have to admit it matches any expensive craft gin.

Yes indeed. A hot maceration method will work as well.

You get more control with a basket and IME a cleaner gin.

What volume are you running?

guest5234 wrote:strip run with pot still, then through the alembic column making my cuts, used only the hearts in my spirit run, used the pot still with botanicals crushed and macerated and left overnight, did the spirit run taking out only the orange peel and keeping all of the spirit run except for first 200ml, have to admit it matches any expensive craft gin.

That sounds like a result.
Well done you.

Robert.