Historical Copper Alembic Still Construction

Used in

• Chapter 4 Copper, Wood and Stone
• Chapter 15 Drink

On the Menu

Distilled spirits and fruit schnapps

The rows that check it

• 4 confirmed
• 2 amended
• 1 unresolved
• 2 marked for safety

• D2 unresolved Safety Discard the first 50 ml of every 10 litres of wash as heads; run a solvent-smelling spirit again cutting the first 100 ml
• D5 amended Safety Copper still: plumbing grade (Cu-DHP) not wire (Cu-ETP); joints riveted or silver-soldered, never lead solder; cut off every old solder joint; scrub black film after every run; …
• W30 confirmed The still is left bare because hot copper binds the wash's sulphur compounds as black copper sulphide, scrubbed off between runs; a tinned or stainless head gives a spirit …
• W31 confirmed Biringuccio, De la Pirotechnia 1540: lute of lean clay, horse dung, egg white, hammer scale, linen strips and flour; rye flour and water as the modern lute
• D41 amended Mary the Jewess and the bain-marie; al-anbiq; al-Razi distilling before 900; Brunschwig, Liber de arte distillandi, Strasbourg 1500, lute of linen, salt water and egg white; …
• D43 confirmed Copper strips sulphur compounds as black copper sulphide; a steel still makes a spirit that smells of the ferment
• D45 confirmed Still: 10 to 20 l pot, coil 5 to 7 m in cold water; wash at 6 to 10 % ABV, racked clean; fill two-thirds; heart in 200 ml jars; 10 l at 8 % gives about 1 l at 40 %

In the Index

Copper and tin Tools and their making Water Drink