An improved apparatus

35 – 40% is a little weak. If the alcohol reached 45% or more it would be better as it easily happens that one gets a lower strength on purification with activated carbon. Personally I think alcohol should preferably be over 40% in any case, as it seems weak otherwise. I have experimented quite a bit and evolved an alternative that works well. The basic idea is the same but insulated and with a cover. This gives 3 litres at 45 – 50% in 6 days. (The time varies depending on what temperature you use). I recommend you make this apparatus instead of the simple one I described earlier. It is not especially difficult to make an insulated version.

The 10-litre vessel inside the 25-litre vessel leaks quite a bit of heat from the sides. This effect is a disadvantage as it is more difficult for the steam in the air to condense when it is heated by waste heat. The task is to find an insulation which withstands alcohol and is not toxic. Luckily such a product is available at many builders merchants.

This is intermediate floor foam sheet (underlay foam), used in floor laying, and works well. It is composed of PE plastic that resists alcohol and is not toxic. The manufacturer is Pergo AB, a Swedish company. Sealedair.com is another producer of PE-foam. A whole roll of 15 m2 costs about 9 Euros and is found at building suppliers. There is more than enough on the roll for our purpose.  Make sure to ask the supplier that the foam you buy is made from PE plastic (polythene) where you are buying a different make.

Use an ordinary 10 litre container but TWO suitable lids. The second lid you place on top as extra insulation.  Cut out a square hole just above the 8 litre mark of the 10-litre container. The hole should be 30 mm wide and 20 mm high. Cut carefully to avoid cracking the plastic. On the opposite side at the top cut another somewhat larger hole. The lid will cover the hole a little. The size of this second hole should be 35 mm wide  and 20mm high. The different heights of the holes induce a draught in the vessel. 

It is not difficult to insulate. Cut a strip of insulation making it 1 metre long and a bit wider than the vessel. (Roll out a length and cut off). Place it round the vessel and tie in place with cotton string. Cut off surplus insulation round the top and bottom of the vessel and cut out the holes. The insulation is very easy to cut so this is simple. Put on more layers and bind fast until you finally have a thickness of 10 mm or more. It’s finished!

Keep the temperature in the vessel below 50 degrees C. If the heat is greater than this to quality of the spirit will suffer. At 45 degrees C the quality will be so good very little active carbon will be needed to make to the spirit perfect.

Follow the instructions how to make a plastic still on the previous pages, but instead of using an ordinary 10 litre bucket, use this insulated bucket instead. Fill up with 8 litres of mash and put on the lid. The extra lid is placed on top of the other lid to give the top extra insulation. Finally place the lid on the 25-litre vessel.