I like trying things that haven’t been done before. And sometimes, that means bending the rules of van life just a little…

Enter my newest experiment: distilling in a van.

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Why Distilling in a Van?

I hadn’t seen anyone else do it. Sure, people must be trying it somewhere, but nobody’s made a video about it. That’s where I come in.

Inspired by a recent trip to Scotland with my friend Beck, I decided to combine two of my passions: van life and learning about spirits. Over there, I did a ton of whiskey tasting and got fascinated by the distillation process. I’ve been thinking about trying this for years — and now, finally, I had the perfect opportunity.

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Meet the Air Still Pro Bundle

The heart of my experiment is the Air Still Pro, a kit that promises “easy distilling from your kitchen to your camper van.”

It comes with:

• A fermenter to create your wash
• Hydrometer to test alcohol (still figuring that one out)
• A collection of flavors: peach schnapps, dry gin, whiskey, and more
• Accessories to do both pot and reflux distillation

Basically, everything you need to make your own spirits… in a very tiny space.

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Unboxing the Adventure

Opening the box felt a bit like Christmas:

• Lids, valves, spoons, dextrose sugar
• Distilling conditioner and flavors
• Thermometer, filters, instructions (that I would need to actually read)

By the end, I had all the gear laid out and a serious sense of “what have I just gotten myself into?”

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Cleaning, Sanitising, and Fermenter Setup

Step one: wash everything. Step two: sanitize everything.

There was a small hiccup — the kit doesn’t include sanitizer. After some Googling, I went for a simple 50/50 vinegar-water solution. First time doing this, so I figured I’d err on the side of caution.

Next came the challenge of space: I needed a dedicated spot for the fermenter for seven days. Normally, I’m on the move constantly, but thankfully I was stationed on a farm, so I could monitor it comfortably.

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Starting the Fermentation

The instructions called for:

• 750 mL boiling water
• 2.4 kg dextrose
• Turbo yeast and nutrient
• Topping up to 7.5 L with water

A little improvisation and careful stirring later, I had my “wash” ready to ferment at 18–24°C.

And now… we wait. Little bubbles are forming. It smells yeasty, which I take as a good sign.

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What’s Next?

This is not a sponsored video — just me, my curiosity, and a new toy.

Over the next week, I’ll check on the fermentation progress, and eventually, we’ll see if I end up with whiskey, gin, or… something else entirely.

If you’ve tried distilling in a van (or just distilling at all), I’d love to hear your tips. Comment below or send a message — I’ll take all the advice I can get!

And stay tuned for the Scotland videos — they’ll give you a little context for why I got obsessed with spirits in the first place.