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Spirit hints & FAQs

Here's a heap of frequently asked questions (FAQ's) & hints that should help you a lot.

FERMENTATION
What is yeast?
What is fermentation?
Why does fermentation have to be enclosed in a fermenter under airlock?
What is an airlock?
Why is sediment formed during fermentation?
How do I warm my wash during fermentation in cold climates?
How can I stop my brew from overheating when my room temperature is too high?
What do I do if my yeast stops working before all the sugar is used up?
Why did my yeast stop working before all the sugar was used?
My wash has turned to jelly!

DISTILLATION
Is making my own spirits safe and legal?
How long does it take to make each batch of spirits?
Which type of still produces the most alcohol? Reflux or Pot Stills?
If I add more sugar to my wash will I get more alcohol?
General points on the quality of finished spirit
Will I make methanol when I distill?
Why don't I have to age my spirit like commercial distilleries?
What sort of result would distilling beer provide? Perhaps a pot would provide an interesting result.
I note some suggestions to add a little salt to the wash before beginning distillation, to raise the boiling point. Is this a worthwhile consideration?

STILL SELECTION
If I use a later model still that produces purer alcohol what is the advantage over the older models if I then collect less spirit?

TROUBLE SHOOTING
The lid is lifting on my Air Still when I use it
Why is my spirit coming out of the still cloudy?
What measures can I take to guard against cloudy spirit?
Can I treat the cloudy spirit and make it drinkable?
Why is my yield of distilled spirits so low?
Sediment forming in spirits after carbon filtration
My Pot Still Condensor does not appear to be working properly
My thermometer seems to give strange readings
I have discoloured spirit
I get blue spirit from my still
What do I do if my cold tap water is aboveC 20°C?
My still does not seem to heat up as indicated in the instructions
Why does my filtered spirit have a grey tint or sediment after filtering?

STILL DESIGN & MODIFICATION
Can I connect a longer column between the condenser and the still and make purer alcohol?
Do you offer a pot with two elements for quick heat up after which one is turned off?
Can I modify the water supply to the condensor to control the reflux condenser and the main condenser seperately?
I note in some literature on the subject that the output can benefit from contact with copper. Do you have a view on this?

GLUTEN CHART
I am Gluten intolerant and would like to know if Still Spirits flavours contain any Gluten?