Airstill gin basket (sputnik build)

[Mash]

Great news.

I have been taste testing and the gin improves by being left for a few days. The cloudiness (when tonic added) sorts itself out too.

[hampk]

@Chill does it now? Interesting - I have several heads runs stacked up - now I have an excuse to get on with them!

It had occurred to me to collect in 100ml batches, and I will, but last night excitement and enthusiasm rather got in the way of scientific rigour!

One thing I am going to do is source some stainless rods and fittings - seen some on Amazon - all I could get was zinc-plated mild steel and while I don't imagine much will happen as a result of alcohol exposure, I'd rather be safe than sorry.

My colander came from Sainsburys as one of a set of two for £6. Bashed the handles with a hammer to crack the spot welds, three holes six acorn and three flat nuts = job done. Looking forward to more sputnik missions in the next few days

[Mash]

I have these as antennae ☺

http://pages.ebay.com/link/?nav=item.vi ... 54&alt=web

Same guy does nuts separately.

[hampk]

Here's my sputnik.. I've shown it both ways up - the second picture illustrates why Mash has called it what he has!





and I have no idea why the pictures have uploaded rotated ninety degrees, but never mind.

Stainless antennae on order.

Cheers

Hampk

[Mash]

Thats not a sputnik - you have a docking port

... or am I just jealous ?

PS Did another recipe today OMG

[Easydrinker]

Ice and a slice tends to deal with any cloudiness that I have.

Robert.

[hampk]

Thats not a sputnik - you have a docking port

... or am I just jealous ?

You have outie antennae, and I have innie antennae! I can't imagine it makes much difference

Cheers

Hampk

[Mash]

Just realism I suppose.

Seriously I have by pure fluke got a sputty that fits perfectly in the bottom on the fan housing and adjusted the legs according.

Apple schnapps tomorrow... Guess the recipe!

[Brewhunter]

Stop giving me ideas you lot

[hampk]

Stop giving me ideas you lot

Go on - you know you want one

[Mash]

Do it, do it, do it!

If you fancy a go I will share the latest recipe!

I have done 6 runs now. None have been a failure. Just fine tuning...
Same more kale is on. Definitely the best base for gin.

[Mash]

I got a strainer sort of thing today (Chinese skimmer with bamboo handle) and 36" of 1/8" brass rod for the antennae.

How's it going?

[chill]

Procrastinating. I have some other things to attend to around the house first. So far, I have disassembled it.

[MagicH2o]

Getting ahead of myself I know, but with the sputnik would an 10cm stainless steel mesh skimmer (like a shallow sieve) be any good? Does the mesh allow more to get at the botanicals than holes in a colander? or does it make no difference?
Also the smaller size would probably mean you could process 3ltrs at a time as it is much shallower. Is my thinking flawed?

[Mash]

I don't think that is quite big enough.

I reckon you could use a colander, or a seive.

When you look at the underside of the fan unit, there is a lip inside. You need to be 165 mm. This will get the basket as high as possible and give a reasonably good seal.

If its about 180mm you will to be a little bit lower down. That is pretty much the inner diameter of the boiler.

...in old money that 6.5 inches or 7 further down.

I have 2mm holes - just enough for the stuff to stay in after crushing without to much falling through.