After using this great machine for a while, I can give some tips. Mix your sugar in with very hot water first, then add cold towards the 25 ltr mark to finish, watching the thermometer on the side of the barrel, 18 to 25 degrees is good. Mix your carbon in well, then your yeast. When the fermentation is finished, don’t rush the degassing. Do it for a while to make sure the gas is gone. Mix your clearing liquid in well, wait an hour, then FOLD in your part 2 carefully at the top of the mix only. Leave for 24 hrs to clear. Siphon out. DISTILL and you CAN use the carbon filters more than once! They work well. I use mine 3 times at least. A good trick is also to run the same filtered vodka through the filter TWICE or thrice. It DOES work really well and you can tell a big difference in quality by refiltering your vodka a few times- remember, it does not cost you anything to re filter your vodka. It should be fine after the second filtering but even better after 3. Get the USE out of your carbon filters. They are quite expensive for ten. You can reuse them 3 times, not just once! Trust me! Happy sipping guys. This is a great machine and will save you a fortune. 👍🇬🇧
@@archaicrevival7878 hi. Yeah, it seems expensive for what it is, but it’s a one off purchase, you just buy the charcoal after that. But I reuse a charcoal piece about 3 or four times. Just run the same litre through it 3 times and it works a treat. 👍
I've been coming back to this video time and time again ever since my kids purchased the Air Still as a birthday present for me and I must say its one of the best presents I've ever received, a year gone by and its still performing perfectly. Please never remove this excellent video Love Brewing because if you did I'd be lost, memory in us old buggers ain't that good sometimes, Cheers guys ;-)
@@TheGreatest1974 Yes I'm still using it. One tip is to save on the electricity bill, I set it up as normal to make sure it's running correctly then I unplug the lead to the Fan, I plug it back in after approximately 40mins, by this time the Air Still has got upto temperature and within the next 10-20mins it should start dripping out the alcohol into the catch bowl.. Hope this helps ;-)
Great video. Can you clarify why you will not keep brewing once you have 800ml at 60%; isnt it worth it of brewing a little more at 40% 30% whatever the case may be? thanks
thank you richard for a great informal video,of the airstill, brewed my own beers for years, and have been looking at one of these for a while, you have now made my mind up, i am heading to your website to order the airstill starter bundle !
I have an air still on the way. Very good video which might aid me in not having to read the instructions so carefully. Cant wait to get into this. Great video and I like the way you present this topic, so easy to understand. Who could say anything bad about this video!!! keep it up!
I've been using my Air Still for about a year now with good results but I still learned HEAPS from this video. Not only what and how to do things, but more importantly, WHY! I've just put down a new batch using your guidelines and I'll report back in about 10days or so Well done and keep up the great work.
Easily the best yet. I still find that the result is a little 'rough'. Polishing has improved now that I'm running it through the carbon at 40ABV rather than 62ABV. Have moved on to a 25 litre bucket. Hoping for a more controlled wash.
Good Luck ;-) My kids clubbed together and bought me the Air Still kit for my Birthday a couple of months ago, and I must say its the best birthday present I've had in a long time, I'm well impressed with it and the results. Just starting my second batch now because the first lots almost gone. p.s. little tip: Bookmark this video for future reference as I have done.. Enjoy ;-)
Awesome video Richard. Very concise. Maybe a future video on how to use the excess wash and it’s refining process. Pretty please! 😂. Used your methodology for several wash cycles and it’s foolproof. Very good indeed
Superb video Richard. I should have watched it earlier as I have been filtering the 60% Vodka thru the carbon before adding any water to it & it had a very slight hoppy taste & smell to it. Excellent Air Still.
Don't plug in the fan for approximately 1 hour. I set an alarm on my phone. The first hour is a waste of power. I also distill twice. Thanks for the reminders.
Probably the most informative and easy to understand Air Still video i've seen to date. So i have selected you to be the target of my question LoL. I was chatting with a guy at the home brew store the other day, he was saying you can't really make good quality Gin and Vodka from an air still. And that i should use a reflux still instead to get high quality spirits. Is this true? How does spirits made from an air still compare to spirits made from a proper reflux still. Is it a glaring difference? Or is it something only a seasoned Gin & Vodka connoisseur would appreciate?
Personally I doubt that you could tell any difference if you used the same wash through either of the stills. Isn't its more about the aftercare - Filtration, Flavouring and Storage.
Ciekawe i w sumie fajne zastosowanie popularnego destylatora wody do produkcji domowego alkoholu. Mam jednak jedną uwagę co do zakończenia destylacji przy poziomie 0,8 litra przy 60% alkoholu co jest bardzo dużą utratą alkoholu. Myślę że można odebrać to 0,8l i kontynuować zbieranie dalej do drugiego naczynia. W ten sposób można jeszcze odebrać około 0,3 l alkoholu o mocy około 40%. Ten odebrany alkohol można ponownie przedestylować. Pierwszy sposób dodając go do następnej destylacji, drugi sposób po zebraniu odpowiedniej takiego alkoholu i zmieszaniu z wodą 1:1, taką mieszankę ponownie destylujemy otrzymując ponownie alkohol dobrej jakości o mocy 60%.
translation of the above:Interesting and, in fact, cool application of the popular water distiller for the production of homemade alcohol. However, I have one remark about ending the distillation at 0.8 liter at 60% alcohol, which is a very large loss of alcohol. I think you can pick up 0.8l and continue collecting further to the second vessel. In this way, you can still get about 0.3 l of alcohol with a strength of about 40%. This picked up alcohol can be distilled again. The first way by adding it to the next distillation, the second way - after collecting the appropriate alcohol and mixing it with water 1: 1, this mixture is distilled again to obtain good quality alcohol with a strength of 60%.
Interesting video... however I am objecting, that the Air Still application really is missing the point. Let’s face it- to get all the stuff and then ferment, fine and distill (and afterwards even to filtrate) misses the point of the simplicity of the apparatus. And it is in most countries “offensively” illegal to distill your own alcohol. The price per liter is then not really he biggest factor. Now- I don’t say, that the Air Still is pointless- I am just saying, that using it to do the alcohol, is pretty lame- for the hobbyist, all the specific ingredients take away the craft out of the making- for the casual user, it is still to inconvenient. What I especially dislike is the flavorings (...) - because this is exactly what good brands are not about (adding flavors post distilling). What is not mentioned is, that you can use AirStill to make gin and “proper” redistilled flavored vodka. Just infuse vodka with respective flavorings and distill it (no need for keeping some leftovers in the still). This is almost artisan - and this is what really is fun (and barely illegal🙂- because the vodka has been previously distilled).
Thanks for this really informative walk through! I bought one and it does exactly what it says. Your instructions are idiot proof; believe me, I'm an idiot 😁
I started my wash on July 27th, yesterday (Aug 3rd) I checked the SG. My starting SG was 1.090 and yesterday it was 0.960 it still seems to have a ways to go but there is very little activity now in the air lock. Should I continue to let it sit longer? I followed your instructions to a T making the wash especially making sure everything was super clean. I did use granulated table sugar (6kgs)
hahaha ... that was great because at 9:50 seven days had passed and the presenter changed his outfit but the background did not change a bit ... that indeed told me a thing ... don't let the camera position and background shift ... makes it look so authentic... hahaha
So how do these air stills work with natural flavourings (botanicals/fruits/spices)? Can you even use them and at what stage would you put them in? I've never brewed or distilled anything before, this is my first delve into what's involved and I really don't want to rely on packet mixes for flavour, I'd prefer to make my own (particularly gin or fruit flavoured vodkas).
Have an air still water distiller in which I changed the thermistor values to 83 degrees and 90. Looks promising but slow. Comparable to Jamaican 181, 90 proof, but meant as an additive to carbonated 20 liter batches of hard cranberry 5 per centers.
I've been lent an air still, but that's all I have. I'm putting together a wish list on your site, but I can't find the 1.2 litre filter system on its own. Do you sell them separately?
hi, thanks for the video. after distillation dilute 50% with water would be another 800ml? meaning 30% abv? you said 1200ml. or have i misunderstood it. thanks again
Distilling is new to me, and I've just made and distillled my first wash from 8 kg of sugar, 5 gallons of water and turbo yeast. Fermentation stopped at 1020 and I left it a a few days while trying restart it before deciding to distill. That gave me to 60% and I threw the first 50 ml of each run. I then diluted it to 40% and filtered it. But it had a sharp taste, so I gave it a second distillation of 1000 ml using numbered 100 mL jars. The first !00ml had a strong smell of acetone, the second less so. The rest of the jars smelt alright but only about 20% alcohol. What might I have done wrong?
From about 15:21 you start siphoning from a cleared top bucket supposedly containing a black sedimental layer on the bottom. In your vid I don't see any layer from behind the lid. I suppose this is a demo of siphoning, not an actual case with precipitated material. Or is it like the clothes of the emperor?
Hi mate, when you make the wash in the 5 gallon bucket, are you supposed to add 7 kg of glucose AND 6 kg of ordinary sugar, or just the 1 type? It sounded to me that you said you were putting in 13 kg total sugars - 7 kg of glucose as well as 6kg of sugar. As this sounds a lot I thought it best to check with you. Would you let me know the correct way please. Cheers 👍
going to order 2 of these buckets off you this is a great video can i just ask ive done 4 washes now and not one as gone below 1.000 even after 11 days ive tried 2 hydrometers ive tried one with heat at 24c and one without roughly 20c is there something im doing wrong
I’ve just had the same problem, hits around 1.000 and then gives up. I’m probably just being impatient so will distill my granulated sugar batch at 1.000 and see if my dextrose 25litres drops to .980 after another week. Did you solve your problem with your readings?
try it your alcohol still comes out clear without adding chemicals and man flavors are amazing you can always add carbon later if tastes bad but never had bad batch yet and only use filters if bad
3 роки тому
Indeed. The adding of carbon to the wash kinda freaks me out.
The Air Still has a 10lt bucket (and comes with a 10lt Fermentation Kit) - here he uses a 20lt bucket. What type of Fermentation Kit pack is he using? The one for Air Still here in Australia are for 10lt - is there a 20lt Fermentation Kit?
Hi Richard , Great vids Man. Couple questions? In one of your earlier vids you say use 1 cap full of distillers condtioner and in this one you say 3 , Why the difference? And question two , You dont have to throw away the first 100 ml? Thanks
Hi! They changed the make up of the Distillers Conditioner to show 3 capfuls but we have tried it and are still happy with one. As long as you use the pure yeast sugar carbon and clear no need to throw anything away due to the yeast being so pure it gives off few off flavours.
3 days after adding the finings, I was ready today to syphon off my clear 14% wash into a clean container, ready to start putting it through the Air Still, but I accidently dropped the syphon tube into the mash while clipping it on & it has stirred it up a bit, will it settle down or will I have to add more finings?
Another question.if I have a copper pipe connected to the air stiller to cool down the liquid,does it make any good?because my air stiller distills very low level abv.perhaps a problem with the cooling fan.
Hi Richard, I'm very new to this and wondered if you do a "common mistakes" video. I've just made my first wash and the internal lid of my wash bucket has black residue off the wash on it (no other videos show this) also I did not put water in my bobbler- have I let bacteria in? Do I need to throw my wash away and start again? Or is the above fine and I'm being super critical.. thanks
Hi,I have a different but a similar distiller,at first I could get 70 degree alcohol but now not more than 40 or 45 degrees.If the distiller is broken ,how could I know it?It boils what is inside but a low degree alcohol comes out.Thank you.
Hi Richard, I love these videos and they have inspired me to make my own. I have a question though, the hydrometer reading on my first wash is 960 after 10 days. Shall I continue to ferment then test with hydrometer tomorrow? Also, what if the reading is still 960 shall i paddle and begin to distill? Thanks in advance, Colin.
@@scottheffernan1305 it was all good in the end Scott. I tested it for the next 2 days and it didn't move so I put it through the air still. Very tasty! 👍
Hi Richard and thanks for the useful video. Q do you have any info on making from bread ie how much sugar can i get from a kill of bread. Regards Martin Steele
@25:30. It's called Fores, (at 143 -153 F) and it's methanol, Heads comes at a higher temperature (153-173 F), these are aromatics and esters (if you use natural fruits or grains to make your mash) and these can be set aside and used to add flavor to your final. Then at 173 to 190 F, this is Hearts and is your pure ethanol alcohol. After 190 F it starts to become "Tails" and has more water (the alcohol drops) and depending on your mash may add a terrible taste to your your final, I like to collect that separate and decide later what to do with it. ALWAYS just for good practice throw out the first 50ml to 60ml.
hello, first i should thank you great video guides in youtube, just what puzzled me on air still is everyone say have to cut head and tails! how am i suppose to do that with Air Still! and how much per run! i know Sugar Wash doesn't produce much methanol still i like to stay on safe side i appreciate if tell me or point me to any link on your youtube or article i can read or watch about this matter.
Thanks for the video it was the most informative video I found on the air still by far. The one thing I'm wondering is I went into my local shop.. and I know you've mentioned youre a still spirits fan, as is the company I visited.. excepted for their carbon filter.. They said the carbon snake was a far superior product.. What are your thoughts on that?
Reckon you'll get more granulated carbon in our filter than you will in the carbon snake. The more carbon the more filtering takes place. It's also very robust so will outlive the snake. Thats a plus for me.
I'll have to take a look at the model they are selling. It seems they are selling old packaging or turbo yeasts and carbon and what not and the carbon filter by still spirits that they sold was a solid block of carbon and didnt resemble the carbon filter you use in the video. I must say however that since posting this comment Ive made 2 25L sugar washes following your instructions and both needed a single run through the carbon snake and the taste was fairly neutral.. I ran the 2nd batch through 3x and it made quite a difference so I went ahead and bought the T500 with copper reflux condenser and the copper alembic top and currently have 3 sugar washes going, a triple distilled turbo (the suggested recipe I tried here which was certainly good, as I flavored it with still spirits top shelf coconut rum, still spirits top shelf irish cream, and still spirits banana schnapps and all were quite the hit with my peers.) so the same as I ran in the air still, the Turbo Classic 8 w/ carbon and finings, and birdwatchers sugar wash recipe. Excited to see how they all turn out and very happy to have taken up the hobby. The airstill is definitely a good place to start for anyone looking for a convenient and efficient still who wish to explore the large world that is distilling. Cheers my friend.
or are you saying to use the still spirits carbon filter and use the filtering block in conjunction with granulated carbon poured in the top side as well. That seems much more logical to me. I have one included with my T500 combo pack so I should be able to do a side by side comparison and taste for myself.
Hi..I'm brand new to this home brew thing.. You use 20 litres of water but my instructions that came with the air still says use 7 1/2..your using the same amount of ingredients as me but get twice as much.. Thanks for any replies...
same in sweden, we do have buss trips going to germany weekly which is 77 usd then we save 11-45 usd depending on which brand we pick. 140 kg allowed to take on board.
The first stuff off the still is NOT heads, it's four shots and it damn well should be thrown out. You spend all that extra time and money using carbon treated special yeast and finings to get rid of any off flavors then use plastic buckets to collect final product? And you sure can use different yeasts! You'll need to add yeast nutrient or do a TPW (tomato paste wash). Decent basic info here but don't take his word as law.
We highly recommend glucose powder, san pellagrino water, the finest nectar and ice from the sea of tranquility. Lets be honest. Council estate, bread, sugar, yeast we found in the cupboard from that rubbish bread maker and water that tastes like metal
you can use any yeast and adding carbon is for people that dont know how to make flavored alcohol without additive real alcohol uses the flavors of the mash make you mash to suit the flavor you want at end and only filter if really necessary dont use carbon unless you have to alcohol is flavored by mash and wood and time for colour
when making the wash , should i use tap water or is it more beneficial to use bottled water?
3 роки тому
Spring or filtered water is preferable, but, if your tap water is good, just off-gas it overnight to dissipate any chlorine. If it has chloramine, I would avoid it, as it does not dissipate by off-gassing. Well-water is also good, as it generally contains a lot of minerals which will feed the yeast and provide flavour.
i have watched many video's on making a mix, but for some reason my mix smells like a horrible wine taste, weather l leave it fermenting for 7 days or less, can anyone please explain to me how would this be possible?
After using this great machine for a while, I can give some tips. Mix your sugar in with very hot water first, then add cold towards the 25 ltr mark to finish, watching the thermometer on the side of the barrel, 18 to 25 degrees is good. Mix your carbon in well, then your yeast. When the fermentation is finished, don’t rush the degassing. Do it for a while to make sure the gas is gone. Mix your clearing liquid in well, wait an hour, then FOLD in your part 2 carefully at the top of the mix only. Leave for 24 hrs to clear. Siphon out. DISTILL and you CAN use the carbon filters more than once! They work well. I use mine 3 times at least. A good trick is also to run the same filtered vodka through the filter TWICE or thrice. It DOES work really well and you can tell a big difference in quality by refiltering your vodka a few times- remember, it does not cost you anything to re filter your vodka. It should be fine after the second filtering but even better after 3. Get the USE out of your carbon filters. They are quite expensive for ten. You can reuse them 3 times, not just once! Trust me! Happy sipping guys. This is a great machine and will save you a fortune. 👍🇬🇧
thanks for the tips!
Can you just use a water filter jug if you can't find or afford the filter and carbon? Cheers!
@@archaicrevival7878 it wouldn’t do any harm, but I haven’t used that method. You can’t beat the charcoal. 👍
@@TheGreatest1974 cheers, have managed to locate the charcoal one. 😁
@@archaicrevival7878 hi. Yeah, it seems expensive for what it is, but it’s a one off purchase, you just buy the charcoal after that. But I reuse a charcoal piece about 3 or four times. Just run the same litre through it 3 times and it works a treat. 👍
I've been coming back to this video time and time again ever since my kids purchased the Air Still as a birthday present for me and I must say its one of the best presents I've ever received, a year gone by and its still performing perfectly.
Please never remove this excellent video Love Brewing because if you did I'd be lost, memory in us old buggers ain't that good sometimes, Cheers guys ;-)
Thanks for the feedback!
Gotta agree on all points
@@LoveBrewing Your very much welcome, and I Thank You for the information because it's greatly appreciated on my part ;-)
Hi. Are you still using the air still? I’ve got one and I’m about to do my first wash in the next week or so. Have you any extra tips please?
@@TheGreatest1974 Yes I'm still using it.
One tip is to save on the electricity bill, I set it up as normal to make sure it's running correctly then I unplug the lead to the Fan, I plug it back in after approximately 40mins, by this time the Air Still has got upto temperature and within the next 10-20mins it should start dripping out the alcohol into the catch bowl.. Hope this helps ;-)
No bottles have ever been ‘put away for safe keeping’! Quality videos and always buy from Love Brewing 👍🏻
So well expained, all the information we need, no more, no less. Exemplary, thank you!
Great video. Can you clarify why you will not keep brewing once you have 800ml at 60%; isnt it worth it of brewing a little more at 40% 30% whatever the case may be? thanks
I love your segments, never outdated
Cheers Dion
Absolutely brilliant description and presentation. Well done
Very clear & simple instructions, except that I was really looking to use the Air Still to make wine !
thank you richard for a great informal video,of the airstill, brewed my own beers for years, and have been looking at one of these for a while, you have now made my mind up, i am heading to your website to order the airstill starter bundle !
I have an air still on the way. Very good video which might aid me in not having to read the instructions so carefully. Cant wait to get into this. Great video and I like the way you present this topic, so easy to understand. Who could say anything bad about this video!!! keep it up!
How did it work out for you?? I've got one on the way myself
Love that you’ve edited … so much step by step thanks Ray 👌😆👌
I've been using my Air Still for about a year now with good results but I still learned HEAPS from this video. Not only what and how to do things, but more importantly, WHY! I've just put down a new batch using your guidelines and I'll report back in about 10days or so Well done and keep up the great work.
how did it go ?
Easily the best yet. I still find that the result is a little 'rough'. Polishing has improved now that I'm running it through the carbon at 40ABV rather than 62ABV. Have moved on to a 25 litre bucket. Hoping for a more controlled wash.
sounds good :)
DB Thats-me, any other tips or things you have learned? is the air still worth it?
@@DB-thats-me Another video said carbon doesnt work above 50ABV
Great tutorial video. I now have a better understanding of how to use the air still. Keep up the amazing work!
This is just incredibly useful. Think I'm gonna use my own wood, and try to come up with my own whisky. Thank you.
It’s English Ray Martin!
Hahaha
Doppelgänger 😀
Wow, I forgot about old Aussie free TV.
HAAAAA
qqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqq
lol I was just thinking that
really great explanation of how the proces works for beginners. thank you Richard. Great job mate! 😂
Got my set for Christmas , starting after this vid , wish me luck lol
Good Luck ;-)
My kids clubbed together and bought me the Air Still kit for my Birthday a couple of months ago, and I must say its the best birthday present I've had in a long time, I'm well impressed with it and the results. Just starting my second batch now because the first lots almost gone.
p.s. little tip: Bookmark this video for future reference as I have done.. Enjoy ;-)
@@plug4uk696 thanks man , y ah I've been watching this video everyday at some points in preparation 😂
Awesome video Richard. Very concise. Maybe a future video on how to use the excess wash and it’s refining process. Pretty please! 😂. Used your methodology for several wash cycles and it’s foolproof. Very good indeed
Superb video Richard. I should have watched it earlier as I have been filtering the 60% Vodka thru the carbon before adding any water to it & it had a very slight hoppy taste & smell to it. Excellent Air Still.
Excellent. Such clear and enthusiatic teaching.
Every possible question answered no rock left unturned. Brilliant video 👍 time to have a do at distilling I think 🤩
Don't plug in the fan for approximately 1 hour. I set an alarm on my phone. The first hour is a waste of power. I also distill twice. Thanks for the reminders.
Very clear and concise, there is an air of David Dickinson in the mannerisms however! No visual likeness though Richard will be pleased to hear!
Really miss Yr Chesterfield shop.
very informative the cost at the end of production is the key
Probably the most informative and easy to understand Air Still video i've seen to date. So i have selected you to be the target of my question LoL. I was chatting with a guy at the home brew store the other day, he was saying you can't really make good quality Gin and Vodka from an air still. And that i should use a reflux still instead to get high quality spirits. Is this true? How does spirits made from an air still compare to spirits made from a proper reflux still. Is it a glaring difference? Or is it something only a seasoned Gin & Vodka connoisseur would appreciate?
Personally I doubt that you could tell any difference if you used the same wash through either of the stills. Isn't its more about the aftercare - Filtration, Flavouring and Storage.
@@LoveBrewing Thanks for the reply. I have a TPW on the go right now and I'm looking forward to running it through. It's my first run so I can't wait!
Ciekawe i w sumie fajne zastosowanie popularnego destylatora wody do produkcji domowego alkoholu. Mam jednak jedną uwagę co do zakończenia destylacji przy poziomie 0,8 litra przy 60% alkoholu co jest bardzo dużą utratą alkoholu. Myślę że można odebrać to 0,8l i kontynuować zbieranie dalej do drugiego naczynia. W ten sposób można jeszcze odebrać około 0,3 l alkoholu o mocy około 40%. Ten odebrany alkohol można ponownie przedestylować. Pierwszy sposób dodając go do następnej destylacji, drugi sposób po zebraniu odpowiedniej takiego alkoholu i zmieszaniu z wodą 1:1, taką mieszankę ponownie destylujemy otrzymując ponownie alkohol dobrej jakości o mocy 60%.
translation of the above:Interesting and, in fact, cool application of the popular water distiller for the production of homemade alcohol. However, I have one remark about ending the distillation at 0.8 liter at 60% alcohol, which is a very large loss of alcohol. I think you can pick up 0.8l and continue collecting further to the second vessel. In this way, you can still get about 0.3 l of alcohol with a strength of about 40%. This picked up alcohol can be distilled again. The first way by adding it to the next distillation, the second way - after collecting the appropriate alcohol and mixing it with water 1: 1, this mixture is distilled again to obtain good quality alcohol with a strength of 60%.
Nice to see your videos again x
Did my first mix sunday and its bubbling like a good n
Mines running at 28oc
Superbly informative as I'm a newbie... Many thanks
Interesting video... however I am objecting, that the Air Still application really is missing the point.
Let’s face it- to get all the stuff and then ferment, fine and distill (and afterwards even to filtrate) misses the point of the simplicity of the apparatus. And it is in most countries “offensively” illegal to distill your own alcohol. The price per liter is then not really he biggest factor.
Now- I don’t say, that the Air Still is pointless- I am just saying, that using it to do the alcohol, is pretty lame- for the hobbyist, all the specific ingredients take away the craft out of the making- for the casual user, it is still to inconvenient.
What I especially dislike is the flavorings (...) - because this is exactly what good brands are not about (adding flavors post distilling).
What is not mentioned is, that you can use AirStill to make gin and “proper” redistilled flavored vodka. Just infuse vodka with respective flavorings and distill it (no need for keeping some leftovers in the still). This is almost artisan - and this is what really is fun (and barely illegal🙂- because the vodka has been previously distilled).
Sour grapes.
Thanks for this really informative walk through! I bought one and it does exactly what it says. Your instructions are idiot proof; believe me, I'm an idiot 😁
My god, looks like Ray Martin and the voice and passion of David Attenborough. Can see a brewing tv deal coming.
Hahaha I totally get the Ray Martin reference. Bang on
I started my wash on July 27th, yesterday (Aug 3rd) I checked the SG. My starting SG was 1.090 and yesterday it was 0.960 it still seems to have a ways to go but there is very little activity now in the air lock.
Should I continue to let it sit longer? I followed your instructions to a T making the wash especially making sure everything was super clean.
I did use granulated table sugar (6kgs)
The carbon filter works better if you put it on the inside of the holding container rather than the underside.
the best vid on youtube to date .
hahaha ... that was great because at 9:50 seven days had passed and the presenter changed his outfit but the background did not change a bit ... that indeed told me a thing ... don't let the camera position and background shift ... makes it look so authentic... hahaha
and ????? I want to see your video
It’s the brew kitchen
really good video - I have the Air Still Pro, so is this a reflux or a pot run?
So how do these air stills work with natural flavourings (botanicals/fruits/spices)? Can you even use them and at what stage would you put them in? I've never brewed or distilled anything before, this is my first delve into what's involved and I really don't want to rely on packet mixes for flavour, I'd prefer to make my own (particularly gin or fruit flavoured vodkas).
You can get a little basket that goes on the inside for 12$
Where was the black sediment at the bottom of the cleared wash?
great nfobut I dont want to drink it, just use the 50% for tincture. If the charcoal is only good up to 40%, how do you filter it when its over that?
Richard i have to agree very clear video thank you
Have an air still water distiller in which I changed the thermistor values to 83 degrees and 90. Looks promising but slow. Comparable to Jamaican 181, 90 proof, but meant as an additive to carbonated 20 liter batches of hard cranberry 5 per centers.
I've been lent an air still, but that's all I have. I'm putting together a wish list on your site, but I can't find the 1.2 litre filter system on its own. Do you sell them separately?
hi, thanks for the video. after distillation dilute 50% with water would be another 800ml? meaning 30% abv? you said 1200ml. or have i misunderstood it. thanks again
I believe he meant 50% of 800 ml which would be 400 ml, combined to make 1200 ml.. from 60% to 40% alcohol.
Distilling is new to me, and I've just made and distillled my first wash from 8 kg of sugar, 5 gallons of water and turbo yeast. Fermentation stopped at 1020 and I left it a a few days while trying restart it before deciding to distill. That gave me to 60% and I threw the first 50 ml of each run. I then diluted it to 40% and filtered it. But it had a sharp taste, so I gave it a second distillation of 1000 ml using numbered 100 mL jars. The first !00ml had a strong smell of acetone, the second less so. The rest of the jars smelt alright but only about 20% alcohol. What might I have done wrong?
Thank you learn more of you 35min then have 2 weeks looking online thank you mate.
From about 15:21 you start siphoning from a cleared top bucket supposedly containing a black sedimental layer on the bottom.
In your vid I don't see any layer from behind the lid.
I suppose this is a demo of siphoning, not an actual case with precipitated material.
Or is it like the clothes of the emperor?
As you say a demo on siphoning only :)
Great instructional video..thank you
Hi mate, when you make the wash in the 5 gallon bucket, are you supposed to add 7 kg of glucose AND 6 kg of ordinary sugar, or just the 1 type? It sounded to me that you said you were putting in 13 kg total sugars - 7 kg of glucose as well as 6kg of sugar.
As this sounds a lot I thought it best to check with you. Would you let me know the correct way please. Cheers 👍
No. It is one or the other . 6KG sugar or 7KG glucose.
going to order 2 of these buckets off you this is a great video can i just ask ive done 4 washes now and not one as gone below 1.000 even after 11 days ive tried 2 hydrometers ive tried one with heat at 24c and one without roughly 20c is there something im doing wrong
I’ve just had the same problem, hits around 1.000 and then gives up. I’m probably just being impatient so will distill my granulated sugar batch at 1.000 and see if my dextrose 25litres drops to .980 after another week. Did you solve your problem with your readings?
try it your alcohol still comes out clear without adding chemicals and man flavors are amazing you can always add carbon later
if tastes bad but never had bad batch yet and only use filters if bad
Indeed. The adding of carbon to the wash kinda freaks me out.
I can just extract the audio of this guy explaining things, and use it to drift off to sleep. Why is he not on radio?
I use carbon sachets in the nose of the nozzle and it comes out crystal clear. Also do you not throw out the first 50Mil called Foeshot?
How do you get it into the nozzle?
thanks
The Air Still has a 10lt bucket (and comes with a 10lt Fermentation Kit) - here he uses a 20lt bucket. What type of Fermentation Kit pack is he using? The one for Air Still here in Australia are for 10lt - is there a 20lt Fermentation Kit?
Hi Richard , Great vids Man. Couple questions? In one of your earlier vids you say use 1 cap full of distillers condtioner and in this one you say 3 , Why the difference? And question two , You dont have to throw away the first 100 ml? Thanks
Hi! They changed the make up of the Distillers Conditioner to show 3 capfuls but we have tried it and are still happy with one. As long as you use the pure yeast sugar carbon and clear no need to throw anything away due to the yeast being so pure it gives off few off flavours.
How long can a wash be left MAX iE Months before it is infected and can it still be used ? Thanks
Some people say you should only get 700ml not 800ml.so which would that be.thanks
3 days after adding the finings, I was ready today to syphon off my clear 14% wash into a clean container, ready to start putting it through the Air Still, but I accidently dropped the syphon tube into the mash while clipping it on & it has stirred it up a bit, will it settle down or will I have to add more finings?
Another question.if I have a copper pipe connected to the air stiller to cool down the liquid,does it make any good?because my air stiller distills very low level abv.perhaps a problem with the cooling fan.
Hi Richard, I'm very new to this and wondered if you do a "common mistakes" video. I've just made my first wash and the internal lid of my wash bucket has black residue off the wash on it (no other videos show this) also I did not put water in my bobbler- have I let bacteria in? Do I need to throw my wash away and start again? Or is the above fine and I'm being super critical.. thanks
Hi,I have a different but a similar distiller,at first I could get 70 degree alcohol but now not more than 40 or 45 degrees.If the distiller is broken ,how could I know it?It boils what is inside but a low degree alcohol comes out.Thank you.
I just have a question When you put your mash in and distill it do you just drink it or do you have to run heads off?
Hi Richard,
I love these videos and they have inspired me to make my own. I have a question though, the hydrometer reading on my first wash is 960 after 10 days. Shall I continue to ferment then test with hydrometer tomorrow? Also, what if the reading is still 960 shall i paddle and begin to distill?
Thanks in advance, Colin.
How did it go mate?
@@scottheffernan1305 it was all good in the end Scott. I tested it for the next 2 days and it didn't move so I put it through the air still. Very tasty! 👍
Hi Richard and thanks for the useful video.
Q do you have any info on making from bread ie how much sugar can i get from a kill of bread.
Regards Martin Steele
Thanks for the very informative video!
@25:30. It's called Fores, (at 143 -153 F) and it's methanol, Heads comes at a higher temperature (153-173 F), these are aromatics and esters (if you use natural fruits or grains to make your mash) and these can be set aside and used to add flavor to your final. Then at 173 to 190 F, this is Hearts and is your pure ethanol alcohol. After 190 F it starts to become "Tails" and has more water (the alcohol drops) and depending on your mash may add a terrible taste to your your final, I like to collect that separate and decide later what to do with it. ALWAYS just for good practice throw out the first 50ml to 60ml.
If you mix 800 mls 50 % with water are you not gonna have 1600 mls. Not 1200? And 30% alc not 40%
thank you Richard the brilliant god
excellent presentation!
hello,
first i should thank you great video guides in youtube,
just what puzzled me on air still is everyone say have to cut head and tails!
how am i suppose to do that with Air Still! and how much per run!
i know Sugar Wash doesn't produce much methanol still i like to stay on safe side i appreciate if tell me or point me to any link on your youtube or article i can read or watch about this matter.
If you listened he would have told you... He makes it very clear. I have never thrown the head and I am fine
Can or does the degassing happen during the first wash daily stirring or only after first seven days…?
Is it necessary to make 25L wash ? Can't I make just 5L for one run distillation ?
Can you not just top up the wash and go again?, if not why not? (New to the air still side, but have been brewing rather than distilling for years!)
Sounds like you might benefit from our Gin Experience. See here: www.lovebrewing.co.uk/
Thanks for the video it was the most informative video I found on the air still by far. The one thing I'm wondering is I went into my local shop.. and I know you've mentioned youre a still spirits fan, as is the company I visited.. excepted for their carbon filter.. They said the carbon snake was a far superior product.. What are your thoughts on that?
Reckon you'll get more granulated carbon in our filter than you will in the carbon snake. The more carbon the more filtering takes place. It's also very robust so will outlive the snake. Thats a plus for me.
I'll have to take a look at the model they are selling. It seems they are selling old packaging or turbo yeasts and carbon and what not and the carbon filter by still spirits that they sold was a solid block of carbon and didnt resemble the carbon filter you use in the video. I must say however that since posting this comment Ive made 2 25L sugar washes following your instructions and both needed a single run through the carbon snake and the taste was fairly neutral.. I ran the 2nd batch through 3x and it made quite a difference so I went ahead and bought the T500 with copper reflux condenser and the copper alembic top and currently have 3 sugar washes going, a triple distilled turbo (the suggested recipe I tried here which was certainly good, as I flavored it with still spirits top shelf coconut rum, still spirits top shelf irish cream, and still spirits banana schnapps and all were quite the hit with my peers.) so the same as I ran in the air still, the Turbo Classic 8 w/ carbon and finings, and birdwatchers sugar wash recipe. Excited to see how they all turn out and very happy to have taken up the hobby. The airstill is definitely a good place to start for anyone looking for a convenient and efficient still who wish to explore the large world that is distilling. Cheers my friend.
or are you saying to use the still spirits carbon filter and use the filtering block in conjunction with granulated carbon poured in the top side as well. That seems much more logical to me. I have one included with my T500 combo pack so I should be able to do a side by side comparison and taste for myself.
I am impressed. very thank you
Hi..I'm brand new to this home brew thing..
You use 20 litres of water but my instructions that came with the air still says use 7 1/2..your using the same amount of ingredients as me but get twice as much..
Thanks for any replies...
A great video...thanks for this.
Cheers!
In Australia this is good to beat the government tax robbery. A bottle of scotch here costs $45.00!
same in sweden, we do have buss trips going to germany weekly which is 77 usd then we save 11-45 usd depending on which brand we pick. 140 kg allowed to take on board.
Yep the aussie government are fucked.. milk us dry
I'm keen for one of these nice and easy
@@purplheartdazla I'm leaning toward the t500 kit. I just like the air still for convenience.
Must be a shit blended scotch your drinking if its only $45 )..I find you cant get a decent scotch for less then $80-$100
@@nnswfishing All whiskey tastes like shit.
I followed the instructions and materials used, still have a smell of yeast. Is there anything else I could use to remove the smell?
try this www.lovebrewing.co.uk/guides/taste-and-purity-of-the-alcohol-from-stills/
The first stuff off the still is NOT heads, it's four shots and it damn well should be thrown out. You spend all that extra time and money using carbon treated special yeast and finings to get rid of any off flavors then use plastic buckets to collect final product? And you sure can use different yeasts! You'll need to add yeast nutrient or do a TPW (tomato paste wash). Decent basic info here but don't take his word as law.
how much yeast is used for this wash and how much carbon and clearing is used altogether
We highly recommend glucose powder, san pellagrino water, the finest nectar and ice from the sea of tranquility. Lets be honest. Council estate, bread, sugar, yeast we found in the cupboard from that rubbish bread maker and water that tastes like metal
You mean “specific gravity” for measuring the sugar content of the water mixture.
Using tap water!! doesn't the chlorine in tap water kill the yeast?
ok i have had my stuff going for 3 weeks and its still bubbling away is that all ok?
you can use any yeast and adding carbon is for people that dont know how to make flavored alcohol without additive real alcohol uses the flavors of the mash make you mash to suit the flavor you want at end and only filter if really necessary dont use carbon unless you have to alcohol is flavored by mash and wood and time for colour
when making the wash , should i use tap water or is it more beneficial to use bottled water?
Spring or filtered water is preferable, but, if your tap water is good, just off-gas it overnight to dissipate any chlorine. If it has chloramine, I would avoid it, as it does not dissipate by off-gassing. Well-water is also good, as it generally contains a lot of minerals which will feed the yeast and provide flavour.
Way do you have to use 3 Distilled yeast ?
My air still came missing the nozzle, is that a big deal?
i have watched many video's on making a mix, but for some reason my mix smells like a horrible wine taste, weather l leave it fermenting for 7 days or less, can anyone please explain to me how would this be possible?
Shouldn't you leave it until fermentation stops? Is your yeast appropriate to the fermenting temp? is your water crap?
Great instruction from Alan Titchmarsh :P
Good clear Video. Thanks for explaining Richard.
Great video, thank you.
Fantastic instructor
Everything was going beautifully for seven days. Just put hydrometer in and reading came up at 10?
What happens to the other 3.2 liters in the still
Excellent video, very clear and made it all so simple to do. Looks awesome im going to treat myself for christmas ;-D
The guy from Wheeler Dealers also makes booze? Alright!
A great and best presentation, you made it easy to understand
how do you clean it after
Can I do this without a hydrometer for the first couple runs?
Of course! It is better to use one, but, somehow I rather doubt that most people before the modern era owned such handy devices.