Are you a distillery owner or enthusiast looking to take your production process to the next level? Look no further! In this blog post, we’ve compiled a list of 10 must-have equipment pieces that will elevate your distilling game and help you create top-notch spirits. From stills to fermentation tanks, we’ve got you covered with everything you need for optimal production. So pour yourself a drink and read on for our expert recommendations!
What is a distillery?
A distillery is a manufacturing facility that produces spirits, wine, or other alcoholic beverages. Distillation is the process of converting fermented raw materials into distilled spirits. The equipment used in distilling includes stills, fermentation tanks, condensers and pumps, and pouring equipment.
Types of distilleries
There are many types of distilleries, each with its own set of unique production requirements. In this article, we’ll look at the most common distilleries and discuss the equipment required for optimal production.
Copper pot stills: These distilleries use a copper pot still to produce spirits. They’re generally used in small-scale production, as they require more care and are less efficient than other types of stills.
Column stills: Column stills are the most common type of still used in commercial distilleries. They use a series of coils to heat the incoming liquor, breaking it down into ethanol and water vapor. This process is then repeated multiple times until all the liquor has been distilled.
Fractionating Still: A fractionating Still separates different compounds (such as alcohol, water vapor, and steam) by using plates that rotate around a central axis. This allows for more precise control over the concentration of these compounds in the final product.
What are the 10 pieces of distillery equipment?
1. Distilling column: This is the main part of the Distillery equipment manufacturer that helps in the separation of the alcohol from the other liquids. It has a number of different parts, including a pot still and reflux still.
2. Pot still: This is the most basic type of distilling column and is used to produce spirits from the fermented mash.
3. Reflux still: This is a more advanced distilling column that uses heat and vapor to break down surface tension and extract greater amounts of alcohol from the mash.
4. Mash tun: This is used to ferment raw materials into alcohol, usually using water, barley malt, and yeast.
5. Still head: This part of the distillery equipment heats and vaporizes liquor to create distilled spirits.
6. Boiler: This device creates steam, which then turns the engine that runs the stills in the distillery.
7. Tipple: This is where pure liquor (high-proof) is transferred from one still to another for further processing (e.g., aging).
8. Barrels/tins/hogsheads/butt barrels: These are all types of containers used for storing distilled spirits before they are sold or consumed by consumers.
9. Cask(es): These are large wooden barrels that are used to store distilled spirits after they have been bottled or poured into smaller glasses or mugs for consumption by consumers
How do the pieces work together to produce spirits?
Distillation is the process of separating liquids from solids by boiling. Distillation is one of the most important steps in producing spirits. The three main pieces of equipment used in distillation are the still, the condenser, and the fermenter.
The still is a large pot that is placed on top of a fire and used to heat water until it boils. The steam released from the boiling water vaporizes any alcohol contained in the liquid being distilled. This vaporized alcohol then passes through a pipe called the “still head” into the distilling column where it is condensed back down to liquid form. The still can hold either pot or barrel-shaped distilling vessels.
The condenser is a piece of metal or other material that helps remove water vapor from the vaporized alcohol. It does this by cooling it so that it becomes a liquid again but without becoming frozen. This liquid then passes through a pipe into the fermenter where yeast will convert it back into alcohol and carbon dioxide gas.
The fermenter is another large pot that sits on top of a hotplate and contains yeast which will turn the alcohol into CO2 and ethanol. The yeast works best at temperatures around 80 degrees Fahrenheit, so this is where fermentation takes place.
Where can I find distillery equipment?
There are a few essential pieces of distillery equipment that all producers should have in order to produce quality spirits. This includes a still, fermenter, and barrel(s).
Still: A still is the most important piece of distillery equipment because it converts grains into alcohol. There are many different types of stills available, but the most common is a pot still. Pot stills use heated water to vaporize the ethanol and then condense it back into liquid form. They can be made from several different materials, but copper is often used because it is efficient at converting heat into vapor.
Fermenter: A fermenter is another essential piece of distillery equipment because it helps convert the sugars in the raw material into alcohol and other fermentation byproducts. Fermenters come in many different shapes and sizes, but they all have one common goal: to create an environment where yeast will grow exponentially. Yeast is responsible for converting sugar into ethanol and other fermentation byproducts, so having enough yeast present is critical for producing high-quality spirits.
Barrels: The final key piece of distillery equipment is the barrel. Barrels are used to store distilled spirits after they’ve been produced. They come in various sizes and shapes, but the most common type is a wooden barrel. Wooden barrels give whiskey its distinctive flavor and color, which can be affected by how long it’s stored (more on that later).
