Aussiedistiller, Home Distilling, Moonshine, Home Brew

I'm one of those that bought a T500 a couple of years ago without looking at other alternatives beforehand. Yeah, I'm making good neutral but I now want to start making spirits with flavour.

Previous to the T500 I bought an Airstill. As usual I followed the supplied instructions until I found the right way of using one after searching the net and asking on forums. The Airstill has stayed in the cupboard for a while until a few weeks ago when I ran some blackberry Port wine through it to make Brandy. I was actualy quite impressed with the outcome. Turned out it was one of the best brews I have ever made. Now, the thing is, where do I go from here.

I don't want to make massive amounts of flavoured spirits, just enough for myself, a few bottles every now and then. What I'm really asking is, is it worth the expense making a new pot still column for the T500 boiler or is the Airstill good enough to carry on with.

At the moment I'm using Still Spirits flavourings for Gin and Whisky. Would I be able to produce these at a much higher standard using a pot still attachment or is the Airstill good enough. Is there much difference in quaity between the two.

Cheers

Hi Stillbrewing - I'd say the answer would be quantity.
A pot still will produce whatever size can fit in your boiler of choice i.e. 50l boiler 35l wash will probably return you 4 -5 litres product.
An Air still with capacity of 5 litres will produce maybe 300 to 400 ml.
I know there is a math to make this more accurate but I'm going on what my potstill produced for me.

Cheers

I was chatting with Andrew a little while ago and he said one of the problems with airstills is the short distance between the boiler and the condenser, so there's almost no passive reflux and this results in increased smearing. Pot stills are prone to smearing anyway but with more smearing you end up with less hearts overall.

db1979 wrote:I was chatting with Andrew a little while ago and he said one of the problems with airstills is the short distance between the boiler and the condenser, so there's almost no passive reflux and this results in increased smearing. Pot stills are prone to smearing anyway but with more smearing you end up with less hearts overall.

Not to mention all the plastic inside the things

Thanks for the input gents, its appreciated.

Might just bite the bullet and build a pot head for the T500 boiler.

StillBrewing wrote:Thanks for the input gents, its appreciated.

Might just bite the bullet and build a pot head for the T500 boiler.

Trust ms, you won't regret it one bit :handgestures-thumbupleft:

They are an excellent tool for making gin. If you use the t500 to make the neutral and macerate the botanicals. Then you don't need to do cuts. The first 100ml will be bitey so throw this out (from the botanicals not heads) your return is around 2L.
For browns they will make it but the return is pitiful.

The one I had didn't have any plastic that came into contact with the vapour or condensed alcohol.

If your wanting to make rum or whisky just build/buy a 2in pot still and attach it to a 50L keg cheap and very effective.