Pot still

Pot still

A pot still is a type of still used in distilling spirits such as whisky or brandy. Heat is applied directly to the pot containing the mash (e.g. for whisky) or wine (for brandy). This is called a batch distillation (as opposed to a continuous distillation).

At sea level, water boils at 100 degrees Celsius (212º F) but alcohol boils at 78 degrees Celsius (172º F). Therefore, in the distilling process, while there is still alcohol in the mash, the vapour is richer in alcohol than the liquid itself. When this vapour is condensed, the resulting liquid therefore contains more alcohol. In the pot still, the alcohol and water vapour, combined with vapours of the multitude of aroma components such as esters, alcohols that give the mash or wine its aroma, evaporate and flow from the still through the condensing coil. There they condense to the first distillation liquid, the so-called 'low wines', with a strength of about 25-35% alcohol by volume, which then flows into a second still below. It is then distilled a second time to produce the colourless spirit, collected at about 70% alcohol by volume. Maturation in an oak aging barrel typically causes the brown color to develop over time.

The modern pot still is a descendant of the alembic, a distillation device invented by the Arabian alchemist, Jabir ibn Hayyan (Geber), around the eighth century AD, for use in alchemy.

The largest pot still in the world is in the Old Midleton Distillery, Co. Cork Ireland. It has a capacity of 31,618 gallons (approximately 140,000 litres). It is no longer in use however.

ee also

*Pure pot still whiskey
*Poitín


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  • pot-still — potˈ still adjective Made in a pot still • • • Main Entry: ↑pot …   Useful english dictionary

  • pot still — noun : a still used especially in the distillation of Irish grain whiskey and Scotch malt whiskey in which the heat of the fire is applied directly to the pot containing the mash * * * a simple and sometimes primitive type of still, used esp. in… …   Useful english dictionary

  • pot still — /ˈpɒt stɪl/ (say pot stil) noun an apparatus resembling a large pot which is used in the distillation of spirits. –pot still, adjective …  

  • pot still — a simple and sometimes primitive type of still, used esp. in the making of cognac, corn liquor, and malt Scotch whisky. Also, pot still. [1790 1800] * * * …   Universalium

  • Pot-Still-Verfahren — Die Destillation von Alkohol zu Genusszwecken bezeichnet man als Brennen, die benutzte Destillationsaparatur entsprechend als Brennerei und das Produkt häufig als Brand. Im Gegensatz zur Destillation im Kontext der Chemikalienherstellung ist… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • pot still — noun Date: 1799 a still used especially in the distillation of Irish grain whiskey and Scotch malt whiskey in which the heat of the fire is applied directly to the pot containing the mash …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • pot still — noun a still used for distillation in the production of whisky; a still used for crude separations in chemical plant …   Wiktionary

  • pot still — noun a still to which heat is applied directly and not by means of a steam jacket …   English new terms dictionary

  • Pure pot still whiskey — is a type of whiskey which contains only pot still whiskey . It is unique to Ireland.Traditionally pot still whiskey was made from a mixture of malted and unmalted barley, distilled in a pot still as opposed to a Coffey still. The ratio of… …   Wikipedia

  • Pure pot still whiskey — Le pure pot still whiskey est un whisky irlandais fabriqué à partir d’orge et distillé dans un alambic charentais (un « pot still » en anglais). Comme un single malt, toute la distillation est faite dans un alambic charentais, mais un… …   Wikipédia en Français

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