Aussiedistiller, Home Distilling, Moonshine, Home Brew

Spin off to my other thread. Ok I will give ya's a bit of a run down so bear with me... Pics attached below :handgestures-thumbupleft:

This is the still I was given to use and play around with by my mums fella, he used to use this for a bit before borrowing what I believe is something like T500/700 type 25 litre jobby which he uses now. As he knows I am a liker of the brown goodness of a nice bourbon like Wild Turkey, he said here ya go and showed me the Still Spirits turbo yeast/ liquid carbon/clearing agent method, followed by sitting in activated carbon granules for 2 weeks then triple filtering as he does. Add essences to taste and volia! And I must admit he does make a nice drop but I'm sure there is much room for improvement.

Rightio, I bought 2 of everything (yeast, additives etc) from a local home brew shop out in the sticks here and made up a wash last week and we distilled 4 litres of it through this still here so he could show me how to use it. Taking off the first bit and last bit etc etc, getting the temp right blah blah... We then ran the remaining 20 litres through his still to get the job done quicker as time was limited last Sunday. I now have about 3.75 litres of 90% sitting in carbon now ready to do with whatever I will. I have some Edwards Super Smooth Kentucky Bourbon essence to use first up. After doing much reading this arvo, looks like the TPW is the go from now on.

Basically what I want to know now is wtf is this thing really then? Im guessing its not a reflux then? I'm just going on all the bits and paperwork that was in the old box it came in. The best method of wash to use etc? How to best utilise/modify this thing to make a good brew? It seemed to perform ok and did everything I was told it would do and behaved pretty much according to what was written in that manual. It will be used for making a replica bourbon and rum etc to start with.

It has a water feed in and out which runs at about 400ml a min and when at the right temp etc the spirit flows straight from out of the metal tube. See 6 attached pics please.

Thanks for the input guys, much appreciated from a noob :D

Another pic

it looks to be a pot still...

Ok I got adding multiple pics sussed I think :D

JayD wrote:it looks to be a pot still...

Pot still...

Looks like the cheapest of cheap crap pot still

Well it cost me nothing pal and I gotta start somewhere so here I am asking for advice, anything constructive to add?

As Blond pointed out in your other post it is without doubt this
http://spiritsunlimited.co.nz/productde ... still.html
If you do end up trying to use that still you might find you will make a better product by not listening to your mate, he seems to be stuck in the Home Brew Shop Turbo Carbon rut, you can do much better using methods that can be found on this forum.
Your choice really.

numbnuts wrote:Well it cost me nothing pal and I gotta start somewhere so here I am asking for advice, anything constructive to add?

We all start some where, so you will learn from using it, until you get tired of the time it takes to make your hooch...then you will upgrade, a lot of us started with something similar to this. Is it Aluminium ?

I can not believe, that you missed the big label on the side that tells you what it is. So here ya go. This is what it is
http://spiritsunlimited.co.nz/productde ... still.html


Sent via electronic carrier pigeon :)

Wow it was just a few months ago that i was looking at making a pot still very similar to to yours. Just to get my feet wet but just kept on reading and reading and reading and you will soon find out that basicaly you are waisting your time and energy and that if you don't rush in to quickly and learn from the experienced members here your journey in this hobby will be a lot more satisfying. :handgestures-thumbupleft:

Everybody duck, here comes crow x_x

So now that we know what it is, I would like to pin point this little bit of information from your post.

numbnuts wrote:Taking off the first bit and last bit etc etc, getting the temp right blah blah...

While he may be using turbo products, it's still good to see that he has taught you a bit about cuts.

Not sure how much you've read into it, but basically you were being shown to throw away the foreshots, heads and tails.

For more detailed information on cuts/fractions, check out this post here.

:handgestures-thumbupleft:

Yes I know this is a starting point in my distilling future and as I have said in my introduction post I am here to learn and take on advice. I am a hard working but struggling fulltime single dad in a low income labouring job at the moment ,when funds allow I will looking to upgrade equipment obviously. This will at least give me some of the basic insight into distilling right? I have already done some reading here, only so much you can take in in a couple of days :handgestures-thumbupleft:

Thanks for the replies so far

JayD wrote:

numbnuts wrote:Well it cost me nothing pal and I gotta start somewhere so here I am asking for advice, anything constructive to add?

We all start some where, so you will learn from using it, until you get tired of the time it takes to make your hooch...then you will upgrade, a lot of us started with something similar to this. Is it Aluminium ?

Yes its aluminum mate

It is in fact a pot still but not a real great one. If you are going to learn with it that's dandy but do your self a favor and change out that plastic output line for some 1/2 copper. yes I know they still sell them with them but ya can likely still buy asbestos in some countries, it don't make it safe ;-)

Looks like the same brand as my first still but mine was a small reflux . . should hold 4L with a 700 w element from a Company in MacKay that no longer in business

Mate you are already on the path to producing cheaper booze that will save you a fortune and likely taste better than 75% of stuff at your local bottle shop.

A free still let's you cut your teeth with no major outlay. Get brewing tomato paste washes or molasses washes on mass, practice making harsh cuts and get saving for a bigger still but don't look a freebie in the mouth. It will at least teach you basics and skills that will translate no matter what you graduate to down the track!

numbnuts wrote:anything constructive to add?

Mate don't take all this to heart to much, people here like to see things done safely and the right way.
What you have there is a pot still, and from the look its not that great quality. First thing that sticks out to me is that the boiler is made of alloy. The majority of distillers world wide will agree its not a great material to use for a still boiler, stainless or copper are the two that are considered safe.
I'd also be checking those O ring things that seal the riser of the pot to the top of the boiler in case they are perished or not sealing properly.
Your also going to be at a disadvantage when it comes to cuts, a bigger boiler and wash helps a lot in that department.
My suggestion if you do want to use it,
Forget all the turbo carbon rubbish,
Have a look at the rum wash recipe in Tried and Proven.
Buy some mollasses and put down a wash.
While its fermenting study Kiwis tutorial on Cuts.......and study it again
Run your Rum wash through taking very small cuts.
Enjoy the end result.
I know you dont like rum........but ya gunna have a happy Mrs ;-)

The plastic lines are just for water cooling the condensation tube? The spirit condensation exits via metal tube from the pot lid. Does that make any difference?

Thanks