GETTING THE BEST FROM AN AIR STILL

[SBB]

I thought this illustration should have its own topic to make it easier to find for Newbies with Air Stills.
This is the best example Ive seen to date of how to run an air still, it shows how to strip your wash and then do a spirit run. It also gives a rough guide to cuts.
Anyone using this method will need to bear in mind that washes will vary in ABV depending on what wash you use. This will have an effect all of the total amounts quoted.
Thanks to Clunk for originally posting it on the forum




EDIT: Missing image can be found here: https://aussiedistiller.com.au/download/file.php?id=25006&mode=view

[620rossco]

Interesting idea SBB.
I had only really considered these stills LHBS system stills but Frank showed me what can be achieved.
Do you think that the quality is as good as a larger pot still?

[SBB]

Ive never used one myself Rossco, All I can say is that using the above method has to be a heap better than following the original instructions that come with the still.

[620rossco]

Agreed. But it looks like a hell of a lot of work.

[Clunk]

http://www.stillsmart.co.uk/forum/viewt ... ?f=3&t=765
This is where I got the diagram from, yes it may seem like alot of work but we all know the rewards for what extra you put in are worth it.Plus if someone was looking to quicken the process they would look at trading up from an airstill. :handgestures-thumbupleft:

[Lplater]

That is certainly great info to give you an idea of what to expect. I wish I had this when I first started as I had no idea of how it was all going to work & how much I could hope to get out of a run.
I have done about 15 spirit runs now & I think Im finally starting to get the hang of it.
The following as been my my experience using 25L TPWs and my Airstill and recording all observations after each run.
A run takes about 3 1/4 hrs to go through.
Most of my washes go in at about 12 point something %.
After reading some of the other comments by experienced members on here, I decided to do my cuts in 50,75,100ml cuts ( although now I will collect 150-200ml cuts during hearts & tails ). Yes its time consuming and a can be a pain in the butt but it does heaps for the confidence when you are a newbie and gives you a better understanding of distinguishing the differences between fores/heads/hearts and tails.
I now toss the first 125ml of every spirit run as fores.
Heads vary between 200-300ml
Hearts vary between 500-700ml
Tails vary between 400-700ml ( I usually only run it til it gets to about 25% ABV)
I usually end up with between 500-700ml hearts at approx. 66% ABV from each spirit run.
I save the heads & tails in large marked jars and do a run when I have collected enough. ( I have done a run with mainly tails and some heads added with no ill effect)

[Urrazeb]

Good stuff :handgestures-thumbupleft: Feints runs will see you right mate

[rumdidlydum]

Bump

[warramungas]

That actually looks interesting and fairly systematic. The 2(approx) x 11 hour days work to run a 25 liter wash for stripping sounds like its very time intensive though. Then you have another day for the 3 spirit runs.
Not knocking it. Just don't think I will ever find the time to try it unfortunately. The lower boil rate surely must improve the flavour somewhat.

[beardrinkshomebrew]

after doing the stripping run, can you put it in the 2 x 10lt companion pack fermenter (plastic) or does it have to be glass?

I only have 2 of those 10lt fermenters & I was going to strip & then run half of my 60lt TPW, then do the other half of that when I finish doing the stripping run from the first half

TIA

[WalterWhite]

No plastics mate. A general rule of thumb would be anything 20% and upwards must not be stored in plastic. You can store your low wines in a large stock pot/glass demijohn/spare keg/a few flagons ... Etc etc. All of these can be picked up cheap enough

[beardrinkshomebrew]

No plastics mate.

got it :handgestures-thumbupleft: cheers

[tacman1970]

Just found this thread while searching for information on running the air still. thanks for posting SBB, as I'm borrowing one from a mate while I'm building my CCVM. This will help me be able to build a stock of some neutral!!
:text-thankyoublue:

[Benny_Stitch]

Hi guys this may be a noob question but does the starting ABV really matter as long as your ABV after stripping is made up to 30% ABV ( by adding water etc) for the spirit run?

Thanks in advance

[RC Al]

Hi guys this may be a noob question but does the starting ABV really matter as long as your ABV after stripping is made up to 30% ABV ( by adding water etc) for the spirit run?

Its the same for any still, the higher it starts, the higher the output, but that rapidly diminishes return wise once you hit the low 90's. Its much more noticeable with a pot still that has to run slow to hit a high abv (like an air still) vs a reflux still that can just use more reflux to get where you want the output.

If your trying for neutral, then 40 is your friend, if its flavoured then down into the 30's for a stripping run is great (avoid adding water so that more flavour is retained)

And just for reference the 40% is deemed a safe max level based off the flash/ignition point of alcohol that's at its boiling point, please don't be tempted to run anything stronger :naughty:

[Benny_Stitch]

Hi guys this may be a noob question but does the starting ABV really matter as long as your ABV after stripping is made up to 30% ABV ( by adding water etc) for the spirit run?

Its the same for any still, the higher it starts, the higher the output, but that rapidly diminishes return wise once you hit the low 90's. Its much more noticeable with a pot still that has to run slow to hit a high abv (like an air still) vs a reflux still that can just use more reflux to get where you want the output.

If your trying for neutral, then 40 is your friend, if its flavoured then down into the 30's for a stripping run is great (avoid adding water so that more flavour is retained)

And just for reference the 40% is deemed a safe max level based off the flash/ignition point of alcohol that's at its boiling point, please don't be tempted to run anything stronger :naughty:

Awesome thanks for clarifying, another question I had was, on the table above is says "if your starting ABV % is different adjust your calculations accordingly" what calculations would they be exactly? Say my wash is 10% ABV how would that effect the outcomes of the double distillation?

[RC Al]

So the 10% is aprox 2/3 of the 14 listed, so you would need 8-9 stripping runs to get the same volume results as the table

BTW no 14% wash is ever going to make a good neutral on an airstill, I have zero doubt the OP would disagree

[Adzie]

So I have a question in regards to running with this process.
I’ve got an air still pro which can run in pot still or reflux modes. Would the stripping run and spirit run be better done reflux mode for a better neutral spirit?
With the air still pro it seems to run for 4 hours and then automatically switches off when run in reflux mode. Has anybody got some insight to the process above using the air still pro?