Frequently Asked Questions

Have questions about our distilling equipment?

We're glad to help! Here are some of the most common questions we're asked by our customers.  If you don't find your answer here please call, text, or email and we'll be glad to answer your questions.

What are your current lead times?

Our lead times fluctuate during the year due to seasonal demand for certain items however, we generally run somewhere around 1-2 weeks to ship on all of our handcrafted stills.   We do not sell imported stills.  We are the manufacturer. All of our residential and commercial distillery orders are handcrafted right here in North Georgia. We take great pride in that!  Our lead times are updated on the front page of our website.

Where are you located? Do you have a showroom that I can come visit?

We are located in Cumming, Georgia just north of Atlanta.  However, we ship all over the United States as well as Canada and New Zealand.

We are a manufacturing facility and do not have a show room however if you are traveling nearby we certainly do not mind if you come visit us. We do ask that you call ahead for an appointment.  Please take a look at the shop tab here our website to view all our products there.  We’re glad to answer any questions or send more photos if you’d like.  We can be reached by phone, email or text to our sales line at 678-208-3161

Is it legal to own a still and make distilled spirits?  Do I need a permit to make moonshine?

In the United States, distilling alcohol is federally illegal without the proper permit. State regulations on distilling and owning distilling equipment vary from state to state and there is no general rule. Please check with your state and consult a licensed attorney in your jurisdiction if you have questions on state regulations and permitting requirements.

Our distillation equipment is designed for legal uses only and any information provided on our website is provided for informational purposes only and not intended to be relied upon by a person, or entity, as a legal basis for any act or decision.

Do you sell Essential Oil Stills?

We do! We build essential oil stills for home and commercial use.

Do you sell stainless imported stills?  Do you sell alembic style stills?

No and No. We build only handcrafted stills in the traditional American style.

I want electric heat but can I still run my still over a propane burner if I choose to?

Yes. Simply remove the heating element and plug the element port with a 1” brass plug. Next, its very important to always use a diffuser plate of some sort under any still when running over a flame.  You can use a thin piece of sheet metal or flashing.  Just be sure no flame ever touches the seams on the bottom of the pot. This will extend the life of your pot.

How do I clean my copper still?

We wash the outside of our products and leak test each pot before shipping.  You will need to do a cleaning run with distilled white vinegar to sanitize your entire system along with cleaning out the water soluble flux and any copper oxidation(patina) inside before use.  We will include instructions for that cleaning run with your order.

What is turbo distiller's yeast? Can't I just use bread yeast or wine yeast for my mash recipe? 

Turbo distiller's yeast is a specialized blend of yeast and nutrients made specifically for distilling spirits. Depending on the manufacturer it can have a different time and temperature requirement than other yeasts. Check with your supplier.

Yes you can use bread yeast or wine yeast to distill. However, your result may not be the same. Generally additional nutrients will have to added to insure your yeast stays alive and happy to produce the maximum amount of alcohol during fermentation.

How much yeast do I use for my mash? I've been fermenting for a week and my mash stopped bubbling.

Always follow the manufacture recommendations on any yeast you are using.

The second answer is a little harder. There's a whole lot of science going on here. In order to create the maximum amount of alcohol your yeast must stay alive and happy during fermentation. Are you fermenting at the correct temperature for your yeast? Is there plenty of fermentable sugars for the yeast to consume? Did your yeast contain any added nutrients?

How hot do I heat my still up to?

That depends on where you are. Remember that while water boils at 212 degrees at sea level that doesn't mean that alcohol does. You will find your distillation temperature when you start distilling.  Generally alcohol boils off around 186 - 190 degrees.  Its useful to keep a log of all your steps, time, and temperatures so you can repeat your successful process.  Remember, slow is better. Distilling is a game of great patience.

I didn't get very much alcohol out of my run. Is my still broken?

See the answers to the last three questions for the common reasons why this might happen.

What is a hydrometer?  What is an alcoholmeter? 

A hydrometer is a tool used by brewers and distillers to measure potential alcohol content. This is done by taking a specific gravity, also known as liquid gravity, reading before fermentation and then comparing it to another reading after fermentation to gauge the amount of alcohol production that has occurred during fermentation. This tool is used during fermentation.

An alcoholmeter is a tool used by distillers to measure the proof or ABV (alcohol by volume) in your final product( after distillation). This tool is used after distillation.

My electric controller is giving me an error code. What do I do?

Your controller has been pre-programmed and you do not need to make any adjustments inside the box. If you have an error code please give us a call or send an email with a photo of the error code and we will do our best to diagnose this over the phone or email.
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