Distilling ALCOHOL With a Reflux Still
Extended Quote: “The Continuous or Patent Still is a two-column still that was invented in the 1820s by Robert Stein and Aeneas Coffey. In general, the column still allowed the distiller to turn beer into nearly pure alcohol. With mid-nineteenth century innovations, the column still (a.k.a. continuous, patent, Coffey still) didn’t require the distiller to stop and clean the still once a day. One could keep it running as long as one had more wash (beer, wine, or other ferment) to pump in. Thus, distillers were able to distill humungous volumes of spirit in column stills compared to the small, individual batches delivered by pot stills. These industrial improvements had as their goal a purer, higher-proof and—most importantly—cheaper spirit. That doesn’t mean the spirits had improved in quality. As we shall see, greater purity is not necessarily synonymous with greater quality. In fact, many traditional distillers were horrified that these stills had become, by the end of the nineteenth century, the tool of choice, forever increasing the numbers of their competitors. But those holdouts and their old-fashioned products were nearly drowned by the flood of cheaper, higher-proof product that was brought to market.” ~ BarSmarts
The video starts by demonstrating a variety of ways to distill alcohol. The narrative focuses on the main piece of equipment shown in the video, a “reflux” column still manufactured by Brewhaus which is explained in great detail. https://youtu.be/oBHIc6LwH6o
Site Author, David Jonathan Curtis: David Jonathan Curtis, a seasoned professional in his fifth decade of bartending and bar management, began his career in Midtown Manhattan, NY, tending and managing bars before diving into Manhattan’s bustling nightlife scene. Over the years, he has mastered high-volume, high-pressure bartending as the lead bartender in both iconic Midtown clubs and Wall Street bars, generating over $1,350,000.00 annually in personal drink sales. He has since extended his expertise to establishments in Georgia and now Tampa, Florida. David’s roles as a Bartending Instructor at the American Bartending School in Tampa, while maintaining a second job bartending, and his years experience of managing bars, and working as a Brand Ambassador along with his extensive professional library of over 1,000 bartending books, highlight his dedication to continually refining his craft. He holds a diploma in Bar Management and is BarSmarts certified by Pernod Ricard.
