StillSmart

Hi everyone...just found this board, and what a great resource it is. I bought an AirStill 2 years ago and made 3 or 4 batches following the instructions. Some of it was Ok but the gin was foul. Anyway, I worked away last year so I've only just got back and put on a wash last week. I'll be following the instructions on here for double distilling from now on so expect a few questions.....the first one being:-

What is a parrot and do I need to get one? I'm not talking about a Norwegian Blue here......

Cheers,
Mike

welcome to the forum im new as well just finished my first wash

Hi mate and welcome

here's a link to one thread about Parrots

viewtopic.php?f=15&t=3215

basically its a way of measuring output ABV

Don't know how useful this would be on an airstill

Look up Aidan's airstill guide under the Airstill section really gives you the lowdown

I have ten 125 ml jars that I use with the Air Still instead of a parrot. They don't look as nice, but they are cheaper. Collect one, switch it for the next, measure the full one, repeat.

Chuck

Mike - have fun the Air still is a super bit of kit - just throw away the instructions.

mashy wrote: just throw away the instructions.

That's the best bit of advice so far....oh welcome to the forum...

A Distiller's Parrot is a useful piece of kit as it allows you to monitor the ABV of the distillate as it comes from the Airstill on a stripping run. No use for the spirit runs.

Here's a drawing with the parts breakdown.


This can be set on a stand or you can add a base plate or a stand. Here's a few pics of ones I've built over the years.

...........

If you've never done any soldering this is an exercise worth doing cause once you can do this you'll have the confidence to solder anything and god knows what you'll end up building

AM

No reason why you can't make a parrot that sits under the outlet of the still. Maybe that you'd need to stand the still on something to get the right height, but WTF, something to useful for old phone books.......

Phantom wrote: something to useful for old phone books.......

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Old phone books??, you need to have a bit of a clear out Phantom have I seen you on that hoarders program

Capt-Cudellez wrote:

Phantom wrote: something to useful for old phone books.......

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Old phone books??, you need to have a bit of a clear out Phantom have I seen you on that hoarders program

Yarp,he's the one with the shed full of bits of copper pipe.

Robert.

Thanks for all the replies, I've been out this morning and got an alcometer and an Essentia filter. Currently half way through the stripping run. I'm following mozrs excellent guide but I only seem to get about 1200ml off each 4L run before the drips stop.

mikew41 wrote:Thanks for all the replies, I've been out this morning and got an alcometer and an Essentia filter. Currently half way through the stripping run. I'm following mozrs excellent guide but I only seem to get about 1200ml off each 4L run before the drips stop.

Yes, that's about what I get from straight sugar wash.

Once you've got it all stripped, don't forget to let it down to less than 40% ABV before doing the spirits run, plus it's a wise move to use a handful of rashig rings (ceramic tube pieces) as boil enhancers and some distillers conditioner as anti-foaming agent.

The boil enhancers and anti-foam aren't essential, but safety is pretty important (if you don't get.them, just run the still well away from where family/pets etc might get near, just in case you get an over boil).....