This still is built for one job above all: steam distillation of herbs, flowers and other aromatic plants for hydrosols and essential oils. It also handles ordinary alcohol distillation, so one copper unit covers both.
Why a rotating column
The plants go into a separate column above the boiler. The column is mounted on a hinge, so you can tip it to one side, empty the spent plants and refill it without dismantling the still or letting the boiler cool. Most users reload the column 3 to 5 times per distillation, which gets a lot more out of one boiler of water.
Capacity and typical output
- Boiler: 5 L
- Column: 400 g of plant material per load
- Plants per distillation: 400–2000 g (3–5 column loads)
- Hydrosol: about 3–4 L
- Essential oil: about 15–20 ml, depending on the plant
Essential oil yield varies a lot between plant species: lavender and rosemary give far more than rose petals, for example.
Construction
- 1 mm copper sheet, hand-hammered
- Welded joints, no lead or harmful substances
- Polished brass handles and nuts
Included
- 0–120 °C thermometer
- Separation grill for the column
- Separation grill for the boiler
Heat source not included. Use a gas burner or an electric hotplate of the right size (copper does not work on induction).
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