Copper Stills and Alembics: Why Copper, and How to Care for One

Australian legal note: In Australia you can own a still of 5 litres or less without ATO permission, but only if you are not using it to distil alcohol. A still over 5 litres needs permission from the ATO, and using a still of any size to distil alcohol requires an excise manufacturer licence. The ATO does not grant licences to distil spirits for personal consumption. See the ATO guidance on stills and check with the ATO directly. This guide is general information for equipment care, non-alcohol distilling and licensed operations, not legal advice.

Walk into any old farmhouse cellar in northern Italy and there is a good chance you will find a copper pot tucked away somewhere. Copper has been the metal of choice for stills for centuries, and it is still the first thing many people picture when they hear the word "alembic". We stock Italian-made copper alembics, and two questions come up naturally with them: why copper, and how do you look after it?

This guide covers what an alembic actually is, why copper earns its place, the sizes we stock and what they suit, and a practical cleaning and care routine that keeps the metal in good working order.

What is an alembic?

An alembic is a simple pot still. It has three main parts:

• The pot (boiler): where the liquid is heated.
• The head or dome: sits on the pot and collects the rising vapour. On traditional alembics this is often onion shaped.
• The swan neck and condenser: a tube carries the vapour away from the dome and into a condenser, usually a coil sitting in cold water, where the vapour turns back into liquid.

There are no plates, packing or columns in a classic alembic. That is what makes it a pot still: the vapour travels from the pot to the condenser with very little separation along the way. The result is a distillate that carries more of the character of whatever went into the pot. That is why alembics have been used for so long to capture the aroma of flowers, herbs and fruit.

If you are weighing up an alembic against other styles, our guide to pot stills, reflux stills and air stills goes through the differences side by side.

Why copper?

Copper is not just traditional. It does real work inside a still.

It reacts with sulphur compounds

Fermentation can produce sulphur compounds that smell of rotten egg, struck matches or cooked cabbage. When hot vapour touches copper, many of these compounds react with the metal and are left behind on the copper surface rather than carrying through into the distillate. This is why commercial distilleries use copper in their stills, and why stainless steel stills often have copper mesh or copper saddles packed into the condenser.

It moves heat well

Copper is an excellent conductor of heat. In the pot it spreads heat evenly, which helps avoid hot spots and scorching. In the condenser it pulls heat out of the vapour quickly, so cooling is efficient.

It is easy to shape and repair

Copper is soft and workable, which is why Italian coppersmiths can hammer and shape those beautiful domes and swan necks by hand. It can also be repaired by a skilled metalworker, so a well-made copper still can give many years of use.

The trade-off

Copper is more expensive than stainless steel and it needs a bit more care. It tarnishes, and because it is reactive, it slowly gives up a little of itself every time it does its job. That is normal. A good cleaning routine keeps the surface active and stops grime building up.

Still sizes we stock

Our Alembic Pot Stills collection covers everything from a tabletop piece to a serious workhorse. Here is how the range breaks down:

• Our 0.5 litre glass micro still: a small borosilicate glass still heated by an alcohol burner. Because it is glass rather than copper, you can watch every stage of the process, which makes it a good learning and display piece for tiny batches of herbs or flowers.
• Italian Copper Still 1L with water condenser: a compact, hand-hammered copper still made in Italy, with a copper coil condenser in a water cooling tank and a thermometer.
• Italian Alembico Copper Pot 4.9L with thermometer and flame burner: a good size for essential oils and floral waters, with a thermometer so you can watch what the vapour is doing.
• Italian Alembic Copper Boiler 23 lt and Italian Alembic Copper Boiler 50 Lt: larger copper boilers, which need ATO permission to own.

Keep the legal note at the top in mind when choosing a size. The 0.5L, 1L and 4.9L stills sit within the 5 litre line, so they can be owned without ATO permission as long as they are not used to distil alcohol. The 23L and 50L boilers are over 5 litres, so you need ATO permission to own and use them, whatever you plan to distil.

If you already run stainless gear, a copper dome is another way to bring copper into the system. The SS Create+ Alembic Copper Dome & Condenser and the Still Spirits Alembic Copper Pot Condenser both sit on top of a boiler to turn it into a pot still. For reflux condensers, copper mesh repacking and copper saddles add copper contact inside the column.

How to clean a copper still

Copper does best with gentle, regular care rather than a once-a-year scrub. Here is the routine we suggest.

Before first use

1. Rinse the pot, dome, neck and condenser with warm water to remove any dust or polishing residue from manufacture and shipping.
2. Do a cleaning run, following the maker's instructions: a common approach is to fill the pot with water and a mild acid such as citric acid or vinegar, assemble the still, and heat it so steam passes through the whole system. This cleans the inside of the neck and condenser where you cannot reach.
3. Rinse thoroughly with clean water and let everything dry.

After every run

1. Let the still cool completely before you take it apart. Hot copper and hot liquid are a burn risk.
2. Empty the pot and rinse all parts with warm water while any residue is still soft.
3. Run warm water through the condenser coil until it flows clear.
4. Dry every part properly. Water left sitting in copper is what causes spotting and green deposits.
5. Store the still disassembled, somewhere dry and well ventilated, so moisture cannot get trapped.

Dealing with tarnish and green deposits

Brown or dull copper is just oxidation and is nothing to worry about. Green or blue deposits (verdigris) are worth removing, especially on inside surfaces. A common household method is half a lemon dipped in salt, rubbed over the copper and then rinsed well. A paste of vinegar and salt or a citric acid solution does the same job. Always rinse with plenty of clean water afterwards and dry the copper straight away.

Avoid steel wool, scouring pads and harsh abrasive powders. They scratch the surface and make it easier for grime to stick next time. A soft cloth or a non-scratch sponge is all you need. For general equipment cleaning, have a look at our Cleaners & Sanitising range.

Check the joints and seals

Each time you clean, check the joint between the pot and dome and the connection to the condenser. Make sure seals are seated, nothing is cracked or bent, and the condenser water inlets and outlets are clear. A blocked condenser or a sealed-up system is a safety risk, so a still should always have a clear path for vapour to travel and escape.

Running a copper still safely

• Never seal the system. Vapour must always have an open path through the condenser.
• Never run the pot dry. Keep an eye on liquid level, especially on longer runs.
• Keep the condenser water flowing for the whole run.
• Use the thermometer: a steady temperature tells you the run is behaving.
• With a flame burner, work outdoors or in a well ventilated area, on a stable, heat-proof surface, away from anything flammable.

Copper alembics are wonderful for making essential oils and hydrosols and for distilling water. If you are curious about the Italian tradition behind them, read our piece on grappa and the alembic tradition.

Frequently asked questions

Is copper safe to use in a still?

Copper has been used in stills for centuries and is still standard in commercial distilleries. Keep it clean, remove verdigris from internal surfaces and rinse well after cleaning.

Why is my copper still turning green?

Green deposits are verdigris, a form of copper corrosion that forms when moisture and air sit on the metal. Dry the still thoroughly after every use and clean off deposits with lemon and salt, vinegar and salt, or a citric acid solution.

Do I need to polish the outside?

Only if you want the shine. Tarnish on the outside is cosmetic. Inside surfaces matter more, so focus your cleaning there.

Can I add copper to a stainless steel still?

Yes. A copper dome on top of a stainless boiler, or copper mesh and saddles in a reflux condenser, adds copper contact without replacing your whole setup.

Which size should I start with?

For essential oils, floral waters and learning how a pot still behaves, the 4.9L Italian alembic is a good starting point and sits within the 5 litre ATO threshold for non-alcohol use. Pop into our Laverton North or Epping store if you would like to ask about the sizes.