I was looking at my whiskey still today and thinking about new recipes and ideas to put in practice. Then, I was thinking of how easy it is to buy a moonshine kit; but, I was also thinking that some people like to build their own whiskey still. And that’s just fine. You can, at times, take more pleasure in building your own still, as you feel you got more involved into this passion of yours. And when you are a beginner in moonshine whiskey - thou you have been deeply passionate about whiskey for a long time - wanting to build your own whiskey still might be one of your first thoughts.
So, let’s say you decided you wanted to have your own, personal, made-by-yourself still. Good, but how do you create one? You can build it by scratch, if you really want to (if you are talented, have the time and instruments to shape every gallon and piece of the whiskey still); or, you can buy a still kit and make your job easier.
The Still Kit Full Package
Generally, a still kit contains all the parts that make your moonshine still. With them (and the help of some instructions, which can either come with the package or you can find them on the internet – even in video version) you get to build your own still.
To get an idea of what a moonshine still kit might contain, here are some of the stuff that come in the package in general:
• copper pins
• fittings
• pipe
• the pot(s), which need to be a perfect fit for the size you desire (the size of the assembled moonshine still) and should bepre-prepared for assembly when you receive the kit
• instructions on how to assembly a moonshine kit (either written ones, perhaps with pictures, or videos which are sent to you via mail once the order for the kit has been placed / the delivery of the package has been made)
• hammer
• hose kit
• pair of pliers
• (plumbing) solder
• propane burner (or something similar)
• thermometer
Now, this does not mean that you will find all of these in every kit. That depends on the person / company / website offering the kit and what they decide to put in the package. Commonly, the last 6 items I mentioned above are considered “optional objects”, meaning they are viewed as part of any household or you need to buy them on your own, separate from the grand kit.
Take a look at some of the kits you find out there and check out what items each has to offer, as well as if they give discounts or special offers if you buy the optional objects from them, too. And do not forget to check your package the moment it has arrived, to see if everything you need is in there.
Still kits can be quite helpful for beginners in the art of moonshine whiskey, but also for the more advanced moonshiners, as they teach you how to build your own still, thus putting a special print on it and helping you better understand how all the elements of a whiskey still work.
Posted by Jason Stone on