What is an alambik? How to make moonshine on an alambique? What better buy, or ? The Internet is full of answers to these questions, but not all of our clients have time to sit and “shovel” the Internet in search of an answer to the question of how, after all, to get moonshine on an alambique. Moreover, looking at the display case with Charente alambiques, our clients ask themselves: “Will I be able to cope with such a complex distillation apparatus?”
If alambic and it looks like a magical device, it’s only because it’s magically beautiful. Smooth curves, the combination of the soft shine of polished copper of the refrigerator and hammered copper of the cube, hand soldering and riveted joints of yellow and red copper... Of course, this is a magical object! Admire the magic, but remember: the operating principle of the device is extremely simple.
Like any distiller, an alambik consists of a distillation cube into which you pour the mash, a steam line into which the evaporating alcohol vapor goes, and a cooler-condenser in which the steam turns into drinking alcohol. All!
Take, for example, compact, - great choice for a city dweller who does not have 250 liters apple cider for distillation, but there are only 3-5-10 liters of the same cider, or wine, or mash. And there is also a desire to cook from time to time strong alcohol on your own. Well, isn’t it great to invite friends over and, by chance, say at the table:
Oh, this modern “Martel” of yours is nonsense! Yes, a marketing ploy. Do you want the real thing? Prepared exactly as Jean Martel himself prepared it three hundred years ago? Please!
My wife made me ten liters apple juice. I threw it at him wine yeast, sprinkled sugar on them and waited. The cider turned out excellent, aromatic and strong, even if you pour it and drink it. But I decided to give you a gift - to treat you with my own “cognac”. I poured three liters of cider directly into this beautiful five-liter ball, covered it with this helmet. You see, here is a thermometer. This is to know exactly when to collect drinking alcohol and when to discard the harmful parts of moonshine. I collected this alcohol at a temperature of 78.4", - the purest drinking alcohol. You put the nose of the helmet in the refrigerator - here is this cylinder with a coil inside. You supply running water from the tap to the refrigerator. I even have a special adapter for this - here it is. One tube from the adapter goes into the refrigerator, the other from the refrigerator into the sink. We turn on the water with almost no pressure, sparingly, the main thing is that the temperature of the alcohol is 30 degrees. Alcohol flows from this tube in the refrigerator. I substituted a measuring cylinder to know exactly how much distilled, and dial. I heated up this still, which is actually a copper ball, and in less than an hour I turned all the cider into a smooth drinking distillate spirit. Do you like it?
Of course they'll love it! But they still won’t believe you that everything works out so easily and without unnecessary wisdom. Well, let them not believe it! And don't tell them who taught you this. Let this be your magical secret!
Alambik- This alcohol mashine, whose still is made of copper, is made by hand and is used to obtain aromatic distillates, essential oils or various hydrolates (floral waters). The main difference between the alambik and other moonshine stills produced, for example, in Russia, is that it is made from copper. Its operating principle has remained unchanged for more than a thousand years, and the design of the device itself has been brought to perfection. The alambik consists of a spherical still, a helmet and a refrigerator made of 99% copper. The helmet is dome-shaped and is necessary to collect alcohol vapors and direct the vapors to the center of the swan's neck. A truly high-quality alambic has a standard wall thickness of 1 mm. All connections must be made using silver-based solders. This makes the design of the device much more expensive than analogues from other countries.
The Charente alambique (alambic Charantais) is one of the most popular devices for distilling mash in Europe. Famous cognacs and brandies are made on such machines. A copper vat is placed inside the brick podium - a distillation cube, under which the stove is located. Above the cube there is a helmet that accumulates vapors. A “swan neck” extends from the helmet. It is with its help that steam enters the refrigerator and comes out as a liquid. The finished product is usually collected in oak barrels for further aging. After each distillation, the cube is first cleaned and only then the subsequent distillation begins. Cleaning the copper apparatus is very important; after each use, oxides form on the walls of the distillation cube. At most distilleries, when preparing any drinks, the final and initial fractions are separated. “Head” ones are used exclusively for technical purposes or are disposed of, and “tail” ones can be added during re-distillation to increase the alcohol concentration in the wort. The “heart” fraction is used to prepare high-quality aromatic drinks and extracts of cognac spirits.
"Charente alambique" (alambic Charantais)- the most “promoted” brand of the French industrial moonshine still used today for the production of cognac spirits in the Hennessy house in the Charente province of France (and not only there).
At the “Charente Alambique” the product of the first distillation (from 7-10% wine) is obtained with a strength of about 30%. Then it is distilled a second time, turning, after cutting off the “heads” and “tails,” into raw cognac alcohol with a strength of about 70%.
This spirit is poured into oak barrels and aged in cellars for 3 to 200 years, turning into Hennessy. Over the course of a year, about 2% of the alcohol (mainly the “head” fraction) evaporates from the barrels, which is why the cellars in which barrels of future cognac are stored are called “heavenly rooms”, and security duty in them lasts no more than half an hour. Naturally, there is practically no alcohol in two-hundred-year-old barrels, but the infusion and aroma from these barrels, added literally drop by drop to each bottle of 3-year-old Hennessy, turns it into elite cognac!
The picture shows a diagram of this device, from which it is clear how it works:
1.Container for heating wine;
2. Tube for supplying hot wine to the cube;
3. Distillation cube;
4. Furnace-furnace;
5. "Cap";
6. “Swan neck”;
7.Wine heating coil;
8. Condensation coil;
9.Container with cooling water.
Considering that this device was invented in the 16th century, then (from the point of view of today's professionals) it is ideal in its simplicity and functionality. In practice, this is a “quasi-continuous” distillation installation, with an economizer 7. That is why the French continue to use this distillation apparatus to this day, perhaps replacing only firewood with gas, and manually topping up cold water into the lower part of the container with a pump (9).
Of interest in this moonshine still are: the wine heating coil, the “cap” and the “swan neck”.
The steam, passing through coil 7, partially condenses and, entering coil 8, heats the cooling water less. The area of coil 7 is selected so that by the end of distillation the next portion of wine in container 1 is heated to almost boiling point. After pouring into an already emptied cube, it immediately boils. Capacity 1 with coil 7 is a heat economizer for saving firewood and cooling water.
Somewhat later, in the 17th century, distillation apparatuses appeared in Rus', according to descriptions very similar to “alambiks”. The diagrams of these devices have been lost (apparently during the centuries-long struggle against drunkenness), but from the texts one can understand that they also had elements 5 and 6, only they were called in our language - “helmet” and “goose”. But our “goose” was significantly higher than the French “swan neck”.
Being professionally involved in rectification issues, it is easy for us to explain that “helmet” and “goose” are a type of air dephlegmator. The steam on the inner surface of these elements partially condenses, the distillate flows down the “goose” and “helmet”. Thus, these elements (as well as the “cap” and “swan neck” of the Charente alambique) provide a double effect - they extinguish the foam if it gets into the “helmet” and increase the concentration of steam (as in distillation column). The higher the goose, the stronger the alcohol!
All moonshiners are aware of the problem of foaming. Now they are fighting it simply - reducing gas consumption, turning off heating elements, adjusting the electric stove. Less evaporation means less foam. At the “Charente Alambique” the cube was heated with wood, but you can’t “turn it off” or “reduce it”, so the French had to invent a “hood” and a “swan neck” to combat foam with the constant heat release of burning wood.
An ancient distillation cube of original design - a copper alambik, which appeared in Ancient Egypt many centuries ago, is a classic moonshine still. It is rightfully considered the best alcohol distiller in the world. The elegant unit, shimmering with the shine of gold, is widely used in Russia and is used for the production of high-proof alcohol and noble drinks. These include whiskey, Calvados, cognac, plum brandy and others. Natural Portuguese alambics are in high demand for the distillation of elite distillates in Moscow.
Alambik made of copper or moonshine still made of stainless steel: what to buy
According to experienced distillers, the answer to the question of whether to buy a natural copper alambic or a stainless steel one is clear. If funds allow, preference should be given to the first option. Structurally, the alambik resembles a moonshine still:
1 - distillation cube; 2 - helmet; 3 - tube for steam removal; 4 - drainage fitting; 5 - cooler-condenser; 6 - yield of the finished distillate.
The secret of the popularity of the ancient unit lies in the material of manufacture. The unique properties of copper can truly work wonders, providing:
- unique refined taste distillate, which stainless steel does not provide;
- subtle pronounced aroma;
- absence hangover syndrome, nausea and headache after drinking alcohol.
Due to their exquisite, rich appearance, copper alambiks are often used to decorate the interior of a bar, restaurant, or home. They are often chosen as a gift for managers, business partners, and anniversaries. You can buy an alambik with delivery throughout Moscow from the Samodel online store at a price starting from 2,200 rubles.
If you are interested in our offers, please contact us. Detailed information For questions regarding the purchase and delivery of alambik, you can contact a competent specialist over the phone.
is a hand-made distillation cube used to obtain alcohol, essential oils or hydrosols (floral waters). The difference between the alambik and other moonshine stills is that it is made from copper. Its operating principle has remained unchanged for more than a thousand years, and the design of the device itself has been brought to perfection. The alambik consists of a still, a helmet and a refrigerator made of 99% copper. A cube is a round-shaped container used to heat mash. The helmet is dome-shaped and is necessary to collect alcohol vapors. A truly high-quality alambic has a standard wall thickness of 1 mm. All connections must be made using silver-based solders.
The principle of operation of a classic copper alambic
The structure of the classic alambik is created in such a way as to preserve the aromatic substances of the drink to the maximum. A helmet (2) shaped like an onion is located above the distillation cube (1), and the distillate is discharged through a curved tube called the “swan neck” (3). The water that is in the refrigerator-condenser (5) comes out through the upper fitting (4), and the finished product is discharged through the lower fitting (6). If your classic alambique has 3 fittings, then the third is provided for water supply.
The device of a classic alambic
- distillation cube;
- helmet;
- steam pipe;
- fitting for water drainage;
- refrigerator-condenser;
The principle of operation of an alambic with a column
The design of this alambik is the same as the standard one. It differs only in the presence of a removable column. This model of the device is suitable for distilling wort, as well as for obtaining essential oils and hydrosols. In the case of obtaining hydrolates, the alambic cube must be filled 75% with water, and the column with plant materials, for example, petals or flowers of various plants. When heated, steam rises and passes through organic raw materials and takes with it molecules of essential oils. Therefore, at the end you can get flower water or hydrosol, as well as various aromatic alcohols: homemade brandy, whiskey and Calvados.
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The device of an alambic with a column
- distillation cube;
- Column;
- helmet;
- steam pipe;
- refrigerator-condenser;
- water drain fitting;
- water supply fitting;
- outlet fitting finished product.
The operating principle of the Charente alambique
The Alambic Charantais is one of the most popular distillation apparatuses. It is used in many famous cognac houses. This type of alambik is also made of copper, which means it conducts heat evenly and is resistant to oxidation. A copper vat is placed inside the brick podium - a distillation cube, under which the stove is located. Above the cube there is a helmet that accumulates vapors. A “swan neck” extends from the helmet. It is with its help that steam enters the refrigerator and comes out as a liquid. The finished product is usually collected in barrels. After each distillation, the cube is first cleaned and only then the subsequent distillation begins. At most distilleries, the final and initial fractions are separated when preparing drinks. “Head” ones are used exclusively for technical purposes, and “tail” ones can be added during re-distillation. The “heart” fraction is used for preparing high-quality aromatic drinks and aging cognac spirits.
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The device of the Charente alambique
- distillation cube;
- helmet;
- steam pipe;
- an intermediate container in which the vapors are additionally cooled and the wine is heated;
- refrigerator-condenser with fittings for water inlet and outlet;
- fitting for the exit of the finished product (with an alcohol meter holder);
- stillage outlet fitting;
- wine drain tube;
- thermometer.
The operating principle of the Arabic alambik (alquitara)
The Arabian alambik Alguitar, also known as alkitara, is distinguished by its very compact size, due to the fact that all its components are assembled into a pyramid. It consists of a distillation cube (1) and a refrigerator (2) located on top. When heated, the distillate evaporates and its vapors settle on the condenser. There are three fittings on the refrigerator: for the exit of the finished product (3), drainage (4) and supply (4) of water. With the help of the Arabic alambik (alkitara) you can get aromatic alcoholic drinks. .png)
The device of the Arab alambik (alkitara)
- Distillation cube;
- refrigerator-condenser;
- fitting for the exit of the finished product;
- water drain fitting;
- water supply fitting.
The Premium Alquitara set additionally includes a sieve, which divides the distillation cube into two parts. Vegetable raw materials are placed in the intermediate compartment, so the steam passing through it is enriched with essential oils. Thus, it is possible to obtain essential oils, floral waters and hydrosols, and not just aromatic distillates as in the “Standard” class alquitar.
Alambiks are among the classic distillation apparatuses widely used throughout the world. They are used both in everyday life and in small distilleries and large ones. industrial production for distillation of cereals and fruit mash in order to obtain a wide range of drinks from whiskey to Calvados, from chacha to rakia. All of them are united by copper as the material from which they are made and the presence of an uncontrolled air dephlegmator, which allows for additional strengthening and some separation of the product. Portugese-made alambiks now dominate the market, so we’ll talk about them.
There are several varieties of this device. In principle, they are not particularly different from each other, except perhaps in the shape of the helmet and neck. These differences are more of an aesthetic nature than functional.
1. Classic
. This type of alambik form is the most universal, or, to be more precise, the most common. Using its example, we will consider the design of this group of devices and highlight the following main parts:
- cube;
— helmet (uncontrolled air dephlegmator);
- swan neck (also works as a small reflux condenser in the ascending part, but actually serves to connect the alambic with the refrigerator); can be made as a single unit together with the helmet, or can be connected to it with a threaded connection - then a reinforcing lens can be placed between the neck and the helmet
— column for steam distillation; designed as a container for storing various fragrant fillers (for example, flowers or herbs) with a sieve at the bottom - intended for obtaining aromatic distillates, can be used as part of an air dephlegmator like a mash column 
— strengthening lens; is an additional air-water-cooled reflux condenser (on top part lenses, you can pour a certain amount of water or organize its flow) and allows you to obtain additional strengthening of the product (up to 90º strength)
— a refrigerator made of a coil in a housing.
2. Temporal alambik or viskogon
. It differs from the classic one only in the shape of the helmet. This does not affect the functionality in any way. The configuration may also be similar to the classic one. The choice is based only on aesthetic preferences.
. Similar devices have become widespread in France for the production of cognac. It is distinguished by the presence of an additional cube containing wine (or wort), which is heated by steam from the main apparatus on the way to the condenser through a special coil located in the additional cube. This additional cube is connected to the main alambik by a pipe with a tap, through which you can add already heated wort to the alambik. All this provides some “pseudo-continuity” of the distillation process.
4. Alambik Alquitar
. A specialized device for the distillation of distillate, essential oils, medicinal herbal extracts, etc. Structurally, it differs in the absence of a separate refrigerator. The refrigerator is combined with a helmet. This makes the device somewhat more compact.
. Perhaps the most ancient option. Similar devices can be seen in the Caucasus, and in Bulgaria and throughout Europe right up to the Atlantic. You can also see some semblance of this device among American moonshine players. Again, it differs from the classic one in the shape of the helmet and the absence of a swan neck.
In general, it is clear that despite the external variety of forms, there is practically one design. If we analyze the functional content, then the alambik is a variation on the theme of the mash column with much narrower capabilities. The output from it is moonshine without any special frills, although with strengthening. You may ask why they have become so widespread and are still used in the production of vintage distillates. There is one secret here. And this secret is called “barrel”; traditionally, the product from the alambik was aged. Judging by some data, the most expensive varieties skate and whiskey are generally distilled without fractional distillation, but are then stored in a barrel for many years and even decades. This is where the transformation of a duckling into a swan occurs.
And besides, traditions, a craving for antiquity, age-old truth. Handmade aesthetics, red copper. They are beautiful, these alambiks.
Well, you don’t need to make anything out of sugar on them. For this though mash column preferable.
