Distillation with BSG, Still Spirits, and Rahr Technical Center

What better way to learn about distillation than from the experts? No, not us - our friends at Still Spirits, BSG, and Rahr Technical Center (RTC). Northern Brewer visited the RTC for a two-day master class in small-scale distilling using the Still Spirits Air Still and The Grainfather G30 (with both reflux condenser column and alembic dome pot still attachments). Join us for a series of videos through the educational and eye-opening experience!

Part 1: Distillation - From Brewing Wash to Making Cuts

Learn to make the malt and sugar wash, the distillation setup, distilling on different setups, and our initial tasting notes. 

Part 2: Still Spirits Air Still Countertop Distillation Demonstration

Ilya Soroka from BSG discusses and demonstrates the distillation process using a Still Spirits Air Still at Rahr Technical Center, a licensed professional distillery in Shakopee, MN.

Part 3: Still Spirits T500 Reflux Still Unboxing & Distillation Demo

Here Ilya discusses and demonstrates the distillation process using a Still Spirits T500 Reflux Condenser attachment on a Grainfather G30 boiler.

Part 4: Pot Still Distillation Demo | T500 Alembic Pot Still

This part of our series provides both a demonstration of the Still Spirits T500 Alembic Pot Still attachment on a Grainfather G30 as well as a discussion on the stripping run and spirit run part of the process. 

Part 5: Blending Cuts After Distillation | Demo with Still Spirits

Here we sample the many segments pulled off during distillation; talk about the differences between heads, hearts and tails; then blend and dilute a finished white whiskey to flavor and taste in an upcoming final video in the series.

Part 6: Flavoring and Wood-Aging Spirits | Distillation Project Finale

We wrap our distillation collaboration project with BSG and Still Spirits by tasting some of the neutral and flavored spirits we produced on three different still setups. One set was infused with different Top Shelf flavorings: dry gin, whisky, and Aussie gold rum. The other includes bottles that were conditioned for a few months on various oak spirals. As part of this flight, we also get a quick technical lesson on the process of barrel- and wood-aging spirits.