So very new

[Andy]

Hi all
I am thinking about getting into the distilling hobby. If from Perth. I enjoy bourbons, scotch, and rums.
After reading around for the last 4 hours or so and checking various other websites, I feel my head slowly expanding, and confusion setting in :P
My initial thought was getting a little Air still. Its cheap, easy to use, doesn't take up much room, and doesnt require assemply etc. However, from some comments on the site, maybe this isnt the way to go.
I would love to hear some thoughts about what/where you guys think a good place to start is, while I test the waters of this hobby.
Thanks,
Andy

[wedwards]

All 3 of those spirits are best made with a pot still, which is also super easy to operate and there are guys on here who can make you one of you are not that way inclined yourself (like me).

[Kimbo]

Hi Andy,
Great to have another Perf boy here :handgestures-thumbupleft:

[zwagerman9]

Just do price comparison.
So a airstill, being a potstill, is cheaper from the Home brew shop set ups.
Can be around $400 kit and kaboodle.
50 litre keg $50
Heating element $50
Joiners for cooper pipe $50 2"potstill - You can get cheaper
copper pipe from $20 - 100 depending how new the pipe is, and how much you want to spend.
Fermenters can be cheap $20.
Butane torch -$18
Solder kit $20

Have a think before you jump in!!!!!

Cheers

Rae

[Longknife]

Hey Andy.
I'm just up the road from perth. I got myself a t500 to learn on but now wish I had started with a pot still.
If not inclined to knock it up yourself get someone on here to build it for you.
That's my 5 cents worth.

[Andy]

What would the advantage of a homemade potstill compared to the airstill? Is it just a size thing?

[MacStill]

With a pot still your boiler charge is a lot bigger than the air still, you'll be able to make a lot more booze that will be better because your cuts will be larger.

[wedwards]

If I was starting out again I would get a pot still from mcstill and hook it up to a 30 litre boiler (same boiler as you get with t500) and then upgrade boiler later after some experience. My choice to do this is because I am not handy with metal/soldering/brazing etc in the slightest. If I was, then I would still buy a pot still and prob just build the boiler myself, and that's only because I'm impatient and tend to screw things up a few times before I get the build right which costs me more in the long run (some refer to that as fun - it just makes me mad). :)

The benefit of buying something is that it will just work and things won't (hopefully) screw up because you built something wrong.

That's my 2 cents anyway

[Andy]

Thanks for the infomation guys.

What do you thing of something like this
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Reflux-still ... 5895845735

Also, would i be correct in saying pot still are for whiskey and rums, and keeps the flavours of the wash, while reflux stills remove the falvours of the wash to make neutral

[wedwards]

Not exactly - others might chime in to provide a better explanation, however from what I understand the pot still is definately used for making stuff like rum and whisky, and also for doing stripping runs to save you lots of time before you put it through reflux. However, if you run a wash through a pot still 2 or 3 times, its meant to clean up pretty good, however I havent had any experience doing this and then comparing to output from the reflux still (am waiting for some time to fix up a boiler for my new pot still and then give it a run on weekend).

[Cane Toad]

Hi Andy,and welcome :handgestures-thumbupleft: Mate,honestly,save your money and don't buy an Airstill.You will be greatly disappointed. If you like to indulge in the occasional rum or bourbon,go the way of a pot still or bubbler :handgestures-thumbupleft: :handgestures-thumbupleft: A much better product,and more of it.There are plenty of guys over there in Boganland that could and would gladly build you a much better and cheaper rig than the one that you linked to.
You can thank me later :laughing-rolling:
Ps although it's not confirmed,but I heard that there may be a link between airstills and insanity :think: :think: :shhh:

[dillsandwitch]

Ps although it's not confirmed,but I heard that there may be a link between airstills and insanity :think: :think: :shhh:

nah you got it all wrong. its water. its all about the water....
hehehe 8-}

[Andy]

Thanks for enlightening me on the air still.

After searching for a little bit i found one of these

Copper and soldered. The column is 350mm high from bottom to top of 50mm copper tube. The condenser is 800 mm long of 1/2 tube with 700 of 3/4 cooling jacket. It has a hand made flange that fits onto a beer keg and the tri-clover clamp and gasket included.
So i purchased it- cost about $150. Which I'm pretty happy with :)

Found a $50 keg on gum tree that I'm going to pick up on the weekend

I sent out a PM to a couple of the Perth members who use kegs and asked them how they heat it, so I can get my heat around it.
Can anyone suggest a good place to get the heating element from? From my understanding it involves drilling one hole into the keg.

Cheers again guys, the help is so much appreciated. I'm getting excited :D

[cdbrown]

You are on your way. I have a keg and the pot head from McStill. Mine is heated by a 3-ring burner controlled by a medium pressure adjustable regulator. Got the burner from Midland army disposals, regulator from gryphon brewing.

If your going electric then you'll need to drill a hole in the wall of the keg near the base. There are either weldless (just hole, push element in and tighten nut on inside to create seal) or ones that require a fitting welded so you can screw the element into that. You might need a controller so you can adjust the power (and heat) input.

[zwagerman9]

Depends on your thoughts of weldless elements. Craftbrewer are $40. Nil affiliation.