Still Spirits kits made me a distilling addict — what’s your shed hiding from you?

July 4, 2025

From Backyard Curiosity to Bottle-Worthy Spirits (Without a Fancy Lab Coat)

"Still Spirits kits helped me quit the bottle shop."

If you've ever held a bottle of top-shelf bourbon and thought, I could do better, you're not alone—and you're not wrong. There’s something quietly addictive about distilling your own spirits: the control, the customisation, the pride when a mate takes a sip and nods knowingly.

Here’s the kicker: you don’t need a chemistry degree or an underground bunker to make it happen. We've watched dozens of beginners go from baffled to bottling thanks to proper gear and plain English advice. One bloke tried our starter still after months of over-researching online—three months later, he was handing out bottles labelled "Shearer’s Cream" at the local footy club. It’s as satisfying as it sounds.

So, what does it take to get started?

Not nearly as much as the internet would have you believe. Let’s break it down.

The Gear You Need (And What You Can Skip)

It’s easy to go overboard when you first get the bug. But starting with a solid beginner distilling kit will give you everything you need—and nothing you don’t. Focus on:

Table-top spirit still: Smaller units are safer, easier to control, and don’t take your whole shed bench hostage.
Fermenter with a lid: You’ll mix your wash (base) here. If you’ve brewed beer, you’re halfway there.
Carbon filter: This step might feel fiddly at first, but it turns that rough edge into smooth-as-silk sipping material.
Essences or flavourings: These aren’t cheating—they’re how you craft something unique (and repeatable).

We see a lot of people skipping proper filtering or using make-do gear from the kitchen. It might work once, but if you want consistency and clean results, purpose-built gear pays off in less waste and better taste.

The Process (Simplified, Not Dumbed Down)

There are plenty of deep-dive guides out there—and let’s be honest, a fair few of them start as helpful and end sounding like a textbook got into a punch-on with an online forum.

This is the short version you actually need:

Make the wash: This is the sugar, water, nutrient and yeast mixed in your fermenter. Give it 5–10 days to do its thing.
Distil your wash: Using your still, separate the alcohol from the wash. This should take a few hours max.
Filter: Use carbon filtering to strip off the harshness and off-flavours. It's optional, but trust us—your liver and friends will thank you.
Flavour: Add your chosen essence. Classic ones include bourbon, rum, Irish cream, and spiced liqueurs.
Bottle & rest: Let it sit a week if you can. Then crack it open. It’ll only get better with time.

"Getting it right takes care, not complication."
– Candeece, Homebrew Lead at Strathalbyn H Hardware

What Makes it Worth It?

If you're thinking, why not just grab a bottle from the shop? here's why home spirit-making wins:

Flavour, your way: It’s not about replicating Jack or Jim. It’s about creating something people remember because it’s yours.
Consistency: Once you lock in a process, you can reproduce that perfect vanilla-caramel-peaty profile again and again.
Craftsmanship: There’s a sense of pride in pouring a dram made with your own hands and patience.
Connection: There’s always a story in every bottle. And people want to hear it when you say, “Yep, I made this.”

But is it really legal?

This comes up all the time. In Australia, you’re allowed to own and use a still up to 5L capacity without a distilling licence. Beyond that, regulations vary and it’s worth having a quick nosey on the ABF website. That said, most home brewers keep it small, personal, and peaceful—and it’s very easy to stay on the right side of the fence.

Most Common First-Time Fizzles (and How to Dodge Them)

Trying to rush the process: Patience wins. Don’t distil before fermentation is complete.
Skipping filtration: It might smell fine to you now. But give it a week and you’ll wish you’d run it through carbon.
Guessing the ABV: Use a hydrometer. It’s not fancy—it’s just smart. You wouldn’t cook steak blindfolded either.
Assuming all essences are created equal: They’re not. Premium ones give smoother, fuller flavours and use better natural extracts.

Why It’s Not Just a Hobby

You might start with curiosity. A weekend project. Maybe even a YouTube recipe you wanted to try. But somewhere along the line, it turns into more. Suddenly you’re reading up on oak aging. You’re batch-tracking like a chemist. You’re tuning your still like it’s a motorbike. That’s the quiet joy of this craft—it quietly pulls you in and rewards you the deeper you go.

You’ll feel it the first time someone asks, with raised eyebrows, "You made this?"