The Air Still is a beast for making rum...on a sailboat. My wife and I cruise fulltime on our 40' sailboat that is 100% solar powered. I experimented and refined a recipe using Golden Barrel Dark Brown sugar (high molasses content). 2 gallon wash yields just shy of a half-gallon of 40% abv rum that is quite tasty. Aged in the bottle with toasted white oak chips for about ten days. The water used for the wash comes from the ocean, after being desalinated through our reverse osmosis watermaker, again, powered by stored energy from the sun. The power draw is around 28 amps at 12 volts and 280 to 310 watts. Run time (if you plan to collect tails or wring out alcohol to use dunder/backset) will nearly double the manufacturer's estimate. 4 hours is the usual time frame for a two-gallon wash. That equals 120 or so amp hours or 1.2 kilowatt hours- which is quite doable for us, with our lithium battery banks.. Honestly, I would never buy another bottle of rum, having nailed this recipe. Not a lot of room on a sailboat and the Air Still stows away nicely and doesn't hog space in the galley when in use. (Note: Recipe in comments below)

@pgprentice

2 жыл бұрын

Brilliant. Would you share your recipe with us? Cheers.

@gmonkman

2 жыл бұрын

cool! I hope you put up a pirate flag while distilling!

@LP23D6

2 жыл бұрын

Perfect!

@davidalbright7335

2 жыл бұрын

Rum Recipe 3.5 lbs of dark brown sugar (Best sugar is Golden Barrel Dark) Boil two quarts of water and add all sugar to the water, stirring until completely dissolved. Add one half teaspoon of citric acid granules (to prevent sticking and help to invert sugars) Allow to steep for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally Add to 2 gallon fermenting bucket Fill to within 2 inches of lip with water Allow to cool to 78 degrees Stir vigorously for five minutes Add one gram of diammonium phosphate (DAP) Add one handful of raisins Add one heaping tablespoon of DADY (dry active distiller's yeast) Place lid with bubbler on bucket Allow to ferment for ten days When wash is ready to run, strain, using cheesecloth or strainer into Air Still. Fill to full mark. It takes about 45 minutes to an hour for the Air Still to reach proper temp. Collect two ounces of heads and store for solvent. Collect approximately 30 oz of product and set aside. Run still for another half hour to collect tails to add to second half of wash. Dump leftover wash. Add remaining wash in fermenter to Air Still. Add tails/feints. Run using same method above. After 30 ounces are collected, continue to run for 45 minutes and save feints / backset / dunder for next run. Combine finished spirits in a half gallon bottle. Allow finished spirit to Air for 24 hours, covering opening with cheesecloth. Add 1/4 cup of toasted white oak chips to bottle and cork/cap. Agitate bottle daily and rempve cork/cap to give the angels their cut. After ten days, decant into a fresh bottle, proof to 40% abv and enjoy. Makes approximately 120 ounces of some damn fine homemade rum.

@davidalbright7335

2 жыл бұрын

@@pgprentice See recipe above.

A technique for adjustable power is apparently running the base on a dimmer and powering the top with a separate IEC lead so the fan runs at full power.

@ozzymandius666

2 жыл бұрын

I have a 750 watt thermostat controlled one. Set it at 92C, takes about an hour to get about 500ml 50% spirits out of a cheap sugar wash.

@260Xander

2 жыл бұрын

@@ozzymandius666 Not an expert, but in my experience your yield is a tad low, at 10% wash you should be getting more than 500ml and 50% out of it, in a 4L run of 15% I get 1.1 litre at around 60%, lower % from then on ofc if I want to get 1.3 -1.4 product out. I always run product through the still twice tho, with the second run only putting in 3L tops as I've had surge boiling problems pushing the lid off if I fill more than that, even with a stainless steel scourer or boiling rocks in it

@StillIt

2 жыл бұрын

Yeah good idea mate! I guess it's more that I would want more power rather than less in some situations. Love your work by the way mate!

@robbiegrant4977

2 жыл бұрын

Och! Clive! Ewe answered ma question before i scrolled down. Just got one of these babies...Greetings again from ( not so ) sunny Fife..... excited...

@robbiegrant4977

2 жыл бұрын

I have a variac lying about. I imagine this would be a good dimming device?

These are great for keeping things on the down low. A friend has six of them instead of regular distilling equipment because his catering business gets "visited" by local health inspectors, etc. County sheriff deputies showed up after being tipped that he was distilling. They had no search warrant and were just checking out the complaint. One deputy saw the air stills on a top shelf and asked about them. My friend told her they were coffee pots🤭. They left and haven't been back.

@davidallen876

8 ай бұрын

What was that address? Lol

Thanks so much for reviewing this! Personally, I LOVE mine. While it's the only still I've used so far, it's been a perfect learning tool to get into the basics of distilling. I've done a cheater 'bourbon' (using corn sugar and DME), a double-distilled gin, some birdwatchers, a spiced rum, and a peach liqueur, all of which turned out surprisingly great. It's dead simple to run, feels very safe and consistent, and while it is slow, it's really easy to set it up in the kitchen and watch some TV while it does it's thing. For anyone curious - if I do a 5-gallon wash, it takes about 4 runs through the still at about 90 mins each to get (on average) 3 or 4 750ml finished bottles when proofed down to 40%. So about 4-6 hours of actual run time. That's it coming off the still at around 65-70% initially and running it down to about 40%, without cutting much from the run. My washes generally have been around 10% ABV to start. This works great for me, because I don't feel the need to be producing 10-20 bottles of product at a time, that just feels like a liability for someone just starting out. 3-4 bottles of finished product - a few for me, a few for friends - is perfect. The air still doesn't seem to impart any flavors or funk, and it's discreet and super easy to clean. For me, it's been the perfect intro tool to learn the craft, and unless I get more serious about doing it I don't really feel the need to upgrade to anything bigger or more complex. Thanks again Jesse, love your channel, I've learned a ton from you. Keep up the great work!

@gmonkman

2 жыл бұрын

how was the peach liqueur? And if it was nice, could you summarise the recipe please?

@alexbassguy1

2 жыл бұрын

@@gmonkman It was awesome! I live in Colorado, where we have incredible peaches every year from the town of Palisade. Basically, I macerated a full case of peaches into 5 gallons of water for a few days, strained, and added cane sugar to get up to correct starting gravity. Then pitched turbo yeast, fermented, ended up with a 10% wash. Ran that through the still, then took the resulting peach 'brandy' and soaked another half-case of peaches in that, leaving the skins on. Strained that real and there ya go. Insanely fresh peach flavor, not too high ABV by the end (25%ish) since the peaches have so much water in them. Dead simple recipe that produced my favorite thing I've made so far.

@truthseeker2275

2 жыл бұрын

Hi considering your experience, may I ask you what you think of the idea of a tiny continuous hobby still that can produce 60% to 93%abv, basically instead of putting the wash into the pot you have a tube you put into your wash drum and a waste tube and a spout. The processing rate is about 1 L of wash an hour, but you can just let it run and do 200L in about a week with very little labour. I have been refining a larger still like this for about a year now and I can process 200L in two days, but I think it is too big for hobby use, So I redesigned it and I am testing a much scaled down version...What do you think of the idea, basically, I would appreciate some marketing feedback. Thanks p.s. cost about $200USD.

@nigelchua4055

Жыл бұрын

How much methanol do you throw out during a 5 gallon run?

The 110V version works identically to the 240V version if you were wondering. They both use the same total amount of watts and therefore produce the same amount of heat.

@ironbacon

Жыл бұрын

This is the info I came here for. Thank you

@cookingwithpower

Жыл бұрын

I was gonna say the same exact thing nice to know that not everyone has forgotten electrical theory

@lannister4694

Жыл бұрын

@@cookingwithpower Could you walk me through why it's the same watts? Something to do with the way transformers transfer energy via magnetic field?

@TheBowen747

Жыл бұрын

@@lannister4694 they take a given country's electric power load and bring it to their own standard of power , it has its own power converter and or inverter, jmo

@TheBowen747

Жыл бұрын

there is no defult 19 or 24 volt dc in america but its constantly used for everything from laptop chargers to electric shavers.. they all have their own little power adapter that comes with them same in other countries.. so americans get the 110 adapter and ureopeans get what ever they use over there.. ...

Canada here, I bought one from Amazon, 110V, and mine has 1F/1C resolution temp controller, have done a couple runs of boxed red wine, removing heads and most tails. Worked great.

@adambarker9178

2 жыл бұрын

how do you know what is heads, where the hearts are and what is tails. Any advice would be great! thanks

@whyomgwhywtf

3 ай бұрын

​@@adambarker9178 very old comment to reply to, im sure you've figured it out by now 😂 but he has a few other 101/beginner videos on this channel that help understand head/heart/tail and where to find them.

One other advantage of this product is that it ships easily to countries where distilling is not allowed as the box has language about water distillation on it. (Can use the water Purificación card) No problem shipping through Indonesia and Canada.

@Fryinberg

Жыл бұрын

Ok in the U.S.?

@josephmcnamara7383

Жыл бұрын

Mim ko 0 loop

@wolffang489

Жыл бұрын

@@Fryinberg Depends on the state.

I got one like that about 15 years ago. I would go as far to say it is an essential part of the tools for the home distiller. As you stated, its great for small experiments.

Thank you! Looks perfect for use in my converted bus. When everything is run on a 3000w inverter, and setup, and breakdown of things already takes up enough of my day, simplicity is key.

I had one of those years ago. Fun little kitchen gadget. Gave it away when I moved aboard. I would like to see some enterprising mind make an attachment similar to the air fryer attachment for an InstaPot that does the same thing.

Great review! I’ve been following your extensive use of this little guy. Great to see you confirm that you enjoy this handy little appliance.

purchased one of these around 15-20 years ago and it's still going strong. Cost me £99 and came with £20 worth of Still Spirits flavourings and bases. As someone who just makes spirits for personal and home use, I have found it ideal, making 25L of sugar-wash at 15% 3-4 times a year. as you said it is a slow process with each run taking around 2.5 hours its a full day to do the whole wash, on the other hand, once it's on I can leave it to distil away for a good 2 hours whilst I get on with other things.

@motog4-75

Жыл бұрын

So how much do you come away with from a 25litre wash approx?

@mrLoftladder

Жыл бұрын

@@motog4-75 get around 4.5 L out at around 60-65% ABV, that gives me a good 7L at 40% after dilution and filtering

@benadams1661

Жыл бұрын

@@mrLoftladder You basically told people what they want to know in one sentence, this guy driveled on about every but that for 20min 😆🤦‍♂

@alexshealy8618

Жыл бұрын

What about the heads

@motog4-75

Жыл бұрын

@@benadams1661 yes maybe. But he's still fun to listen to because he has such a happy & positive attitude. Plus he knows what he's doing.

Top tip. Preheat your wash in the microwave before putting into the air still to speed up the distilling process. Should start running thru in 5 minutes. Cheers 🌍❤☘

@spotonpromotions1

2 жыл бұрын

Thanks for the tip. Will save an hour per run!

@IamMiXeM

2 жыл бұрын

@@spotonpromotions1 not a bother. Have a good one Craig. 👍

@resistantgeordie2636

2 жыл бұрын

Thanks for the tip... how long do you heat it for approx?🤔

@IamMiXeM

2 жыл бұрын

@@resistantgeordie2636 1 litre jug 3 minutes. Then put in still put lid on to keep heat in and repeat until 4 litres. Bingo 😁👍

@spotonpromotions1

2 жыл бұрын

Add another point. Remember that at about 166 degrees the methanol (bad stuff) starts to vaporize and at 172 the ethanal (the good stuff) starts to vaporize. With a microwave it could get really hot, really fast and you could lose some of the vapors. However, the tip is an awesome time saver with this still.

An excellent review. Very precise very informative. This was the first unit that my friend purchased and is an excellent unit for someone just starting this Hobby. He did eventually upgrade to the t500 which is also an excellent unit. Still spirits makes very high quality products. An excellent choice

Thanks Christ for this review. Been looking for a review on this for ages for feints runs and smaller runs. Haven’t watched it yet but looking forward to watching.

I've had mine for about 7 years. Absolutely love it! It's ideal for me as I make wine and distill spirits in a small room within my basement that has no running water. It's a pain getting the bucket of water (for sugar wash) down there, but once there it's all good. I'm in Canada on 110v, every 4ltrs of fermented wash will take just under two and a half hours to produce 750ml of 55% ABV, then topped up to 1ltr with fresh water to produce approx 1ltr @ 40%ABV. I can produce up to 6 ltrs in a good day. I usually distill on a day where I'm sleeping between night shifts. It means I can set my timer for 2hrs 25 mins, go have a snooze, come back when the alarm goes and put another lot on. I run the finished product through a water filter 2-3 times and get a beautifully clean tasting batch of shine, all ready to add my favourite whisky and gin flavourings.

Very happy with mine. Using it for months. Well made and easy to use. Small footprint doesn’t take over the kitchen! I have put copper mesh in the nozzle.

For anyone who owns one, it can be greatly improved with a 2 gang electrical box, standard power cord, extra nema 5-15p cord, duplex outlet, and dimmer switch. Run the power cord to electrical box to supply power to the outlet. Clip the tabs on the side of the duplex outlet to make it a half hot/half switched outlet. Wire in the dimmer to the switched outlet. The other outlet is always on. Plug in the fan to the always on outlet and the heater to the switched outlet. You now have an air still with heat input control. Some people gone a bit more sophisticated with SCR's and PWM, but this method works plenty well enough unless you are going to install an internal temp probe to monitor the actual wash temp and want to have it automatically controlled to a set point. I've found that the heat input is a bit too much for higher ABV washes 10% or more in that it builds up more steam than can be removed through the cooling coil and the cooling coil is insufficient to condense that much when your ABV starts to get above 10%. With this controller box, you can lower the heat once you get to temp and even do 2nd distillations with this still. By controlling the heat input you never blow the lid off the top and you never waste distillate by it coming out as vapor. When doing lower ABV washes, you can always just remove the controller altogether for your stripping runs if you want because dimmers have some minor losses of power depending on the type.

@MostlyInteresting

2 жыл бұрын

Or just buy the

At the time I bought my Air Still it was the most affordable while I had no work during covid and I wasn't sure if I really wanted to get into distilling. The Air Still Mini Distillery kit ($365 AUD at the time I bought it) had everything except the water and sugar needed to have a successful first run. A year later I'm building a bigger 10 plate reflux still on a 35lt Digiboil temp controlled boiler. I found the air still a great introduction to distilling and still use it regularly for small runs of wash and experimentation. I found it a great value purchase.

Wow, I brought mines over a decade ago for actually distilling water. I didn't realize people use it for other things. My well water in my cabin was not good.

The gin basket is great for stuffing copper mesh netting, also the spigot coming out is also another great place to pack with copper mesh to help capture impurities like sulfides. Love the channel thanks for sharing the craft! Happy brewing/distilling!

@SmEiF-

2 жыл бұрын

oooo thats a great idea. im looking to buy one for test batches and to infuse my future spirits. wine maker now only. building a still site currently hope to have it ready before winter. top notch tennessee spring water thats bottled elsewhere down stream but runs thru my property. ive been blessed with that good tennessee whiskey making water so i gotta make likker lol.

@robertpettigrew9042

2 жыл бұрын

Where do you get copper mesh?

@Niknteen1

Жыл бұрын

@@robertpettigrew9042 pot scourers.. make sure its all copper though.

@jimmyhamilton1591

Жыл бұрын

Yeah I use copper saddles in the basket. It holds 100g nicely.

I got a air still very much like this to start out. Its adjustable and I thought I would be selling it once I got its bigger brother. Nope, love it. Everything Jessy mentioned is spot on. My 2 50L pots have their uses. But they need sooooooo much wash where this, 25L bucket, job done and experiments are so much fun.

Have one of the temperature controlled water distillers for a coouple years now. Works great when used with a motor speed controller, and a direct connection of the fan to 11v. Also use it as a cooker when making inverted sugar, or heating a mash. Wife likes it because it keeps me from making a mess in the kitchen.

Great video. I asked about this still a while back and am happy to hear your input before I make the purchase.

I've been using my for about 5 years now. Great product, very precise for timing and consistency in small batches. Works really well in small spaces, doesn't consume much power and is reliable.

@danieldanielson2650

2 жыл бұрын

Got one,too. Quite a bit evaporates in the process compared to water cooled stills

@truthseeker2275

2 жыл бұрын

May I ask you what you think of the idea of a tiny continuous hobby still that can produce 60% to 93%abv, basically instead of putting the wash into the pot you have a tube you put into your wash drum and a waste tube and a spout. Processing rate is about 1 L of wash a hour, but you can just let it run and do 200L in about a week with very little labour. I have been refining a larger still like this for about a year now and I can process 200L in two days, but I think it is too big for hobby use, So I redesigned it and I am testing a much scaled down version...What do you think of the idea, basically, I would appreciate some marketing feedback. Thanks p.s. cost about $200USD.

@danieldanielson2650

2 жыл бұрын

@@truthseeker2275 thar sounds superb, but how are you separating your wash from your alcohol continuously? Is there a picture or a schematic drawing to find somewhere? You could easily take 500-800usd if it functions well. But for me it sound rather not efficient enough in thr sense that quite a lot of alcohol is lost during the process,or it's rather difficult to fail in perfectly regarding different variables abv of the wash, cooling water, ambient temp and so on.

@truthseeker2275

2 жыл бұрын

@@danieldanielson2650 Thanks for the feedback, I want to aim it at the entry-level, but maybe two models, a bare-bones $200 DIY Kit and a $500 fully assembled with extras? It is air-cooled, and I have a controller PCB with wifi (my day job is in embedded electronics) that continuously track and tune the settings, you can monitor and adjust if from your phone. It is about the same footprint as the Airstill (200x200mm) but it stands thin and tall (1.5m) but it unscrews into 3 500mm sections for shipping and storage. I am working now on a github page with the details.

@danieldanielson2650

2 жыл бұрын

@@truthseeker2275 it sounds too good, to be honest. But good look, brother. If it works, like you described, that thing will sell like bananas. First introduce one simple version to meet Break even and not to overwhelm users with too many variables. Later on when business is running you can introduce the version with all the bells and whistles.

Looks extremely similar to my Megahome MH943S which is rated for 4L of liquid and has a higher power of 580W, which is fine for water, but maybe a bit too zealous for your spirit applications. It's worth mentioning that the Megahome has a vent hole in the condensing pipe for some reason. It's on the top of the coil right next to where the heat dissipation fins stop. If you tried doing spirits in it, that hole would lose a significant amount of useful ethanol vapour. Not such an issue for water distilling.

@StillIt

2 жыл бұрын

Nice, yeah I have tried another "water tuned" air still and it definitely had too much grunt for alcohol. But something with more power and the alteration you suggested in the other comment may be a solid option.

@AntoniNorman

2 жыл бұрын

@@StillIt Its the only way to go. If you get a cheap Vevor 750w distiller and a dimmer it works really well. Run the stripping run at 550w and the spirit run at 300w.

@psiloatlantis1246

2 жыл бұрын

@@AntoniNorman By dimmer you mean adjustable at the outlet?

@AntoniNorman

2 жыл бұрын

@@psiloatlantis1246 yeah just get a Adjustable Transformer and you could also get a watts meter but it isn't really needed, but it will be able to tell you how many watts you are using without having to guess.

@bigclivedotcom

2 жыл бұрын

@@psiloatlantis1246 An inline or outlet mounted dimmer for lighting loads. (It would have to be rated for the power of the still.)

Jesse you just hit the nail on the head! I picked up a water unit and it's suited my every need so far. I add a bit of copper mesh in the up tube in the lid and the downspout that way I can direct flow and get that long argued copper effect. Terrible for cooking from mash but a queen at reruns!

Thanks for revisiting this. I like the idea of this and the t500. Its great seeing you use both so I can make i formed decisions.

Thanks for this great review, at last an objective opinion on something that does have it's limitations but is great for experimentation. There are a lot of AirStill haters on social media but I think it's because they haven't given enough time to get to know how best to operate it or been patient with it. I purchased the AirStill just before Christmas last with the intention of easing myself into the hobby but then just after Christmas an unexpected boost to finances allowed me to get a T500 too so I now have both and believe it or not I haven't used either of them yet due to other commitments but it's given me time to do lots of research, your channel being a lot of it, before I take the plunge, which will be quite soon. I feel better informed for not jumping the gun without the knowledge. Thanks Jessie for all your great content.

I use this still all the time, I get 600mls a run, I distill early morning and one at night, 10 litres takes me around 6 days doing it at this, I love this still as I don't have water connected 🙃 yet. So this is perfect for me. It's light for me to move which is a plus as I'm an older lady. Love your videos. Awsome mate.

I have had one for a couple of years due to it's subtly given rules were I am and also space I have available (wish I had a shed for something bigger). It's been great for trying all sorts of new things and for learning as it was all new to me. And yes size can be a problem for large batches. I have done 30l vodka washes double distilled so that 5-6 stripping runs and two spirit runs which at 2.5-3hr per run adds up so it often takes me a week, but I get a decent product that I can use for other stuff. Gin is next on my list. Pretty happy with the few batches of rum I've tried so far and it's been great for experimenting with recipe tweaks with out large batch costs. The one other thing I would mention for second / spirit runs using higher ABV product is to use less than the 4l full line, probably no more than 3l. I forgot one time and put 4l in for a spirit runan had issues with the top wobbling and eventually flying off as the lid isn't secured, it just sits there.

Love your assessment of the air still, I have had mine for a few years, and love what comes out of it. I make loads of wine, and have used some of it to run through this. I have also run all grain mash through it, all with very good results. Yes, it takes a long time, yes I have the time especially on these long winter days in New England. I us ally save the first 750ml, put it in a 2 gallon bucket, and move on to next batch, usually around 45-50%. I then take the next 50 or so ml, and put them into a gallon jug... when I get the gallon filled, I run that through, and 65%.... then I just sit the assorted woods in it for a little bit and voila....whiskey....... or if it has a nice flavor as a clear, I dont do anything and just drink it as vodka. Keep up the good work on the videos...thanks

@SmEiF-

2 жыл бұрын

this is what i wanted to read. i make wine from local fruits and always wanted to know what would it be like if i ran it threw a still and finally building a still site but i want one of these anyhow for infusing and test batches but was curious how well it did with turning say a blackberry wine or muscadine wine into something with a bit more bite

@user-kb1hw2yq2f

Жыл бұрын

How do you make wine with this?

Just started watching your channel love it already ! I love the progression from no beard to full on zztop beard !

Great first step into distilling. Highly recommended for beginners. When the heater gives up and fries (and it will) don't throw it away. I rebuilt it into a thumper for my new 40L behemoth. It now runs a 25L wash in 6 hours on an induction hotplate. Best part of having it as a thumper is that you can choose what botanicals you want (if any), with the secondary distillation producing the finest spirit. Only downside is that you need extra space as it is a more permanent setup.

I started this hobby with a SS Airstill. I progressed through 2" reflux and 4" plated column. I still regularly use the Airstill for gin and macerations as you described, using well cut neutral. I would like to add 2 comments. Firstly, I often run the still through a power controller to slow the product output. This does require the use of a second power cord for the condenser. I use an old PC power supply cord connected straight to the condenser. I find this improves the quality of the product. Secondly, the unit is well suited to those who don't want huge quantities of booze. I really enjoy making and drinking my grog, but a 3 litre run of gin lasts me a loooong time. Cheers on another great vid Jesse.

You can fill the little flavor basket with spun copper as well. Good review!

I've had mine for years. I love it. I purchased mine across the pond as a water still (which I have used it for too - cheesemaking needs distilled water). Mine is a little different in that it comes with an adapter to make the spout longer, allows the use of activated charcoal for vodka and the like, has some minimal adjustment options, and takes the lower voltage mentioned in the video. Sidenote: we have 240v over here too, it's just not standard. You can buy a special breaker that will convert from 110/120 to 240v. Mine runs crazy fast on 240, but that has it's place too. Also, yes, some truck inverters can go over the 350w requirement. I would recommend a lot of people buy one of these, even if just for water. It seems like an essential bit of home equipment.

@ScottOrd

2 жыл бұрын

I hadn't considered that you could just run water through the still, cheers for the info!

Thank you.Honesty in very short supply these days! Much appreciated

Thanks for a thorough, and as always, delightful perspective! I have imbibed some of the product from mine, though the majority of the use it gets is for running sugar washes for high proof Ethyl I use in making herbal tinctures. It saves a huge amount of money rather than buying Everclear or whatever.

Been watching your channel for 4 wks now - and bought the 4l Vevor water still. Being a tinkerer I combined it with a 4kW SCR so I can run the fan at full speed just by connecting the mains to the fan plug directly and then control the heat by plugging the heater into the SCR. Did a Rum wash as first batch and am pretty happy with the result. Top notch start I'd say.

@chriswhitaker5362

2 жыл бұрын

I did the SAME thing and it works GREAT! I used a voltage controller from Brewhaus because I had one sitting around. Connected the fan directly to 110v for full cooling and dial back the voltage to the pot and the results are great!

@MostlyInteresting

2 жыл бұрын

I bought the one with the PID controller. Set it right above Meth and wait, set it right above eth and bobs yer uncle.

@grott3n0lm

2 жыл бұрын

Thanks for the information! Today i received my Vevor air still. I bought it because of Jesse's video and your comment. I don't regreat it! I'm waiting for the cable to connect the fan directly. My Vevo got a temperature controller. So everything's fine on that site. Did my first ever distilling run. My wash had about 13%. Set the Temperature at beginning to 87°C and placed the still an my balcony(ambient Temp about 0°C). The Vevo began dispatching 69% ABV Spirit...

@elektrobear2027

2 жыл бұрын

Same setup as me. 😀

I've used mine for several years and it's great for small or experimental batches. Only problem I had was the fan motor died. Got a replacement fan for an oven that fit after drilling out the fixing holes, been solid ever since. Working on a larger still now.

@angrypastabrewing

2 жыл бұрын

I have a water distiller but it’s not meant for alcohol distillation, yet it works just as good. Also my first distiller was a 3 gallon one

14:01 yes lower alcohol content going in means lower coming out. But then when you throw out the non-alcoholic stuff, you put the alcoholic stuff back in and run it again and you can keep doing this until you get around 187 proof. I used to make a clean wash, just sugar water yeast and distill that into white lightning. I bought the proper hygrometer and measured it on many batches. I could never get more than 187 proof although I'm amazed I was able to get that much , with that kind of a setup. That's giving you numbers like a reflux column, which I kind of think the condenser acts like.

I use one of these. You must double distill for the best result. I also let it heat for an hour before plugging the fan in and a fast yeast mix in the wash. I found running two wash buckets makes life easy.

I love my air still. It's just for fun and experiments but it works. No fuss, plug and play, I love it. Edit: single best pro of the air still, is simply the safety. I have an infant around so I don't want to use any gas for fear of vapors, gas leaking, or an open flame. The air still is amazingly safe, just keep out of reach of children and your golden.

@god910

2 жыл бұрын

I was thinking the same thing, but was curious… any time you have an environment with flammable/explosive vapor, we have a certification requirement for electronics (intrinsic safety). Do we know if this product is certified intrinsically safe? If not, it’s still definitely the safest option… but not necessarily wholly safe.

@chrisbarnes3864

2 жыл бұрын

@@god910 with no open flame, a sealed top, and even a relatively low temperature, it's far safer than any gas powered still. Unless there's a serious issue with the electrical outlet or power cable, there's basically no chance of a fire. Most dangerous part is if someone puts their hand on it during operation. I suppose you could burn yourself but that's about it.

@god910

2 жыл бұрын

@@chrisbarnes3864 Agreed, I was thinking of the fan. I know it’s borderline pedantic, was just curious if anyone knew if it was certified or not. No argument that it’s far and wide the safest option out there.

@chrisbarnes3864

2 жыл бұрын

@@god910 honestly, I haven't seen anything saying it is certified. Might have to look it up myself.

I was literally searching today for a review from you on this! I want to start out with this. I have a busy year so limited in time to invest. But after this air still if I am still interested I will go for the t500. Now I will watch the video😁😁

Thanks man. Really needed this review.

I've had the air still for 3 years, your video, I couldn't have come to a better conclusion myself. I've just stepped up a little to 23ltr all in one pot still, yeah!!! Oh bugger, that means I'll have to watch your videos, Mr Duncan and B+B again from the start. Can't wait, Happy distilling 😜😀

I've used a light dimmer on the pot cord to control the heat to slow it down a bit. then run the fan direct to the power instead of plugging into pot. keeping the condenser working at its peak. I also made the spigot copper 6 inches. and added a bad of copper inside. making small cuts now.

I have no plans of making my own grog but far out I could watch you all day very interesting 😌

I started brewing beer years ago. I liked the mini mash because it’s quick, fun and made the best beer money could buy. Same for the air still. I’m new to the spirits hobby and would love to see a how-to video for a basic airstill distillery keeping in mind the small space / minimalist approach.

I have been using one of these for a few years. It works great if you accept its limitations, and what it's intended for. I make rum and some other basic distillates. I use a simple electrical timer so I don't need to watch it constantly, it takes about 3 hours to run a gallon of wash, and in that time I will end up with approximately a liter of product, so you will spend most of a weekend to distill 5 gallons of wash, usually I distill it twice.

As I am searching for a still for my sailboat, this looks great and doesn't take up as much room as my last still. Thanks for sharing!

@hukaman88

2 жыл бұрын

A still in your sailboat? My dude what is your life?

@BESHYSBEES

2 жыл бұрын

What will we do with a drunken sailor? What will we do with a drunken sailor? What will we do with a drunken sailor? Early in the morning! Way hay and up she rises Way hay and up she rises Way hay and up she rises Early in the morning! Shave his belly with a rusty razor Shave his belly with a rusty razor Shave his belly with a rusty razor Early in the morning! Way hay and up she rises Way hay and up she rises Way hay and up she rises Early in the morning! Put him in a long boat till his sober Put him in a long boat till his sober Put him in a long boat till his sober Early in the morning! Way hay and up she rises Way hay and up she rises Way hay and up she rises Early in the morning! Stick him in a scupper with a hosepipe bottom Stick him in a scupper with a hosepipe bottom Stick him in a scupper with a hosepipe bottom Early in the morning! Way hay and up she rises Way hay and up she rises Way hay and up she rises Early in the morning! Put him in the bed with the captains daughter Put him in the bed with the captains daughter Put him in the bed with the captains daughter Early in the morning! Way hay and up she rises Way hay and up she rises Way hay and up she rises Early in the morning! That's what we do with a drunken sailor That's what we do with a drunken sailor That's what we do with a drunken sailor Early in the morning! Way hay and up she rises Way hay and up she rises Way hay and up she rises Early in the morning! Way hay and up she rises Way hay and up she rises Way hay and up she rises Early in the morning!

@royvaningh6452

2 жыл бұрын

@@BESHYSBEES yea 🤔 you took your time for this one😂

@mdtransmissionspecialties

2 жыл бұрын

@@hukaman88 have you not heard of sea aged..? 🤦🏻‍♂️

You can adjust the power in them by connecting the condenser unit directly to an outlet and using an SCR to control the pot

@arealcanadian419

2 жыл бұрын

Probably have to run separate power to the fan if you do that.

@beyamoth

2 жыл бұрын

@@arealcanadian419 yup, just plug it into another power output via an adapter

I just started distilling, and I bought an air still from Amazon for 120 CDN, and it has an adj. temperature setting... Didn't want to spend hundreds on a 500 without knowing if I can do it :) Nice to see this !!

@brainrussell6811

2 жыл бұрын

Good thing you got it when you did... it's currently $228 USD on Amazon!

I have the mophorn air still from Amazon Got it about 4 years ago and It has digital Adjustable temperature. I’ve distilled wine, mash and spirits. Even used it for extracting essential oils. I Highly recommend it for the price

Just purchased one from Adventures In Home Brewing. I had been inches from pulling the trigger on a really nice reflux setup from Mile High but I chickened out at the last minute because of the cost and confidence that I'd use it / get interested enough to justify the cost. After your review and a little looking around, I think this is the right choice to get in at a low cost and have a tool that is usefull through my growth, or, maybe I discover this is all I need... Cha, as if... Thanks again.

We made a lot of tast extracts with it. 1 liter neutral with around 40 grams of a herb sit for a week or 2. You will get a super stong taste. Now we have 20 separate herbs in 500ml bottles at 80%. You can use like 3 drops of few diferent herb bottle in a glas with a neutral wodka to design a gin. This allows you to test combinations very fast. Then calculate back to the herbs and do a 1 liter test with the actual herbs. If it comes out great you can have a go on to the big still.

I've had my air still for months now and I love it. Depending on what yeast you use and how much sugar you used in your wash, it usually comes off the still between 110 proof (55% ABV) and 160 proof (80% ABV). I use a zero water filtering system to filter my alcohol with after dilution. The carbon filtering kit is extremely good but it's also extremely slow too. The still comes with a bottle of anti foaming agent and some small raschig rings which work extremely well. It takes 50 to 55 minutes before you start collecting anything and I throw out the first 30 ML's (1 US Fluid Ounce) and I collect around 900 ML's (just under 1 US Quart) of spirit before unpluging it. To complete 1 run it takes about hours.

@motog4-75

Жыл бұрын

Stephen Davidson you may need to check what you wrote & edit it.

@diezelvh4133

Жыл бұрын

You need some sort of copper to collect harmful sulfides and other impurities. Be careful.

I've been using mine for about a year now. For what it is, it's great. Compact, easy to use and store in an apartment. I tend to make my washes in 2 gallon batches at 13%, and with generous cuts, I can consistently get about a 750 ml bottle's worth from each run at a good drinking ABV. usually around 55%. I usually run a 1.5X distillation for simplicity's sake (strip half the wash and add it to the other half for the final run) , though if I do a 5 gallon run, I'll do a full double distillation. My end results have been pretty good, and it's great for tinkering.

@tury315

Жыл бұрын

So you make whiskey? Moonshine? Reply to me so we can talk please ...

@darkgoth69

Жыл бұрын

@@tury315 What ABV would you get after a higher strength wash, like 23%?

Works fine on 110V circuit here in the US. FYI a 20amp (standard outlet in US using 12 guage wires) circuit can supply 1500 -1750 watts without stress. This is at 340 watts.

@everydayden5826

2 жыл бұрын

Yes, at 340 watts you can expect a 2.8 amp draw using these machines on 120V which as you suggest is absolutely no problem on either a 15 or a 20 amp outlet. For you at home that don't understand how there numbers are derived, ( V ) Volts x ( A) Amps = Watts. W/V will yield Amps, etc. Have no fear, Craig is absolutely right.

@Stacy_Smith

2 жыл бұрын

Well the U.S. is 120vac @60hz so...

I have never done this before and that is why I got this, I just did my first run last week. I am really excited for this journey, and this new chapter in life. PS Kiwi here

@StillIt

7 ай бұрын

Awesome mate welcome to the craft!!

Great review! Thanks. Would love to see a big alembic still in your shop one day!!

Bought my air still a couple years ago and love it. I have tried a bunch of recipes and techniques so far. My out put has been VODKA - which had a distinct aftertaste that it should not have had but is not noticeable in a Bloody Mary or Daiquiri; RUM -which was too much work in a 5 gal wash to be worth doing again and BRANDY - first from a cheap gallon of store bought wine (results were pretty darn good after aging), from homemade peach beer and peach beer wine that was too alcoholic for to drink straight (which is/was fantastic after 6 months aging with oak and cherry,) and from homemade blueberry wine, is now aging. Unfortunately - as I age - the cost of the hangover consuming my own brandy is getting higher all the time - but I will be making more rum from a simpler recipe & process in a few weeks. I can take the pain if the product is as good as I expect.

My dad had a still ( stainless steel, running water needed ) back in the 1960's. Memories.

I have a 8 gal reflux still and I use this to flavor my neutral spirits I get from it. Super convenient setup and size.

Thanks, Jesse, I don’t have this still but I DO have an “Air Still”. I hate the whole mess of running water through a condenser. So I have an air condenser. No it does not condense air. It’s a copper pipe with fins, like a heat register on your house. Bolt it on the pot, aim a fan at it, and you are done. Heat your pot on a hot plate with a cheap PWM controller or use a conduction plate, and away you go. Takes 5 minutes to set up. No, it’s not as easy as your wee still and it costs a little more and there is a little DIY, but it was my first still. The air condenser does fine with a 115 volt, 1,300 watt heat source and a five gallon batch of grain wash. Cheers!

Fantastic review brother. You hit all points. I’ve been all in for awhile so had to get an Air Still myself for my hobby It’s 110v , power issue is not an issue for me and I use it to do test runs on already distilled goodies plus it’s so small my wife has not a dam thing about it sitting on the kitchen counter. Working on second distillations of home made sake Spoiler alert. Not very good. Yet. Thank you!

Thanks for the video and the information you so frequently share with the community, in South Africa we have a version of the air still sold by Distillique, a magic little set up, just like the airstill but with a temp control, I.e. the element switches off at a set temperature, handy for stripping runs and I use it for rum too. The power input is not adjustable though, and the liquid temperature is used rather than the vapore, good it your using it to sous vide or to heat milk for yogurts (I would advise keeping the milk in a second container and heating water in the still) but I prefer vapore temp control for stilling

Had one of these years ago, bought to experiment with making artisanal/medicinal liqueurs, and I absolutely loved my "vomiting dalek". I used to buy cheap vodka from the supermarket, pass it through the still, and dilute back down - the first time was appalled by the colour of what was left in the still afterwards, from what had looked like something pure and clear, the dregs smelled like boiled week-old urine from a diseased old horse, with added vinegar. The stuff from the shop was rough, barely drinkable; from the still watered back down it was like fine velvet.

@MrNoPuppet

2 жыл бұрын

This is about the most beautiful description of dregs I've ever heard. Thank you for the laugh 🤣🤣

Great Video!!! I Bought s Still Spirits Air Still a couple years back right before Covid lockdown. Had lot's of time to perfect a recipe for Polish potato vodka. In 2+ years, I have done about 5 runs of 6 gallons of potato wash (30 gallons) which produced 5 ea 4.2 liters of 45-50% ABV product. Friends who know vodka - especially Polish friends - say this is absolutely the best vodka they have ever had. For sipping only! Too good for mixing! Use Grey Goose or Takka for that.

I've just invested in the air still. I heard of the product through your channel. Hi from Australia, I'm currently making distilled water for proofing down. Ive made beer many times yet this is my 1st time with yeast nutrient and carbon stuff. I'm not convinced it's necessary but it came with the kit so I'm trying it and now I get why it comes with a clearing agent. I used some cask wine my first go a few days ago and it went from 10% abv to 30%abv and being a fruity wine it retained most of the flavour and blended with a rye whiskey essence it's perfect for me as I only drink 2 or 3 in a month. Mostly, I'm looking forward to making essential oils

I've only seen big stills with the multiple pot setups before, and hearing that those are pretty dangerous to inexperienced people has kept me away, but a plug&play still like this definitely has me interested in picking up the hobby. I'm in the US though, so it's definitely going to be used for something like vinegar, not alcohol that I already make for myself...

@CumGoblin4000

Жыл бұрын

Is it good for making vodka?

I've got one for distilling water for my CPAP, ice, and other things you'd need or want distilled water for (I'm in the US, and our alcohol distilling laws are ... sigh). But for water, it works great, and I highly recommend it! In my experience, it's been pretty plug-and-play.

For me it was the reason to get into the hobby, I can just get it from the cupboard, put it on the counter and go. Any more fuss would stop me from getting started. And yes, they actually advertise that you can use it in your boat or camper :D

Great vid ! You can power it through a SCR or PWM like George builds. It pulls 6a.wide open and at 5a. it is perfect for a spirit run and reasonable cuts. Even with the reduced power and slower fan speed, the condenser knocks it down nicely. Or so I've heard.

@ArcticBreaze

2 жыл бұрын

when you use a scr or pwm only plug it into the element, a standard jug (computer)cord fits into the fan lead leaving the fan at full speed. I have a water distiller, same shape but more watts so good for stripping runs. then turn it down for final run. it works out just as quick as my t500

AND the ones with PID control can double as a Sous Vide, baby bottle warmer, ban marie. Any thing were you need a hot water bath. Leave the top off and set the temp.

I use the glass beaker & proof is as it comes off. I love mine. I put copper bits in the botanical screen.

I have just bought one of these off ebay: VEVOR 4L Water Distiller Distilled Water Maker w/ Dual Temp Display White 750W. It works pretty good so far. Oh I also have a reflux so this was bought to fiddle with. I had some pink apple cider that I did not like and ran that. It is now sitting on some toasted apple wood! Cheerds

You should have a drip cap that snaps into the spout to help with the drip. Mine came with it and it works fine check with still spirits it will solve your problem of drip splatter. Good honest review. Have you heard from George. I miss his posts.

Thank you for the review. In looking to purchase an air still I have found two versions. One version shows 120 volts while the other is 320 watts. Which version would be preferable? Both seem to get the job done but I’m sure one is better for distillation.

I have a similar one made for making distilled water... it has a temperature control. It is really nice.

Always a great video, ya I got the adjustable temp one and it is awesome helps to be able to get the spirit out at different temps instead of just running it hot being able to start the run at 80°c and end at 100°c makes a big difference in flavor. Only other difference is mine is a 1gal not 1.14 gal to fill it up. And I owe you big time for the butter trick to stop it from puking

@amuppetindubai

2 жыл бұрын

I have the same unit and have been having big problems with a really horrible taste sitting in the background, over riding all the flavours. I started with an 8% pineapple wine that tasted good enough on its own, but the result was bitter both in the spirit and what was left in the still. Can't work out where I went wrong

I would say its good for pre party prep for custom drinks you could also use type 3A molecular sieves to strip water from the ethanol after distillation

So I just tried replacing the copper and SS pieces in the column with copper mesh. The ABV was exactly the same. I do believe the taste of the spirit was close to what comes out of a copper column. The main benefit was the ease of cleaning. I used needle nose pliers to remove the mesh in less than 15 seconds, which is much easier than trying to dump all the little pieces that came with the still.

I used the air still to start out before I got a reflux still. Good review 😁

I have bin using this for last 10 years its amazing and after sum small tweaks😁😁 its amazing and i get up to 88- 90 % alcohol with my experience

If you use a transformer to take it down from 240v to 110v or if you only have 110v you will find that you can get 5% more abv from your spirit run and the cuts will be less smeared (somewhat) But, it doesn’t take just half as long, it takes like 5x as long. Additionally, while I have not distilled on the grain, I have used fruit and thrown it all in together without scorching (at full power)

I usually do 1-5 gallon batches of fruit or veg based washes with garden surplus (Runner beans, pea pod, rhubarb). Absolutely takes and age to run 1 gallon batches, then combine two batch of low wines with water and run again but it's something I can plug in and leave then come back at a set time and collect my product. Discard about 200ml of the second batch just because I'm paranoid about methanol, filter through an activated charcoal water filter and then age in a gallon jar on oak barrel chips to produce a very passable whisky clone (I run final aged product through coffee filters before dilution to around 40 percent). Not efficient time wise but it's tidy and takes no time to clear away. Maybe when the last of the kids vacates I'll have a spare room and get myself a larger set up.

@cptreech

2 жыл бұрын

Oh yeah, and it pukes ridiculously with a grain or even a malt extract wash so I'd forget that unless you want to run half full.

I have one similar it does have a thermostat it works great for small batches it works great with 110 volts no problems. I use it for test runs or redistilling small batches of stuff. The liquid comes out a little hot in temp. I would recommend one.

I have one "not an airstill" I got from Amazon. It is basically just a water distiller but this one had stainless steel inside and out with no plastic spout. 650 watt with adjustable temperatures. I got some addons to enhance it and make it better. Since the heat is so slow with turning off and on the temp setting isn't really any help. So I got a wattage meter to know what it is pulling, then I also bought a voltage regulator. With those two items it works beautifully and I keep the wattage at about 330 for a slow and steady drip. I love it when I am making an experimental batch of "distilled water."

Ive looked at the vevor models they have adjustable temp and cost 100-150$(US) great video as always ..i think the easr of them is the big draw as you dont have to worry about babysitting the temp as much ..

I'm on 110/120 power here in the States, it works great for what it is. Nearly perfect for a slow spirit run. I use it for the same thing you do mainly experimenting and trying different things.

@ericgruendl8051

2 жыл бұрын

What's the approximate run time?

@LackoFarms

2 жыл бұрын

@@ericgruendl8051 it varies depending on how full the still is, and temperature of what is in It. I would guess 30-40 mins before it starts to run out on average and then 30-40+ until tails give or take

@ericgruendl8051

2 жыл бұрын

Awesome! Thank you for the quick response.

@LackoFarms

2 жыл бұрын

@@ericgruendl8051 you are welcome

Ive got one that has temperature adjustment,is sold as water distiller and does a great job at that also

@jasonmiddleton1337

2 жыл бұрын

Mine is a mophorn,fully adjustable and comes with water catch for distilled water

I actually got rid of my T500 as it was just a pain in the arse with the water flow during distilling even after I bought the regulator for the water. I got the Air Still and haven't been happier it works great for me, so much so I just upgraded to the Air still Pro Head unit. I should clarify that the pro head unit is both a pot still and reflux still giving you the best of both uses. Game changer for me. I highly recommend both units but for me the Air Still is where I'm staying.

The stickers on your sleeve are priceless...makes me miss the days when my kids were young...or was that your version of accessorizing? 😂

i love my little air still especially because i mainly do 25l washes with my alembic t500 and don't have the patients to build up enough low wines to run back through it so the air still is perfect in that situation

Recently I started using a similar device advertised as a "Water Distiller" however the one I wanted not only had adjustable temp ranges both in F and C but one even had a different gauge to show actual liquid temp so I can set the temp and as well see the actual liquid temp at any given time. I am just now experimenting with this but so far it seems to work very well as I only make small amounts for my personal use anyway the limited capacity is not such a big issue. The Vevor Water Distiller Water Filter 4l with dual read out temps was sold out so I got the one with only the adjustable temp settings for now and for about 90 Euro and can be ordered for both 110 and 220 volt seems a fairly good compromise.

@danielgodfrey4415

2 жыл бұрын

I like using C when making moonshine, I hate using F. I wonder if I could make better cuts if mine had a F setting. My cuts are by degrees in C

I like the air still also for the small batch gins i do. It was my first still and yep due to the size i had to quickly upgrade. It is excellent as a secondary still to my 100L bubbler.

@expattyNZ

2 жыл бұрын

Exactly the same here. Use the 100l for big batch and neutral and the air still on the coffee table for gins and things.

I actually went cheap and bought a water distiller and bought a multi switch for the top fan and bottom boiler, it allows me to run rhe fan at full speed while setting the boiler to a low heating power. Whole setup cost around $70

I agree with you completely. I prop my catch basin up as well. It is excellent for beginners like me and what you pay. If a person wants do more, then expect to pay more. I accidently bought one with your power plug and spent another $300 for a power converter and it works great. Still, pardon the pun, worth it. I have only made a rye whiskey with it once and it was fine and I was careful to throw out the first 50mL to avoid methanol. I stick to a sugar wash, so no worry.