StillSmart

First time on this site.Just back from NZ and sen the 500 and super reflux. Have been in contact with Richard but still no sign og the 500 over here. I think I will just get the s reflux. I am new to this so I guess its a case of learning to crawl befoe you walk Spoke to Richards assistant yesterday as he was in Liverpool opening a new shopand he does not know when the 500 will be in. I have heard on another site that the 500 is not producing a nice tasty brew. Dont know if that issour grapes or what. Anyway once I get my kit I will be asking some of you guys for advice till the cheers. Short

the 500 is not producing a nice tasty brew

What a crock.

I have been using a T500 for a few months now and never have a problem.

94%-95% every time, clean clear output.

I would say wait for the 500 (I heard somewhere here that its due in UK this month)

Oh and welcome to the forum.

Welcome to the forum
I emailed Richard early in october and he said \"at least 4 weeks as they have only just left NZ\" so only a couple of weeks left I guess I can\'t wait to get mine.
I\'m expecting to do the same with the T500 as I do with my SS reflux which is to split the output into heads/hearts/tails and to re-use the heads/tails. I don\'t expect it to be significantly better than the SS reflux and to be honest I expect initially it won\'t be as good until I learn how to run it.
Still can\'t wait

Well I spoke to the local bloke here today, and he said that the last time he spoke to Richard, that he didn\'t know when etc at all, but he said that he\'d ring/email Richard again as someone else was also asking about them....

I,m not an expert on the subject

but i say wait for the 500

I have a friend with a home-made pot still (produces about 80%)

also another friend with a super reflux (which also produces about 80%)

both take about 6 to 8 hours to boil a 20 ltr wash

but the 500 only takes about 4 hrs & produces 93% to 96%

taking half the time & producing stronger alchohol won me

Learn to to tweak the super reflux with a bit of practice you will get 93% ABV every time which to me eliminates any benefit in paying the extra pennies for the T 500.

Just my thoughts.
Opus 27

Hey,

I have been reading about super reflux stills in various threads and have got to the stage where I think I will have to upgrade from my airstill! Not that there is anything wrong with it but it is quite labour intensive in terms of conversion from wash to spirit, especially when running the bakers yeast wash. Very pleased with it but hankering after 90% plus and the whole process over in 5 hours BUT I have a question or two which I hope you guys will be able to help with.

I think I will hold out for a T500 - Richard reckons a couple of weeks - and my questions are:
1. As well as making spirit I use the airstill to produce distilled water that I use to cut the spirit and also as part of my bio-diesel production. Will I be able to produce distilled water with the T500? It sounds as though the only thing you can get out of it is spirit.

2. I have read lots about packing and saddles, and pot scourers. Should I be changing anything in the packing of the T500 when I finally buy one?

3. Can you really expect 90% plus spirit from the still in it\'s standard form.
Thanks in anticipation

1. As well as making spirit I use the airstill to produce distilled water that I use to cut the spirit and also as part of my bio-diesel production. Will I be able to produce distilled water with the T500? It sounds as though the only thing you can get out of it is spirit.

Sorry cant help here, but I cant see why it wouldnt distill water (just never done it)

2. I have read lots about packing and saddles, and pot scourers. Should I be changing anything in the packing of the T500 when I finally buy one?

The T500 comes with everything you need to get up and running.

It will have a pack of ceramic saddles and some copper strips, you drop in the copper then the saddles and away you go.

3. Can you really expect 90% plus spirit from the still in it's standard form.

Yes, I get 94% or 95% every time, I have a few friends who have the T500 and they are getting the same %. I have notice however that the amount will vary dependent on what brand sugar one uses.

The last few wash's I have made have been with Dextrose using 6kg and I only get 3.5 liter, with normal white sugar I was getting between 3.8 and 4.2.

Hope this helps

Learn to to tweak the super reflux with a bit of practice you will get 93% ABV every time which to me eliminates any benefit in paying the extra pennies for the T 500.

Just my thoughts.
Opus 27

Perhaps you could start a thread about your tweaks and mod\'s to the Super Reflux Opus, because It seems not to matter what I do with mine, I still end up getting variable results from 82 to 90 %, and am starting to lose patience with it.......
It\'d be great to read about tweaks and mods that have made a "proper" difference.......

I\'ve had my t500 for around 6 months now, the first time i used it i got 92% and i have never got below that. The best i\'ve been able to get is 93%. I use dextose, bininn sell it in a 6KG bag, makes it easy.
The still is easy to use, setup, turn on, run water and come back in about an hour check temp\'s, fiddle with water flow for a few minutes, come back in 3 and a bit hours turn off. Done.

Hey guys,
Many thanks for the input. Really helpful.
Having just spent 3 days processing 50L of wash through my airstill I am REALLY looking forward to a change.
I think it must be an early Christmas present to myself!
Just waiting for Richard to say I can have one!

Perhaps you could start a thread about your tweaks and mod\'s to the Super Reflux Opus, because It seems not to matter what I do with mine, I still end up getting variable results from 82 to 90 %, and am starting to lose patience with it.......
It\'d be great to read about tweaks and mods that have made a "proper" difference.......

I\'ve just pulled the various thread on the site together into one thread.
http://www.stillsmart.co.uk/forum/topic.php?id=400

Thanks to all on the forum for their advice re the 500. I spoke to wineworks today and it is due in anytime but they could not or would not tell me how many where coming in. I have been onto them every few days and they must be about demented with me by now but I need to keep on the case. Cheers and thanks again for the welcome in particular to Andy who was first to welcome me and MrCat. Shot

Maybe its time to drop a deposit to ensure you get one of the first landed, just a thought.

Would be nothing worse than going in and being told all the T500\'s have been sold and next delivery is March 2011