Making spirits through the Air Still

Start to finish making 40% ABV spirit through an Air Still.

[@scubaguy14]

one of the most detailed beginner vids I've seen, awesome as I'm about to try my first wash in a few days

[@heathenbrewer7205]

Good to see a “how too” on the air still and it’s got me thinking about making my own ironing water😉🤣🤣. Top video cheers👍🏻

[@andrewbinsiar2005]

Great video, I use the t500 and haven't had a hangover since.. keep up the great work 👍👍

[@imperia1999]

Cheers Clive a great video from start to finish , now to find the money for. Still. Cheers

[@beanhamhomebrew1808]

Cracking stuff there Clive nice to see your system cheers

[@scurry64]

You are very charming and entertaining. I thoroughly enjoyed your video, which by the way, was educational as well.

[@Dts1953]

This was a fantastic informative video for me Clive, really first class! I have watched it twice already as I am wanting to start distilling but the wife is the stumbling block, but I think she would enjoy the process. I thought you had to Chuck first bit of spirit out and last bit but your method seemed much simpler to make. I have been looking for a video like this for some while. Thanks my mate!

[@CuttersChoiceHomebrew]

Dts1953 I think if you used the T500 on your grainfather you would have to separate your heads, hearts and tails but for some reason on this system you don’t have to. All I’ve learnt is from watching the video on using the Airstill on the LoveBrewing website/KZbin channel. Cheers Dave! 👍🍻

[@DudesBrews]

that was great seeing how this all works cheers!

[@chrisa3525]

Very interesting Clive. I considered buying one last year but backed out at the last minute. I may take another look now. Cheers

[@HomebrewMatt]

Brilliant video Clive, wonder if I could make one of those things for ironing water.

[@rossacairns112]

Fantastic video, really informative.

[@MrDavespade]

Great info. Had to speed your video up to 1.75% cause you're so chill you're almost stopped. Forgot it was sped up til you started whisking!

[@steamedbeech967]

Nice one Clive, cheers.

[@countryboycharlie9793]

This stuff really works 👍👍

[@Englishmenmaddogs]

great vid ,

[@Schnuz]

I've had a do with the turbo yeast and didn't find that it was all it was cracked up to be, it gave up the ghost at around 14%. I've used Young's Super Wine Yeast Compound with Tronozymol yeast nutrient and it normally produces a "wine" 😉 of 18 - 18.5%. Out of interest have you tried setting fire to the first runnings to see what colour flame you get? Looking at some of the bumf I'm assuming that it has some sort of multi layer condensing coil to produce something akin to fractional distillation so you only extract the ethanol? Interesting and informative but I'm not convinced that the little disclaimer near the end will be enough if you know who come knocking. Cheers, Schnuz.

[@tonyday8687]

Well done mate

[@99ulysses99]

I wish I'd remembered to rewatch this before I made my first wash and distillation. I'll get things so much better next time though having rewatched. Having a go at the gin tomorrow, using the basket thing. I thought it was a strainer :)

[@CuttersChoiceHomebrew]

Abbey Homebrew haha!! My airstill is too old for the botanicals basket! I look forward to hearing/seeing how you get on!! Have you found the website that lists the botanicals the big boys use?? Cheers John! 👍👍

[@chrisearle1542]

Would you separate any head etc of you were making whisky? I made my wash in the same fashion, do you think if I replaced hickory would chips, rather than gin herbs, you'd get a nice smoked whisky?

[@dack4545]

Yup iron water coming up 😉😉 kool video mate👍 🇦🇺

[@monsurbanpatch]

Great video. I just made my first 25litres of wash but after 24 hours it's cloudy. What can I do?

[@indaba1960]

Nice video showing how to use the Air Still but I have a question: How do you 'get round' the archaic distilling laws in the UK or do you just not bother about them (serious question as I want to get the Air Still but don't want HMRC to come calling :) )

[@derekbrymer7758]

Great video, completely new to this and was wondering what web sites you use for purchase everything you need start to finish?? Thanks

[@CuttersChoiceHomebrew]

Derek Brymer I was lucky enough to be given my airstill as the LHBS was closing but a good site to get everything is ‘Love Brewing’ try also The Malt Miller or The Home Brew Shop. Facebook groups are great for help too. Air still users is one group and air still spirits for all is another. Hope that’s if some help? Cheers

That's one whole Helluva lotta product.

[@d.harris8635]

Good video, what do you do with the rest of the wash in the Air Still after extract the 700-800ml? Do you just dump it out?

[@CuttersChoiceHomebrew]

Darren Harris good to hear from you Mr Harris!! Yes, it’s no good, it’s just dumped!

[@TheGreatest1974]

Those bottles of top shelf spirit flavourings are £4.99 each now. (Nov2022)

[@CountDrunkula]

Really enjoyed that. Thanks Clive. Anyone know if I could use an electric pressure cooker and a PID to do what these do? I could remove the weight and put a hose on the thingy it sits on. Or do you need a condenser, too?

[@CuttersChoiceHomebrew]

Count Drunkula, don’t like the sound of that at all!! Look forward to your video or watching the explosion on the news!! 😂😂😂

[@jay71512]

You can make a pressure cooker still but you would need to make some form of a condenser. If youre not sure what youre doing i would just buy a cheap reflux still like a turbo 500 or even a dibosh reflux still then theres less risk of shit going south lol

[@thehitman2001uk]

What if the you can only get 53 percent proof, will a litre less water in the wash fix this?

[@notlaw1976]

Nice one Clive, a good vid, I enjoyed that. Just got my hands on an Air Still myself, so gonna have a dabble with it. Have you tried running a malt wash through it? If imagine it would just be malt wort, with no hops... Although I'm also planning on trying hopped gin 😁

[@CuttersChoiceHomebrew]

I haven’t tried a malt wash, I was told the air still would strip and flavour out of it! I’d be interested in the results if you had a go though!! Cheers

[@davidreid8290]

Vinland Brewery *

[@countryboycharlie9793]

U still need to degassing more, I do it with a wipe for five min... great video though👍

[@Soldier957]

Enjoyed the video. Can the still run without the saddles and conditioner?

[@CuttersChoiceHomebrew]

Soldier957 it’s best not to, the saddles break up the size of the bubbles and the conditioner stops it foaming. 👍

[@scubaguy14]

but you don't have to discard the head? what happens to the methanol each run

[@1978garfield]

Wish you could make corn liquor with it. Still a neat rig.

[@Rubberduck-tx2bh]

Would pre-heating the wash to say 49C/120F make the distillate come out faster?

[@CuttersChoiceHomebrew]

Jason Rubery I’ve not done it but I’m sure I read that you can to save a bit of time. 👍👍

[@Durstwulf]

All good fun! Huzzah!

[@martinandjackthecat.554]

nice vid,what is special about this heater that you don't need to worry about heads ?

[@CuttersChoiceHomebrew]

To be honest Martin Martin, I don’t know, I’ve just followed the videos from ‘love brewing’. I’ve never had a problem in the two years I’ve been using it. Cheers! 🍻🍻

[@crparkinson63]

The thought is you don't get Methanol produced from a purely sugar wash, Methanol mainly from a fruit based wash, less in a grain based wash, very little from sugar.

[@davidreid8290]

I do exactly as you do it & I anyways seem to get 55% alc. after distilling.

[@CuttersChoiceHomebrew]

David Reid what ABV does your wash finish at? I think it needs to be at least 15% to come out at 60% if I remember correctly!

[@davidreid8290]

My abc is usually about just under15%.

[@davidreid8290]

Sorry ABV is usually about 15% after full fermentation.

[@Falconuk1]

I have only 3 Litres of wash left at the end, Can this go in the still or do you have to use 4 Litres. Thanks.

[@CuttersChoiceHomebrew]

Stephen Fletcher I’m pretty sure I’ve been in the same situation and put the 3l in. Can’t remember how it came out though!

[@Falconuk1]

@@CuttersChoiceHomebrew Thank you. I presume you just take less out. This is my first batch so i,m unsure and learning. Thank you for you advice.

[@CuttersChoiceHomebrew]

Stephen Fletcher I’d say yes, check with your Hydrometer and stop when you start getting less than 60%👍

[@Falconuk1]

@@CuttersChoiceHomebrew Thank you.

[@gordie141]

I'm not sure about not separating the heads on this system. Where do the methanols and other volatile alcohols go?

[@CuttersChoiceHomebrew]

gordie141 I don’t know to be honest, I’ve watched the instructional video from Love Brewing and it says there is no need to separate the heads, just collect 800ml and bin the rest! I guess it must have something to do with it not being a traditional still. I’ve been using the Airstill for a couple of years now with great success. Cheers👍🍻

[@gordie141]

@@CuttersChoiceHomebrew i think it is more down to the fermentable used rather than the equipment as the principle of distilling is the same. As i understand, using only dextrose produces less methanol than say fruit, barley sugars etc so i'm guessing the assumption that you produce less negates the need to remove it. I personally tnink love brewing has been quite irresponsible claiming we dont need to dispose of any heads, methanol can be very dangerous. However! If it works for you then Great! Keep up the videos, i love them all. 👍

[@crparkinson63]

@@gordie141 Your right it's the fermentable, sugar wash produces less Methanol than fruit and grain, when I used to do this I always dumped first 50-100ml for flavour reasons as much as anything else, just collect the hearts.

[@Peteyno01]

@@gordie141 It is as safe as commercial spirits without taking off any heads at all. Take a look here: www.lovebrewing.co.uk/guides/still-spirits-liqueurs/are-home-brewed-spirits-safe-to-drink#.Xq2pC25FxaQ

[@stephenstorey3430]

I am on a Air Still site on facebook and they recommend double distilling i have always just done it once....

[@CuttersChoiceHomebrew]

Stephen Storey I’m gonna have a look! The sugar wash ferments to 15% and come out the air still at 60% so why double distill??

[@W3TFART]

Double distil is the way to go

[@Sean-John]

can i use dollar store marbles instead of the ceramic things?

[@CuttersChoiceHomebrew]

I would stick with either ceramic or copper saddles. These are designed to break up the bubbles as the wash comes up to temperature. I doubt if marbles would have the same affect

[@yonceydelatorre3802]

21 degrees isn't that too cold of an environment for it to ferment properly?

[@CuttersChoiceHomebrew]

Yoncey de la Torre 21C! 👍👍

[@jamesgrey8093]

I had not put much intrest in using dextrose til now , so it makes cleaner liquor u say , cool. I got a buddie that runs a brewing store so i will buy some soon. I have used this same yeast without the turbo carbone. I dont do all the same things you do , but i make good clean booze with my ways also. Thanks buddie, also check out my u toob stuff james grey distilling.

[@kamalarvinth]

Assistant brewer !!,hahahaha

[@lemellmell9151]

haha at 28:38 did you fart after your cough? helpful video thank you.

[@CuttersChoiceHomebrew]

Le'Mell Mell 😂😂😂 recently I’ve had a bout of flu where I have definitely been coughing and farting at the same time but on this occasion I think i just slapped my hands together! 🤣🤣🤣 well spotted!! 🤣🤣🤣 glad you enjoyed the video! 👍👍🍻🍻🍻

[@lemellmell9151]

@@CuttersChoiceHomebrew 😂Ah well it gave me a good giggle anyhow. Good on ya mate 👍👍

[@Insutama]

for the little bit of price difference i would just go with the turbo 500 seems WAY better than this thing

[@CountDrunkula]

Clive, have you tested a wash with normal sugar against a wash with dextrose? Reason I ask is that I've done the not a kit and a kilo experiment and 200g of normal sugar in an all grain beer doesn't taste cidery, in fact it tasted just like a bottle of Pedigree or London Pride. But that doesn't mean that it doesn't make a difference. You know the yeast make invertase to break the sucrose down and some people say you can taste it, and that's what gives the cidery taste - but it's far from documented. If you've done different washes and can testify then I'll put it in me notes I'm going to taste the last 2 bottles of the sugar vs no sugar when I'm off this wagon and get it uploaded. Cheers me dears.

[@CuttersChoiceHomebrew]

Count Drunkula I haven’t tried ordinary sugar in the wash, when I was learning how to do it (love brewing video) he said the dextrose gives a cleaner taste to the final spirit so I’ve just stuck with that! Sorry I can’t be more helpful!

[@CountDrunkula]

I'm just trying to debunk or confirm the table sugar = cidery in beers for a laugh because it's still said and there's no real studies. I wondered if there's a threshold for invertase and then thought what's got more sugar than a sugar wash, and I know a man who knows about them. I might make up a gallon of sugar vs dextrose to see if I can taste a difference. It'll be no bleedin use to me at the end of the day now I'm doing all grain but it'll put me mind to rest. Cheers.

[@CuttersChoiceHomebrew]

Count Drunkula in Graham Wheelers ‘Brew your own British Real Ales’ the recipe for Old Speckled Hen requires 570g of white sugar in a 23l brew. I’ve made it loads of times and never thought it tasted cidery!! Maybe make 2 brews of it with the different sugars and see if there’s a difference.

[@CountDrunkula]

Meant to say 200g per gallon above, so a the same as a kit and a kilo and it definitely wasn't cidery. I made something drinkable for a change! I think it'll be 5 months when I do the final tasting next week. Maybe I should do a crazy amount of sugar. In that experiment the sugar made 31% of the alcohol - maybe I should push it to 50 or 60. Or maybe I should brew an actual tidy beer for a change. Nah, not going to happen for a while.

[@jimbo7464]

I've done both dextrose and white table sugar washes with the airstill. I much prefer the white sugar wash -aside from costing 1/2 the price of dextrose I get a cleaner sweeter spirit at the end. I think the 'unfermentables' in dextrose counter everything else, the dextrose wash is more odorous during the ferment IMHO.

[@gordslater]

Drink the must with the charcoal in and your turds come out jet black. Great for a party trick or frightening pensioners on the bus (open a window first the smell is pretty bad) edit: yes, this is how my bus pass got confiscated