Aussiedistiller, Home Distilling, Moonshine, Home Brew

Hi all,
I have no distilling experience at all, I have and continue to brew beer (from concentrate not grain) and get pretty good results from that. So i have a pretty decent idea of fermentation. I always opt to use dry malt in preference to white sugar and always leave my wort in the fermenter for two full weeks , this lets it clear properly and gives me very little sediment.

I have just started looking into this craft, and my mind has been blown! So many options and process's to understand. I started off thinking that an air still might be a good place to start :naughty: , then the t500 but lots of negative info on those. then onto an alco engine or pure distilling unit. I had thought that making a good neutral and using essence to flavour would be the best place to start, or should i just start down the pot still road? ultimately i would like to produce a good bourbon.

As far as dollars go, i only have about a grand to get me started.

I am really confused as to where i should start, So if anyone wants to throw some advice around that would be great. I'm happy to build my own still with some direction, i have tools, lathe, mill etc.

Making neutrals with a small reflux seems to be a pretty easy option, but i fear i might outgrow that set up pretty quickly, but starting with mashing and a pot still seems to be a big jump in the other direction.

Anyway i'll stop with my rambling and go back to reading. Cheers

Welcome Tanker.

If you're thinking about starting small, you can't get any better than the 5 Star 2" Boka on a 30 Litre boiler for neutrals or the 2" pot still on the same boiler for flavoured spirits. I think either of these options will come in within your budget although I've not looked at prices lately.

If you want to make bourbon, then the pot still is the obvious place to start (kick off a CFW to start with then investigate the other options later). A pot still is a great way to learn the craft of distilling BTW. Bear in mind you can always add the boka later if you decide you want to make neutral.

Alternatively, you could start with the boka, make neutrals and use cordials to flavour up a bourbon like drink then move to using a pot later of you want . Not as good a distilled whisky but some people are OK with this approach.

Cheers,
Prof. Green.

Hi Tanker
I am a comparative newbie at distilling ( did lots of beer before though). I have a FSD 2" boka and pot. Cost effective because it is modular. High quality kit that will see me out! I can produce high quality neutral at 95% and have just done a nutrigrain whisky. There is a thread on my boka on this site which might be helpful. Happy to answer any questions you might have.
Lots to learn but it is great fun.
Cheers
Carol

If ya after whiskey my advice is start with a pot still. Have look at modular 4" you can upgrade from it to a bubbler bit at a time :handgestures-thumbupleft:

Hi and welcome.

Yep the 4" modular would be a good way to start and build from there. :handgestures-thumbupleft:

The reflux rig from Pure Distilling is good for creating a neutral but not much else, you'll soon get sick of flavouring neutrals with essences as they NEVER taste right. It's good for what it is (if pretty expensive) but really is a once trick pony.

If you're keen on making rum/whisky or proper flavoured stuff, then another +1 from me recommending a 5 Star 4" modular pot and a 30L or 50L electric boiler. Get some molasses washes on the go, double distil and age on oak dominoes. You can upgrade the modular pot to a full-on bubbler later down the track, they're not as daunting as they look.

Also, there's a fella here in Tas that makes 2" copper pot stills. Really nice work and pretty good price.

Welcome!

Thanks all,

Still reading and researching, Trying to decide on a system that will fit my $1,000 budget.

What are the pro's for a bubbler, over a pot as far as whiskey is concerned?

Hi mate, another Tasmanian here.

I don't have a bubbler myself, but from what I understand the main advantages are getting flavourful product at high proof with a single distillation, and slightly better feints compression.

Another big advantage is the TIME savings. Single still run versus multiple strips followed by a slow spirit run.

Not such a funky spirit/cleaner distillate takes less time to age..