Well "hot damn" - we've got competition !

by **Phantom** » Sun Jul 13, 2008 12:34 am

Found here.
Except they're using the site to sell their "howto" book.
I doubt whether they'll post my comment though as I was slagging off the price of the book (just under 30 euros a pop).

by **Jimmy** » Tue Jul 15, 2008 11:53 pm

Ha, not really 'competition' seeing as they're selling something and I'm not! As far as I'm concerned, the more information out there, the better.
Having said that, on a personal level I'd like to see more information on there for free, it is very much a site to sell the book. Also, at risk of sounding like the HD forums lot - there's way too much plastic in that still, and I would not be happy drinking anything that it produced. Call me over cautious if you like, but those tubes and that bucket are not suitable for strong alcohol and they'll impart chemicals into your spirit. Better safe than sorry in my eyes.

by **Phantom** » Sat Jul 19, 2008 11:57 pm

Judging by the links to the pictures of the still parts, I'd guess that there's not actually much plastic in it i.e. only the piping for the condenser - but without the book I couldn't really say.
It does seem to indicate that there's no soldering involved, so I'm wondering how they'd run a condenser

? 'Cos if it's just a straight Leibig (spelling???) condenser it has water running through it and that means leakage, if they're sealing with flour/water paste or similar.
Irrespective, I'm not tempted to buy their book because it's damned expensive at nearly 30 euros.

by **Jimmy** » Sun Jul 20, 2008 2:02 am

The pipe and the big old plastic bucket that the distillate appears to run into...!

by **Phantom** » Mon Jul 21, 2008 3:59 am

Hum? Well the pipe work on my "still spirits super reflux" are all plastic, I collect in glass plus the carbon bag holder and the collection bottle on my table top "smart still" are both plastic.
I don't think that you'd get any problem as the spirit doesn't stay in contact with the plastic long enough to worry about.

by **Jimmy** » Mon Jul 21, 2008 4:49 pm

It's that pipe that I don't like - it looks like that soft stuff that would just be eaten away by strong spirits. I have a food grade plastic measuring jug that I can actually see being dissolved when I put 80% alcohol into it! It's a personal choice, but all I'm saying is if I had one of those then I would ditch the pipe and bucket to be on the safe side, get some copper tubing and a glass collection vessel!

by **Canyon Cat** » Fri Aug 01, 2008 3:16 am

Hey Jimmy!

Hope yer doing well. Have you thought about trolling/commenting on other distilling blogs and forums to advertise your site? Seems like just the loyal crew so far (no insult intended).
I'm an incredibly satisfied EasyStill user and I'd love to see the ethanol-loving world catch on to this wonderful appliance. Keep up the good work and I hope to see other converts here soon.
Cheers! [With my frosty pint mason jar of 104-proof and root beer next to me. Geee, I wonder what the poor folk are doing? :-)]
P.S. I still intend to distill one of Carlo Rossi's (ubiquitous California wine producer from California) 4 liter Paisano jug wines in my EasyStill. Do you predict any success--or should I use a white jug wine? For a "brandy-like" product, that is.
P.P.S. I have done many runs now and no longer put anything to create bubble formation (like ceramic pieces) in the bottom of the pot. No boilovers or other seismic events--although it has burped a time or three within the the first hour or so. Bear in mind, though, my unit is very new (early summer I took delivery).

by **Phantom** » Sun Aug 10, 2008 9:22 pm

The vino should distil just fine CC. Plus the main thing about brandy is the grapes/fruit in the first place, followed by how you manage it from there i.e. french oak barrels, the amount of time to age etc etc.
The boilovers seem to be connected with the clarity of the wash/wine/whatever i.e. it should be as clear as you can make it before running it in the still. Hence the use (as recommended by the UK importer anyway) of boiling chips of some kind - it doesn't have to be the ceramic beads, or "saddles", it can be small shards of broken glass. Which are a damned sight cheaper

Good on yer though matey, I'm also happy with both my "smart still" (same as the easy still I believe) and my "super reflux 25L" still. Apart from a little mild scalding with the smart still - it didn't burp, it belched and farted at the same time (I was re-distilling an 85% ABV batch that had come out cloudy).
One thing I did learn was that high % alcohol is bloody marvellous for cleaning up the kitchen