Meaning of Pot Still
A pot still is a device used to distill alcohol. It consists of a pot at the base and a condenser at the top. As the liquid is heated, the alcohol vapors rise to the head of the pot. These vapors travel through a tube, known as a lyne arm, and are condensed back into the pot.
The lower part of a pot still is shaped to meet technical firing specifications. The upper part of a Pot Stills is the part that will determine the flavor of the new make spirit. Pot stills are usually round and have a special bottom. The bottom of a pot still is domed, so that the fire can burn in the middle and not on the bottom.
Pot stills produce a richer, heavier spirit. Column stills, on the other hand, produce crisp, clear spirits. While column stills are more efficient, they require more work and energy. Pot stills are often used for making vodka and white rum, gin, bourbon, and rye whiskey.
Historically, pot stills were heated using coal, but today, most are heated by hot steam, instead of coal. Modern pot stills have insulated pipes, which lead hot steam through a closed heating system inside the pot still. As the steam rises, it gives off heat to the liquid inside the pot. The steam eventually condenses back into water.
What is Meaning of Pot Still?
The pot stills are typically 60 to 80 percent alcohol by volume. The advantage of pot stills over barrels is that the wash retains more of the flavor. This is due to the fermentation process, with alcohol concentrations ranging between seven and twelve percent. For whiskey, the base wine is beer, while for brandy, base wine is used.
Another type of pot still is the hybrid still. A hybrid still uses a column alongside a pot for rectification. These stills can have one or more columns, depending on the type of liquid they are distilling. They also use the same heating principles as a pot still. Another difference is in the way the vapour is condensed.
While pot stills are used for small-scale distillation, column stills are more practical for large-scale distilling operations. Pot stills need to be cleaned after limited production, whereas column stills can distill for extended periods of time. These types of stills also have more options.
The two-column Coffey still was invented by Irishman Aenas Coffey in 1831. The two-column design makes it more efficient, because the distillate is continuously running rather than stopping to separate batches. This type of still has higher alcohol concentrations and is more energy-efficient.
In alchemical terms, a pot still is a vessel that distills alcohol. It is a descendant of the alembic. The modern pot still is computer controlled, but many pot stills are still manual, and some even have smartphone apps. In fact, One Eight Distilling in Washington, D.C. has a hybrid pot still, which it controls with an app. It was purchased from a Chicago distillery.
A pot still is similar to a kettle, with a large, spherical main chamber. A conical lyne arm (or worm) protrudes from the main chamber and feeds the liquid into a collection vessel. A column still, on the other hand, is taller and has more than one chamber stacked on top of one another. It can be several stories tall.