Author Archives: Odin
Oceanside Distillery Wins Ascot Award!
Congrats to the Oceanside Distillery Team for winning the Ascot Award with their amazing Bourbon! We are proud that you choose to work with iStill and to have you as our customer.
Special Project: iStill 4000!
We are currently working on a special project for an American customer that was very much height restricted in their distilling hall. To help them out, we designed a lower boiler. Here it is: a special project iStill 4000, with the performance of an iStill 5000!
Whisky or Whiskey?
Often people seem confused about the spelling of whisky. Basically the Scots spell it without the “e” (so: whisky)
and the Americans and the Irish spell it with an “e” (so: whiskey). But this is part of the law in Scotland, not in
Ireland and the USA. So while most Irish and American whiskey’s are spelled with an “e”, some like Maker’s Mark
or Dickel choose to label their products “whisky”.
To call your product whisky there are several rules that need to be followed, although every territory in the world
has its own set of laws. Basically most regulations worldwide follow the Scottish rules. Whisky is a spirit made
from cereals, water and yeast. It can not be distilled above 94.8% ABV and not be bottled below 40% ABV. Also it
needs to mature for three years in a wooden cask. No additional flavorings or sweeteners may be added. You
may filter the whisky and add caramel for coloring though. And of course we have to ask ourselves if a wood
finish (like a port cask, rum cask, etc.) is not actually adding extra flavors to the whisky.
Congrats Heidell Distillery!
On behalf of iStill: congrats Heidell Distillery, for winning another award! Vodka, this time. We are proud to have you as our customers.
For Sale: iStill 500 Hybrid NextGen Full-Options!
After a few years of mild service at the iStill University, this showroom iStill 500 Hybrid NextGen is available for sale. It is a 2021 model with 18 kW, 2.5 inch indirect heaters, iStill’s proprietary Jet Propulsion Agitator System, and Boiler Radiator. What that means? It means that this unit can distill any spirit, and that it can also mash and ferment. It is not just a very versatile still, it is a complete, all-in-one distillery. An Extractor is not included, but can be added to the order, now or later.
The current run statistics of the unit are as follows:
- Power was on during 200 days (part for display, part for actual mashes, ferments, and distillation runs);
- Agitator has seen 531 hours of operation;
- Heaters have been on for 192 hours.
As preventative maintenance, the unit receives a minor service:
- Total check-up;
- Update to latest software;
- Oil change agitator engine;
- Robot refurbishment;
- Heater cleaning & polishing;
- Temperature probe recalibration.
New, as a 2023 model, this unit would now cost EUR 65.000,-. This 2021 model is available for 43k ex transport & crating.
Interested? See the pictures underneath. Want to buy the unit? Please email your company details to Finance@iStillmail.com, so that they can draw up your invoice. Do you first want to discuss if this potential purchase fits your plans? Don’t hesitate to reach out to Odin@iStillmail.com!
It’s Not a Bar, It’s a Husband Day Care Center!
iStill 5000 with Copper Plated Column!
For a customer in Belgium, we build an iStill 5000 with a copper plated column. Here are some pictures of the unit being picked up …
Authors’ Distillery Wins Berlin!
Congrats Ari & Team, on winning Gold in Berlin! Thank you for choosing to work with iStill.
Here’s the reaction of master distiller and co=founder Ari Kaura:
Positive Spirits: Showcasing Sustainable Distilling in London!
1. Hi Karen, thanks for joining! Can you tell a bit more about yourself, your career path, and what your current position is?
Hello thanks for inviting me to your blog. I am an Events Producer for Legacy Events, a sustainable events agency with B-Corp status and I am motivated towards hosting events that create positive social and environmental change.
I have spent my career helping others and earlier in my career I was focused on helping disadvantaged youth in London. I supported them to rebuild their lives and find work or education. In 2015 I started my own events company Absolute Alchemy and was passionate about putting on events that created change. This was when I met Abena Fairweather and Carole Quinn from Legacy Events and during the pandemic they asked me to join their team and help build their sustainable events agency and produce a range of events for clients.
With a passion for the planet I was honoured when they asked me to lead their flagship event Positive Spirits – a new pioneering show bringing the best sustainable spirits in the world.
2. You work for Legacy Events. What can you tell us about that organization?
Legacy is an award winning, sustainable events agency and consultancy. As an agency, we help companies run events that are better for the environment and which contribute towards positive social change.
Legacy believes that events have the power to provoke original thinking, shape communities and transform people’s lives. Unfortunately, all too often, events are wasteful and have a negative impact on the environment, detracting from their potential to inspire and uplift.
At Legacy, we want the impact of their clients’ events to be…just positive. We work with clients to advise on and deliver engaging, delightful, inspiring, beautiful events that are also sustainable. We can also give you access to our bespoke marketplace of sustainable events products and resources, democratising event planning and creating the conditions for innovation.
Check out their website – https://legacy-events.com/
3. Together with Legacy Events you organize Positive Spirits. Can you tell us more about what it is, what you aim to achieve?
Working with many clients to make their events more sustainable, has given us a unique insight into the people that push for sustainability within their businesses. Often they care about the issue of sustainability deeply outside of work too and want to make a difference in their personal actions and the brands they choose to support. What we’re seeing more and more is a willingness for people to educate themselves on how to make sustainable choices as buyers and consumers. Of course, this isn’t just Legacy; according to a survey in February, 58% of Europeans consider the climate impact important when buying food and beverage items.
As independent spirits and non-alcoholic spirits are moving towards sustainability to meet consumer demand, there is a need for visibility, transparency, collaboration and ideas sharing. This is where Positive Spirits comes in. We want to celebrate the work of spirit makers, showcase their products and innovations to drinks enthusiasts and empower consumers to make more sustainable choices – all whilst having fun with it. We want to be the tonic to your gin.
4. When and where will Positive Spirits be?
We are excited to be hosting the event at White Rabbit Studios in the heart of Shoreditch on Saturday 17 June from 11AM – 6PM. We have hospitality and trade attending in the morning and the general public will be coming in the afternoon to meet the brands and try out their wonderful drinks. We’re really excited to welcome everyone on site for a day of discovery, product tastings, inspiring speakers, music, activities and food.
For all the information you can visit our website – https://www.positivespirits.events/
5. Is the goal to make this a recurring event for craft distillers?
We have big plans for this show’s legacy and future potential. Taking it to Europe and building upon our strong community of innovators in the drinks and hospitality industry, would be the dream.
6. How do you see iStill or iStill customers participate or contribute?
Come to Positive Spirits and be inspired by the ongoing sustainability innovations and practices in the drinks industry and how your work, or future work, could contribute. There’s no better space right now for growing your network and getting ahead of the game. Cheers to change!
Postscriptum
iStill’s CEO Odin will give a presentation on how technological innovations – over the last decade – have made distilling a more sustainable place. Where? At the Positive Spirits event in London, as mentioned above. When? June 17. See you there!
If you come and would like to meet up for drinks, please email me at Odin@iStillmail.com, so we can get something going We have 5 VIP tickets available for free!
The iStill Blog 