Aussiedistiller, Home Distilling, Moonshine, Home Brew

Hello everyone.

I became interested in making my own whiskey as I was spending too much on my alcohol. I did some research over the internet, and was weighing up between the T500 and the Pure Distillery reflux still. My handyman skills are almost non existent, so building my own was out of the question. After dithering around for a few months I finally had the opportunity to call into a HBS in a nearby city, that according to the Pure Distillery Web Site, sold Pure Distillery (PD) stills and products.

However, by the time I researched it on the web, and calling into the shop they are no longer a PD stockist. But they did have the T500's and a locally built still very similar to the PD still for sale. I was easily persuaded into buying the PD lookalike.

My first batch, using all the supplied ingredients was a disaster. Completely undrinkable. The neutral spirit looked good, nice and clear, but when flavoured with whiskey essence was foul. So I threw the lot away. Then did another batch, using HBS products, and only got 2 litres of neutral, and when flavoured still tasted off, but with extra ice and coke was just drinkable.

Then made a batch using TPW (been reading the forums), and got just over two litres of neutral, which, again when flavoured tasted better....but still not right in my opinion. I ran another TPW through the still yesterday and got 2.2 litres of neutral which I bottled and mixed with whiskey flavour. Haven't tasted it yet.

So that's me, a beginner, just after easy to make low cost and drinkable spirits.

Thanks for letting me join the forum.

Welcome to AD mate.

Have a read of the threads linked in this post: http://aussiedistiller.com.au/viewtopic.php?f=57&t=11917. They might help you get the best out of your still.

Making neutral and adding cordials to flavour it is never going give you a quality whisky. I would recommend, if a really tasty but still cheap whisky is what you are after, that you Investigate the possibility of getting a pot still and running one of the flavourful washes like WBAB or CFW then ageing it with oak dominoes. Pot stills are cheap and easy enough to make or you can get good quality ready made ones from 5 Star that are not overly expensive (you'll just need to wait until they re-open after the change of ownership).

Cheers,
Prof. Green.

Gday mate and welcome.

Your best move was getting away from turbos :handgestures-thumbupleft:
Have you been doing cuts? If not here's a link http://aussiedistiller.com.au/viewtopic.php?f=57&t=2859 cuts will be your biggest gain, far better quality.

There are a few more links in my signature below that are worth a look too :handgestures-thumbupleft:

I agree that if you want whiskey go for a pot still. If you want to stick to cordials have a look here and see what others recommend http://aussiedistiller.com.au/viewforum.php?f=50

Good luck :handgestures-thumbupleft:

G'day Woodduck

Thanks for your advice. I haven't been making cuts as yet. In my latest attempt, I collected the first 200 ml and discarded it. I then collected 2.2 litres whilst the temperature hovered between 78.4 and 78.5C. When the temperature started rising, I turned it off and stopped collecting at 79.5C. I might have missed capturing a bit of spirit, but I am confident that I missed the tails.

Will experiment with cuts later on.

If your not liking your product you should do it asap or you'll get to the point where you'll give up on stilling. Uncut spirit will taste like metho mixed with bums and will give you a raging hangover. It is the single most important step in distilling. If your not cutting your wasting your time and killing your liver and tastebuds :laughing-rolling:

I'm also a newbie , and didn't do cuts first couple runs, just fores 200ml and last 200 @ 90% , drank, cause how else will you learn.
Cuts are now done regardless, clear stubbies and guess the 250ml mark got 14 last time (turbo wash ) still have trouble with the smell/taste yet, but there is a picture around explain the curve from heads to hearts and then tails.
Ah , the reading :-B
Best library I've been in for a while :clap: