Is spirit making natural?
Yes. People have been making spirits for hundreds of years, and distilled beverages first appeared in Europe in the 12th century. The Still Spirits process involves the controlled manufacture of alcohol from a known mix of natural nutrients, being sugar and yeast. The distillate is then cleaned with activated carbon to remove unwanted flavours, producing a smooth tasting spirit.
Is it safe and legal to make my own spirits?
Distilling is a long established craft, and following the instructions produces a clean spirit with fewer by-products and impurities than many commercial sources.
In Australia, owning and using a still is legal. A still of 5 litres or less needs no permission at all, which covers the Air Still and Air Still Pro. Above 5 litres you apply to the ATO for still permission, which is free. Distilling water, essential oils and botanical extracts needs no licence at all. Distilling spirit requires an excise manufacturer licence from the ATO, also free to apply for. Full detail is in our guide to the ATO rules for home distilling.
You can also skip distilling entirely. Adding an essence to a bought bottle of neutral spirit produces the same finished spirit or liqueur with no distillation involved, and plenty of our customers work this way. A low-priced vodka or gin is ideal as the base. Our essence range covers spirits, liqueurs and schnapps.
How long will it take me to make each batch of spirits?
There are a lot of variables, so a definitive answer is not possible. Depending on the kind of still you have and the type of yeast and nutrients you are using, and based on the EZ Filter carbon process, you can be drinking your own spirits within 7 days.
Which is better, a reflux still or a pot still?
All stills collect alcohol from the wash at varying strengths, and the total amount collected depends on how much is present in your wash. Reflux stills collect less alcohol by volume but at much higher strength. Alcohol should always be watered down to below 50% ABV before filtering.
After filtering and diluting, the total amount of finished alcohol should be roughly the same whichever still you have used. A high-purity reflux configuration sacrifices around 5% on total quantity to achieve the cleanest result.
The practical difference is flavour, not yield. A pot still keeps character from the wash, which suits whisky, rum and brandy. A reflux still strips it out for a clean neutral base, which suits vodka and gin. See our T500 reflux and alembic pot still ranges.
If I add more sugar to my wash will I get more alcohol?
Possibly, but it is important not to add more sugar than the recipe or the manufacturer recommends, as yeast varieties are made and selected for different properties. A yeast that ferments rapidly may not be very tolerant of alcohol, so adding too much sugar can leave unfermented sugar in the wash.
Too much sugar can also cause the wash to froth during distilling, which is best avoided. Most spirit yeasts and nutrients have a recipe printed on the pack, so select the yeast that best suits your needs.
What most influences the quality I can achieve?
- The type of still. Pot stills collect and condense all the condensate from boiling. Reflux stills have a separate chamber that further purifies the vapour before condensing, producing a distillate with fewer impurities and a cleaner spirit.
- The degree of carbon treatment and type of carbon. Always use a reputable carbon designed for the job, as charcoal varies greatly in quality. Some distillers run the spirit through the filter two or three times to improve smoothness.
- The type of wash. Use a high quality yeast and nutrient and hold the correct fermentation temperature. A poor wash cannot be fixed later in the process.
- Storing and ageing. Resting spirit in glass in a cool dark place mellows it over time. You can replicate barrel character by adding oak chips or spirals and letting it rest.
- The final alcohol percentage. The strength you dilute to has a significant effect on how the finished spirit tastes.
For best results, Still Spirits recommends not drinking spirit at more than 40% alcohol by volume. Always dilute to drinking strength before consuming. Spirit straight off a reflux still can exceed 90% ABV and should never be drunk undiluted. See pack details for dilution guidance.
Will I make methanol when I distil?
When distilling Still Spirits Turbo products you may produce extremely small quantities of by-products such as methanol, because you are fermenting sugar with a known yeast and nutrient mix. This comes off in the first portion of distillate, which is separated and discarded as the heads.
Fruit-based washes carry more pectin and therefore more potential methanol than sugar or grain washes, so they warrant more care with cuts. Whatever the wash, always discard the foreshots and follow the manufacturer instructions for your still.
Why don’t I have to age my spirit like commercial distilleries?
Following the Still Spirits method you make alcohol from pure sugar, turbo yeast, carbon and drinkable water, which produces a very clean spirit. You then add an essence to replicate the character of your favourite whisky, bourbon, rum or gin, so ageing is not necessary.
Commercial ageing exists largely because cheaper raw materials produce a rougher spirit that needs time, and often oak, to smooth out. Starting from a clean sugar wash removes that requirement.
Can I distil beer in an Air Still or T500?
Yes, though you are likely to get a lot of volatiles in the distillation. For beer distillation we recommend the alembic pot still.
Can I add salt to the wash to raise the boiling point?
Salt will not make any meaningful difference to what boils off or when. Distilling is different to boiling a pot of water on a stove top, as the amount of energy applied to the wash determines how much vapour is produced.
Does a more advanced still produce purer alcohol?
Yes. A high-purity reflux configuration removes more impurities than a standard reflux still, giving a more polished result, though the final yield is around 8% lower. If both spirits were diluted to the same strength, the one from the higher-purity still would be noticeably cleaner.
How much alcohol do I discard from each batch?
Methanol and the other most volatile compounds come off the still first, so they are easily separated and discarded, and the change is observable in the vapour temperature. A simple rule of thumb is to discard the first 50ml you collect on a 25 litre wash.
How do I measure the strength of my alcohol?
You need an alcoholmeter, a small float with a scale on it. The more alcohol present, the lower the density of the liquid, so the float sits lower. Read the strength off the scale and dilute accordingly. Ours are in the testing and measuring range.
