Hello from Missouri

[beertobourbon]

Hello,

Longtime lurker, first time poster. I'm a longtime homebrewer from the St. Charles area looking to have some fun with distilling. I've been reading and researching and reading and researching for LONG ENOUGH! I currently have a budget set aside but still looking to finalize options on what equipment would be best. I'd like my first setup to be turnkey and simple (I'm a father of 3 with limited time and money so for now, flipping a switch to get things rolling is very appealing). Leaning toward 35l Robobrew V3 (no pump) and both the pot still and column still from Kegland so I can make a variety of spirits.

I know from being a lurker that there are mixed opinions on starting with the equipment I mentioned so I'm open to any and all advice on how to stay cheap, stay electric, and stay simple.

Cheers!

[fizzix]

Hello from St. Peters, MO.
Welcome to a great hobby and a terrific site!

[JSparrow]

Welcome aboard !

Also from the Show Me, about 35 min south from both of you

Absolute wealth of knowledge here. I’m still new also, but read, read, read. Most any question you might have has probably been debated, voted on and resolved already.

[Saltbush Bill]

Welcome Aboard .

I'm open to any and all advice on how to stay cheap, stay electric, and stay simple.

Think long and hard before deciding what type of still it is that you need for the type of spirit that you want to make. make sure that you know what the different still types are good at and what they make well.
The cheapest is always going to be the one you build yourself based on a beer keg boiler.

both the pot still and column still from Kegland

What do you mean by column still ? A proper reflux for making Neutral and Vodkas or a plated column for making brown spirits? There is a vast difference between the two and what they can do.
Photos or links to the particular stills you are considering will help the members here help you.

[beertobourbon]

Thank you for the reply! To answer your questions....

Think long and hard before deciding what type of still it is that you need for the type of spirit that you want to make. make sure that you know what the different still types are good at and what they make well.
The cheapest is always going to be the one you build yourself based on a beer keg boiler.

I mentioned I wanted this to be turnkey, simple, and electric. I'd actually love a still made from a keg for volume purposes but that wouldn't be turnkey and if it were electric it might not stay cheap or simple. Those were my three criteria. I also stated in my post that I wanted to make a variety of spirits (whiskey, gin and vodka to be exact). Since I understand that pot stills are good for whiskey and reflux for neutral spirits, I mentioned I would be getting both (although I called the reflux still a column still).

What do you mean by column still ? A proper reflux for making Neutral and Vodkas or a plated column for making brown spirits? There is a vast difference between the two and what they can do.
Photos or links to the particular stills you are considering will help the members here help you.

My apologies for the confusion on using "column still" instead of reflux. The equipment I referenced is now linked below:

Mash Tun/Boiler: https://www.morebeer.com/products/robob ... l925g.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow

Pot Still: https://www.williamsbrewing.com/Robobre ... P4497.aspx" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow

Reflux Still: https://www.williamsbrewing.com/Kegland ... P4485.aspx" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow

[Saltbush Bill]

I mentioned I wanted this to be turnkey, simple, and electric.

You also mentioned this......

I'm a father of 3 with limited time and money

I was simply trying to point out that its possible to build an electric boiler and a still to suit for less than what you intend spending on those commercially available bits that you currently have your eye on.
For what its worth , the reflux still you are looking at is claimed by some to be one of the better small refux stills available commercially.

[beertobourbon]

Thanks for the reply, Bill. I anticipate building something of my own on a few years once I get used to the process and know exactly what I do and don't want out of a still. I just figured that I could use the Robobrew for brewing beer and making all grain washes. So it's really two birds with one stone. And I could kinda get my feet wet with those "entry level" pot still and reflux attachments for now. Luckily, selling my custom built kegerator covers the cost of the Robobrew so I'm only coming out of pocket for the two still attachments.