Should I use a Pot Still or a Column Still?

Pot stills are the current descendant of the alembic still. They were among the earliest still types utilized to create spirits. Pot still are comparatively inefficient which can be a good thing when producing whiskey. For example, when making neutral spirit with no flavor and high alcohol yield you would use a reflux or column still. For whiskey you will need to produce a product that retains the flavors of mash. In this situation the pot still is best suited.

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A Brief History of Irish Whiskey

Queen Elizabeth 1st enjoyed Irish whiskey. It’s said that she had casks of Irish whiskey brought to London and put away in the palace. By the 18 century Ireland had around 2000 stills in operation producing Irish whiskey. Presently there are actually only four distilleries in operations: Cooley, Kilbeggan, New Midleton and Old Bushmills. January 2012 Beam Inc., makers of Jim Beam and Maker’s Mark, acquired Cooley Distillery, the last independently Irish owned distillery.

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