New to Alcohol Distillation

[steven7]

Got a Still Starter Kits because it look simple and easy to do was I wrong
Added 4L of wash for 2 hours for 700ml and the alcohol strength was 56% dilute by 350ml water . Next was run through the carbon filter for 6 hours and added my Still Spirits Pure Vodka Flavouring .

Only thing it tastes like paint stripper I only saw this website and found that the air still is rubbish and the Air Still Instructions are wrong.

the homebrew site is saying I have a actual replicated drinking situation
I did ask would a spirit run help he said "No it wont. Much better running it through carbon again.
Seriously we might need to look at better carbon treatment like the Z Filter "

But thanks to this site I have some good reading to be done with good Instructions sure I will get there in the end

[Easydrinker]

Hi and sorry you found out the hard way.
The Air still is a fine and useful piece of kit,just not used the way that retailers suggest.
There is lots of reading in the Smart still/Airstill section,and the brief by aidanmac,and mozr's articles will have you producing quality drinking spirit in no time.
Hang in there,it is worth it.
Robert.

[chill]

As EasyDrinker said, the AirStill is not rubbish. It just needs to be used correctly with good quality washes. I am enjoying a Bourbon made in mine as I type this. Personally, I don't really fancy any of the flavourings but you may have better alternatives where you are.

Chuck

[John51]

If you go the strip/spirit run route, I can recommend using a cheapo 300w light dimmer on the spirit run to improve quality. I had the power down to 160w so it takes a while but no never mind as it doesn't require your full attention all the time.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Dimmer-Socket ... 35c9902835

Not quite as good as what I get from my T-500 but acceptable to me and most of my friends when drank unfiltered but with a mixer. I gave a bottle to friends that had been flavoured with 'Bombay Gin' and they loved it.

The manufacturers are imo less than honourable in their pushing of consumables. Do everything their way and you get a lesser quality product that costs almost double than the best way of doing it.

[steven7]

Thanks had a look over the aidanmac pdf will need to get more glassware for the for the spirit run .
Sent away for the dimmer, would a 3 Pin Kettle Female Plug 13A(old PSU) work for the fan ?

[Easydrinker]

A kettle lead should be fine for the fan,If you want it to run at full power.I chopped an old lead for the dimmer (female connection to still male), when I played with lower power,and let the fan run at lower power too.I could have used the stills original power lead to the fan for full fan power.
You might want to put a lower rated fuse in though,13 amps is a bit high for a 320 watt appliance,the fan on mine is only about 20 watts,I found some 3amp,and felt happier.
Robert.

[Almanac]

Thanks had a look over the aidanmac pdf will need to get more glassware for the for the spirit run .

In your neck of the woods you won't have any problem getting 1lt Kilner Preserve Jars which I found perfect. You could also get mates to hold onto jam jars for you too. Either will do the job.

Don't let your first experience put you off, you'll get there quite quickly and all the help you need is right here when you need it.

If you haven't chucked the first batch out you can simply recycle it by diluting it to 20% and run it again as a stripping run and keep the distillate until you do a new wash then add the stuff you save to the stripping run to boost the yield

AM

[John51]

Here's little mod I did to my airstill to make me feel better.

viewtopic.php?f=13&t=1408

[steven7]

Thanks aidanmac was about to bin the old batch , see when I make the 1350 Ml on the stripping run do I just discard what's left in the airstill about 2.5L 18 % alcohol?

Done a search for the Preserve Jars looks like am cheaper off with jam jars and bin the jam

Thanks john for the mod link it's on my to do list

[chill]

What you collect is higher than 18% (otherwise, what point would there be in distilling?). After you have collected 1300+ml, what is left in the still is probably less than 3% alcohol. You reach a point where it is not economical to continue collecting. If you just let the still run you would get out of it exactly what you put into it. Pointless.

Chuck

[steven7]

thanks , makes sense now

[Almanac]

I assume you have an Alcometer and a Trial Jar. These are essential with the Airstill as you must be able to tell when the output gets down to 20%.

If you were running a large conventional still you could collect right down to 5% like some of the commercial distilleries but at our level you really don't want to go that far and particularly with the Airstill it's just not worth it

AM

[Easydrinker]

Not wanting to take your thread off topic,but why bin the jam?
A jar of Tesco Everyday Value Mixed Fruit Jam costs 29p and contains 277g of sugar.
20 jars in a 25 litre wash might produce a wash of 11-12%.
Perhaps not really an experiment for a new distiller,I'm not sure what effect the Acidity Regulator (Sodium Citrate),would have on the wash.
Maybe someone will come back and tell me this is a ridiculous idea,I hate to think of that jam going to waste!
Brainwave or brain fart,I can't decide.
Robert.

[chill]

Sounds like brandy to me! I had 12L of mixed fruit macerated in rum that no one liked (people don't seem to like 62% ABV desserts for some reason). I diluted, re-fermented, and distilled. Yummy!

[rhinus]

Welcome Steven,

All the guys are right on here. The airstill can be a lovely little machine. Aidanmac and Mozr's guides can get you making very nice spirits right away. Being a newcomer myself, here is what I use/do:

- bought a hydrometer and alcometer with testing vials. Bought lots of canning jars in various sizes. Bought stainless steel funnel with mesh screen.
-made John51's recommended modification to the plastic spout
- made only Tried and True wash recipes using baker's yeast, champagne yeast, and ec-1118
- add copper parts and ceramic bits to the boiler on each stripping run
- always use distiller's conditioner/butter on each stripping run
- on stripping runs I collect in a single 2lt canning jar. Once I get above 1lt, I collect in a 100ml small glass container so I can measure the ABV of each 100ml so I know when to stop. Then I pour it into the 2lt container.
- On stripping runs, I collect forshots in a shot glass and discard, heads straight into the 2lt heads jar, and everything after in 100ml small canning jars.

I following the methods found in the guides here have allowed me to make some very nice product. I'm still working on it and refining my techniques and recipes, but it is a smoothe enjoyable drink already!

Good Luck!

rhinus