How to Identify the Best Whiskey Still?

If you are looking to make some proper moonshine, then you need to understand a few things and to make sure you get the best whiskey still possible. This equipment is essential in the distillation process. Hence, choosing the right type and right material, as well as the right seller is of high importance.

Generally, there are two types of whiskey stills used at present days: pot stills and reflux stills. Pot stills are used for distillation at smaller quantities and reflux steels are used for large-scale distillation. By reading the blog, you will be able to realize which still is good for you.

History of Stills

The task of distilling whiskey is already a tradition. To process it properly, you should stay faithful to old recipes. This is no doubt good for you whether you wish to produce distill whiskey at home, especially if you are a home distiller because it means stills that are available today are pretty much the same with what they used to be. Therefore, employing the same techniques as well as offering the same quality product in the end.

There are mainly 4-type of whiskey stills you should know: Black Pot Submarine, Reflux Still, Stream and Turnip.

The Blackpot Submarine Still: This type of still was mostly used to produce moonshine up until the 1st quarter of the 20th Century. The benefits of using Blackpot submarine still was that the moonshiner ran the produced liquid by way of the still only once. Moreover, the beverage was not very good quality.

Reflux Still: This type of still is widely known and used these days. Reflux still is especially used for large-scale purification. It is more efficient because it can produce whiskey faster and better. 

 Steam Still: This type of still is used occasionally. The advantage of using steam still is that the water put in the boiler was placed under heat and eliminate the need to stir the mash.

Turnip Still: It is the oldest type of still. When you use this still the distillation process could last for a few days. But there is a disadvantage of using turnip still. You need to distill more time. Thus it takes more time to produce the quality whiskey.

Materials of the Stills

There are generally two types of materials used to make a whiskey still: Steel and Copper. Also, if anyone told you to go for a whiskey still made of cadmium or lead-containing solder, then stop right now, because these two materials will poison your body.

Key Considerations

Last but for certainly not the least is the reflux stills. Choosing reflux stills have many different benefits. Reflux still is better in creating a flavorless as well as an odorless product. Whether you like to create potent neutral ethanol, using a reflux still is advisable. And yes length does matter. The overall performance of a column depends on its length and diameter. The length or height of the packed column determines the actual purity of a distilled product. If you are looking for best quality whiskey skill for your home distillery then go for reflux still. This still can be “the best damn liquor”.