Glossary of Terms

ABV
Alcohol By Volume is also known as ABV and is the alcoholic strength of a spirit measured as a % part in relation to the liquid as a whole. 40% ABV equates to 40% alcohol and 60% water/congeners etc.

Airlock
A device to allow air out of a fermenting unit while preventing oxygen and bugs from coming back inside it.

Air Still
A special type of pot still that uses air instead of water to cool the condenser, with an inbuilt fan that blows cool air over the cooling coils inside the top cover.

Alcohol
Alcohol is the hydrocarbon compound that results from fermenting sugar. In the form of ethanol, alcohol is distilled white spirit.

Body
The main distillate or condensed steam collected from an air still or pot still. The body comes off between the "heads" and "tails".

Classic Turbo
A fast-acting yeast made by Still Spirits that performs well under most climatic conditions.

Dextrose
Better known today as glucose, dextrose is a simple sugar (monosaccharide) that has a high Glycemic Index. It is very water-soluble and is often used in the fermentation process. Also known as corn sugar as it can be produced by breaking down corn flower to simple sugar.

Express Turbo
A yeast from Still Spirits that works exceptionally quickly (within 24 hours) to create good quality distillate after fermentation.

Fermentation
The process that occurs when yeast uses sugar to make alcohol and carbon dioxide.

Fermenter
The container that you use to mix up the Wash.

Head
The first distillate or condensed steam from the still which can contain undesirable elements.

Heat Wave Turbo
A heat-tolerant yeast made by Still Spirits for successful fermenting in warmer conditions.

Hydrometer
A direct-reading instrument for indicating the density and other characteristics of liquids including alcohol content for spirits. Hydrometers used specifically for spirits are also known as 'alcometers'.

Neat
A term referring to liquor that is drunk as it is from the bottle and undiluted by ice or a mixer.

On The Rocks
A liqueur or spirit poured over ice cubes and served in a small or tall glass.

Pail
A watertight, vertical cylinder or truncated cone, with an open top that can be enclosed and a flat bottom. In this context, it is the container used for fermenting. See also 'fermenter'.

Pot Still
A simple still consisting of a pot and an outlet to a condenser, with the outlet itself also serving as a condenser, ensuring everything that boils is collected and condensed. Alcohol is typically collected at 50 to 60% abv. from a Pot still.

Power Turbo
A yeast from Still Spirits that delivers the optimum alcohol yield when fermenting achieving a wash of over 20% abv.

Proof
There are two scales of proof. The British system of defining alcoholic strength. Proof spirit is that which at a temperature of 11.5°C weighs twelve thirteenths that of an equal volume of distilled water at the same temperature. This is said to be 100% proof and such a mixture would be 57.1 % alcohol and 42.9% water.

In the American system proof is exactly twice that of abv. 100% proof spirit is equal to 50% abv.

Reflux Still
A more complex still with a chamber called the Reflux condenser, where steam is filtered and some of the unwanted elements are returned to the boiling vessel. This results in purer, stronger alcohol. Depending on the level of refluxing spirit can be produced from 70% through to a theoretical maximum of 96.4% abv.

Sodium Metabisulphite
Is used as a sterilising agent and can decrease the amount of oxygen in a substance. It also acts as an antimicrobial, inhibiting the growth of fungi and bacteria. Care must be taken when using it as allergic reactions can result. Asthmatics beware!

Sterilisation
The process of cleaning and sanitising equipment before use. The term sterilising is used loosely. It is impossible in a non sterile environment to remove all microbes. The aim of any home distiller should be to eliminate as many as possible to ensure the only microbe growing is the turbo yeast supplied in the pack.

Tails
The last portion of alcohol that is produced from most stills. This portion contains heavier alcohols, a much higher percentage of water and other unwanted by-products. Some stills like the T500, by design, do not produce "Tails".

Triple Distilled Turbo
A quality yeast made by Still Spirits that is used when a high level of smoothness and a high quality end-result is the primary aim. Utilising state of the art ingredients Triple Distilled Turbo reduces unwanted congeners during fermentation. To ensure these are not later released in the boil it is important to treat Triple Distilled spirit with Turbo Carbon.

Turbo Carbon
A formulation from Still Spirits designed to be used in fermentation that removes during fermentation producing a distillate that is easier to treat in post-distillation filtration.

Turbo Clear
A product from Still Spirits that removes over 95% of the yeast cells, solids and other compounds that can release unwanted elements during distillation.

Turbo Sugar
An alternative to using Turbo Carbon in the wash to improve Wash quality as it is an ideal blend of sugar and activated carbons.

T500 - Turbo 500 Still
A 21st century still design that redefines home distilling in terms of ease of use, user control, increased yield and purity.

Wash
Mix of water, sugar, yeast and nutrients that you ferment to make an alcoholic base for distilling.

Yeast
A living organism that converts the sugary Wash into alcohol.