Plated Columns & Whiskey

Perforated & bubble cap plated columns

Plated Columns & Whiskey

Postby Brendan » Wed May 29, 2013 10:13 pm

Now this could open up a can of worms, but we'll see where it takes us...

I have been very interested and conducting a lot of research lately into distilling different flavoured products through a bubbler, and would like to throw up a few points for conjecture.

As of late, a lot more people have been running bubblers at the hobby level and the standing seems to be that a single run through a 4 plated column with a boiler charge of an 8-10%ABV wash from the fermenter is the way to run most flavoured products. I'm going to focus specifically on both Whiskey and Whisky, but it applies to everything here.

Now the consensus used to be when running say a sour mash Whiskey for example, that you would strip each generation and build up a stock pile of low wines which you would then run through a pot still for a big long spirit run. Now we all know how well bubbler's are at producing high ABV and carrying through a lot of flavour, this single run method seems to be the preferred option.

Now there have been several conversations on distilling forums, and people tend to still agree that a malt Whisky still requires a stripping run followed by a spirit run on about 4 plates, but many favour the single run with a plated column for a bourbon/sour mash whiskey.

So here's a quote from the well known and read "Craft of Whiskey Distilling", put out by the American Distilling Institute (ADI).

American Distilling Institute http://www.distilling.com/PDF/craftbook.pdf wrote:Craft distillers don’t need a column still with two dozens of plates to make whiskey.
Visit any small whiskey distillery and you will see that most have a still without column and
plates. And, if they do have a column still, it will be used to make stripping runs with plates
open. Then they make heads and tails cuts on the second spirits run using one plate. Every
distillery works differently. The key is to make head tail cuts that save congeners (flavors)
that define the style of whiskey you are distilling.


I have also read in other sources that a lot of commercial distilleries on the smaller end of the scale, we'll call them "craft" distillers, do in fact utilise this method for a sour mash Whiskey...a method that I would assume is the equivalent of a triple distillation in a pot still?

My question is:

If commercial distilleries (craft distillers aiming for and achieving highly acclaimed spirits) have access to bubble plate columns, why do they still choose to use the strip run with a one plate spirit run?

And I personally don't think the throw away line that "they're not interested in cuts and quality, just profit" applies here. A lot that utilise this method are smaller distilleries who are known for their lower production and higher quality. One that I know of particularly is Tuthilltown Spirits and their "Hudson Whiskey"...yes they have grown in size a lot as of late, but they have always produced highly awarded spirits, and they use this particular method of distilling with their column. Also known for ageing in small barrels (5,10 & 15L) and playing bass in the barrel room to shake the whiskey into the wood grain.

So I guess what i'm saying in theory is...if we run like this, we expect it to be similar to a triple pot still distillation...a bit more smearing, and a bit more ageing of the product required...but then we say that with a plated column, we can half the ageing time from a pot still and we get flavour at high ABV...are we losing too much flavour?? Why don't they use their bubble plate columns and do a single run on 4 plates...?

Thanks for reading :handgestures-thumbupleft:
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Re: Plated Columns & Whiskey

Postby bt1 » Thu May 30, 2013 8:07 am

Howdy,

if I could sit on a spirit for 4+ years I wouldn't be so focused on cuts, airing, washes. let the timber do it's job.

I would like to drink mine somewhere between 6 months and 2yrs. I'll be chasing as good a quality as I can get in this case.

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Plated Columns & Whiskey

Postby Dominator » Thu May 30, 2013 9:45 am

I think it would also have to do with tradition. A lot of people buying high quality whiskey/whisky would be the kind of people that would insist on it being made the traditional way, ie. double or triple distilled through a pot still, be it with or without plates in the column. By doing a single run through a multi plate column, while it may net the same product, and possibly a better product, it is not deemed by them (the consumer) to be a true whiskey/whisky and thus, no market.
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Plated Columns & Whiskey

Postby wedwards » Thu May 30, 2013 9:59 am

Yeah I'm a bit like this. I like the tradition of the pot still and making whiskey in that old fashioned way. Even once I get my bubbler I'm not sure I would ever get rid of the pot still, but time will tell I guess. Any commercial distillers I have spoken to (not many) are very stuck in their old ways of doing things, mostly because they "just work, and work well" in their opinion. Due to the cost to significantly change a process that works, a lot won't do it.

It's really only newer/younger distillers that seem to be making the jump to the new way of things from what I have observed. That's a real shame because I think the modular bubblers have the ability to seriously streamline the process, saving money and producing an arguably better tasting product.
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Re: Plated Columns & Whiskey

Postby Bushy » Thu May 30, 2013 12:50 pm

Whatever the case may be for or against the bubbler in making whisky "traditionally". The fact is, as an individual, I love the one run and done aspect of my still. I use to strip, store, strip, store, strip, store. Then unstore, spirit run, bad cuts. ;-)
Not anymore. One run, good cuts, oak and wait. While I have yet to age anything properly, early testing suggests good things are coming my way :handgestures-thumbupleft:
So you may raise good points Brendan, but who cares? Not me says B
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Plated Columns & Whiskey

Postby wedwards » Thu May 30, 2013 12:58 pm

Yeah Bushy that's what I'm looking forward to as soon as I get mine
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Re: Plated Columns & Whiskey

Postby 2deadly.308 » Sun Apr 17, 2022 12:59 am

One run and done is certainly my preferred method.
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Re: Plated Columns & Whiskey

Postby Beerswimmer » Sat Sep 03, 2022 1:52 pm

I have been to a bunch of the big name bourbon distilleries here in the US, and I can tell you that all of the big boys(Wild Turkey, JD, Buffalo Trace, etc.) are using MASSIVE continuous beer stills. They do make "cuts", but they for sure aren't using pot stills and using jars! They couldn't keep up with the demand using one. Even small "craft" distilleries use a column of some sort. I don't think I've even seen a non-hobby large scale pot still being used for real production, the Buffalo Trace one is just for show. Now Scotland is another story. They do use pot stills, and mostly only pot stills from what I've seen second hand. Hampden Estate in Jamaica makes the finest rums in the world IMO, and they only use pot stills with thumpers. So it can be done, but their stills are enormous and their output is farrrr less than the big bourbon factories in Kentucky. I like store bought bourbon every now and then, but boy does it give a hangover if I go too hard. My stuff doesn't. There's probably something to it.... :think:

I use a big pot still because it's what I have and it's fine. Would I like a bubbler? Maybe? I only make whiskey and rum, doing strips and a spirit is fine for me. Not too much trouble at all. If it ever bothers me enough to make a bubbler, well....maybe I can use my thumpers more? Or link them for a bigger strip? I just haven't felt a NEED to use a bubbler yet. The distilling doesn't slow me down as much as the fermenting does. I can ferment 2 big batches and strip both in the same day, that's all of my fermenters. I don't have room for a 3rd or a 4th(says the wife :)) . I'm pretty strict with my cuts, haven't really had a problem with them so far. I still use a zillion jars like a newbie because it works and is pretty easy too.

But use what ya want, F everyone else! If you like your process, keep at it :handgestures-thumbupleft:
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