Well this is cool. Granted, there are ALL SORTS of state and federal laws that must be obeyed here, so I’m not suggesting anything illegal. Check your local laws before getting any weird ideas here. But a retail mini-still? Yes, please.
Let me repeat: WE ARE NOT ENDORSING ILLEGAL HOME DISTILLING, but there are all sorts of potential legal uses for this that are just…awesome.
PicoBrew Launches PicoStill Precision Small Batch Distilling Device Available on Kickstarter Today
Product Features Patent Pending Safety Technology
Works with All PicoBrew Craft Beer Brewing Appliances
17 Apr, 2017, 11:00 ET
SEATTLE, April 17, 2017 /PRNewswire/ — PicoBrew today announced PicoStill, a first-of-its-kind, patent-pending distilling attachment that is compatible with the company’s Pico countertop brewing appliances and Zymatic® professional grade appliance. PicoStill is a device topped with a sleek copper distilling coil that fits over the Pico C Keg and can be used to distill hop oil, water and essential oils. (Of course, with proper licenses and permits, the PicoStill can be used to distill spirits as well). It is now offered as an add-on incentive in PicoBrew’s hugely successful Pico Model C Kickstarter campaign, which has raised more than $800,000 in just two weeks and is one of the top 10 most successful Food Kickstarter campaigns of all time.
Hop oils are typically used by commercial breweries to quickly infuse beers with distinct hops aromas and flavors, a process that is often achieved by “dry hopping,” which can take up to a week. However, up until now, hop oils have not been available in smaller quantities for producers who brew small batches of beer. PicoStill makes it possible for any brewer to create their own essential hop oils for use in brewing.
“Since we got started in 2010, PicoBrew has been inventing technologies to make the several thousand years-old process of beer creation easier for professionals and consumers alike,” said Dr. Bill Mitchell, CEO, PicoBrew. “The PicoStill not only empowers small batch brewers to create ingredients like hop oil and essential oils more easily than ever before, but it also gives them the most precise and safest technology to do it with.”
Licensed and properly permitted craft distillers can also use the PicoStill to produce a wide range of alcohols, including vodka, whiskey, bourbon, moonshine, gin, brandies, schnapps and more. PicoStill operators must act in compliance with their local, state and national laws. As with beer production on PicoBrew devices, compliance with regulation and national and international law is the responsibility of the PicoStill owner.
“At 2bar Spirits, we’re intrigued by the possibility of using PicoBrew’s small batch-size vacuum PicoStill in the same way craft breweries are using PicoBrew’s brewing equipment for testing,” said Nathan Kaiser, Founder, 2bar Spirits, one of the fastest growing craft distilleries in Washington.
PicoStill features a large infusion chamber that is crucial for essential oil extraction, but it is also helpful for designing flavored spirits. Licensed distilleries will be able to use the still to test out small batches of new spirits and infusions before committing to larger batches.
“We built our entire business around differentiation and customization, and we need tools like PicoStill to continue creating and experimenting with exciting flavor profiles for our spirits,” said Dave Groom, Co-founder and President, Schnapsleiche Craft Spirits in Woodinville, WA. “PicoStill allows us to be nimble and quickly test out new products before introducing them to our line.”
PicoStill allows a distiller to have precision temperature control over the still, allowing for more precision and safety. It employs patent-pending technologies that make the process of distilling safer, including an indirect vacuum heating mechanism and a methanol collection chamber.
“This level of precision and safety in distilling has never been available before, and we’re excited to offer distillers ultimate control over their cuts using our patent-pending technology,” said Jim Mitchell, Chief Science Officer, PicoBrew.
PicoStill is available now to Kickstarter backers for $170USD, or packaged with the Pico Model C for $499USD. It will retail for $349USD when it hits stores later this fall.
To contribute to the Pico Model C Kickstarter campaign and secure a PicoStill, visit: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1708005089/pico-c-craft-brewing-for-all
