Distilling Appliance Stills

This group of functional copper still appliances is very different from the traditional pot stills in terms of design.

They are perfect for domestic use, for people who live in apartments or for those who have very limited space, due to their compact size and practicality. Ideal for those who have very little knowledge of distillation but would like to experiment with this art or for the connoisseur who wishes to entertain friends and serve freshly made eau-de-vie after a delightful dinner, or distill a batch of essences to offer to friends at Christmas or any other special occasion. In addition to producing alcoholic spirits these appliance stills are also ideal to distill flower petals, plants and other organic substances to obtain essential oils for aromatherapy, medicinal oils, etc. Use your favourite herbs and spices to distil your own unique liqueur or essential oil (results will be reduced).

As these Al-Ambiq® apparatuses use a silicone gasket to seal the lid there is no need to use a putty mixture (which can be quite messy), known as sealing technique, as in other models. All joints and seams are soldered with silver solder guaranteeing a lead-free construction. Models include a rapid locking/unlocking brass connection between the lid and the condensing copper coil recipient, avoiding also the use of a sealant in this area. These appliances have quite a graceful design and are perfect for placing on a countertop in the kitchen, living room or dining room. The only additional items needed are alcohol for the wick burner (depending on model) and raw materials to distill.

Here are but a few examples:

• wine for vinic alcohol "schnapps";
• fermented juice for liquor such as apple juice for calvados;
• champagne;
• lavender for essential oils & hydrosols;
• aromatic herbs and vodka;
• rose petals for making rose water;
• beer, juniper berries allspice and orange peel.

Have a look at our short sequence of photos and explanatory text for distilling orange liqueur, which is quite popular with the ladies in Portugal.

Basic information on different distilling processes and a list of precautions that should be taken into consideration when distiling is available on this site.