Jimmy | September 25, 2009
I’ve seen a few articles recently where people have mentioned using Brita water filtering jugs to purify vodka, and I’ve also seen information about refilling your own Brita filter cartridges. I thought it would be a good opportunity to explore this area in a little more detail, and explain the science behind what is happening.
Can you make premium grade vodka from a cheap bottle of no-name spirit? Is it worth the effort and expense of buying the filter jug and cartridges? Is the process safe? I decided to find out whether a Brita jug has any place in the home distillers toolkit, or if it should remain the preserve of cheapskate student types and those who have too much time on their hands.
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Jimmy | May 23, 2008
In home distillation circles, the accepted practice is to construct your own still, either from a published design or from scratch using your own ingenuity. There are some places that will sell you a ready made column or a complete still, giving similar results for those without the required metalworking skills. The whole scene is full of interesting and varied approaches to making and distilling alcohol. However, there is a tendency to look down upon the SmartStill, but why is this?
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Jimmy | March 13, 2008
When we first started making our own spirits, it was done partly from a desire to save money on alcohol but also for the fun of finding out how it worked, experimenting with different methods, etc. Something that didn’t cross my mind until a little too late was the fact that as we were no longer buying alcohol all the time, we wouldn’t have a source of usable glass bottles. As I’m sure many of you will be aware, the urge to give a bottle to visiting friends is all too great, and before you know it you can’t find one when you need it yourself.
How do other people cope with this? I’ve considered using wine bottles and a corker, sticking with plastic ‘PET’ bottles, buying old bottles from flea markets, charity shops, etc – I’m just curious to see how others have handled this issue. Leave a comment, it’d be great to hear your views!
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