Air Still

Other discussions for folks new to the wonderful craft of home distilling.

Moderator: Site Moderator

Post Reply
Limp
Novice
Posts: 12
Joined: Sun Dec 12, 2021 10:11 pm

Air Still

Post by Limp »

Hello. . . I hope all is well with everyone.
Has anyone ever used an (AIR STILL). I just got one off of Amazon the other day, and I want to put it to the test. I have few gallons of corn mash that will be ready to run soon. Can any give me any tips or tricks when using my air still.
-what temp should I run it at?
-how long does it take to distill?
-what kind of quality and quantity should expect from using the air still?
Any help will greatly be appreciated
Thanks
tjsc5f
Swill Maker
Posts: 200
Joined: Sun Nov 28, 2021 9:18 pm
Location: MO, USA

Re: Air Still

Post by tjsc5f »

Limp wrote: Tue Sep 20, 2022 7:19 pm Has anyone ever used an (AIR STILL). I just got one off of Amazon the other day, and I want to put it to the test. I have few gallons of corn mash that will be ready to run soon. Can any give me any tips or tricks when using my air still.
What model did you get? Most of the higher power units are made for distilling water.
Limp wrote: Tue Sep 20, 2022 7:19 pm -what temp should I run it at?
You can't control the boiling temp, so if it has a built in controller, you should set it to the max. If you can vary the power you will want to adjust it to control the takeoff rate.
Limp wrote: Tue Sep 20, 2022 7:19 pm -how long does it take to distill?
Depends on input power and initial ABV.
Limp wrote: Tue Sep 20, 2022 7:19 pm -what kind of quality and quantity should expect from using the air still?
Most of the air stills I'm aware of are stainless pot stills. Quality and quantity will be dependant on your ferments, cuts and ability to adjust power for takeoff rate (temp control will not help you).

Some copper in the boiler and vapor path may help. On my still spirits air still, I put some scrap pieces of copper pipe in the boiler and a copper scrubby in the gin basket.

You will probably find that multiple stripping runs followed by a spirit run will give you better results than a single distillation.
Last edited by tjsc5f on Wed Sep 21, 2022 4:29 am, edited 2 times in total.
User avatar
Saltbush Bill
Site Mod
Posts: 9675
Joined: Thu Mar 17, 2011 2:13 am
Location: Northern NSW Australia

Re: Air Still

Post by Saltbush Bill »

Limp wrote: Tue Sep 20, 2022 7:19 pm any tips or tricks when using my air still.
Suggest you read the following,some good tips on stripping using an air still. download/file.php?id=65546&mode=view
My other tip would have been don't buy it.
Limp wrote: Tue Sep 20, 2022 7:19 pm what temp should I run it at?
An Air still is just a tiny pot still with air cooled condenser.....you cant control the temperature of a pot still.
You can control the amount of power/ heat / energy put into the pot........Wash Temperature and power input are two very different things.
Unless things have changed since I last saw a Air Still you cant control the power input......to do that you need to buy a "power controller"
Most newbs have trouble getting their head around not being able to control still temperature, this link should help.
http://www.kelleybarts.com/PhotoXfer/Re ... gMyth.html
User avatar
Yummyrum
Global moderator
Posts: 7653
Joined: Sat Jul 06, 2013 2:23 am
Location: Fraser Coast QLD Aussie

Re: Air Still

Post by Yummyrum »

Heres a few links for a start , just scroll down past the adds and you’ll get to all the HD Airstill topics .

app.php/googlesearch?cx=012980085383122 ... mit=Search

My own advise would be to ignore the instructions that come with it and take the advice of members here .

The Airstill is marketed as a device that you can fill with wash , switch on and let run all day and come home to a jug of spirit . Unfortunately it will taste rank as you have basically just done a stripping run .

Look through our topics and take heed of methods that do a stripping run or three followed by a spirit run .
It’s during the spirit run that you can seperate the collection into small jars and make a final cut on taste , leaving out the nasty tasting jars . This is how you end up with a fine spirit as apposed to a rank one .


Check out the diagram in this post .

viewtopic.php?p=7528372#p7528372

Its an Imgur link . The diagram used to be on the stillsmart forum but its no longer there . The diagram has been copied many times and has lost resolution , but its a graphical descrption of stripping and spirit runs for an Airstill .
Limp
Novice
Posts: 12
Joined: Sun Dec 12, 2021 10:11 pm

Re: Air Still

Post by Limp »

Thanks for all the advice.
My air still has temperature control. But according to the above that does nothing for it. I was going to run it at a temperature of 90 degrees Celsius, but it sounds like I should run it on the highest temp for a stripping run, then run it again at a lower temp. I have about a half gallon of corn whiskey that I was going to run through the air still, to try to get a feel for the temperature and what not.
User avatar
squigglefunk
Trainee
Posts: 886
Joined: Fri Jul 16, 2021 9:27 am

Re: Air Still

Post by squigglefunk »

please do a "sacrificial run" first that is thrown away
XDStill
Site Donor
Site Donor
Posts: 27
Joined: Sun Dec 09, 2018 7:44 am
Location: MO, USA

Re: Air Still

Post by XDStill »

I use one for making gin and other flavored spirits. For that, it can be a great tool. For general distilling, you'll have to practice (both your patience, and your method of cuts, which are going to be very small).

Do add some copper. Do use small collection containers when making your spirit run.

The temperature setting is a shutoff point, if yours works like mine, and I suspect it does, so just set it to 100 C and go from there. Otherwise, it's going to shut down early on a stripping run.

Stripping - A wash of around 8%, as I recall will take you around 60 minutes to get to first drips, and maybe another 45 to 60 for the end of the stripping run.

Spirit run - will go more quickly, as it'll hit temp faster due to the higher alcohol percentage of your starting point. Read up here on the forum for more tips, but use really small collection containers, it's going to be tough making acceptable cuts.

Definitely read up, and don't get too discouraged by the 'Don't buy one' folks. They're not wrong, but its going to give you a pretty quick idea on if you want to stick to the hobby and upgrade your equipment. And if you do, you'll have a fun little development still for macerated recipes.
User avatar
TwoSheds
Site Donor
Site Donor
Posts: 569
Joined: Wed Mar 10, 2021 5:49 pm
Location: New England, USA

Re: Air Still

Post by TwoSheds »

XDStill wrote: Wed Sep 21, 2022 11:33 am Definitely read up, and don't get too discouraged by the 'Don't buy one' folks. They're not wrong, but its going to give you a pretty quick idea on if you want to stick to the hobby and upgrade your equipment. And if you do, you'll have a fun little development still for macerated recipes.
I second XDStill's comment! I'm up to 5 stills from the 1 gallon air still up to a 16 gallon milk can and the air still gets the most use! The size and ease of use make it the go-to for infusions (especially gin) and experiments.

I have put an SSVR on mine so I can dial the power up and down. The condenser fan runs off a separate computer power plug directly to full power so there's always full knock-down power. I'm not sure how your thermostat will play into that as manipulating the voltage can have a detrimental effect on electronics.

Others have hit the highlights... Run it like a pot still, because that's what it is. Get some copper in there, do a cleaning run, collect small amounts to learn cuts. It's so easy to set up and run I think you'll find you enjoy it!

Have fun.

TwoSheds.
User avatar
rubberduck71
Site Donor
Site Donor
Posts: 735
Joined: Sat May 30, 2020 11:22 am
Location: Eastern PA

Re: Air Still

Post by rubberduck71 »

I started like many on Air Still. It is very easy & you CAN make a decent product. However, it is small & therefore time consuming to work your way through a 20L fermenter.

Might I suggest the 1.5 technique: it's in my post 2nd from the bottom viewtopic.php?p=7703681#p7703681

Have fun!
Duck
There are two times of year: FOOTBALL SEASON and... Waiting For Football Season
Limp
Novice
Posts: 12
Joined: Sun Dec 12, 2021 10:11 pm

Re: Air Still

Post by Limp »

I did a second distillation in the air still with some corn whiskey I had sitting around. It worked great. My alcohol around 140 Proof. It has a smooth taste. I can’t really taste the corn. I guess I need to tinker with my recipe. I will definitely be using the air still again.
P.S “my corn whiskey recipe is”
5lbs of yellow cornmeal
5lbs of sugar
3 packages of bread yeast

I boil about 3 gallons of water.
I stirred the cornmeal into the boiling water. It got super thick.
Then I added amylase enzyme. I let it sit until it got creamy.
I boiled another 2 gallons of water, and dissolve my sugar in it.
Then mixed the cornmeal and sugar water together. I let it sit until the temp dropped below 100 degrees Fahrenheit. Then I pitched my yeast. The temp in my house is 75 degrees. I let the mash ferment for at least 7 days.
Last edited by Limp on Thu Sep 22, 2022 6:04 pm, edited 1 time in total.
User avatar
rubberduck71
Site Donor
Site Donor
Posts: 735
Joined: Sat May 30, 2020 11:22 am
Location: Eastern PA

Re: Air Still

Post by rubberduck71 »

Limp wrote: Wed Sep 21, 2022 6:39 pm I did a second distillation in the air still with some corn whiskey I had sitting around. It worked great. My alcohol around 140 Proof. It has a smooth taste. I can really taste the corn. I guess I need to tinker with my recipe. I will definitely be using the air still again.
P.S “my corn whiskey recipe is”
5lbs of yellow cornmeal
5lbs of sugar
3 packages of bread yeast

I boil about 3 gallons of water.
I stirred the cornmeal into the boiling water. It got super thick.
Then I added amylase enzyme. I let it sit until it got creamy.
I boiled another 2 gallons of water, and dissolve my sugar in it.
Then mixed the cornmeal and sugar water together. I let it sit until the temp dropped below 100 degrees Fahrenheit. Then I pitched my yeast. The temp in my house is 75 degrees. I let the mash ferment for at least 7 days.
If you're using amylase, you could just skip the sugar & up the grain poundage. You might find the taste of all grain better. But nothing wrong with what you got.

I do sugarheads on my all grains to a) get a 2nd use out of the grains & b) help keeping my paws off the all grain while it ages.
There are two times of year: FOOTBALL SEASON and... Waiting For Football Season
User avatar
6 Row Joe
Rumrunner
Posts: 738
Joined: Mon Apr 16, 2018 1:16 pm

Re: Air Still

Post by 6 Row Joe »

A 1 gallon air pot can work quite well. Strip and spirit works best. Use a variable power supply for the spirit run to slow down the drip. 80% works quite well and even if the fan speed is slowed down it will still work fine. Just like using slightly warmer water through your condenser. It doesn't have to be ice cold to work.
I don't drink alcohol, I drink distilled spirits.
Therefore I'm not a alcoholic, I'm spiritual.
Post Reply