Still SUPREMA, 5 Liters, retrofittable for essential oil distillation and rectification

Still SUPREMA (2 or 5 Liters)

• With the SUPREMA distillation unit, not only is the kettle interchangeable (2- or 5-liters kettle), the extension part and the dome condenser of the LEONARDO® Flexi also fit, and thus the rectifying column as well. This still can be upgraded with various parts of the Suprema-Flexi product line, allowing you to distill aromatic fruit spirits, essential oils and hydrosols, and also produce pure, high-proof alcohol. The still can therefore be flexibly adapted to your distillation requirements.
• The still is made of solid, high-quality copper. Compared to steel or glass, copper has the following advantages:
  • The cyanide and ethyl carbamate (EC) formed during stone-fruit distillation are reliably broken down through contact with copper. This is why in large stills for fruit brandy production the head is lined with copper.
  • With starchy mashes, such as for whisky production, perceptible sulfur compounds in the distillate are avoided. This is why Scottish whisky stills are also made entirely of copper.
  • Essential oils and hydrosols from copper stills are more sensuous, more captivating, and richer—“fuller” in the bouquet.
  • When used in water, oil, or sand baths, the better thermal conductivity results in a faster response time to temperature changes.
• The still was developed by us and is optimally designed from a process-engineering standpoint. The still is manufactured exclusively for us.
  

  

  

  

• The unit can be operated with any type of heat source, whether an electric hotplate, ceramic hob, gas, a spirit burner, or an open flame. Water, oil, or sand baths are of course also possible. Induction adapter plates are available from specialist retailers for induction hobs.
• Cooling is provided by a coil condenser: an approx. 1 m long, spiral-bent copper tube in a copper container for 2.6 liters of cooling water. Using the included silicone hose (1 m), a water tap or a small circulation pump for an indoor fountain (not included) can be connected to the cooling-water inlet and outlet ports. The container is open at the top so that, if necessary, the cooling water can be changed manually or crushed ice can be added if no running water is available.
• The still is supplied with a detailed user manual, so you can start distilling immediately without any problems.
• Dimensions, volumes, weight:
  Length: approx. 64 cm
  Width: base diameter (dimension for hotplate): 17.5 cm; diameter including handles: 26 cm
  Height without thermometer, 2-liters version: 28.5 cm; 5-liters version: 36.5 cm
  Height with condenser: approx. 45 cm
  2-liters SUPREMA
  Kettle volume: 2 liters
  Herbs filling volume (steam space): 2.7 liters 
  Head volume without lyne arm: 2.2 liters
  Total weight: 3.6 kg

  5-liters SUPREMA
  Kettle volume: 5 liters
  Herbs filling volume (steam space): 3.7 liters
  Head volume without lyne arm: 2.2 liters
  Total weight: 4.0 kg

• Thanks to the special design developed by us — especially the very wide diameter of the middle part, the particularly short distance the vapor takes to reach condenser, and the descending lyne arm — far more aroma and flavor compounds are carried over than with conventional stills. This produces very aromatic and flavorful distillates when distilling mashes, beer, wine, liqueurs, infusions, vapor infused spirits, and herbal extracts.

2- or 5-Liters Kettle?

• 2-liters-stills (or smaller) require no registration in Austria, Germany, and Switzerland for purchase, possession, and for rental & leasing. Other examples: USA: 1 US gal, Hungary: 25 l, New Zealand: no limit for private use, etc.
• The distillation time with the 2-liters kettle is comparatively short, making it ideal for flavorful experiments. One run takes approx. 35 to 45 minutes. Depending on the alcohol content, the result is approx. 250 to 1200 ml of distillate. The 2-liters kettle size is therefore ideal for testing your own infused-spirit recipes and for mash quantities of up to 10 liters per variety (5 runs until the fermentation vessel is empty).
• With a 5-liters unit, you can produce approx. 1 to 4 liters of high-proof spirit per run, again depending on the alcohol content of the charge. The 5-liters version is ideal for more than 20 liters of mash per fruit variety (distill 4 times until the fermentation vessel is empty) or for larger batches of infused spirits (if the result of a 2-liters experiment turned out particularly well and you want to make more of it).
• Note: A kettle should be filled up to at least three-quarters for every distillation run; otherwise, there will be significant losses in yield, aroma, and flavor.

Distilling Spirits with the SUPREMA Still

• The distillate usually has a much higher alcohol content than a typical drinking strength. For dilution to drinking strength, the alcohol measuring set is recommended (also available here in the shop).
• Because of the included burn protection basket — this principle was developed by us in 1998 — it is not necessary to filter the mash before distilling to prevent burning. When the heating power is changed, there is no annoying time delay as with a double-jacketed kettle. Unfiltered mashes yield a higher output and more flavor.
• The aroma basket, also developed by us in 1998, is used to produce a vapor infused spirit: Put spices, herbs, or fruits such as raspberries (for raspberry spirit), anise (for Ouzo, Raki), juniper berries (for Dutch genever), or spice mixes based on juniper (for gin) or wormwood (for absinthe), etc. into the basket. This way, they are not boiled in the alcohol and unpleasant bitter compounds and dull aromas are avoided. When distilling wine or neutral-tasting alcohol such as vodka or grain spirit, the alcohol vapor absorbs the aromatic substances from the basket and you obtain an excellent vapor infused spirit. Many well-known, high-quality gins are produced this way — via percolation / vapor extraction.
• Speaking of gin: for the simplest gin, various essential oils are dissolved in neutral-tasting alcohol. You can make both yourself with the SUPREMA!
• Separating heads (foreshots) and tails is done with the help of the thermometer. We have been using this separation method since the mid-1990s, as it enables more accurate and reliable separation than other methods, especially with small stills. In the professional field, this method has also been regarded as the standard for separating heads and tails in large-scale plants since the mid-2000s. The thermometer has a range of -10 to 110°C and can be read to an accuracy of 0.5°C. The measuring point is located at the highest point of the not-yet-cooled vapor, because only there is the vapor temperature independent (!) of the respective unit design and thus correlates with the current alcohol concentration of the distillate. The correct position of the measuring point — especially the correct height — is particularly important, otherwise incorrect temperatures with deviations of up to 10°C or even more may be measured.
• If double distillation is carried out, the 5-liters kettle is used for the stripping (first) run, and the 2-liters kettle for the spirit (second) run.
• In our book “The Artisan’s Guide to Crafting Distilled Spirits” you will find many tips and instructions as well as approx. 100 recipes for flavorful brandies, vapor infused spirits, and common infusions. The “Moonshine Recipes” includes over 300 different, sometimes extraordinary, recipes.

Coil Condenser or Dome Condenser?

• For alcohol distillation, the included coil condenser is best suited due to its strong cooling performance. An extremely reliable condenser that covers all areas of alcohol distillation.
• For producing essential oils and hydrosols, however, this type of condenser has the disadvantage that small oil quantities (a few drops) may remain in the coil, which — especially with plants with low oil yield (roses, lemon balm, German chamomile, many wild herbs) — may represent the entire yield. When distilling plants with higher oil content, such as lavender, the oil yield with the 5-liters kettle is 15–20 ml. In such cases, the loss in the cooling coil is of course negligible. After distillation, the coil can be cleaned by flushing, for example with high-proof alcohol (at least 80 %ABV). A dome condenser, on the other hand, has the advantage that the entire oil runs into the receiving bottle without losses, and that this condenser can be easily cleaned by hand on the inside (!!!) — simply with dishwashing detergent and a cleaning sponge.

Distilling Essential Oils and Hydrosols with the SUPREMA

• Steam distillation can be carried out with both the 2- and 5-liters kettles. If you want to produce hydrosols, the kettle size depends on your plant quantity — both pot sizes are ideal for hydrosols. To obtain essential oils, however, you need a larger amount of plant material, the 5-liters kettle provides the corresponding volume to actually obtain essential oil.
• The aroma basket developed by us in 1998 is used to produce high-quality essential oils and hydrosols: With this insert, the material to be distilled (flowers, seeds, roots, or herbs) is not boiled in water, but steamed. The steam flows through the plant material from bottom to top.
• Filling volume for the plant material: as can be seen in the pictures, the extension tubes for the aroma basket are longer for the 5-liters kettle than for the 2-liters version. If, on the 5-liters kettle, the shorter tubes from the 2-liters pot are used instead of the long ones, this results in a steam space volume of 5.2 liters.
• The unit intentionally has NO automatic oil separator or separating funnel included. First, because considerable amounts of oil adhere inside, meaning oil is unnecessarily lost. Second, because some oils are heavier than water (e.g., cinnamon, clove, elecampane root, balsam poplar, etc.) and therefore cannot be separated this way. Third, because the vessel containing the hydrosol and essential oil should be stored for at least a few weeks before separation in order to obtain the highest possible quality oils and hydrosols. In addition, homemade hydrosols are often so intense that — depending on the plant type — very strong, opaque milky cloudiness can form. In such cases, neither oil separators nor separating funnels work.
• If the coil condenser is replaced by the LEONARDO® Flexi dome condenser, it is possible to achieve the maximum possible yield and most intense hydrosols when producing essential oils. In addition, with two different condensers — one for alcohol distillation and the other for essential-oil production — you no longer have the problem of contamination from possible distillate residues in the next distillation, for example if rosemary oil was distilled before plum brandy. You can find detailed information on steam distillation here: Production of essential oils & hydrosols (e.g., lavender oil, citrus oil, mint oil, etc.).
• In our book “The Essential Oil Maker’s Handbook – A Practical Guide“ you will find many tips and instructions that go far beyond the user manual, such as the correct part of the plant, the optimal harvest and harvest time (time of day), and the best processing method for over 140 native and exotic plants to obtain the most intense hydrosols and high oil yields. In addition, over 50 basic recipes for using essential oils and hydrosols: The range includes products for facial and body care, liqueurs, gin, spiced oils, flavoring tea, inhalations, room sprays and sauna infusions, all the way to perfume.

Possible Variations

• The coil condenser and the dome condenser from the Suprema-Flexi product line (see SUPREMA and LEONARDO® Flexi stills) can be combined with other unit parts as follows: