Making Vodka - Advice Anyone

[Deutscher]

Hi,

Well my mate is making his own beer. I thought it'd be awesome to jump in the hobby, but I rather make some Vodka, if it's not too hard.

I WON'T BE SELLING!

Just wondering if anyone is/has done this before and could give some advice?
I've looked at some Starter Kits on Brewing stores. They sell this Air Stiller, which looks small enough for me (I don't want to make heaps, just want to make 1L per month is plenty). Just wondering if anyone has advice or could recommend, give advice.

and it's not illegal to do this right? I'm not selling and not produce large quantities. There are plenty of stores that sell the gear so shouldn't be illegal.

I need some advice on the Stills, I've read a bit about the Air Still... a lot of people don't recommend them but this looks the cheapest option unless I build my own (which I wouldn't know how). I don't want to spend great amounts of money, because I don't have it and it'd take years to pay for itself.... I don't really drink that much.

For a first Still the Air Still looks pretty good. Ye it's not going to be best quality vodka, but it's a start right? I don't want to spend $600+ on a Rig and find out this hobby isn't really my thing, you know.

[Not_An_Abba_Fan]

I'm pretty sure making any kind of spirit is illegal in Australia. You can own a still under 5L capacity but it can only be used for water purification or essential oil extraction.

Google is your friend for recipes or processes.

[jujibelly]

Sounds to me like you should just walk away from the whole idea.

[DLFHUB666]

my mate makes his own sprits its about 80% then he adds what ever flavor you want bourbon vodka rum hell he even makes bailieys didnt think it was illegal. But i dont care if it is because its free

[Deutscher]

I'm pretty sure making any kind of spirit is illegal in Australia. You can own a still under 5L capacity but it can only be used for water purification or essential oil extraction.

Google is your friend for recipes or processes.

You recon it's Illegal? But you can make beer ye? Wonder why it'd be illegal. I could see it being illegal if you sold it. But it's kind of like growing your own vegetables.. just cause the government doesn't make money from you.. shouldn't make it illegal.
I'll try searching google for the laws (not sure If I'll find - might as one of the cops here).

also, I don't understand how stores can sell it, if it's illegal.
West Brew T/As Brewcraft - Air Still Complete Starter Pack (2 Free Flavours) - Stills and Distillation - Stills - WestBrew Home Brew Kits | Beer Flavours | Perth Western Australia

Edit:.... just read it. "Although small distillation units are available and legal for the purpose of water purification and essential oil manufacture, turning your alcobase/turbo yeast fermentations into spirit via distillation is illegal under Australian law" Australian Customs Notice No. 97/98 (Section 10/11/11a). "

Edit: Kinda stupid if you can buy a starter kit that includes:
2 x 1.125L Spirit Bottles, Spirit Hydrometer, Beer Hydrometer, Hydrometer Test Jar.
We are just going to purify water and test how much Alcohol will be in it.

[Deutscher]

Mod. Please delete this Thread.

I guess that quickly turned that idea down.

"Although small distillation units are available and legal for the purpose of water purification and essential oil manufacture, turning your alcobase/turbo yeast fermentations into spirit via distillation is illegal under Australian law" Australian Customs Notice No. 97/98 (Section 10/11/11a). "

Illegal to make your own Spirits.

Suppose, I might just make beer :P Beer is legal I presume. I guess Spirits are illegal because the alcohol percentage is much higher and cause harm.

[undersuspicion]

I had a friend with a still. Once you have it you can make rum, bourbon, vodka, bailey etc etc etc the list goes on. As far as he knew it wasnt illegal so long as you werent selling it. Most stores like u brew it stock the kits. For the one he had it was approx $600 and that came with everything. except the ingredients required to make it. U brew it and brewcraft (not sure what they are called in your state but in WA thats what we have) they sell kits I think for about $40 and they contain the sugar, yeast, flavour and every thing to make a batch. I hope that helps any other questions ill try and help where i can.

[Tsunamix]

It depends on the alcohol level. you can make alcobase of low level content like wines / fortified wines level and add flavours.

I can tell you very seriously - temperature is the key. Distill at too high a temperature and get low alochol content, and mineral salts. Too low a temperature and get Methanol content which will drive you blind.

It is legal to make high potency alcohols in New zealand.

The laws do not allow for home brewing of alcohol based fuels for motor vehicles...

[Not_An_Abba_Fan]

Like some things, it is legal to buy and own, but illegal to use for the manufacture of spirits. Even though you can legally buy everything you need to make them.

The laws do not allow for home brewing of alcohol based fuels for motor vehicles...

But you are still making a distilled spirit, regardless of what it is used for. Illegal in Aus.

[Tsunamix]

Yeah, but I'm dissappointed that i cant get the waste brewers wash from the fourexx brewery at milton, and distill it for wood alcohols to run a car on. Alcohols burn more completley, but have a lower energy value, and a lesser greenhouse byproduct. Would be sorta nice to do as an option you know.

However it is Legal for CSR to do exactly that for a profit / Ethanol ?

[OFF T4P]

have you ever heard of anyone getting find for making there own grog and drinking it them self (not selling it ). I think you would be hard done by to get find for it. Go for it mate i got a still best investment ever.

[VL_5SPEED]

my 85 year old granpa still makes hes own spirits the old school way.

[Troy5L]

make some moonshine..

[CSP]

make some moonshine..

Um, any spirit you make yourself can be considered "moonshine".

[Rusty]

I'm not condoning illegal behavior in anyway BUT if you have a relatively clean record, the reprocutions of making 1Litre of Vodka a month should be very minimal! Warning and a slap on the wrist i presume (or a tiny fine)! Plead dumb! (yes ignorance is not a defence in australia but it can certainly help!).

Once again not condoning illegal yadddddda yada yada

[graham7773]

If you make any form of alcohol, you pay excise whether you drink, it use it for fuel or sell it. Of course, you have to get caught or give yourself up first. I lived at Cringila (near Wollongong) for a few years and every year a semitrailer loaded with grapes would appear on the corner lot. People would come from everywhere to buy the grapes and for the next few weeks all you could smell was fermenting grapes. After that there would be the smell of stills making grappa. About 98% alcohol and kicks worse than a mule. No excise there.

[CSP]

If you make any form of alcohol, you pay excise whether you drink, it use it for fuel or sell it. Of course, you have to get caught or give yourself up first.

Wrong. Making home brew beer is perfectly legal.

[W84N01]

brewing your own beer or spirits is legal as long as you don't sell it or provide it to minors.

Owning a still is illegal, and if you get caught with one in your possession, you can get fined if not more.

Go for it, i know plenty of people that brew their own alcohol, everything from A-Z he does, and has never had a problem as he doesn't advertise it or brag about it or hand it out to everyone.

[Not_An_Abba_Fan]

Beer is legal, spirits is not.

[VTLS1]

Beer is legal, spirits is not.

yeap,i'll agree with that but at last check wine is not. now i know some of you may be thinking yuck etc & personally i hate wine...normally. but then theres saki(japanese rice wine) this stuff is like rocket fuel & deadset easy to make. basically its just rice,suger & raisins fermented.
if you wanta make vodka(your choice,not condoning or condeming your decision) easy way is from old potato peelings fermented up. this makes a brew that would curl your toes & have you farting methane in a strong enough dose to send you in orbit....if you lit one,lol

[quick308]

brewing your own beer or spirits is legal as long as you don't sell it or provide it to minors.

Owning a still is illegal, and if you get caught with one in your possession, you can get fined if not more.

Go for it, i know plenty of people that brew their own alcohol, everything from A-Z he does, and has never had a problem as he doesn't advertise it or brag about it or hand it out to everyone.

Funny thing is you can buy everything you need to brew beer at your local Kmart store, they don't have any restrictions as to what age you need to be to buy equipment as far as i know. I knew kids that used to buy it, never heard of anyone being asked for id.

[CSP]

Funny thing is you can buy everything you need to brew beer at your local Kmart store, they don't have any restrictions as to what age you need to be to buy equipment as far as i know. I knew kids that used to buy it, never heard of anyone being asked for id.

Of course. And that's because it's not alcoholic until AFTER the fermentation process is complete. Even when you mix up a batch of home brew it's not alcoholic. You could drink all 20 litres and not blow 0.00001. But after you add the yeast and let it ferment, it becomes alcoholic.

[dirt drifter]

quite a few blokes i used to work with had their own stills for brewing rum. none of them ever sold it, it was only for themselves. none of them ever got done for it but then again they were (mostly) law abiding citizens who dont get visits from the police.

with practice its possible to brew a pretty good drop, apparently u wake up pretty healthy the next day because the home brew isnt full of the additives/preservatives etc that the stuff u buy at the bottleo is full of. so they all reckon anyway

[soop]

Its illegal to distil spirits because its highly volatile.

[Troy711]

I'm stinging for a beer now...