What can you put through the Air Still?

[shawry99]

I've seen people say they put wine through the Air Still.

Is it possible to be lager through it?

I only ask because the wifes parents seem to have about 20 cases in the garage that is out of date and I thought about pinching it. though clearly dont want to break my shiney new Air Still

[billmcc]

If its out of date then its worth a try, it can be done
http://americancraftbeer.com/item/disti ... -beer.html

cheers

[shawry99]

OK, should I let it go flat first?

Im assuming this will def need double distilling really?

And, it def wont break my still?

[chill]

I'd let it go flat. Otherwise you risk a boil-over. I suggest starting out with the still only 2/3 - 3/4 full. Malt based washes tend to foam up and finished beer may as well. Better safe than cleaning up a mess.

No change of this breaking your still. Worse case is that it will puke or pop the top and you will have to clean up a mess.

Chuck

[Almanac]

If you degas thoroughly, a number of times over two days, then use Distillers Conditioner and you should be fine.

You say the larger is out of date Are we talking months or decades. The alcohol in Beer has a certain preservative effect but it is not eternal.

Good luck with it

AM

[shawry99]

Its about a year out of date, not an issue according to general consensus, but the taste isnt quite right, its drinkable tbh, but I figured, I might get more use out of putting it through the still

I guess the obvious question is..would you do it if it was your still?

[chill]

I'd distill it and call it Whiskey.

[Almanac]

Hopped beer can be distilled but you'll have to wait and taste the distillate after a double run to see if you want to keep it.

I distilled some beer and it was awful after a single run but I diluted it back to the original volume and ran it again. It wasn't quite neutral but I put it on some JD BBQ chunks and drank it a long time ago

It won't damage your still. The only thing that is likely to cause temporary damage to a still is unfermented sugar which can cause burnt flavours.

I'd def go for it - nothing to lose and an experience to gain

AM

[shawry99]

So I run it through the still, do I just run it till it stops dripping? (does that happen?)

Then dilute back to my 4L, then run again and just run as normal?

Or best to collect a smaller amount across a few runs to make another 4L and run that a third time?

Just trying to get my head round the process

[Almanac]

Treat it as a stripping run. Collect everything until the ABV drops just below 20%. Do this with each batch of 4lt until it's all stripped. Then dilute what you've collected with clean water.

Given that you have a good volume available and the beer is likely to be only 4-5% to start with you would do well to dilute what you collect from each batch with double that amount of clean water. e.g. if you collect 500ml then add 1000ml of clean water and when all is done you'll have a goodly amount for the Spirit Runs.

It'll all be good after the second (Spirit) run.

AM

[ontario23]

I have ran about 24 bottles of old wine thru mine . It was ran or double distilled to bring up the ABV. Also it turned out great

[chill]

I distilled some old beer a few weeks back. Some of the hop flavour will come over. It was OK for a different sort of whiskey, but not something I'd care to drink on a regular basis. Carbon filtering would likely result in more usable alcohol.

Chuck

[Frank]

I ran about 8 litres of cheap dry sherry though mine. I'd used the sherry to condition an oak barrel and certainly wasnt going to drink it, as is.
After a seies of '2litre per' strips and double distills, it smelt like watered down cheap dry sherry and tasted like something I'd send back to the bar.
That said, my wife made a 'cognac'-type maceration using it as the spirit base and it was ok (apparently). So...the result was worth it, I guess.