Which Still Spirits still is right for me?

We have four stills in our range – the T500 Reflux Still, the T500 Alembic Pot Still, the Air Still Pro, and the Air Still. Each of these stills have different capacities, capabilities, distillation techniques, and as such will deliver different results.

To decide which still is right for you, you need to identify what type of spirits and the volume you’d like to make, how much space you have to use and store equipment, whether the use of large quantities of water will impact you, and how much hands on time you are wanting and willing to spend in the hobby.

Pot Still vs Reflux Still:

A pot still is suitable for producing more flavoursome spirits such as whiskey, rum, and brandy. The Air Still and T500 Alembic Pot Still are both pot stills, and the Air Still Pro features a pot still mode.

A reflux still is ideal for producing neutral spirits such as vodka, or a base to add flavourings to or infuse with botanicals. The Air Still Pro and T500 Reflux Still are both reflux stills.

For more detailed information on the difference between pot and reflux stills, visit our article Pot Still vs Reflux Still – Which one is better to use? 

You may also be interested in learning about taking cuts which refers to the process where spirit is collected in small portions throughout distillation, allowing you to blend these together to create the best quality spirit you can. See here for the Pocket Guide - Taking Cuts

Water Consumption:

Water is required for cleaning equipment and for making a wash, however, the Air Still and Air Still Pro are air cooled, requiring no additional water for cooling during distillation.

The T500 Reflux and Alembic stills both require a cooling water source during distillation - depending on the set up this could require between 200–750 L (53-198 US Gal) of water during distillation (when used with the T500 Boiler).

Space:

If you’re limited in space, then the Air Still or Air Still Pro are ideal for you. Both stills are compact benchtop stills with a 4 L (1 US Gal) boiler, making them perfect for use in a kitchen, or even in boat or caravan. You do not need to be near a water source during distillation.

The T500 Boiler is a larger 25 L (6.6 US Gal) boiler and will require more space for storage and operation. You must also ensure you operate this still close to an input water source for cooling during distillation.

Spirit Yield:

The Air Still and Air Still Pro produce up to 1.125 L of 40% ABV spirit per distillation once diluted.*

The T500 Reflux still produces up to 8 L (2.1 US Gal) of 40% ABV spirit per run once diluted. The T500 Alembic Pot Still Produces up to 7 L (1.8 US Gal) of 40% ABV spirit per run once diluted.* The yield across both stills is dependent on the wash and the spirit being distilled as well as the distillation technique.

*See table below for more detail.

Ease of Use:

Each of our stills require different levels of involvement. Both the Air Still and Air Still Pro require relatively low levels of hands-on involvement, while still providing the ability to experiment with a variety of spirit types. The T500 Reflux Still and T500 Alembic Pot Still both require higher levels of involvement with a lot more hands-on time during distillation.

With many safety and automation features, the Air Still Pro is our most convenient and easy to use still. Featuring temperature control, automatic foreshots collection (the first 30 ml (1US fl oz)) of a distillation, and automatic shut-off in reflux mode. In pot still mode the user must shut off the unit manually.

The Air Still requires manual collection of foreshots. It also requires the user to manually shut off the unit at the end of the distillation.

The T500 Reflux and Alembic stills require close monitoring throughout distillation, with the use of temperature control, water flow management and manual shut-off at the end of distillation.

Summing it all up:

The Air Still is a great entry point for a new distiller, it enables you to learn about distilling on an easy-to-use, small-batch pot still. You can then upgrade your Air Still by adding the Air Still Pro Head Unit to convert your unit into a Reflux and Pot Still, or transition to the T500 Reflux Still or T500 Alembic Pot Still for larger volume.

The Air Still Pro is a home distiller’s dream, with a multitude of safety and automation features. A small batch still that can be used to produce any type of spirit, which is perfect for those restricted for space. Craft high-quality light and dark spirits utilising mode selection for reflux or pot still mode.

The Air Still Pro and Air Still are also excellent options for those wanting to experiment with recipes before scaling them up to larger batches for the T500 range.

The T500 Reflux Still and T500 Alembic Pot Still are great for those with more space at home and for those wanting to have a more hands on experience while producing greater yields. Perfect for distillers looking to immerse themselves in the hobby. 

* Also available as the Air Still Pro Head Unit to upgrade your Air Still.
**Also compatible with the G30, and the condensers are compatible with G40, and G70 using the Distilling Lid increasing capacity up to 70 L (18.49 US Gal).