Column Still

A Column Still, also known as a Continuous Column, is a more modern approach to spirit distillation, and a common choice in large-scale production facilities or industrial production.

Column Stills can be used for neutral spirits such as vodka, gin and commercially-produced bulk ethanol, as well as tequila, rum and whisky.

Columns can be built in a variety of size set-ups – we’ll look at your predicted volume and production to determine the ideal Column Still size for your distillery.

Column Stills can be built in copper or stainless steel, but the rectification sections are all made of copper. This type of set-up includes a control system, collection of pumps, heat exchanges and interconnecting piping systems, ranging anywhere from 7 metres to 20 metres. Specific safety infrastructure is required to reach the various heights.

Whisky Still with Column & Thumper

970L - 10,000L

2400L Whisky Pot Still Combination

300L - 10,000L

1250L Whisky Pot Still Combination

300L - 10,000L

970L Whisky Pot Still Combination

300L - 10,000L

600L Whisky Hybrid Combination Bypass

600L - 10,000L

600L Whisky Pot Combination

300L - 10,000L

2400L 20 Plate Column Bypass

300L - 10,000L

Factors to consider.

Whatever the set-up you choose, there are some common factors to consider when deciding on your ideal installation.

Your building:

The building that houses your distillery can have a big influence on your distillery set-up. Think about:

Is this your final set-up or are you thinking about relocating?
Can your floor sustain the weight of the distilling equipment?
How high are your ceilings?
Building entrance for bringing in large equipment
Utilities such as electricity, gas, water and steam
Waste management

Automation:

How will you automate your distillation process? Automation factors could include:

The Pot Still temperature
The temperature of the distillation
The cuts performed during the distillation process

System sizing:

The size of your Pot Still is dependent on:

The volume of spirits you plan to produce
Available space in your location
Your projected growth and planned work schedule

Heating and cooling methods:

Consider the various temperature control methods, including:

Pot Stills can be heated by electrical immersion elements or steam
Electrical heating is only recommended for Stills less than 2,700 litres in size, after this steam is used
Column Stills are heated by steam
Water and glycol can both be used as coolants
Cold water tanks and fermenters can also be part of the cooling process