Training
 

Introduction to Home and Boutique distilling

20 hour intense training for safe, legal and confident home and boutique distilling

Course objectives:

To enable new entrants to craft distilling to enter the art and science of distilling in a highly practical, knowledgeable,  informed manner and respecting the law to responsibly enjoy the life-long art of distilling.


At the end of the course you will:

  • Appreciate the history of distilling and the various spirits produced by distilling.
  • Have a clear understanding of the safety issues involved with home distilling.
  • Know how to apply for your own permit to legally distil at home.
  • Be able to ferment your first fruit wines and sugar washes with confidence.
  • Be able to distil your first fruit brandies with confidence.
  • Know how to cut and blend your spirits.
  • Know what easy methods are available to enhance your distiiled spirits.
  • Have exposure to some commercial opportunities to use your acquired knowledge.

Course fee (R1900.00 per person) includes:

    • Study material (more than 200 printed and bound pages)
    • CD /DVD with still permit application forms, 2 x still plans, beer brewing handbook and lots of other distilling related material.
    • Starter pack with:
      • Fermenting bottle (unfortunately not for Cape Town)
      • Distiller's turbo yeast with nutrients included (for 25-100 Litres)
      • Finings (clearing agent for 25 litres)
      • French oak chips (for 25 litres)
      • pH test strips
      • Professional distiller's hydrometer
      • 3 x Flavouring essences
  • 6 module work sessions
  • Refreshments during work sessions
    		•



    Enrol now for the 20 hour "Introduction to Boutique, Craft and Home distilling" training course and obtain your short course certificate to assist you in the art and science of distilling your own whisky, brandy, vodka, liqueurs, grappa, gin, and .... and many more...


    Short course contents:



    Distilling overview and introduction

    • Types of liquors
    • History of distilling
    • Legalities - how to obtain your permit to own and operate your Distillique Compact Still legally in South Africa
    • Safety during distilling
    • Responsible drinking and health benefits
    • Potable distilling products
    • The role of copper during distilling

    Equipment and Instrumentation

    • Fermenting vessels
    • Still types
    • The Distillique Compact still
    • The desktop still
    • Boilers and heating control
    • Instrumentation and correct use
    • Hygiene, sterilisation, cleaning and maintenance

    Fermentation

    • Working with recipes
    • The Fermentation process
    • Types of fermentation
    • Yeast
    • Sugar washes
    • Calculating sugar requirements
    • Fruit fermentation
    • Grain fermentation (Barley, maize, etc)
    • Special fermentation techniques
    • Record keeping

    Distillation

    • Mixtures, solutions and suspensions
    • Ethanol/Water Phase diagram
    • Distillation processes for spirits
    • The distillation process for essential oils
    • Temperature and heat management
    • Purity control
    • Heads, Hearts and Tails
    • Record keeping
    • Taking cuts
    • Disposing of distillation wastes
    • Essential oil extraction

    Blending, flavouring and colouring

    • Sensory perceptions
    • Diluting raw distilled alcohol
    • Visual examinations
    • Olfactory examinations
    • Taste examinations
    • Tactile examinations
    • Liquor types
    • Whiskey and Brandy
    • Infusions
    • Steaming
    • Wood Maturing
    • Botanicals and essences
    • Caramel preparation
    • Commercial flavourants
    • Smoothing and sweetening
    • Cleaning and polishing
    • Blending
    • Practical examinations

    Beyond home distilling

    • Business opportunities
    • Gel-fuel and essential oils

    Certificate examination.

    Money back guarantee:

    If, after completing the full training, you are not satisfied with the quality of the course, you may request a full refund of the course fees. Simple as that.

    (All course provided material then to be returned to Distillique)

    Once you've completed the course, you receive assistance and support from Distillique and other fellow distillers - free of charge via our distiller's forum.

    and

    receive monthly newsletters on interesting topics, excursions and all things distillation!




    The above course curriculum may be modified, enhanced and expanded by Distillique without prior notice.