Dual Pot Stills

A Dual Pot Still is used in some distilleries, made up of a Wash Still and a Spirit Still. In this set-up, a Wash Still performs a stripping run where the ethanol present in the wash after fermentation is distilled to collect what’s known as low wines. These are then transferred to the Spirit Still for a second distillation.

Usually a Spirit Still is only about a third of the overall volume of the Wash Still, but this can vary depending on the process being followed.

A Dual Pot Still can be built in copper or a combination of copper and stainless steel, and built with various neck designs and lyne arm slopes. If a column is required, it can be built as a single column or split to shorten. Other configurations to consider include a gin basket, single or double thumper, and a shorter column for Whisky distilling.

300L - 10,000L

600L Whisky Hybrid Combination Bypass

600L - 10,000L

Whisky Still with Column & Thumper

970L - 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