Dreaded Easy Still vs Amazing Still vs ?

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MakinHooch
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Dreaded Easy Still vs Amazing Still vs ?

Post by MakinHooch »

Hi all, I have read over a bunch of threads here and know that most people are against the idea of the easy still due to its small size and limited abilities (hence me calling it dreaded). With that said, I am in a bit of a situation. Sadly, this situation is one where I will likely be forced in to an "amazing still" or one of the "easy stills" due to the fact that I have no space and also that my wife is against having a true, large still. While being against a still, she likes the idea of how small and discreet the easy still is so that's why I am leaning towards that one since a true still is out of the question. Being up in Canada doesn't help matters either. We both like our drinks and thus want to get in to making some strictly for our own personal consumption.

I know that the easy still is expensive for what it is, but it seems to make decent stuff and is quite easy for an uber novice like me. Also, since it is so discreet it is easy to toss in the closet and can easily be justified if any of our friends swing by. The upside to the amazing still is that it is cheaper, there is a slightly higher yield, and is similarly low maintenance, but isn't quite as discreet. Ultimately, either would be fine since we have lots of wine making equipment and this would easily slid in the pile when not in use.

I appreciate any advice and help me decide which would be best for our situation. We will likely aim at making rum or whiskey. I understand the easy still isn't ideal for these but I am at a loss as to what else we could possibly use, thanks

EDIT: As I have written in my reply below, the other aspect that makes this situation touchy is that we have friends and even some family in law enforcement.
Last edited by MakinHooch on Sat Feb 01, 2014 8:52 am, edited 1 time in total.
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MilwaukeesWorst
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Re: Dreaded Easy Still vs Amazing Still vs ?

Post by MilwaukeesWorst »

I would heavily consider getting a 5 gallon stainless pot they are not that big (I store mine in a closet 8) ) I bought 20' of 1/2' copper tubing some fittings and a bucket. did not need to solder a thing, only drill 2 holes. cost under a hundred bucks.

I could not imagine going smaller now.
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Re: Dreaded Easy Still vs Amazing Still vs ?

Post by aj2456 »

not having used one i cant comment on them, however i think if its worth doing its worth doing right, as the previous poster said

if not i would spend the money on some decent wine kits and equipment etc probably much better than an easy still
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Re: Dreaded Easy Still vs Amazing Still vs ?

Post by dakotasnake »

ill wager you could buy a half stainless steel beer keg and some copper tubeing for less than what they want for buying a micky mouse set up. get the wife involved in a build, make it a family project. you could have a setup you could be proud of and last for yrs. tell her what a great job she's doing, she'll get onboard. you will find some helpfull ideas here in the new destillers lounge and the pot distillation and design.
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Re: Dreaded Easy Still vs Amazing Still vs ?

Post by Cardinalbags »

No reason you cant build a larger still and still be discreet if that is the missus'es concern. Modular construction allows for the thing to pack up nicely into a closet or corner of a shed/ garage and be made to look like gardening equipment storage. :mrgreen:

However, in Canada, the distilling laws are regulated at the federal level which means the RCMP are the police force to have to enforce the laws. RCMP will not bust homeowners unless they are selling. Now I'm sure there are people out there who will argue otherwise, but have you ever seen a bust in Canada where it wasnt associated with bootlegging or marijuana grow-ops? :?:

Don't tell, don't sell and build the biggest (within hobby scale) still you can. You will only regret it later when you are not happy with the capability of that little still. Besides, the wife will like the product you make with a proper still setup that you can make cuts with, and she will forget all about that little still idea.

Better yet... put some pants on and tell her you're building your own still. :moresarcasm:
MakinHooch
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Re: Dreaded Easy Still vs Amazing Still vs ?

Post by MakinHooch »

I appreciate everyone's input, and I too want to have a larger still, 5 gallon minimum, the one thing that I was reluctant to mention, but feel i need to now, is that the other part of my situation is that many of our friends, and even close family, work in law enforcement, hence my excessive need to be discreet. I agree tho that the easy still is likely a waste and I should either not do it at all, or get something larger.


I am very torn, as i know the product will be better, and also more accurately cut, in a larger still, but due to those around us, I fear anything that even remotely looks like a still would be an issue. I understand that a lot of it is modular in design and could be stored in a subtle manner, but i also am rather bound due to the people around me/ Maybe I should just avoid a still all together?
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Re: Dreaded Easy Still vs Amazing Still vs ?

Post by Prairiepiss »

Well let's see here. Before you do anything. You need to do a lot more research. Because anyone that even asks if an amazing still is an option. Clearly has not done enough research. Hell its covered in the HD rules we live by. Its a freaking plastic bucket still. No its not an option.

If my only two options were these stills. I would find another hobby. Or stick with beer and or wine.

In my opinion they are just an incredible waste of money. That isn't up to the task at hand.
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MakinHooch
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Re: Dreaded Easy Still vs Amazing Still vs ?

Post by MakinHooch »

ya, I acknowledge that plastic is far from ideal, was just referencing that due to the discreet nature of its design and parts. Ultimately, SS is whats needed, and it seems like maybe I won't be getting in to this hobby due to the restrictions i have around me. Thanks for your time everyone
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MilwaukeesWorst
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Re: Dreaded Easy Still vs Amazing Still vs ?

Post by MilwaukeesWorst »

Also a small still will be need to be run much more often which would leave you more likely to have issues with friends stopping by.
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Re: Dreaded Easy Still vs Amazing Still vs ?

Post by MakinHooch »

MilwaukeesWorst wrote:Also a small still will be need to be run much more often which would leave you more likely to have issues with friends stopping by.
this is true. Never thought about that point. i think the whole idea of the easy still is that it can easily be justified while its out or in storage, but ultimately it will be out a lot more often than a bigger one will be. I will run that by the boss and see what she thinks. Worst case scenario, maybe I will ask my dad if I can do it at his place in his garage lol
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Re: Dreaded Easy Still vs Amazing Still vs ?

Post by danmiz »

Hey making hooch. Any easystill might not be the ideal still you want to have but shit It does make better liquor then you can buy. Yes it' take longer and is small but you can make decent whiskey if it's all you got. After you do a couple stripping runs discard the first 50 ml as fores, the next 250 ml as heads , and the next 1250-1500 ml is good if you can't get a bigger still. It's a learner still till you talk the wife into a bigger one.
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Re: Dreaded Easy Still vs Amazing Still vs ?

Post by bellybuster »

doesn't it only hold a couple litres to begin with??
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Re: Dreaded Easy Still vs Amazing Still vs ?

Post by danmiz »

bellybuster wrote:doesn't it only hold a couple litres to begin with??
It holds 4 l
MakinHooch
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Re: Dreaded Easy Still vs Amazing Still vs ?

Post by MakinHooch »

I thought that it would only put out about a 1L (granted depe0ds on the ABV of the mash), so if i lost first 250-300 to fores and heads, i won't end up with a lot, which it seems is the biggest issue. Still better than nothing sure, but i suppose if its the only way i can get my foot in the door, then maybe thats the best way to do it lol. Only people I can ask to distill at are my parents in my dads garage, so if that doesn't pan out, I might end up biting the bullet for one, but I hope I can get in to something in the 5G range.

Guess I could always do a stovetop one and just store the copper tube/coil in my shed when not in use. Seems like some people have had reasonable success with these too. Get a big pot, flour paste to seal, tap the copper line in to the lid and run to a coil. Seems fairly straightforward (in concept ofc). Maybe I can convince her to that route since that appears to be a better route than the easy still, at least in terms of yield
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Re: Dreaded Easy Still vs Amazing Still vs ?

Post by Od1tspyd3r »

I run this small setup 2.5 gallons at a time, and get about 1.5l out of it. So small sit-ups aren't that bad. If you change the fitting on the top of the bowl for thread x thread fitting you could thread on the column section, I'm running 1/2 to 3/8
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Re: Dreaded Easy Still vs Amazing Still vs ?

Post by White_Lightning_Rod »

To save space and to be more inconspicuous look at building a stock pot with a liebeig instead of a worm and flake stand. I think if someone stubled across a liebieg in a closet it would be a lot less reconizable to a normal person than a copper coil in a bucket just IMO. This is what I started out with and it is a good way to learn and can make a damn fine drop with the proper teaching and research from the folks here.
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Re: Dreaded Easy Still vs Amazing Still vs ?

Post by likkerluvver »

I wouldn’t consider an amazing still, but I started with a Megahome 585w water distiller which I modified by soldering the volatiles vent, replacing silicone and plastic spout with copper, and using a Router speed controller.

It is very hard to make good cuts with such a small output, but it can be done. The main problem is that most people start distilling using an airstill, and have little / no previous experience making cuts.

Many of us progressed to a larger rig where we honed our skills. - It’s so much easier to make good cuts / good likker using my bubbler. I now use my airstill for distilled water and for distilling macerations in neutral hearts.

If, despite the good advice given in this thread, you cannot go to a larger setup, you might want to check this out:
http://www.stillsmart.co.uk/forum/downl ... .php?id=60" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow


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MakinHooch
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Re: Dreaded Easy Still vs Amazing Still vs ?

Post by MakinHooch »

Well, I think I will go the stovetop route. We already have a bunch of massive stock pots, so having one more around to use for the still will be fine. Thanks for the idea on the Liebieg Rodnich, I will look around at how to tap the lid and make/install the condenser. I haven't the foggiest idea yet as I hadn't really looked in to them until now, so I will find it somewhere on here im sure lol. I appreciate everyones input, cheers.
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Re: Dreaded Easy Still vs Amazing Still vs ?

Post by Doogie »

make a 5G still, make it modular, and like someone else said, ditch the worm and go with a liebig. Use Union fittings, make it go compact at the end (except the liebig of course).

Explain you can run the tiny still a million times, or cut down on the production time with a bit bigger still. The worst part is not the still, it is the fermenting process - stilling only takes a day ... fermenting takes 3-10 days ... explain that constant ferment going ...
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Re: Dreaded Easy Still vs Amazing Still vs ?

Post by MakinHooch »

fermenting could also be for some wine we are making, granted it would smell and look different but is a plausible out. As for the 5g, I am going to go that direction once I find a solid design on here and can make it. I've been looking at various ones on here but some seem beyond my modest means thus far. I will keep looking tho and find a good one that can easily be used on our stove or my induction plate in the garage.

I have no issues making mash, there is nothing illegal about that, so even if people come over, im making beer or wine, its just the still that is solely designed for a single purpose, hence my original apprehension regarding size and discreetness.
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Re: Dreaded Easy Still vs Amazing Still vs ?

Post by Doogie »

Cardinalbags wrote:However, in Canada, the distilling laws are regulated at the federal level which means the RCMP are the police force to have to enforce the laws. RCMP will not bust homeowners unless they are selling. Now I'm sure there are people out there who will argue otherwise, but have you ever seen a bust in Canada where it wasnt associated with bootlegging or marijuana grow-ops? :?:
This statement is absolutely false. Any Canucks should not pay heed to it.

Murder, grow ops all fall under federal laws also - and they are enforced not just by the RCMP, but province and local police forces as well - and the laws of the Excise Act of Canada are enforceable by all law enforcement officers in our country.
LTV - "keep in mind distilling is like masturbating. You do one wrong and you go blind."

Want to keep people from consulting idiots on youTube about distilling?? Don't be an idiot when someone asks for advice ... Help them
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Re: Dreaded Easy Still vs Amazing Still vs ?

Post by Doogie »

regarding ferment - if someone stumbles on your ferment, hope they do not know about wine/beer making :)
Regarding design - a simple pot still, modular in design, with pieces that fit into the pot (except the liebig as it may be too long - but they are skinny and easy to hide - about 1-1.5 ft long, 3/4" in diameter)
LTV - "keep in mind distilling is like masturbating. You do one wrong and you go blind."

Want to keep people from consulting idiots on youTube about distilling?? Don't be an idiot when someone asks for advice ... Help them
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Re: Dreaded Easy Still vs Amazing Still vs ?

Post by MakinHooch »

Doogie wrote:
Cardinalbags wrote:However, in Canada, the distilling laws are regulated at the federal level which means the RCMP are the police force to have to enforce the laws. RCMP will not bust homeowners unless they are selling. Now I'm sure there are people out there who will argue otherwise, but have you ever seen a bust in Canada where it wasnt associated with bootlegging or marijuana grow-ops? :?:
This statement is absolutely false. Any Canucks should not pay heed to it.

Murder, grow ops all fall under federal laws also - and they are enforced not just by the RCMP, but province and local police forces as well - and the laws of the Excise Act of Canada are enforceable by all law enforcement officers in our country.

I agree, esp since many areas (such as many around me) are patrolled by RCMP, they are our municipal force, and therefore they can be involved in anything, be it fisheries, immigration, and certainly liquor laws.

As for the the stovetop, it seems like the only way to go for me. I hope to spend some hours on it tonight and search the forum (and if need be, the internet) for solid modular stovetop designs.
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Re: Dreaded Easy Still vs Amazing Still vs ?

Post by rad14701 »

You don't need to look any further than these forums for any information you need... Many simple pot stills have been documented well enough to copy... All you really need is a picture to go by... If you want neutral spirits check out my small scale liquid management rigs linked in my signature... It's modular and can be run in pot still, reflux, or hybrid mode... Just ran off three gallons of wash in mine earlier today and now have another 1.75L of 90 proof vodka to enjoy... Not in the exact LM rig in the link but a similar revision using a 4 gallon stock pot...
Last edited by rad14701 on Mon Feb 03, 2014 10:35 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Dreaded Easy Still vs Amazing Still vs ?

Post by Antler24 »

I'm new to this, haven't distilled before, still in the design stages of a still. So take what I say with a grain of salt.

I'm also a homebrewer like yourself. If it were me and I wanted something very discreet I'd go with a 7.5 gallon beer keg, a 2" column just an inch or 2 tall reduced to 1/2" and a union. I'd build or buy a counterflow wort chiller with a union (it's for homebrewing beer, it's like a cross between a worm condenser and liebig condenser, google it). You could have 3-4ft of 1/2" copper joining the column to the "worm/liebig" wort chiller.

When it's not in use the condenser goes into your wine/beer equipment pile. It really is a wort chiller. The keg goes with your fermenting buckets and carboys. ALOT of homebrewers use kegs to ferment in. They don't let light in, unbreakable, and built in handles. The random 3-4ft length of 1/2" copper and small column (size of your fist) goes tossed into the garage or closet with a random pile of junk.
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Re: Dreaded Easy Still vs Amazing Still vs ?

Post by Doogie »

RE: The Rad Concentric - been there, build his design, works great, simple to build
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Re: Dreaded Easy Still vs Amazing Still vs ?

Post by MakinHooch »

Cool, thanks again to all those throwing ideas at me. Have some RL stuff to deal with over the next few days, but hope to get down and dirty soon on this stuff. Cheers all, I do really appreciate the time everyones taken to write, cheers
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