Hi from a new comer

[Alex_Milton]

Hi,

I have distilled 4 batches.

This is the equipment I have

Airstill
10 L fermenter
25 L fermenter
Alcometer
Hydrometer
Glass Aquarium heater with plastic cover
Steel Aquarium heater
Weighing scales
many mason jars
few glass jars
Weighing scales

[Sam.]

Welcome mate :handgestures-thumbupleft:

What drink of choice are you making?

Also there is a thread about getting the best out of an airstill, I’m on my phone but I’m sure someone will link it.

Also have you had a look through the newbie corner, especially on the topic of cuts?

[Professor Green]

Welcome to AD mate.

I think his is the thread Sam mentioned: GETTING THE BEST FROM AN AIR STILL

I hope that's' not your real name that you've used as your username. If it is, might be wise to ask the moderators to change it for you.

Cheers,
Prof. Green.

[Alex_Milton]

Hi,

I just want to distill vodka. I feel that Airstill will serve me just fine.

I use the diagram linked above already. It is a good diagram
As per my calculation from the diagram on the page linked by Prof_Green I should get

25 L gives 5.9 of 40% when abv is 14
25L @ 10% should give me 4.214285714 litres.
This will take an entire day but I can manage this with my smartphone timer.

[Doubleuj]

Gday mate, welcome to the forum.
When you say “manage this with my smartphone timer” you don’t mean you’ll walk away from it?
please don’t leave your still unattended. Things can change mid run and not for the better when your making high proof alcohol.

[bluc]

You dont want to make vodka in an airstill, its a pot still, get a reflux still and the difference in the vodka will be night and day... :handgestures-thumbupleft:
If you really only want an airstill make flavoured spir8t rum or cereal based whiskey. Corn flakes nutrigrain etc recipes from tried and proven section..

[woodduck]

Hi there welcome aboard.

I agree with all of the above :handgestures-thumbupleft:

Good luck

[Alex_Milton]

Gday mate, welcome to the forum.
When you say “manage this with my smartphone timer” you don’t mean you’ll walk away from it?
please don’t leave your still unattended. Things can change mid run and not for the better when your making high proof alcohol.

I do it on the bathroom counter far away from any naked flame. Airstill has auto boil off protection and I am watching it from my dinner table. The first few drops take one hour to appear and this is the time I check in my smartphone.

[Alex_Milton]

You dont want to make vodka in an airstill, its a pot still, get a reflux still and the difference in the vodka will be night and day... :handgestures-thumbupleft:
If you really only want an airstill make flavoured spir8t rum or cereal based whiskey. Corn flakes nutrigrain etc recipes from tried and proven section..

What is a decent small and portable reflux type skill you recommend? Is it safe to import from China? Or you suggest any place in Australia where I can pick it over the counter?

Thanks!!

[Doubleuj]

I’d suggest this 2” boka is the best value for money for you. It’ll make a great neutral/ vodka and if in the future you want to make brown spirits like whiskey/ rum then it can be run as a pot still.

[Doubleuj]

I’d suggest this 2” boka is the best value for money for you. It’ll make a great neutral/ vodka and if in the future you want to make brown spirits like whiskey/ rum then it can be run as a pot still.

This mounted on a boiler looks very threatening. My Airstill looks cute in comparison.

Frankly the nagging one would not let me keep this in house. I think I can try to get a t500

[The Stig]

The T500 will sit on the counter top so you can collect on the top.
The Boka on the same boiler will sit on the floor and still allow you to collect on the counter top.
The Boka will be safer and easier to move around and will turn out a much better product

[Carol]

Hi
I have had an airstill for some 10 years and have recently bought a Five Star 2" Boka and pot still. Happy to answer any specific questions you might have.
Cheers
Carol

[Alex_Milton]

Hi
I have had an airstill for some 10 years and have recently bought a Five Star 2" Boka and pot still. Happy to answer any specific questions you might have.
Cheers
Carol

Nice! 10 years is a lot of time.

What did you make in your AS? I just want to make Vodka.

Also, if you added flavours like Butterscotch/Vanilla etc where to buy them? I am 99% sure that I can find it cheaper than still spirits.

[Carol]

I began with turbo and used essences etc. Results were sort of OK. After a while I could not get past the "rocket fuel" taste and took a break for several years. I found using flavoured teas and recipes online for Kahlua etc gave more interesting results (even with Turbo). I made infusions of fruits - basically I tried any of the online recipes that I found interesting. I used different lollies and dissolved them (eg skittles, redskins) I used vanilla beans, coffee beans - pretty much tried anything I thought might be fun. Some turned out better than others. (Essences tended to taste the same after a while).

Then I found this forum and learned about other washes and cuts and was able to do a bit better with the AS. Now I have a boka and a pot and can do a lot better
The guys here have probably explained that the air still is basically a pot still so you will not end up with a vodka. So you are stuck with the taste of the base spirit that you have made and you have to work with that. I did cornflake whisky in the air still (with stripping run and spirit run and cuts etc) and that has turned out to be pretty good for the little still.

Cheers
Carol

[Alex_Milton]

I am thinking about a reflux still but it would be again a small one. (5L).

Anyway, if you take a sugar wash and distill it in a pot, then what is the resulting spirit called?

Near Vodka?

[bluc]

Whiskey or rum normally or gin :handgestures-thumbupleft: if you mean something like tomato paste wash it will be a tomato flavoured spirit... you will be hard pressed to make a vodka type drink in a potstill..

You may want to re think the 5l bit also. 25l wash from majority of recipes on here will get you, after cuts, bit over 2l spirit...

[Alex_Milton]

Whiskey or rum normally or gin :handgestures-thumbupleft: if you mean something like tomato paste wash it will be a tomato flavoured spirit... you will be hard pressed to make a vodka type drink in a potstill..

I am fine with Gin!

I will do a clear distillation in few day and let you all know!

You can all say CHEERS MATE!! with me!!

[bluc]

To make gin you need to make vodka first :romance-kisscheek: then add the flavouring with herbs spices then pot still it so you retain the added flavour. I suggest you do heap more reading..

[Alex_Milton]

In this case I would stick with my distillate, at least for now.