Stills?

**Road kill** · 2nd May 2013, 16:36

Good to hear I'm not the only one interested.
I've read just about everything I can so far but also have a local book on order so that should be good reading as well.
I'm hearing what people say about running off the first 50-100 mils of the first part of the batch to get rid of the methanol and I'm quite fond of my eye sight so that's a given.
Once I get up an running I'll post the results an let you all know how it's going.

Cheers.

**Bald Eagle** · 2nd May 2013, 16:42

Originally Posted by oneofsix

what strength does the bike run on?

I believe Henry would run on Ratti's ratt poison. It's generally about 90% when it comes out and breaks down to about 40% when bottled as gin, whisky, bourbon etc.

**slofox** · 3rd May 2013, 07:56

Originally Posted by Bald Eagle

It's generally about 90% when it comes out and breaks down to about 40% when bottled as gin, whisky, bourbon etc.

That's about what I get. The first litre is typically 92%. Then it drops a little for subsequent litres.

**Akzle** · 3rd May 2013, 08:05

alembic ftw.

**Akzle** · 3rd May 2013, 08:12

Originally Posted by scissorhands

How hard is it to use real fruit or vegetables and grains, instead of just opening packets from a brew shop?

not very. puruse "all grain brewing"

you can turn pretty much anything into booze.

//and for the methanol discussion, it can be used in biodiesel, so keep that shit (it's hydroscopic, so keep it sealed) or use it as degreaser. almost any batch will have some methanol in it, it's a complex sugar thing... so always discard heads and tails. (tails is for taste, not methanol)

**Swoop** · 3rd May 2013, 09:55

A mate had an "air still" which he assures was easy to use and very successful.
The owner's manual is available online.

**slofox** · 3rd May 2013, 16:33

Originally Posted by Akzle

not very. puruse "all grain brewing"

you can turn pretty much anything into booze.

//and for the methanol discussion, it can be used in biodiesel, so keep that shit (it's hydroscopic, so keep it sealed) or use it as degreaser. almost any batch will have some methanol in it, it's a complex sugar thing... so always discard heads and tails. (tails is for taste, not methanol)

I spent some years brewing beer from all grain mashes. Got quite good after a while. Lots of fun but time consuming.

**Brett** · 3rd May 2013, 16:58

Great topic for discussion. As someone very passionate about my scotch whisky, I am quite keen to try making my own...the methanol thing had always put me off, but I think I'm keen to give it a shot.

**Clockwork** · 3rd May 2013, 17:44

Originally Posted by slofox

I have a still RK. I have had one since it became legal back when.

The quality of the spirit is pretty good in fact. You just have to take your time over it and do everything right. Especially the carbon treatments and filtering.

Incidentally, I wouldn't be too sure about no methanol - all the books I have ever read insist that you discard the heads to get rid of any methanol - it comes off first. For a 25 litre pot the recommendation is to chuck the first 50ml. I take off the first 100ml myself. Keep it to use for cleaning etc. After all, it is dirt cheap to produce.

I don't use flavouring essence. I found them to be a little synthetic in flavour. Instead, I use toasted oak chips to give colour and flavour. I call the end result "Mid-Atlantic Whisky" since it is somewhere between scotch and bourbon in flavour.

You wanna know anything more, just PM me.

So you owned both a bottle store and a still?

**Usarka** · 3rd May 2013, 19:35

Originally Posted by MIXONE

I used to have a still and produced about 8 litres evry couple of weeks at about $7 per litre.I found that I could never get the flavour as good as the factories and that becoming an alchie is real easy...

This.

I flat I used to live in had a still and it was responsible for lots of cocktail parties.

The flavoured eth doesn't taste as good as good as quality store bought, but it's more than good enough as a quaffer.

Would be keen to do some full grain proper distilling, but it's nowhere near as easy as a basic homebrew still......