Aussiedistiller, Home Distilling, Moonshine, Home Brew

First try at cuts this morning and what a difference. Took out first 50 ml as fores, then 50 ml as heads, two lots of 250 ml (kept and filtered), last two, 100 ml each, as tails (this seems to be the source of a sweetish after taste I don't like much). Wash was my last turbo triple distilled yeast one. I have a tpw fermenting but not ready yet. More later. :dance:

Ok, I used two batches of 500 ml middle run (hearts) the best so far, single run. Used rye whiskey flavor after 12 hours oaking (hot & cold to help absobtion) I ran out and needed quick fix, same with scotch. I made 700 ml at near 40% for both. Better by far than normal run. Next I've made from heads hearts and tails ( 3l with 1l 15% wash) 500ml at 82% quick air 12 hours quick carbon filter, on oak now will post soon my taste results. By the way nothing has been aged over a week. I have 10 l tpw nearly ready, and need to finish last 4 l run of turbo. I'll take more time with tests and aging afer I get my stocks up. But basically if u use air still turbo wash take 500ml after ditching first 100 ml and make around 700 ml at 40% (when watered down) for a much nicer product. Well this is my opinion of a airstill turbo wash.

I know I did things quickly and I'm not hiding the fact it's not the best way just writing down my results. As I know only one other person distilling, he's only just started, I have nothing to compare to but commercial stuff.

Firedragon wrote:I know I did things quickly and I'm not hiding the fact it's not the best way just writing down my results. As I know only one other person distilling, he's only just started, I have nothing to compare to but commercial stuff.

Sounds like you have got it all happening.

Making good cuts will make a big difference to your finished product.

Once you get through that turbo and get on the tomato paste wash I'd be surprised if you don't smell and taste a much nicer booze all round.

Cheers
GTH

Cheers grump. I've gotta empty my 30 l fermenter to put on the bigger tpw as the turbos still in there. And I can't wait to try the difference.

Ok tpw small batch distilled. First time thru airstill leave slight tomato taste in white spirits, second distill is great. I've put in a large batch of this and also 10 l batch of molasses rum. Last batch in new/old fermenter of wheat germ and cracked wheat plus small amount of malted rice syrup. Got given smaller 25 l second hand fermenter need alot of cleaning but I think it's good. Results when they finish, rum seems to be goin hard so it's race since large tpw on for 10 days before rum put down. :clap:

@FD
mate IMHO, as a Potstill, the only thing an Airstill is less than good at is producing large quantities of spirit per run. Otherwise, if you double distill and take good fractions/cuts and oak the hearts 'properly' (ie quantity and time) you shall get acceptable results. If you shortcut the process through fermentation, distillation or maturation, you will be achieving suboptimal results. Simple really. ;-)

So...point is.....run quality (not quantity) washes, take fine cuts and mature the best stuff patiently and the fact you have an Airstill hardly matters. :handgestures-thumbupleft:

As such it seems as though you are VERY much on your way with your ongoing experiments...so the more you practise, the more you will enjoy the output.

For cleaning the fermenter fill it with bleach and water then let sit overnight then let it all run through the tap. I try to do this every year to my fermenters when they start to get a tinge to them

Yep!! I agree, but I'm tasting it all and writing about it so other airstillers understand what I've done and what I'm tasting. I only take the middle 500 ml after 100 ml and re use the rest ( about another 500 ml) as an addition to my next batch, or run with others of like. Not too many airstillers say how they make or are improving their style. I'm experimenting. It case I sound rude or know it all. I don't !! I appreciate your comments. And frank u've inspired or atleast given me ideas on the way to airstill.

Being a beer brewer all fermenters are clean :handgestures-thumbupleft: and sanitized the one I was referring to was unknown quality as it had been used and sitting for years in a shed. I triple cleaned it bleached rinsed and sanitized before adding brew but I'm always stating facts it could be pre tainted being plastic and I don't want his confusing results so I mentioned it. :handgestures-thumbupleft:

A tip I use with my air still is I heat it up on the stove and get it fairy warm and let it evaporate over night. I do this a few times. For me it makes it much smoother, less harsh smelling and less sweet. Sometimes I add oak chips to the boil to speed up the aging process.

@Ubphu, mate what exactly is it that you heat up and on what kind of stove? :?
if its your final distilled spirit, you are likely losing alcohol whilst creating vapours at potentially flammable ABV% levels.
IMO, I'd also suggest that 'speeding up' the oaking/maturation process this way is not going to make optimal drinking spirit. Quite the contrary, in fact.

@FD how'd you go??? and have you tried putting some copper offcuts in the boiler?

The distillate :)

:angry-extinguishflame: :auto-ambulance:

Hi frank. Yes since I first got on the site I read your copper in boiler tip and added it next still run. Since I also started cuts then I don't know what made my spirit better but it is nicer now. Just double distilled a small batch of rum on the weekend and I have it soaking on oak at 65%. Next wash took off for the 2nd gen using dunder in an hour. Yum yum ruum!!

any problem you guys can see in using foreshots to re distill with heads and tails in a airstill? :-B

I'd leave the fores out, not to much point putting acetone methanol, etc back in...

As JD has already said, You dont reuse fores. Your putting stuff back in that you have just worked hard to get out,throw it out, clean the windows with it, or put it in the Mrs's nail polish remover bottle, it has many uses.

cheers guys

Can someone please give me some guidelines on the amounts to throw away and what to keep “eg Cuts”
bearing in mind airstills only do a 4lt batch at a time. I’m running a TPW and am used to turbo mashes so running blind at this stage.
Cheers Shrekster.