opinions

[jimmyman]

Hi i have a smartstill and have always been happy with it for small amounts of spirit but i am looking into getting a turbo 500 for the easy factor of volume 7litres of 40% maks me

i just want to know, t500 does the spirit taste better?
is it more cleaner from one go?
i use a ez filter at the mo as it is needed in my opinion on the smartstill but would this be needed on the t500?
i like to make Gin and whisky with the essencess so would i see a massive improvement

thanks

[i dont drink]

i had a smartstill and they are good but they do produce smelly spirit when used with a turbo wash....

iv now got a t500 and its 1000% better!... you get more spirit from each wash and its tastes/smells a lot nicer thats for sure...

then if you want to filter it, splash out on an essencia filter and you won't look back..

al.

[jimmyman]

essencia filter that looks very nice indeed

[lyonacre]

The spirit from a T500 is certainly much cleaner than the airstill, and stronger on a single pass.

The time/quantity for spirit production with a T500 is much better.

The T500 is a lot less convenient to use, IMHO, as it has to be "set up" each time and monopolises the kitchen tap for 12-16 hours (I tend to process 3x25L wash at a sitting (you have to sit using that amount of alcohol))

If you are careful and batch the output you can get really clean, sweet spirit (hearts) and decide if you want to reprocess the rest of just flavour it. For normal consumption - Gin, whiskey, brandy - I tend to just collect the whole lot and use it. For CLEAN vodka I batch the output.

I believe you will always need to run the spirit through carbon to take the final nasties out. If you use turbo yeast this is certainly true, if you do things like a simple sugar wash then not quite so important but I think it always tastes better after the carbon and if you do the "burn test" it burns with a cleaner blue flame after the carbon filter - "red is dead blue is true"

I started with an airstill and was very please with it. I upgraded because of the time it took to support my childrens drinking habits!

[jimmyman]

thanks mate i am debating now
i really want one but i am wondering on the messing of water flow etc i would only use it for whisky and gin with a essence etc . i will try others but i want to focus on those first

[jimmyman]

id love to try and see the t500 in action you anywhere near York

[lyonacre]

If you are around Hertfordshire you are welcome

[Jimmy]

If you haven't already seen it:

http://youtu.be/RsJvifWma_w

and also:

http://www.wineworks.co.uk/content/t500 ... t-for-you/