Still

If you’re interested in home distilling, then understanding the term “still” is paramount! Here, we’ve compiled some basic and useful information on this topic to help you along the way.

What is a Still?

In home distilling, a still is used to separate the alcohol from water and other impurities to create a more potent end-product. This can be accomplished via different types of stills such as pot stills, column stills or air stills.

What’s an Air Still?

An air still is a type of still that functions differently than pot or column stills. It uses a process called “fractional distilling” to extract alcohol by heating and evaporating the wash before condensing the alcohol vapors into a liquid form.

This is a popular still for personal, at-home use because it’s small, plug-and-play, and easy to move and store.

See: best air still for making alcohol at home

What’s a pot still?

A pot still, also known as an alembic still, is a traditional method of distillation that is used to produce spirits with a more pronounced flavor profile. It is a simple apparatus of a large kettle that is heated to vaporize liquids.

It is made up of a large, pot-shaped vessel and a long, swan-necked tube leading from the pot to a condenser. The pot still is used to distill alcohol, particularly whiskey, brandy, and other similar spirits.

How does a pot still work?

The pot still works by heating a mixture of fermented grain or fruit and water, called the mash. As the mash heats up, the alcohol vaporizes and rises through the swan-necked tube to the condenser, where it is cooled and condensed back into liquid form.

Types of Pot Stills

There are several types of pot stills, including:

• Traditional pot still: This is the most basic type of pot still, with a large copper pot and a simple swan-necked tube leading to a condenser.
• Coffey still: This is a type of pot still that uses multiple columns to achieve a higher level of purity and alcohol content.

What’s a column still?

A column still is a type of still that is commonly used for home distilling of alcohol. It is a vertical apparatus that separates alcohol from other impurities through continuous distillation. Here are some terms that you should know:

Column Still

A column still is also known as a continuous still or coffey still. This type of still is the most efficient method of distillation, allowing for continuous distillation of spirits. It consists of two columns.

Lyne Arm

The lyne arm is the tubing that connects the pot or column still to the condenser. The angle and length of the lyne arm can greatly affect the character and quality of the final product.

Condenser

The condenser is the part of the still that cools and condenses the vapor back into liquid after it has been heated in the still. This is usually done by dipping the coils of the condenser in a tub of cold water.

Products

Many different types of products can be produced through the use of a column still, including spirits such as whiskey, gin, and vodka. Yeast can also be used in the production of other products, such as bread and beer.