Amazing Plastic Still Clever Method of Making Spirit.pdf

The Amazing Plastic Still

A clever method of making spirit

PREVIEWTEXT

First Edition – 021211

friends. The contents must not be altered.

The latest version of this book can always be downloaded from:

www.amazingstill.com

The amazing still has many advantages compared to the usual home

distillation apparatus

•

It is simple to make – takes only a couple of hours to assemble.

No welding or difficult work is required.

•

It is inexpensive to make.

•

Odour-free when it is working.

•

Does not need cooling water so it ca be used anywhere.

•

Small – easy to hide away, even when it is working.

•

Makes good alcohol.

•

Easy to dismantle.

Does this appear too good to be true?

Not at all, read on and you will understand how it is done!

IMPORTANT!

Before you build and use a still, ensure that you check the law in

your country. Distillation as a hobby is illegal in certain

countries.

Better than the usual apparatus

Many different types of plans for hobby stills exist but almost all have difficult

components in common. They are welded together using expensive stainless steel.

Some have electronically controlled electric elements. When they are in operation

they need cooling water. The process gives rise to smells, and the cooling water can

cause turbulence in the plumbing which can alert the neighbours to what is going on.

Leaving a still without supervision can be worrying – tubes can come adrift, water

can be cut off.

Unfortunately out comes a pungent but otherwise strong spirit, which must be purified

several times through active carbon before it is a good product. Often the still is incorrectly

constructed, working well below its optimum function.

Does that sound as though I am sceptical about ordinary hobby stills? No, not at all,

it gives great pleasure in producing ones own alcohol, to ensure the apparatus

functions optimally and give better spirit. However, for the normal consumer the

traditional still is unnecessarily difficult. There is no reason to have a still that gives

10 litres per brew when you only need one bottle for the weekend. This is the reason

I have designed a still ideal for domestic use.

This is how it works:

25-litre food-

grade container .

Immersion heater.

Air in the vessel

becomes saturated.

False bottom.

45-50 °C

Heated mash.

Spirit is collected in

the bottom of the

vessel.

Condensation runs down

side of 25-litre vessel.

The principle is simple. In a 25-litre vessel an ordinary 10 litre plastic bucket

containing mash is placed (Mash is what one makes the alcohol from, one can call it

a wine without fruit, but more about that later). The lid is placed on the vessel

shutting in the 10-litre bucket. The mash in the 10-litre bucket is heated with an

immersion heater to 45-50 degrees C. The air in the 25 litre vessel becomes saturated

with water and alcohol vapour. After a short while the spirit and water vapour

condenses in the inside of the 25 litre vessel and runs down to the bottom. That’s it!

It is no more difficult than that. The alcohol that condenses out has strength of 35-

40% which is the usual strength of commercial spirits. It is possible to make several

different versions of the apparatus to give higher strengths, but more of that later.

The quality is good, but not absolutely perfect. A little purification with activated

carbon is required, and I will explain about that later. Compared with the quality one

get from a usual still, this is much better. If one holds 50 degrees C in the mash, one

gets about one litre per 24 hours, which should suffice for the most thirsty

individual. 45 degrees C produces a better quality but at a slower rate. The idea of

saturating the air with water and alcohol vapour and allow it to condense is not new,

but as far as I know no apparatus exists that is as simple as this to make.

How to make a plastic still, step by step:

Wine fermentation vessels can be bought in many outlets. These containers are usually

of 30 litre capacity but are usually called 25 litre wine containers or fermentation

vessels.

In the bottom of the 25-litre container

something should be placed to raise

up the 10 litre container a bit. This

should be a container of some sort. I

have used a 10-litre bucket that I have

cut down to make it about 60 mm

high. It is wide and gives good

support. Remember, it must be

something that is alcohol proof, e.g.

food grade plastic (PP or PE plastic),

stainless steel or ceramics. Plastic

items are usually stamped with the

type of plastic they are made from.

A 60 mm high item is about right.

Use a white or transparent plastic

item to be on the safe side, ensuring it

contains no toxic colours.

Make sure there is a hole in the item you intend to use so it does not float when alcohol

runs down in the bottom of the 25-litre container. I have cut a little hole in the 10-litre

vessel I am going to use as a support.

Over this support I have placed

plastic disc. This is cut from the lid of

a fermentation vessel. Cut the disc so

that there are as small gaps as

possible round the edge. The disc

should be 320 mm in diameter. In the

picture one can see I have cheated a

bit, but it gives an idea of how

accurate it should be. The disc is there

to separate the alcohol from the air in

the vessel. A nice touch is to order a

glass disc from a glazier. This should

be more than 4 mm thick and have a

diameter of 317 mm with bevelled

edges for safety. Cost about 15 Euros.

Such a disc gives a bottom plate that

is a perfect fit. Remember to place it high enough to give a tiny gap all round for the

alcohol to run past.

Here is a picture showing the

container from the side with a glass

disc. There should be 5 litres capacity

for the alcohol in the bottom. As the

fermenting vessel has volume

graduation on the outside it is easy to

see how high the disc should be

placed.

Now is the time to put the 10

litre container in the 25-litre

container. The 10-litre

container can be obtained

anywhere. It does not have to

be exactly as shown in the

picture. The 10-litre vessel

should be filled with 8 – 9

litres of mash. Preferably use a

white container if you are

unsure if it has food quality

approval.

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