StillSmart

Hi peeps. I've been looking around the sites and this one seems the friendliest and easiest to use, so here I am.
I've never had a go at distilling before but have had a few goes at homebrew beers. I'm looking at getting a Smart / Easy still and having a go at a basic vodka. I think I know the basics about what to do and what I need but instead of me going off and making a mess of everything can someone tell me exactly I will need for my first crack at making moonshine? And where is the best place to get all the equipment and ingredients including the 'still' itself? I know all the info is probably on the forum somewhere and your all probably p***ed off with going through this but humour me please! Cheers

Nope - we're all friendly types on here so you won't get your head bitten off unless you REALLY deserve it!
What you will need depends on what you want to do - at the bare minimum you will need :
A still, i.e SmartStill

4 litres of wine

A funnel

An empty bottle
Too simple? OK, how about :
Still and funnel as before

A fermenting bucket, 25 litres is good

Sugar

Yeast (Turbo is easy as it contains the nutrients but not always best)
Optional, but recommended :
An airlock (bubbler)

Hydrometer

Spirit Alcohol meter

Siphon pipe

Another empty bucket of the same size to syphon into

Clearing agent (i.e. TurboKlar)

Activated carbon

Coffee filters
There is a list of suppliers on the main site, some that I recommend are StillShop and Leyland Home Brew - those guys can tell you what you need to get started.
There is also a guide to 'making alcohol' on the main site, which would be a good place to start off.
If you need any more help, ask away!

Hi Rich
I have bought stuff of these before and they delivered ok, they do have a complete starter kit for £185 which without doing the maths looks ok, but do check its eveerything you need as its only free delivery over £50.
http://www.zen37219.zen.co.uk/thebrewshopuk/
Mick

Here are the instructions I was given by my home brew centre, I was told to ignore the official instructions and everything went like clockwork on my first run and again so far on my second. Hope it helps.
The original boxes from New Zealand Contained.
One WDU (Water Distillation Unit) is within a protective case of polystyrene.

This outer half case has indentations containing: -

Two electrical wire cables - Unit to electrical Mains connection - One cable.

Black Top Distillation unit to WDU Base connection - One cable.
A short round white plastic drip column that connects the black nose of the Distillation Unit to the clear plastic bottle of 4 litre capacity.
A foil packet of cleaning powder for de-scaling & cleaning the Stainless Steel Distillation, chamber when necessary, usually after distilling water, to get rid of lime scale deposits etc. -
Small sachets containing charcoal granules - like tea bags - for filtering distilled water and Alcohol.
'Ceramic Saddles' called sometimes, 'Ceramic Boil Enhancers'.
Equipment.
1 - 30 litre Plastic bucket – a little more than 5 gallons.

1 - Long Plastic Spoon or Paddle.

1 - Hydrometer for measuring the density of the Mash

1 – Alcohol Hydrometer – for measuring Alc by volume.

1 - Hydrometer Jar.

1 – 4 litre Plastic Measuring Jug

1 – Plastic Syphon tube with straight filter and tap.

1 – Wine & beer Immersion Heater.

1 – Brewing Bucket insulated cover or similar.

To help keep the temperature within the bucket

at a constant temperature of 18C- 24C.

In the cooler months an Immersion Heater & Insulated cover are essential.
Stage: - 1. Making the, 'Mash' or 'Wash'.

Two words for the same thing – The Brew – Clear fermented, Dextrose, Water & Yeast.
Note; - The Lower the temperature the Longer the fermentation time.

The Higher the fermentation the Shorter the fermentation time.

But, above 24 C - 30C the fermentation may stick.
Ingredients: -
7 kilos Dextrose Monohydrate (A pure single molecule sugar).

1 sachet Triple Distilled Turbo Yeast.

1 sachet Carbon Gel

1 sachet Turbo Clear. Part A & B combined
For the Triple Turbo yeast to work at its best it is essential that the water at the start of the fermentation is as close to 30C as possible. This can be achieved by simply pouring into the bucket first, 15 litres of cold water and 5 litres of boiling water from an electric kettle and then making up to exactly 21 litres to adjust the temperature to 30 C.

Remember though, that some 'cold' waters are colder than others in some households. The reason for the high temperature of 30C and the volume of 21 litres is that the 7 kilos of Dextrose will make up the volume to 25 litres approximately and bring down the temperature to about 24C the very best temperature for the Turbo Triple Still to start.

Once the temperature is correct add the Triple Turbo yeast plus Carbon Gel and stir in vigorously.

Now, if I give some pointers of my experience and others, it may help to focus the details into a broader picture of a day to day procedure.......

After the first few days I have a thermometer and hydrometer in the brew, all the time, – it’s no good doing anything before that big black head of carbon goes down to the bottom. From then on I stir it hard and vigorously every day. Or more if I get in the mood; any time I’m passing. The lid being off for a few minutes is not a problem. There is too much carbon dioxide being given off to worry about any oxygen borne contamination. The few tiny flies (Drosophila melanogaster) will appear by magic and die by suicide in the brew at some time, lift them out. The excessive carbon dioxide and later alcoholic content is too high to cause any serious damage to your brew.

Leaving the lid not sealed down tight does help with the escaping of the gas. This Mash will not go sour or bad or to vinegar; it’s not beer or wine. The alcohol you are making is, after all, an antiseptic.

I take the SG, not looking at the measurement from the top looking down, but putting the clearing liquid in a hydrometer flask and looking at it at eye level – that's the only way of an accurate reading – it should read SG 0.990.

If it doesn't, leave it for another day or so and stir it.
At SG 0.990 it will give you the correct 18 – 20% alcohol.
When I know it’s ready I add the Turbo Clear as directed and leave for 24 hours to clear.

I syphon off the clear Mash or Wash into a fermenter or a bucket with a tap at the bottom - apart from the last thick carbon deposit – I wash this away down an outside drain.

Into this fermenter I add the 2 litre bottle saved from my previous brew that I use for demonstration.

I then leave this clear wash for a further 24 hours to become star bright.

If it does get disturbed it will clear again to star bright in a few hours or over night.
I fill 12 - 13 x 2 litres ex Lemonade bottles straight into the bottles from this 25 litre fermenter through the bottom tap.

Two litres Lemonade bottles are very convenient to store and handle.

They are less likely to become contaminated than an ever increasing air space above an ever decreasing amount of 'Wash' remaining in a 25 litre fermenter.

The last black residue of carbon I pour into a spare lemonade bottle to settle and use for demonstration. Then add that to the next 'Wash'. So I don’t really lose any over time.
Stage: - 2. Making the Pure Distilled Water.
So, if we take it in easy stages let's set you up on making just, 'Distilled Water'.

The idea here is to get you to make distilled water which you will need for diluting the alcohol you make from 60% to the normal 40%. This, with the spirit, is for mixing with the essences to make most of the, Whiskies, Gins, Brandies and Liqueurs. There are some that are alcoholically different, higher , but I'll not confuse the issue by mentioning them here.

After washing the carbon filter (like a kind of tea bag) in clean hot water to wash off any carbon black residue. Fix it into the small white plastic container and tap it down gently to settle the bag into the white container.

The saucer like cover is placed down on the top of the sachet - hole downward.

Place into the top of the clear plastic 4 litre container and fix to the black nozzle of the WDU (Water Distillation Unit).

So, if you have assembled everything and it looks like it does in the picture then the next step is to fill the chamber that does the boiling, to the mark (it's an indentation - near the top) on the inside, with ordinary tap water. (But, there are short cut methods, like pre-boiling in an electric kettle & not necessarily needing a full 4 litres of distilled water at this time). Try a kettleful, say one or two litres. Even with this short cut method it may take about 2 to 3 hours to distil 2 litres.

Press the Fan cable into the Base. Switch On by pressing the Mains cable into the Base.

Turn it off before the automatic cut off to save water lime scale hardening on the base.

For Alcohol collection there is No Switch.

The unit must be manually disconnected by pulling out the two cable connections from the unit. Fan cable first.

Note: - The black spout top of the WDU is not detached from the main body by pulling up on the handle in the centre of the black top. This black spout top is attached to the stainless steel body by suction only. It is detached by holding the stainless steel body while grasping the black top nozzle and pulling up firmly.
Stage: - 3. Distillation of Alcohol.
You are now ready to distil. Put 2 x 2 litres ex lemonade bottles full of the clear Wash/ Mash up to the indentation in the body of the WDU. Switch on and eventually the Alcohol will come dripping through and you stop it at the 700mil you have marked on the plastic container. It will take about 1 hour to warm up to the temperature for the first drips of distillation. Then approximately 1 ½ hours for the 700ml of distillate.
The next trick, to quicken ups the process.....But you will lose a small amount of alcohol......

First add the 'Ceramic Saddles' called sometimes, 'Ceramic Boil Enhancers', into the WDU (Not into the electric kettle) then pour over the liquid to be distilled after you've warmed it as below.

Heat in an electric kettle that will hold 2 litres of the clear Mash then with a thermometer in the kettle checking the temperature all the time and a small electric stirrer or spoon to keep the warming liquid moving...

I stand by it...it doesn’t take long – minutes - to reach the 50C mark……(Any higher and you will lose a little alcohol because the Mash liquid will still be heating up after it has left the electric kettle to go into the WDU).

I pour this into the WDU covering it to prevent loss of steam.

Then warm the other 2 litres to make the 4 litres in all – and switch on the WDU.
By using this method you will get rid of further surplus Carbon Dioxide and it has the added advantage of shortening your time reaching the 700mls of alcohol in about 1½ to 2 hours.

The drawback, if you can call it that, is the alcohol strength is usually a little lower by 2 or 3 degrees – 55% – 57% rather than 60% Alc. by volume.
(Note: 800 ml = The maximum collection of Alcohol - after this amount the quality of the distilled 'Wash' deteriorates considerably).
And, the WDU will not switch off automatically if distilling 700 or 800ml. of spirit.

Off: - is switching Off at the Mains and detaching the top Distilling unit from the Base.
Once you have collected the 700mls, it is then measured in a jug and diluted with the Distilled Water to make up approx 40% Alc. Then continue to do the above until all the wash/ mash is converted into alcohol.
We do have a number of customers who filter out any wild carbon particles through a wine filter before distilling, and it is another method of reducing the carbon dioxide to the barest minimum.

The reason I mention about the carbon dioxide in the mash is that sometimes as the gas heats up within the body of the WDU it may lift the lid off the main body of the WDU. It doesn't affect anything seriously; it's just an inconvenience. There is now a small bottle of, 'Brewers' Distilling Conditioner' that a few drops added to the 4 litres within the WDU would rectify. But it doesn't normally occur if the Ceramic Saddles have been added first.

Stage:- 4. Diluting the Spirits
Adding distilled water to the alcohol to bring down the % and blending the spirits and liqueurs.
Float a Spirit Hydrometer or Alcometer in the spirit and read at the line where the level of the spirit cuts across the hydrometer. Spirit hydrometers should only be used to test spirit in the following conditions: • before any additives such as flavouring or liquid glucose are mixed; • at a temperature of 20 C or refer to the Temperature Correction Chart below for other liquid temperatures

Float the spirit hydrometer in the spirit to measure the alcohol content. As alcohol is thinner than water, the higher in strength the alcohol is the further down the hydrometer floats.
Temperature Correction for Spirit Hydrometer 20 C Alcohol %/Volume

20c -

(68 F) Alcohol % Volume

Temp. 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 98

10 c – 50 f 4.12 3.98 3.67 3.42 3.19 2.92 2.45 2.06

15 c – 59 f 2.03 2.00 1.85 1.73 1.61 1.47 1.25 1.06

20 c – 68 f 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00

25 c- - 77 f - 2,01 - 1.95 - 1.88 - 1.76 - 1.65 - 1.51 - 1.31 - 1.12

30 c - 86 f - 4.06 - 3.94 - 3.78 - 3.55 - 3.33 - 3.05 - 2.67 - 2.31

35 c – 95 f - 6.15 - 5.98 - 5.82 - 5.4 - 5.13 - 4.67 - 4.07 - 3.54

40 c – 104 f - 8.29 - 8.05 - 7.92 - 7.41 - 7.03 - 6.35 - 5.5 - 4.8
If your Spirit Hydrometer reads 50%V at a temperature of 25 Celsius, then you should read the Correction Adjustment from the chart and subtract 1.88 to give a realistic reading of 48.12% V (50% Alc minus 1.88).

Take good care of your Spirit Hydrometer as it is very fragile. Wash & sterilise with cold water only.

After carbon purifying, the spirit should be watered down in strength to 40 % by volume prior to drinking

Calculation of Distilled Water to Add for the dilution of 60% Alc. to 40% Alc. Pure Water and Alcohol only.

Remember, additives such as flavouring and Liquid Glucose will distort the hydrometer readings.
Total Collected. Alc Content. Alc Required. Distilled Water to Add.

700 ml 60% 40% 350 ml.

Therefore: - Amount Collected 700 ml. multiplied by Alc Content 60% = 42000 ml. @ 60 % Alc

divided by Alc required 40% = 1050 ml. minus the original collected 700mls of Alc

Therefore: - 350 ml. Distilled water to Add.
800mls 60% 40% 800 ml 400 ml

Therefore: - Amount Collected 800 ml Multiplied by Alc Content 60% = 48000 ml @ 60 % Alc

Divided by Alc required 40% = 1200 ml minus the original collected 800mls of Alc

Therefore: - 400 ml Distilled water to Add.
This formula can be used for any variable – Alcohol, Distilled Water or Quantity.
I know..... I've heard it all before, “What do I do with the remaining 3. 2 litres of the 'Wash or Mash' that is

left behind in the WDU?â€

Holy moly quietman, I hope you 'copy & pasted' that and didn't type it all out! A huge help, thanks very much folks. I shall start mooching this weekend and price up all the stuff I need. Cheers again.

The stuff posted by Q is good, but some of the info I got when I started was slightly different i.e. 6kg of table sugar in the 21litres of water (plus the StillSpirits Triple Distilled Turbo yeast pack and the activated carbon) should give about 14% ABV wash.
The pack suggested using 7kg of dextrose instead, but in the UK dextrose (in quantity) isn't quite so easy to obtain due to it's connection with "cutting Class A" narcotics. Plus, if you actually try, you'll find that it actually gives a lower specific gravity, as it's only about 80(ish) % as sweet as table sugar, I found that I needed nearer 8kg of dextrose to get the same gravity reading as 6 kg of table sugar.
Plus, dextrose (which is the commercial name for glucose) works out more expensive anyway, lb for lb compared to table sugar.
Yes there is some speculation about which would give the cleanest/purest ferment, but the same argument is still used with the differences between beet sugar (silver spoon from British Sugar) and cane sugar (Tate and Lyle, and Whitworths). Cane sugar being prefered by many (my local supermarket does 5kg bags of Whitworths which works out the cheapest).

Ok peeps, it\'s taken a while to convince the missus and take the plunge but I\'ve bought a kit for £185 earth pounds. Now I have a bucket of what appears to be black undrinkable bubbling s**te. Do I leave this alone for a few day\'s to settle or do I start stirring it from day one? I\'ve used Dextrose instead of sugar as I work for a chemical company and I nicked a 25kg bag. I haven\'t put it all in by the way!

Hi Rich,

Think of that black mess of sh*te as vodka in a few days, just leave it alone don’t stir it leave it till it stops bubbling, or it’s bubbling about once a minute check it with your hydrometer when it stops, it should be about 990 ish then it’s just a case of clearing it with your turbo klar, when clear siphon it off into a clean bucket and then distil it, but I bet you have load more questions before you get that far..I know I did at first.

One thing I did starting out was put some plain old tap water through the still before I did any alcohol just to get a feel of it, it cost nothing so nothing to lose.

Free sugar…can I be your new best mate.

Mick

Wow it\'s amazing how threads like this spring back to life.
Glad you got a smart still and welcome to the community dude.

Cheers guys. Is it necessary to use the so called \'ceramic saddle\' thingy-magigamys? Because I\'ll need to get some if that\'s the case.

You can use some broken glass chunks or even a bent up fork, so long as you put something in there that is relatively inert and that will give bubbles places to form.

No m8, they are used to prevent the still from boiling over. You can use some glass from a broken bottle or some kids marbles. There is a discussion on this forum about them.
You might even have some, they are like little ceramic tubes/rings.

I have done batches without them, it all depends on how clear and fermented your wash is.
HTH

Jimmy beat me to it LOL

Irrespective of whether you get \"ceramic saddles\" or a little pack of raschig rings (tiny little bits of ceramic tube that have been cut into small lengths) or broken glass etc etc............
While it\'s not dangerous in itself, remember that if the wash isn\'t \"gin clear\" (I always use finings to clear it as per the instructions) then you might be leaving yourself open for \"over boils\".
With that in mind, it\'s better if you have somewhere to run the still that\'s away from pets/kids/other family etc, just in case it does \"burp\".
After all, it is a boiler that we\'re dealing with here........
Hot water (with or without an alcohol content) hurts like f**k if it gets on you!
p.s. Oh and once you\'ve cleared it, it turns from unappetising murky black shite to a nice clear liquid that happens to have a distinct black layer at the bottom..............

Before I add turbo klar I rack into another 30 litre bucket first then add the klar leaving the bulk of the carbon and dead yeast behind. In 24 hours clear as crystal. Also I use a timer. From switching still on to giving me around the 750ml mark takes 2 1/4 hours on mine. When doing distilled water I put 4 litres water filtered through a bog standard household water filter and turn it on before I go to bed and find its still working away in the morning. Turn it off and got about 3 3/4 liters distilled water. I use the rings that came with the still but also use a bit of copper mesh bought in bulk online (hell of a lot cheaper than smart stills). Never had a boil over yet (touch wood)