Pot still

Pot stills in Scotland

A pot still is a type of still used in distilling spirits such as whisky or brandy. Heat is applied directly to the pot in which the wash (in the case of whisky) or wine (in the case of Cognac) is contained.

In the pot still, the alcohol vapour combined with vapours of all the aroma components such as esters, alcohols flow from the still through the condensing coil which then flows into a second still below. Distillation by a pot still often required two distillations in separate stills. This is called a batch distillation, (as opposed to a continuous distillation). The pot still is a device used for batch distillation process, which is a kind of large copper kettle filled with wash (or wine) which is then heated. Alcohol and water as well as the multitude of flavour components that give the wash or wine its aroma, evaporate before being condensed. The vapour of an alcoholic liquid that is being heated is always richer in alcohol than the liquid itself and when this vapour is condensed, the resulting liquid therefore contains more alcohol.

The first distillation produces the so-called 'low wines', with a strength of about 25-35% alcohol by volume, which is then distilled a second time to produce the colourless spirit, collected at about 70% alcohol by volume. Maturation in oak typically causes the brown color to develop over time.

The term 'still' is a contraction of the verb 'to distill'.

Image:Cognac_pot_still_DSC04032.JPG|a Cognac pot still Image:Whisky safe DSC05276.JPG|a whisky safe (i.e. padlocked apparatus at the end of the pot still enabling the distiller to cut off the "heads" and "tails" of distillation; it is padlocked for excise reasons)

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