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It is a good idea to yes as it will still help to keep the liquid moving.

I hope you like it.

Not sure what to tell you, but running it at 20C did take that long.

I hope you like them as much as I do.

​@@brewingadviceJust setting it up now. The only really unfortunate thing is the pill came without one of those battery protectors that you need to remove. As such the battery is beyond flat. It's taking a million years to even take a charge. As soon as I try and calibrate it it's already run out of batteries it seems.

It sounds like you have not got a new device. The fact that there was no battery plastic protector on it and it won't hold a charge. The best thing to do is to leave it to charger for 24 hours. Once done, remove it from charge and leave it for a few minutes. Then, plug it back in and connect to it to see what the battery level is. If it doesn't show 100% charge, contact the shop that you bought it from. If it does, leave it for 24 hours, then check again to see the battery level. If it is lower than 90%, contact the shop. It is possible that you have a returned defective unit and they sent it to you by mistake.

Very much agree, do not use bentonite on any wine or other brew where you do not want the colour and potentially a lot of the flavour removed. This video is more steered to washes for distilling and when you want a neutral spirit.

Yes and no. Yes, Methanol and some other undesirable things will come out first, but so will some ethanol. There is no way to remove just the methanol and things we don't want. There is also no way to know how much (if any) methanol is in the boiler nor once it has all come out.

Hi, Yes, you can take some of your wash to add to a water bottle before adding the bentonite. Yes, adding tap water to the bottle, to then add that to the wash will water down the wash. But, the wash will be around 25 litres before racking off. To add around 500ml of water (with the bentonite) to the wash, it won't water it down enough to cause any issues, or change how much ethanol you get out, or the distilling time.

@@brewingadvice Excellent. Thank you for letting me know. Regards.

I don't think distilling just water will help much to be honest, but it wouldn't do any harm. Doing a small vinegar wash first (say 2 litres) then a water run, that may be helpful. It all depends on how long it was used before it was stored away, and when it was last cleaned (before storage).

@@brewingadvice I think I just ran the lid under hot water to clean the pipe out last time before storage. I'll run with some vinegar and water like you suggested and flush it out after. Thank you again and sorry for so many questions. Regards.

Glad you liked it.

So glad I could help.

Hi, sadly I have not had time to make a video on this. I do want to, but sadly my day job is getting in the way currently.

That is a very good question, like you I expected it to be all copper. I think it is a cost saving thing, but Still Spirits may say it is because since the T500 is all copper, there is no benefit for all of the packing also being copper. I use all copper SPP in mine and it has raised the purity and ABV, so I am a very happy brewer.

I would contact Still Spirits as this is not normal behaviour.

People have varied thoughts on parrot use. If you can dump/empty the contents of the parrot and let it fill up each time you want to take a reading, then they are great. The issue is that when it fills up with new spirit it is not pushing out the old spirit, it all smears together. This now means that the ABV that is shows is of the new spirit and possibly the old spirit from 20+ minutes ago. So, the reading will not be correct. It will be around the correct ABV, but it is no way accurate. Since so many people use them, it might work really well for you. If you are able to though, I would recommend getting one that has a dump valve at the bottom so when you want a precise reading you can dump the contents into your collection container.

Hi. The first thing you need is two 'DN32-K64mm-K64mm Trip-Clamp adapter' (www.aliexpress.com/item/1005001775350656.html?spm=a2g0o.order_detail.order_detail_item.5.167ef19cgMg9Oc) is the one I bought. One will go in your lid and it will give you a 2" Tri-Clamp connector. Onto this you would put a 2" Tri-Clamp sight glass. On top of the sigh glass you would put your second Tri-Clamp adapter, the threaded part would screw into the T500 reflux column. Only one of the two adapters needs to have a nut (the one for the lid). You will need 2" Tri-Clamp gaskets and 2" Tri-Clamp clasps to hold the different sections together. If you want to extend the tubing, then you will need to buy a 2" Tri-Clamp tube and extra gaskets and clasps. I hope that helps.

I know a lot of people do this on their boilers and swear by it. I haven't tried it myself as all of my boilers have head gaskets and none have broken yet.

Hi @ericadams5019. The best boiler for you depends on your situation. First is cost. The Air Still is the cheapest, the T500 setup the most expensive. The second question is over how much are you expecting to distil? If it is only going to be one 5 gallon wash a month, then the Air Still or Air Still Pro could be ok for you. Any more and you will need a larger still really. The third question is over where are you going to distil? If you are planning to do it in the kitchen near a tap, then you can use the T500 as this needs a constant cooling water supply. If you can't run it near a sink, then you can only use the Air Still or Air Still Pro as they don't need water. Remember the Air Still is a pot still, so while you can create a neutral spirit, it won't be as pure or neutral as a reflux still. So you will get some flavours come through. This is fine for a rum or gin, but not great for vodka. The Air Still Pro can be run in both Pot and Reflux modes, so is perfect for all drinks you want to make. The T500 boiler is just a boiler. You would also need to buy a condenser for the top. You can buy either the Pot Condenser or the Turbo500 Reflux Condenser or get them both. The downside of this boiler (apart from cost) is that it need constant cooling water for the condenser. The good thing is that you can run a 5 gallon wash in one go. Whereas the Air Still and Air Still pro can only hold 1 gallon of wash at a time, so you need to run it 5 or 6 times per wash. This means a lot of time. So all three systems have their pros and cons. As you to your question about methanol, the Air Still Pro is the only still that can automatically collect the first bit of spirit that comes out that should contain all of the methanol. With the Air Still, T500 and every other still (that I am aware of), you would need to collect and dispose of the Foreshots manually. This is simple, you just collect the first 100-200ml, then throw it down the drain. I hope I have been able to help you with your question.

You could try AliExpress. I know they ship all over the world, so it is possible they will ship to India.

I am sorry you feal that way. I do agree that Methanol is mainly created from fruits and other ingredients. Yes, a sugar was should in theory create no methanol. Annoyingly as far as I am aware there is no test that we can do at home to confirm if there was or was not any methanol in the wash. That is why it is standard practice by all distillers to throw away the forshots as it can contain methanol and other undesired things. All I am doing is what every other good distiller does.

@@brewingadvice True no mehanol, but other undesired volitiles we want to avoid evaporate before (a little during) and after the ethanol boiling point

Hi, Yes, follow the guide in respect to the temperature you set and the power value, but use it only as a guide. Over time you can (if you want to) alter the power percentage and at what temperature to lower it at and see if it makes your spirit any better or worse. It might distil quicker, or slower. You can tweak it a little here and there and learn how your setup works and what it likes. As to the column temperature, again, start at 50-65c, but watch the output speed. You want it to do drip, drip, spurt, then it will repeat. If it just drips, lower the water supply a tiny amount. If it is more pouring than drip, drip, spurt, alter the water supply a tiny amount so more water goes through the column. It may take you a few goes to find the sweat spots and how your boiler likes to run. I find my steel T500 likes to run a lot colder than my copper T500. Some like it hotter than others.

@@brewingadvice Thank you for the speedy reply..

That would be a great idea @HerrStaale. If you can lower it to around 350W, you will be able to get a nice slow flow.

Yes, sadly Kegland's guides aren't the best. Hopefully you didn't cause too much damage. I would recommend charging the Pill to 100% before use. Once charged, leave it for a few hours to cool down as sometimes they can heat up and this can cause miss-reading while using it. Once it is at room temperature, I would calibrate it in some water that is around 20C. Once calibrated, then yes, use it. In theory you won't need to calibrate it ever again (unless you have to open it up).

So glad it helped. Thank you for letting me know.

If you are wanting to run just water through it to rinse it off, then yes, adding very hot water would make it run a lot faster.

That is a very good question. I think water and citric acid would help to clean it. I have not tried this myself to know if it would do as good a job, but it certainly is worth trying and seeing how well it works.

I am sorry to hear you are having issues. Both my Pills and Temp Controllers have worked perfectly for me without issue. I am a member of the official 'Owners' club on Facebook, and do see from time to time people like you who get issues. Sadly there is no one fix for everything. I would recommend (if you are on Facebook) doing a search for the 'RAPT Users Group' and then join it. It was created by KegLand themselves.

So the packet says 7 days, but I was never able to get it that quick myself.

Glad it was helpful for you.

Thank you for those bits of information, very interesting.

Thank you for your comment. I am so glad this video helped you. I always like to take things apart to see how they work, but know it terrifies most people.

Hi @crazzzyization, thank you for your comment.

So, yes, the manufacturer (Still Spirits) do know the manufacturing process, so should know what needs to be done to get it ready to be used by the customer. The Air Still does not (or at least it never used to, but I have not read any recent manual in case it has been updated) suggest a vinegar run is needed. The T500 boiler, the Turbo 500 reflux column and even the alembic condenser in their guides do not mention a vinegar run. Only the Air Still Pro talks about cleaning it before use. Some people will say doing a sacrificial run is not needed, but others will agree that it is required. Really, it is up to you. If you do not want to do it, then don't, but if you want to make extra sure that your new expensive boiler is perfect, then I would recommend it.

This part isn't something that needs to come out of the boiler. In my unboxing video, when I took out the foreshot container, that part was stuck to the glass container, so I mentioned how if it does the same to you, just take it off, then push it back inside the boiler. If you want to, you could remove it, and clean it with the other parts, but it is difficult to know where to stop removing parts to clean them in different ways.

I think this is a personal preference thing. If you fill lets say a jam jar with the bits, then fill it with water, give it a good shake and empty the water, you will need to fill it up and repeat this several times. But, if you rinse them in a colander under a running tap, you are getting the same volume of water going on and around the bits, but it only a few seconds per area. In all honesty, doing as you suggest may well be more than enough, and a colander is over-kill. I don't honestly know, and is just the way I like to do it.

Wow, I feel ripped off by my supplier now! Think I will need to have a loud word with them ;-) Could I ask, @billybobjones4317, are you from the UK? I could understand different countries having different contents, but if you are from the UK, then I would be very shocked if different suppliers had different versions./ Since the Air Still Pro is still so new, I don't think there would have been time to make a newer version, but it is possible that they changed what comes in the box.

I am a member in the RAPT PILL Facebook owner's group. Some people have major issues getting them running, or keeping them running. I must be lucky as my two Pills and Temp Cogtrollers have never had issues.

I do know, but I have been lucky in that I have never needed to use lube for things like this. So, I saw no point in buying something just for the Pill.

I can see why it would make more sense to do it before adding the tomato paste as it may change the density, but I there may be some sugars in the paste. I think it is a difficult one to know exactly which would be better. Next time I make one I will take readings before and after adding the paste to see if there is a difference at all. If anybody else has done this, please let me know your findings.

Hi @michaelreardon8573, if you are only going to be doing small volumes of gin, then yes, the Air Still would be perfect for you. Don't waste your money on the Air Still Pro as you won't need the reflux part of it. As to volume, if you are macerating your botanicals and then putting it in the still, you can fill it to the 4 litre mark. If though you want to use the basket to infuse the botanicals through the vapour path, then you may struggle going above 2 litres. While the botanical basket is a fair size, the head space isn't too big so you won't get a lot of movement, so the vapour won't get a lot of contact with the botanicals, so the flavours may be muted a little. Many people though do 4 litres while they do vapour infusion and are happy with the results, so you may too.

@@brewingadvice Thanks so much for the detailed reply. I've got the basket coming but am also going to be experiementing with macerating. Useful to know the limitations. Cheers

@@michaelreardon8573 you are more than welcome. I hope it works well for you and you get to make some wonderful drinks.

@@brewingadvice already used it to make some absinthe / absinthe variations, great fun and the air still is definitely the right tool for the job, particularly as it avoids any scorching in the pot even if you don’t pre filter

That is great to hear, glad it is working well for you.

Hi @oxideblitz7283. Yes and no. Yes, it does click out so to reset it you need to push it in, but you probably won't visually be able to see any real difference is the switch. It won't be that you can walk past it and notice that it has tripped. When the switch needs to be reset, you only push it in a few mm, so it isn't that profound.

​@@brewingadviceAh okay, I'm trying to find a new thermostat just struggling to find the specific one lol my air still after about 45 mins of use throws out the house power

@@oxideblitz7283 the thermostat shouldn't be the item that is causing the issue. The thermostat is just a switch that allows electricity to flow to the heating coil. If the thermostat gets too hot it will trip and electricity will stop flowing. A standard kitchen kettle works in the same way and has the same type of thermostat in it (all be-it slightly different size and temperature rating). The only difference is the kettle will auto-reset itself once the temperature goes below a set point. The Air Still needs to be manually reset (for safety). So, if you switch to a new thermostat, I don't think it will help you.

Glad I read the comments. I turn on my still, the fan turns on then it blows the fuse on the switchboard. I Intially thought it was the element. Watching your video I thought it could have been the thermostat as there is some staining on it. Do you think it's worth getting a new thermostat?

Hi @@lauragreen49. Sadly it is difficult to say, it depends what is tripping. Most Consumer Units (Fuse Boxes, or Switchboards) use several MCD trips under a single RCD trip. An MCD will trip if it detects that the Line (Live) and Neutral have touched. An RCD measures the outgoing new electricity and the used incoming electricity. If it detects that the in and out are different (meaning something is absorbing the electricity, like a human), it will trip. It is possible that a faulty switch (like the thermostat) is allowing the electricity to ark across it, so this could cause a trip. Another part is the Thermal Fuse, but these blow like the fuse in a plug, so these don't really cause an issue. It is also possible that the heating element itself is causing the issue.

Hi @peterrobins666, I am so glad you found my video useful. I have two T500 boilers, and really like them. But having things like the handles at the top, that is a big thing for me for when I need to empty it. The metal tap is also far better than the plastic tap, but I know the new T500 model has switched over to a metal one as well (I wonder where they copied the idea from?). Also, the new T500 have two power switches for the two internal heating elements (again, wonder where they got that idea from? lol).

Hi @redshiftdrifter, first off, welcome to brewing! I hope that you enjoy yourself and you continue for many years to come. Thank you for your comment. Take what I say and everybody else with a pinch of salt. What I mean is that what works for me, may not work for you. Same as, others may say in the comments what they do, and this may or may not work for you. Sadly there is no one set of rules or instructions that you can follow. Read and watch what people do (as you are), then try the different techniques and see what works for you. Then, try them slightly differently or completely new things to see if they are better suited for you. Don't do too much all at once as you are new and it may get too confusing. Take you time, and enjoy the journey.

Thank you very much @csandberg3026. Yes, when I first got my kits, I was very confused by the KegLand video on how to fit it. I then watched other videos people had done on how to fit them, then realised that there was a far simpler way to do it. I am glad this helped you.

Hi @redshiftdrifter, it can be very difficult to know what videos could be removed, even if people disagree with you. I totally agree with you though, to read what people think I should have done, can be very useful to others.

Hi @davebower5904, sadly the only place that I could find good connectors from was AliExpress. Yes, you can find metal (well, brass coated) connectors on ebay or Amazon, but these are expensive, very heavy and they rust after a few months (well, they did for me). The connectors that I use are actually made for air, so you know they can take a lot of pressure. The link for them is below. If you are using 6ID 10OD tubing (like me), you will want the '30PP and 30SP' model. www.aliexpress.com/item/1005003017039024.html?spm=a2g0o.order_list.order_list_main.95.5cf91802xn6eGq

Bentonite is the only thing I use nowerdays.

You will always lose spirit each time you run a still. I can't tell you the amount or percentage that will be lost as it will depend on the volume and ABV of your spirit and also what type of cuts you make. When you run in reflux mode for example, if you are doing your spirit run you will want to stop at or before it drops to 60% ABV as your tails will be soon behind it. If you do not make cuts and try to get everything out of it, you will get some nasty smells and tastes.