Copper Distillery Equipment Manufacturers

For one hundred plus years the company has made copper distillery equipment for a variety of industries. Its customers include wood products companies manufacturing creosote and turpentine.

Vendome manufactures a number of different copper distillation systems for small to mid-sized makers of bourbon, rum, gin and vodka. They also offer a wide range of copper and stainless steel equipment.

History

The shiny copper still is the beating heart of every distillery and a major draw for visitors. From gleaming towers to small, low-slung vessels they are often the photogenic centrepiece of a distillery tour. Traditionally made up entirely of copper but increasingly a mix of copper / stainless steel or glass / stainless steel the beautiful metallic structures are used around the world in distilleries of all shapes and sizes.

The reason for the popularity of copper is a combination of factors – it’s malleable, fast to conduct heat and able to remove sulfur compounds. The latter is particularly important because the fermented wash – the liquid that will eventually become whisky – contains organosulfur compounds produced during the fermentation process. The copper ’sacrifice’ pulls out these compounds resulting in a cleaner, more refined spirit.

Stainless steel, meanwhile, is less expensive than copper and easy to clean. However, it’s not the best conductor of heat and doesn’t remove sulfur compounds from the wash as effectively as copper. This has led to a growing number of distilleries choosing to reduce copper contact with the spirit by fitting externally-cooled worm tubs. Similarly, some distillers are opting for tube bundle condensers (like those offered by Ailsa Bay) which guarantee much less copper exposure. In either case, it’s important that the spirit spends as little time as possible in copper to avoid any unwanted flavours or odours.

Products

Copper is ideal for distillers as it helps neutralize the sulfur compounds that form during fermentation. It also improves the taste and smell of the finished product. This makes it the preferred choice of many moonshine distillers. But it’s important to understand the benefits and drawbacks of using copper.

For example, a copper still has a tendency to corrode over time. This can be caused by a number of factors, including corrosion inhibitors, water quality, and copper to cupric sulfate conversion. When this happens, a still will start to develop pinprick holes. These can release vapor (if above the water line) or leak liquid (if below the water line).

Another benefit of using copper is its ability to conduct heat quickly. This reduces heating times and saves energy. However, it’s important to note that copper is also more difficult to clean than stainless steel. If you’re new to distilling, you’ll want to choose a metal that is easy to clean.

If you’re looking for a high-quality copper still, look no further than the Moonshine Still Kit from Affordable Distillery Equipment. This kit features a boiler made of argon-welded stainless steel and cooling pipes made of top grade red copper. It also comes with a manual and several videos that show you how to build your own still. This still is easy to use and has been extensively tested for functionality.

Customer Service

With the number of craft distilleries growing at a staggering rate, it’s important to find a manufacturer that offers the equipment and experience to ensure success. From moonshine still kits and still components to mash tuns, storage tanks, fermentation tanks, sanitary pumps and hoses, cleaning supplies, barrels, ingredients, legal paperwork and so much more, finding a reputable distillery supplier is critical. Steven and his team at Copper Distillery equipment manufacturer have decades of experience and pride themselves on offering excellent customer service. They know the trials and tribulations of starting your own distillery and are happy to help every step of the way.

Reputation

In the beginning of the craft distilling boom, potential entrepreneurs were limited to purchasing large, expensive copper stills from Germany or the United States. Now, with demand growing, many are choosing to purchase smaller, easier to use copper moonshine stills and distillation systems. These smaller units are often made by small manufacturers in the U.S. and China.

There are three major players in the distillery equipment fabrication business, Vendome in Louisville, Abercrombie in Kentucky, and Forsyths in Scotland. Each company has their own niche, but they all share the same goal of providing high-quality, customizable products for the booming industry.

Vendome has been fabricating distillery equipment for over a century in a warehouse in the Butchertown neighborhood of Louisville. They are the go-to supplier for bourbon distilleries, and it is said that there is a 90% chance that if you visit a bourbon distillery, you will see their equipment.

In the early 1900’s, Elmore Sherman founded the company after leaving Hoffman, Ahlers & Co. The exact year of the founding is unknown, but it was sometime before 1910. Today, the Sherman family is running Vendome with over 70 employees. The business receives orders for four to five new distilleries each month and orders for maintenance and replacement parts on an ongoing basis. Vendome also has a line of specialized distillery equipment such as a copper gin basket for flavoring already prepared alcohol and a copper ethanol still for high-quality ethanol production.