Brew Your First Batch (Spirits)

Whether you've just unboxed your BBP Instant Brew & Distill Kit or the BBP Premium Instant Brew & Distill Kit, this guide walks you through exactly what to do — step by step, from mixing your ingredients to pouring your first glass.

All you need is your kit, the Just Add Water Spirits Kit (dextrose and 24-hour yeast), and water.

Active time required: approximately 30 minutes Total time from start to finish: 2–4 days

What You'll Need

From your BBP Instant Brew & Distill Kit (or Premium Kit):

  • Airstill   unit 
  • Fermenter (with lid and airlock)
  • Alcometer (hydrometer)
  • Carbon filter tank (Premium Kit only)

From your Just Add Water Spirits Kit:

  • 8kg Quick-Dissolve Dextrose
  • 24-Hour Yeast sachet

From your kitchen:

  • Clean water (tap water is fine — no need to boil)
  • A large spoon or paddle for stirring
  • A clean jug or bucket for measuring

Step 1 — Clean and Sanitise Your Equipment

Before anything else, clean your fermenter, lid, airlock, and any utensils that will touch your wash. Bacteria is the enemy of a clean-tasting result — a quick rinse isn't enough.

Use a no-rinse sanitiser if you have one, or wash thoroughly with hot soapy water, rinse well, and allow to air dry completely. Do not skip this step — it is the single most important thing you can do for quality.

Step 2 — Add Your Dextrose

Pour the full 8kg of Quick-Dissolve Dextrose into your clean fermenter.

Dextrose (a simple sugar) is the fermentable base for your wash. The yeast will convert it into alcohol over the next 24–48 hours.

Step 3 — Add Water and Mix

Add warm water to your fermenter up to the 23-litre mark (or as indicated on your fermenter).

Stir well for 2–3 minutes until the dextrose is fully dissolved and no granules remain at the bottom. The liquid will look slightly cloudy — that's completely normal.

Temperature check: Your water should be between 20°C and 30°C before adding yeast. Too cold and the yeast won't activate properly. Too hot (above 35°C) and you risk killing it. Letting it cool to room temperature before adding the yeast is usually ideal.

Step 4 — Add Your Yeast

Sprinkle the 24-Hour Yeast sachet evenly across the surface of the liquid. Do not stir it in — just let it sit on top for 30 seconds, then give it one gentle stir to incorporate.

Seal your fermenter with the lid and fit the airlock. Fill the airlock halfway with water so it can release CO₂ without letting air back in.

What to expect: Within a few hours you should see bubbling through the airlock. This is CO₂ being released as the yeast gets to work — a good sign.

Step 5 — Ferment for 24–48 Hours

Place your fermenter somewhere with a stable temperature between 20°C and 28°C — out of direct sunlight and away from draughts. A kitchen bench or laundry works well.

The 24-hour yeast is a fast-acting formula specifically designed for this process. Most ferments will be complete within 24–48 hours, though cooler temperatures can extend this slightly.

How to know fermentation is done: The airlock will stop bubbling, or slow to less than one bubble per minute.

Do not rush this step by distilling too early. An incomplete ferment means less alcohol yield and a harsher taste in the final product.

Step 6 — Fill Your Airstill

Carefully pour the cleared wash from the top of the fermenter into your Airstill, being careful not to disturb the sediment sitting at the bottom. Leave the last 1–2 litres behind — this cloudy, yeast-heavy layer will negatively affect the taste if it makes it into the still.

Fill the Airstill to the maximum fill line indicated on the unit. Do not overfill.

Step 7 — Distil

Fit the Airstill's collection vessel and power it on. The unit heats the wash, vaporises the alcohol, condenses it, and drips the spirit into the collection vessel automatically.

A standard run takes approximately 3–4 hours depending on the volume and your desired purity. You can run the still multiple times with the same or fresh wash to increase your yield.

Spirit runs and cuts: The first portion to come out (called the "foreshots" — roughly the first 50ml) should be discarded. This fraction contains methanol and other undesirable compounds and should not be consumed. After that, the "hearts" — the clean middle section — is your drinkable spirit. The final portion (the "tails") will taste harsher and can be discarded or re-distilled if you want to maximise yield.

Checking strength: Use your alcometer to check the ABV of each collected fraction. The hearts fraction will typically come out at 60–80% ABV from the Airstill — dilute with clean water to your desired drinking strength (typically 35-40%).

Step 8 — Dilute to Drinking Strength

Once you've collected your spirit, dilute it to your preferred ABV using clean water. Most people target 35-40% ABV — the standard strength of commercially sold spirits.

A rough guide: to reduce from 70% to 40%, mix approximately 1 part spirit with 0.75 parts clean water. Use your alcometer to confirm.

Stir gently and allow to rest for 30 minutes after diluting — this lets the water and alcohol fully integrate and the flavour to settle.

Step 9 — Bottle and Enjoy

Pour your finished spirit into clean bottles and seal. Glass bottles are best for long-term storage. Label with the date and batch number — once you start making multiple batches, you'll want to keep track.

Your spirit is ready to drink immediately, though resting for 24–48 hours in a sealed bottle often improves the taste.

Step 9 (Premium Kit Only) — Filter Before Bottling

If you have the BBP Premium Instant Brew & Distill Kit, complete this step before bottling.

After diluting to drinking strength, pour your spirit through the carbon filter tank before bottling. Carbon filtration removes residual congeners and fine impurities that contribute to harshness, producing a noticeably smoother result.

How to filter:

  1. Rinse the carbon filter tank with a small amount of clean water first and discard the rinse — this removes any loose carbon dust.
  2. Pour your diluted spirit slowly through the filter at a steady rate. Do not rush — slower filtration produces a cleaner result.
  3. A single pass through the carbon filter is sufficient for most spirits. For an ultra-smooth result, you can pass it through a second time.
  4. Once filtered, bottle as per Step 9 above.

The difference between a filtered and unfiltered spirit from the same wash is noticeable — filtration is the step that takes a good result and makes it a great one.


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Disclaimer: In Australia, distilling alcohol for consumption requires an Excise Manufacturer Licence from the ATO. Nothing on this page constitutes legal advice. Backyard Brewery Project sells equipment and ingredients only and does not endorse any unlicensed or unlawful use. For more information, visit ato.gov.au.