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Hi guys, just about to get started in this hobby, I'm a bourbon drinker normally but would probably make a rum or two. Here in Aus there isn't much available in commercially made stills, the Still Sprits T500 seems to be about the only one, although the local home brew shop has a little 5L pot still, but I imagine that would be too small and time consuming to run any volume through? So here's what I'm thinking, the T500 is going to have to do me, meaning I will have to start with making clear spirits and flavouring them. I wouldn't mind expanding and trying to make a proper bourbon down the track, maybe even have a go at making my own still, but will the T500 be OK to learn the basics with? Any thoughts or other options are appreciated.

Thanks for the awesome forum, I've learned a heap already just be browsing through the newbie topics.

Cheers,
Dave.

welcome dave
just for shitz and giggles have a look at this, for flavoured drink I think you'd be more interested in a pot still
stilldragon.com/pot-still1.html

Thanks mate. Yeah a pot still would probably be a better way to go ultimately, there's just not a lot available ready to go. Those Stilldragon units look pretty industrial Might be something worth looking at down the track. There is a mob here that make a pot still head to fit to the T500 lid for a couple hundred dollars, might be worthwhile looking at. My original idea was to learn the ropes with sugar washes and the T500 for a year or so, then build my own pot still so I can have a go at grain mashes and the like.

Cheers,
Dave.

So I've been running things through my head all day and here's what I think I'll do. I'll go with the standard SS T500, I could order the copper version in but I'm not convinced it would be that much better, there still seems to be a few plastic bits on the tower. I'll then order this pot still head for the boiler. That should see me through the learning process and hopefully will learn enough to be able to construct a still of my own a year or two down the track. This seems to be the best of the "plug and play" units available in Aus without spending a small fortune or going industrial sized. I looked at the 50L keg models around but they seem like they'd be a pain to clean, although they look like they'd last a lifetime.

Just about start my first wash, going straight off Birdwatchers sugar wash recipe. The mate who got me interested in this tried to steer me towards the turbo yeast mixes and wanted to help me through my first run, but after the reading I've done here I think I'll go it alone. Well, not alone, with the guidance of this awesome forum

Cheers,
Dave.

building your own still would actually be pretty ez. minumal experiance required. just hunt for a good stainless steel pot and some copper. it is far more satisfacory and cheaper to do so.