Cleaning and Maintenance

Regardless of the model, before using your alembic for the first time, we recommend that you carry out a water distillation to clean out any impurities left over from the alembic construction process. Afterwards, like any piece of machinery or hardware, it is essential that you keep your alembic clean so that it lasts over the years.

If you only use your alembic once a year, you should make sure you clean it properly before storing it for the following year's distillation, which is what happens in the Iberian Peninsula after the harvest season. The cleaning process will remove sulphuric acids as well as other harmful substances that have accumulated and deposited on the walls of the still, from the pot to the coil. You can carry out the cleaning distillation with a mixture of rye flour and water.

It's quite simple: fill 40% of your still's capacity with water and 5% with rye flour. Before carrying out the cleaning distillation, make sure that the swan neck and coil are not obstructed. After placing the alembic lid on, seal all the joints using a traditional sealing technique.

However, if you use your alembic quite often, i.e. during the rest of the year, you don't need to clean it with rye flour and water. All you need to do is distil with water.

With regular use and over the years, copper gradually oxidizes and takes on a dark red color throughout. To polish the outside of your alembic, we suggest using a suitable polish that does not contain toxic substances. Remember not to use abrasive substances.

You can also clean your pot using one of two traditional methods: rubbing it with a cloth dampened in a solution of salt and lemon juice, or putting the ashes from a bonfire on a cloth (if this is the source of heat in the still). This last method can be used either outside or inside the still.

If you use the alembic to produce essential oils, remember that they will stick to the walls of the pot and the tubes, forming a sticky crust. You should always clean all parts of the alembic with warm water to remove the grease, especially the condensation tube, otherwise it will become clogged after a while.

Please remember that alembic stills used to produce essential oils should not be used to make alcoholic beverages as, over time, the copper will naturally become impregnated with the oils and may contaminate the beverage which will be unfit for human consumption.

After purchase, you will be sent a brochure with all the cleaning procedures and detailed basic instructions.