Airstill, Best Practice and Results

[Mash]

As they say in cricket.....straight through to the keeper.....

[packapoo]

'mazing how often it happens eh...

[Thunderbird]

Hi Duffer26, the Air Still is a great little piece of kit if you use it properly. Why Still Spirits even bother with such crap instructions is beyond me as everyone who's followed them seems to be disappointed with the results which gives the still an unfair reputation. Learn to 'drive' it properly and it makes some great hooch, I've found.

Double distill with it, make the cuts and add some of the essences and you can end up with some excellent spirit. I got myself a T500 to make neutral (quicker and more efficient) but I still use the Air Still to make some interesting 'craft' gin. Nothing wrong with the gin essences though if all you want is something to compete with the likes of Gordons or Bombay Sapphire.

I've started using Vodka Star washes as it takes the same time to ferment as the Triple Distilled but doesn't need the carbon gunk to be added. Well worth a try; I cleared it using Turbo Klar finings. It works out a couple of quid cheaper too.

[Duffer26]

Thanks Thunderbird. I'm definitely going to give VS a go on my next brew.
I have one more SS triple on the go at the moment.

Interesting that there's no need for carbon, why is this?

Also, Richard at Love Brewing (bless him) states to ONLY EVER use SS triple with an Airstill.

[Curmudgeon]

In fairness to Richard, his more recent videos refer to double distilling and cuts when his older ones didn't.

Vodka star seems lighter or better balanced on nutrients than most/other turbos so better suited to drinking alcohol than fuel. I only use half a packet per 23 litres when I use it and it's still a bit harsher than a natural yeast + tomato paste/kale/lentil or whatever wash imo, but not bad at all.

If you have the filter gear already, I'd try both with and without filtering as the filtering will always improve your final product.

edit to say that some like a little harshness in the name of "bite"/flavour. I like (within reason) to be reminded that there's alcohol in my drink.

[Mash]

Thanks Thunderbird. I'm definitely going to give VS a go on my next brew.
I have one more SS triple on the go at the moment.

Interesting that there's no need for carbon, why is this?

Also, Richard at Love Brewing (bless him) states to ONLY EVER use SS triple with an Airstill.

Once you have had a few goes with turbos. Try some bakers yeast and some kale and let us know what you think?

[Duffer26]

Thanks fellers.

Once I've mastered these SS Triples, (cant seem to get them to finish) I'll try those kale washes.

God I hate kale though.....

[Mash]

its much better femrnented then distilled.....

[Anavrin]

Do those SS triple Still turbos happen to be the most expensive packs by any chance??

My advice is if your going to use a turbo for convenience, use VS, keep the sugar down to 1kg per 5 litres of wash and let it ferment at an ambient temp of 21°c as recommended.

[Duffer26]

Yeah it's expensive. My next wash will be VS.

So 5 kilo's of sugar in a 25l wash? Instructions say 6.

What percentage will this give me?

Both of my SS triple washes have stalled or finished at 1.000. (og 1.100) still tasting sweet. they're supposed to finish a 0.980, 14 percent. Mine are at 13 percent.

The temperature of the was is at 17c. is that too cold?

If so is an immersion heater my best bet?

Thanks.

[Easydrinker]

Do those SS triple Still turbos happen to be the most expensive packs by any chance??

My advice is if your going to use a turbo for convenience, use VS, keep the sugar down to 1kg per 5 litres of wash and let it ferment at an ambient temp of 21°c as recommended.

1.I think they are amomg the most expensive.
2. + 1 you on the sugar to water for a brew, and temp.

[Duffer26]

Right, so I've just finished stripping a 24L SS triple wash. Once again it failed to get to 14 percent, stalling once more at 13%. I realise this will affect my yield.

Following this guide I collected down to 20 percent then stopped. This gave me 1200ml @50%.

6 of these gave me 7.2L. Weird thing was, on taking a reading on the entire 7.2L I discovered it was at 45%. Strange as each 1.2L batch was measured at 50%. The lot was stored in a large open container. Evaporation?

7.2L at 50% diluted to 30% would have given me a convenient 12L to run 3 times in the air still.

This obviously won't work at 45%.

My question is, Should I dilute to 40% giving me roughly 8L (2 runs). Or dilute to 27% and get 12L (3 runs). Or dilute to 30% and get 2 and a bit runs? (saving the 'bit' for the next distillation).

Thanks.

[hampk]

I'd dilute to give you three full runs. The alcohol will still be in there, it'll just take a bit more work to get it out, but better that than running a higher ABV.

But that's just me..

Cheers

Hampk

[Easydrinker]

I would go to 27%, expect a nice clean run and make good cuts.
Sometimes I leave stuff sitting around,I generally prefer to process it through.

Robert.

[Curmudgeon]

As Robert says, running a larger amount of lower abv runs will enable you to make better cuts. If you do runs with higher abv you'll get more smearing when heads and hearts overlap and again with hearts and tails.