The Ararat 7 distiller is manufactured by the Thermosfera company, the product is a basic and extremely simplified version of a single-bell tray column of low power and productivity. According to the manufacturer, we have a budget version of the column for the production of fruit or grain distillates by novice distillers. Everything speaks of this: from the simplified terminology in the description of the column to the extremely simple work technology offered by the manufacturer. In this review, we will understand how Ararat is suitable for our kitchens, and what to expect in terms of quality of drinks and performance.
Stills
The moonshine is equipped with cubes of 12, 20, 30 or 50 liters. At the heart of the well-known pan “Luxstahl” with all its advantages and disadvantages. Made from relatively cheap AISI 201, it requires a certain amount of maintenance to maintain a decent appearance and corrosion resistance.
The instruction manual for these pots clearly prohibits filling them more than ¾ in order to avoid liquid overflow during boiling, at the same time, small filling will lead to overheating of the walls and the appearance of colored spots, especially in the acidic environment of the heated product.
Since numerous manufacturers of distillation cubes from these pans modestly hush up the rules for caring for them, let’s work instead of them. Here is an excerpt from the care instructions from pot manufacturer Luxstahl.
The cubes offered in the kit belong to the budget line “Light” with a minimum configuration. However, they have a safety blast valve embedded in the cover, a fitting for an electronic thermometer and a clamp outlet for connecting a column.
The lid is attached to the cube with a non-adjustable clamp through a pretty decent U-shaped silicone gasket. The lid thickness of 1 mm corresponds to the compact dimensions of the column and does not cause any inconvenience. The three-layer bottom of the cube with an aluminum thermo-distributing insert allows you to work much more boldly with thick mashes, without much fear of burning.
Column “Ararat”
The column consists of a glass side and three capped plates. The manufacturer, in order not to frighten beginners, calls the column a “triple system of bubbling dry steamers”. Here you are completely familiar words …
As a matter of fact, three bubble caps placed in an 81 mm drawer can work in a wide range of heating power, from about 600 to 2000 watts. That allows you to select “heads” and “body” at a rate of up to 3 l / h, simply by changing the gas supply on the stove, i.e. in the usual way for a moonshiner.
Therefore, the dephlegmator with the selection unit is made in a simplified way. The manufacturer speaks briefly about its design: coil type. Again, sheer psychology, aimed at winning the trust of those who have not yet departed far from the grandmother’s apparatus.
In the operating mode, bubbling and heat and mass transfer occur on the plates. The efficiency of the plates changes slightly with a change in power, preventing the product from spoiling. Strengthening occurs at the level of 1,5-2 steps of separation, which is enough to see the cherished and inaccessible on simple devices 80-82% when distilling the mash. Is this enough to talk about serious purification of moonshine? Of course not. But two successive distillations will make it possible to somewhat purify the product from both “heads” and “tails”. Moonshine is obtained with a strength of about 89-90% and already without a strong characteristic odor.
The manufacturer himself, describing the work of his more advanced and perfect cap columns, recommends the use of:
- 2-6 levels – for fragrant fruit and berry and grain distillates;
- 4-8 levels – for ordinary sugar mash;
- 8-12 levels – the purest distillates (under-rectified) with a strengthening of 93-95%.
But you should not trust the specialists of “Thermosphere” in this matter. Three levels of less perfect Ararat 7 plates allow for minimal purification of moonshine and are only suitable for obtaining fruit and berry or grain distillates for further long-term aging and maturation in barrels. For raw sugar, this degree of purification is unacceptably low.
Equipment
The equipment, as it should be for a budget device, is Spartan. A pair of simple and reliable digital thermometers, a piece of silicone tube for the product outlet and 5 meters of PVC for connecting water, an instruction manual and a recipe book … As if as a gift, there is a household alcohol meter and an adapter for a tap.
From all this goodness, you can immediately and without regret throw out an alcohol meter and, for reliability, buy PVC clamps. The rest you can work with.
True, you need to constantly pay attention to PVC pipes, they are too thin-walled (1,2 mm) and easily break, blocking the flow of water.
Development Opportunities
The possibilities of upgrading the device “Ararat 7” are limited.
You can purchase a rather primitive aroma basket and place it between the cube and the column. Actually, that’s all.
Installation of additional cap columns from those offered by the manufacturer is possible, since they have standard clamp connections, but their cost is comparable to the price of “Ararat 7” assembled with a cube. And the capabilities of the reflux condenser will not allow the use of additional cap columns with full return. They are designed for more powerful and advanced models.
conclusions
- “Ararat 7” is a budget moonshine that introduces novice distillers to plate columns. The product is designed to work on a kitchen gas stove and produces better moonshine than classic distillers with dry steamers.
“Triple distillation in one cycle, now you don’t need to drive 2 times,” this is nothing more than an advertising phrase. In any case, you will have to drive twice, otherwise the resulting product will not differ from the standard village moonshine.
- “Purification by 98% of harmful impurities”, this is also from the field of advertising. “Ararat 7” allows for 2 hauls only “lightly brush” the moonshine, prepare it for further aging in barrels.
- The quality of workmanship does not raise questions, everything is done at a decent level.
- Distillers who want to get a distillate with a good degree of purification should pay attention to more advanced devices.
Reviewed by IgorGor.