How to get Highest Proof With Air Still?

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BUORT
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How to get Highest Proof With Air Still?

Post by BUORT »

I'm a noob looking for a little guidance. I should also mention that I'm disabled and have difficulty with reading and writing so please bare with me.
I have a Still Spirits Turbo Air Still, yes I know its not that great but I'm in a remote location for the next 6 months so that's what I've got. Anywho...I have an air still and two 60oz bottles of store bought vodka @ 40% abv which I would like to make as strong as possible. I've seen posts saying that 160 proof is the upper limit for a pot still so can someone please outline the basic procedure to get as close to this as possible with off the shelf booze? Thanks!

BTW this is not for direct human consumption.
Klein
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Re: How to get Highest Proof With Air Still?

Post by Klein »

Well for safety you should not put more then 40%abv in a boiler & that's what you have. So just put that in and run it. Make your cuts and that's about as high as your going to get with your air still(what ever the abv of your heart cut is).
Klein
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Re: How to get Highest Proof With Air Still?

Post by Klein »

But I don't see the point in buying an air still and buying then rerunning store bought vodka... seems like a waste of money.
miket
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Re: How to get Highest Proof With Air Still?

Post by miket »

I don't know the finished proof but people are extracting essential oils with everclear (190)and running them and getting some of the everclear back.

They say they do that inside the house, sound dangerous as hell but I don't know. I have only used mine to make water so far.
Granny goes to make organic herbal cat flea medicine for her cat and blows the roof off the house.

I just don't trust loading a thing like that with full strength spirits. Not inside the house anyway.
BUORT
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Re: How to get Highest Proof With Air Still?

Post by BUORT »

Klein wrote:Well for safety you should not put more then 40%abv in a boiler & that's what you have. So just put that in and run it. Make your cuts and that's about as high as your going to get with your air still(what ever the abv of your heart cut is).
Thanks...I assume I can dilute and run the heads & tails a 2nd time or is it not worth bothering?

Klein wrote:But I don't see the point in buying an air still and buying then rerunning store bought vodka... seems like a waste of money.
I'm pretty remote so I would have to fly alcohol in and high proof is considered dangerous goods...$$$ A bottle of everclear 190 would cost me more than the air still so my Brother suggested I try the route I'm on now. Didn't do any research because I'm 1 step above idiot these days but now regret it. My wife uses high proof to make extracts and candy so I only need maybe 500ml to fill her needs for the next 6 months. At this point I'm thinking it might be easier to just get a new wife. lol
BTW I bought the vodka years ago. I rarely drink anymore...maybe 5 or 6 drinks a year. Not an alkie just seen too many deaths/suicides from alcohol which took the enjoyment out of it for me.
I hope that explains the mystery. lol

miket wrote:I don't know the finished proof but people are extracting essential oils with everclear (190)and running them and getting some of the everclear back.

They say they do that inside the house, sound dangerous as hell but I don't know. I have only used mine to make water so far.
Granny goes to make organic herbal cat flea medicine for her cat and blows the roof off the house.

I just don't trust loading a thing like that with full strength spirits. Not inside the house anyway.
Crazy right! Well my Brother who suggested this rig to me does exactly that and has been for going on 2 years. He reclaims his 190 proof this way and says he only loses 10% so his everclear lasts 10x longer. He does just like you said and runs it in his kitchen, which has a propane stove, with a window open. He also puts a tension strap across the lid so it can't pop off or burp which to me could make things worse if there was an ignition source...like that propane stove! He spent 25yrs around explosives and ammo so he won't listen to me. Sometimes too much knowledge or the illusion of it can be more dangerous than having none at all. IDK maybe when everclear is diluted with essential oils its below 40% abv...? Seems odd to be able to do this indoors for so long and not have an issue. Even flipping a light switch or plugging something in creates a spark so it baffles me doing this indoors that he hasn't turned himself into Freddy Krueger yet.


Ok so now what? This air still appears to be potentially useless for my purpose and a reflux still would be overkill for a guy that only needs a gallon a year so are there any other options? Thanks!
emptyglass
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Re: How to get Highest Proof With Air Still?

Post by emptyglass »

sorry to say, I dont think the air still will fill your needs.

There are some compact, cheap, safe column still designs here that will give you what you want, and the best bit is you wont need to buy in vodka, you can make a simple sugar wash for a few bux.

Just depends on how much you want to fill your wifes needs.

Have a look at some of the "stickies" in the column section.
You design it, I make it. Copper and Stainless. Down under. PM me.
Pikey
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Re: How to get Highest Proof With Air Still?

Post by Pikey »

The AIrstill is a little pot-still, it will do pretty much what every other pot still will do, even if it is a bit more fiddly.

It is low wattage electric which some regard as safer than propane for our purposes.

If a little pot still will do what you want, this one is as good as any for small quantities.
BUORT
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Re: How to get Highest Proof With Air Still?

Post by BUORT »

emptyglass wrote:sorry to say, I dont think the air still will fill your needs.

There are some compact, cheap, safe column still designs here that will give you what you want, and the best bit is you wont need to buy in vodka, you can make a simple sugar wash for a few bux.

Just depends on how much you want to fill your wifes needs.

Have a look at some of the "stickies" in the column section.

Unfortunately this is not what I was lead to believe so I told my wife last night to find a new hobby...hasn't spoke to me since. At first I thought it was a good thing but now I'm not so sure now. Pissed off and in trouble...good times! lol
Klein
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Re: How to get Highest Proof With Air Still?

Post by Klein »

BUORT wrote:
emptyglass wrote:sorry to say, I dont think the air still will fill your needs.

There are some compact, cheap, safe column still designs here that will give you what you want, and the best bit is you wont need to buy in vodka, you can make a simple sugar wash for a few bux.

Just depends on how much you want to fill your wifes needs.

Have a look at some of the "stickies" in the column section.

Unfortunately this is not what I was lead to believe so I told my wife last night to find a new hobby...hasn't spoke to me since. At first I thought it was a good thing but now I'm not so sure now. Pissed off and in trouble...good times! lol
Wow.... was it that expensive to just get some everclear?
Pikey
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Re: How to get Highest Proof With Air Still?

Post by Pikey »

Klein wrote:
BUORT wrote:
emptyglass wrote:sorry to say, I dont think the air still will fill your needs.

There are some compact, cheap, safe column still designs here that will give you what you want, and the best bit is you wont need to buy in vodka, you can make a simple sugar wash for a few bux.

Just depends on how much you want to fill your wifes needs.

Have a look at some of the "stickies" in the column section.

Unfortunately this is not what I was lead to believe so I told my wife last night to find a new hobby...hasn't spoke to me since. At first I thought it was a good thing but now I'm not so sure now. Pissed off and in trouble...good times! lol
Wow.... was it that expensive to just get some everclear?
YES - if you read the thread :)
Klein
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Re: How to get Highest Proof With Air Still?

Post by Klein »

Yeah I have, but must be $$$$$ to piss the wife off for her having to give up her hobby.... I guess you could wait 6months till your out of that location, or make a small reflux still.
BUORT
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Re: How to get Highest Proof With Air Still?

Post by BUORT »

Talked to some guys that have these or similar and they said to just run it. I ran 120oz @ 40% and after 1 run I got 16oz @ 85%, 16oz @ 83%, 16oz @ 78% and 8oz @ 67% with approx. 58 oz @ 9% left in the still. I could run it again but the first 3 jars combined gives 48oz @ 82% which she says will do the job. Glad I didn't listen! lol Out of the doghouse!
Pikey
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Re: How to get Highest Proof With Air Still?

Post by Pikey »

Pleased you got what you needed 8)
miket
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Re: How to get Highest Proof With Air Still?

Post by miket »

My wife had some 2 year old mead about 3%, we ran half that through a cheap 4 liter air still and it worked great, put that back into the mix and now have 10% mead with a little kick.

I was surprise how well and fast the air still was.
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