Aussiedistiller, Home Distilling, Moonshine, Home Brew

Hey peeps,

I’ve been lurking here for a while now, picking up a massive amount of info from all the legends. Thank you all for your contributions!

I’ve been running a Still Spirits air still for a while, quite happily and successfully. I loved being able to set up on the kitchen bench and let it go while I stuffed around preparing and cooking dinner. I did get sick of the capacity however, only being able to run 4L at a time. I realise these little stills cop a bit of flack, but for their intended purpose, they’re a great little gadget, and a good way to get into the hobby.

I upgraded to a Alcoengine reflux and 35L boiler recently, and ran my first wash through last week. I usually do TPW’s, but I had a few bags of Alcotec Vodka Star sitting around, so thought I’d put some of this down in the event I stuffed up my first production run. I was nervous, but was extremely satisfied with the result from the Alcoengine.

I took 150ml of foreshots, then collected everything in 500ml beakers until it started to smell funky (around 2.6L). I didn’t do any cuts this time around as I spent the time feeling out the still. I gotta say, I was very impressed with the results. I ran the 1mm restrictor on the 1900W element. Time-wise, it took 3hrs from boiler on to boiler off. I got an average of 94% ABV for the collection. I usually carbon filter the product from the air still, but this tasted so clean without any smell, I didn’t think I need to filter. I’m now questioning cuts?

Anyways, I hope in the future I’ll know enough to be able to contribute to this great resource.

Cheers all!

Welcome to the forum. Plenty of good info and friendly members who will only be too happy to help.

Hello rushn I am not sure what your question was but if you get your cuts right you will not need to filter.
Have a read of the cuts thread in the newbie section. Cuts is just practise and time and rely on your instincts. When I first started I was so hung up on trying to find the different flavours so I would know where to cut. In the end it was as simple as I don’t like that because it was to harsh, heads cut done. Oh I did not like that because it did not taste as clean, or I don’t know why I don’t like it the way I did the previous jar, tails cut done.
As I said mate don’t get too hung up on what tastes of what at first, just rely on your instincts as to what you like

Wellsy wrote:Hello rushn I am not sure what your question was but if you get your cuts right you will not need to filter.
Have a read of the cuts thread in the newbie section. Cuts is just practise and time and rely on your instincts. When I first started I was so hung up on trying to find the different flavours so I would know where to cut. In the end it was as simple as I don’t like that because it was to harsh, heads cut done. Oh I did not like that because it did not taste as clean, or I don’t know why I don’t like it the way I did the previous jar, tails cut done.
As I said mate don’t get too hung up on what tastes of what at first, just rely on your instincts as to what you like

Thanks Wellsy. Great advice mate. Ta