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Re: Yet another new Airstill owner
Posted:
Mon Dec 26, 2016 4:33 pmby FerdBerfel
Curmudgeon wrote:You definitely have smearing (hearts in heads and heads in hearts). It's the limitation of the airstill. That said, having got a T500, it's not really much better or worse, just on a bigger scale.
You can accept the hangover, make cuts in smaller jars or re-distill while constantly losing heads. Discarding fores/heads on stripping run and then re-distilling and discarding again isn't very popular as it's wasteful but it's a quality v quantity thing.
I use fores and heads in a decorative fireplace which keeps wifey happy at a fraction of what B&Q charge for bio-ethanol, so my cuts give me a load of fuel alcohol, very smooth booze and a large amount of "stuff" that gets triple distilled, most of which probably isn't close to being tails.
Yeah I'm cleaning it up. I threw the heads in with another stripping run, and true to form it has increased the output. I'll just strip the rest of the wash to do a full run, should get much closer on the cuts. That first run through was to just understand all the mechanics of this. Got pretty close. I DID do the warm up before hand and yes that really does cut time to start. I imagine I will still polish with carbon (since this is a neutral) at the end as well. All in all good experience, lots of great advice from all of you.
Thanks a lot!
Re: Yet another new Airstill owner
Posted:
Mon Dec 26, 2016 11:18 pmby Easydrinker
Fire fluid works well for me too.
Robert.
Re: Yet another new Airstill owner
Posted:
Tue Dec 27, 2016 8:47 pmby Spirits4BB
Need to pull my thumb out of my arse and Fire mine up in 2017......
Got lazy, been buying in......
Re: Yet another new Airstill owner
Posted:
Tue Dec 27, 2016 11:08 pmby Easydrinker
Spirits4BB wrote:Need to pull my thumb out of my arse and Fire mine up in 2017......
Got lazy, been buying in......
Is that for drinking or fire lighting there mate?
Robert.
Re: Yet another new Airstill owner
Posted:
Wed Dec 28, 2016 1:18 pmby Spirits4BB
Something decent to drink kind sir...
Re: Yet another new Airstill owner
Posted:
Tue Jan 10, 2017 2:24 pmby FerdBerfel
Checking back in - finished the project! I used Gaza the Instructor's Wheat Vodka recipe as the base....very successful, if inefficient. (I wasted a lot of stuff). Still, learned a great deal and the final result (airing is your friend) was spot on. Wife says it is better than our favorite Vodka and won't stay out of it. (that's high praise, she is picky).
I did have the feared burping - during the spirit runs. Scared the holy crap out of me. So I guess I will source some saddles/boil beads to be safe. Other than than, I think I get it.
Any opinion about type of saddles on how many to use in an average run? (Ceramic vs copper)
Thanks for all your support!
Re: Yet another new Airstill owner
Posted:
Tue Jan 10, 2017 5:57 pmby Mash
Coinage 1p's & 2p's - about half a tumbler !
Flat bits of copper scrap will also do.
Re: Yet another new Airstill owner
Posted:
Tue Jan 10, 2017 10:51 pmby Easydrinker
I prefer copper tube off cuts, but each to his own.
Robert.
Re: Yet another new Airstill owner
Posted:
Fri Feb 10, 2017 2:48 amby tasleBHC
Icefever wrote:I agree 100% A...folks take on an Airstill and follow the crap advice that they get...myself included...until they find the correct info, on places like here....well done dude.
I have just made my purchase of an air still and the advice I was given is a bit much like the advice I was given when I started Sea Fishing.. that is to say the pros don't want you to find the answer straight away they want you to research or as I now say "put the work in" .. tonight I found a good article on exactly how an airstill should be run for max output and reward of the wash distill.. thanks to whoever that guy was and now I feel even more confident my first run I=will be half decent
this site has a lot to offer ... much more than the SS demos.. not that I'm slating them its just there is a lot more to tis process than I could of imagined..
thanks guys for your well appreciated help
Re: Yet another new Airstill owner
Posted:
Fri Feb 10, 2017 11:51 pmby Easydrinker
What you have to be aware of tasleBHC , is that this site has absolutely no affiliation with the Smart Still/Air Still import company/ies , other than some members here owning one, or two; I think Mash may be up to three now?
Most folk here started with one, some went on to bigger, nearly all have only one interest for being here,- to share knowledge and make the whole home distilling process easier and safer for all.
Welcome.
Robert.
Re: Yet another new Airstill owner
Posted:
Sat Feb 11, 2017 8:54 amby Mash
three now?
Nearly but not quite....
Re: Yet another new Airstill owner
Posted:
Sat Feb 11, 2017 8:08 pmby tasleBHC
Thanks easy drinker that's eased my mind knowing that it's not affiliated with said product and it's good to know that this site is full of guys who just run SS EQUIPMENT I do still wonder whether I should go for a traditional pot still copper or go with the t500 with a dome. ? Any advice or is it down to personal preference? I mean at least the 500 looks like a tea caddy rather than a full on distillery unit ..
Re: Yet another new Airstill owner
Posted:
Sun Feb 12, 2017 11:23 pmby Easydrinker
It really is "horses for Courses".
Once you have plyed or even played a little, you will gain an idea of what you want.
And then a little time reading may help you choose a direction to go in.
Take your time, it is not a race.
Robert.
Re: Yet another new Airstill owner
Posted:
Mon Feb 13, 2017 1:28 amby tasleBHC
Easydrinker wrote:It really is "horses for Courses".
Once you have plyed or even played a little, you will gain an idea of what you want.
And then a little time reading may help you choose a direction to go in.
Take your time, it is not a race.
Robert.
thanks mate i guess tis much like you say.. maybe ill try the copperpot, even thought those chinese stills look impressive for a trial run
Re: Yet another new Airstill owner
Posted:
Mon Feb 13, 2017 11:27 pmby Easydrinker
Much looks good in this world.
When you have decided just what spirit it is that you want to make,is IMHO the time to decide upon a bigger still.
I built myself a pot and a reflux head to fit my boiler. Neither "LOOK" good.
Both work.
And it suits me
Just sayin'
Robert.