105: Pot Still VS Column Part 2

The_Whiskey Shaman

We are back for round 2 of the discussion of Pot still vs Column. This time we get deep into congeners and phenols. It went off the rails, as always. Hope its freaking scratching that Nerd itch.

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Without distillation, liquor couldn’t exist. Distillation is the process by which the alcohol present in a fermented liquid is separated and then concentrated. It’s done by heating the liquid and then cooling the vapors, condensing them into a highly alcoholic spirit. This all works because ethanol evaporates at a lower temperature than water.

The device used in this process is called a still. Over the centuries, stills have evolved from rudimentary fire-heated pots to towering, industrial machinery. To make liquor today, distilleries primarily use two different types of stills: pot stills and column stills. These two methods of distillation operate based on the same fundamental principles but produce spirits with noticeably different qualities.

Here’s everything you need to know about pot stills vs. column stills.

• Pot stills are large pot-shaped stills that are usually made of copper and distill spirits on a batch-by-batch basis.

• Column stills include at least one tall cylindrical column. They can be operated continuously and produce spirits more efficiently.

• Generally speaking, pot stills create richer and more flavorful spirits while column stills are preferred for more neutral spirits.

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What Is a Pot Still?

The oldest and most straightforward method of distilling a spirit is batch distillation, more commonly known as pot distillation. This style of distilling uses a large pot-shaped still to produce a spirit. Pot stills are usually made of copper and have a very wide base that tapers vertically into a thin neck.

These stills are filled with a fermented alcoholic liquid that is derived from an agricultural product like grain, sugar cane, or fruit. This low-ABV liquid, known as the wash, is then heated. “Alcohol and other volatiles that boil at temperatures lower than water can be removed when heated to near boiling,” explains Dr. Pat Heist, chief scientific officer and co-founder of Wilderness Trail Distillery.

“It is the distiller’s control of [the] heating and condensing process that allows for the development of a desired flavor profile.” –Chris Morris, master distiller emeritus at Old Forester and Woodford Reserve

The vapors that emerge from the pot as the liquid heats up are collected, then cooled and condensed into a distillate right off the pot. They can also be further processed through a series of rectifying plates that result in higher proofs, and the distillate is often distilled a second time to achieve the desired concentration of alcohol.

“It is the distiller’s control of that heating and condensing process that allows for the development of a desired flavor profile,” says Chris Morris, master distiller emeritus at Old Forester and Woodford Reserve.

Pot distillation isn’t the most efficient way to create alcohol, mainly because it operates on a batch-by-batch process. “A pot still is filled, heated, emptied, and then filled again,” says Morris. Despite their inefficiency, pot stills produce spirits that are often renowned for their rich flavors and aromas.