Before we get started, a reminder: Distilling alcohol is illegal without a federal fuel alcohol or distilled spirit plant permit as well as relevant state permits. Our distillation equipment is designed for legal uses only and the information in this article is for educational purposes only. Please read our complete legal summary for more information on the legalities of distillation.
A topic we have recently received some questions on is the max fill capacity of distillation equipment. To clarify, only the boiler of the still should be filled; liquid should never fill the “vapor cone.” If the vapor cone of a still is partially or completely filled, there won't be enough headroom in the still for vapor to exit properly and a dangerous situation could arise where liquid is forced into the column and could potentially, temporarily, increase pressure and leak, depending on what type of seals are used on the still.
Clawhammer's 5 gallon copper distillers still hold approximately 4.65 gallons of liquid below the vapor cone. The 1 and 10 gallon copper still kits hold a full 1 and 10 gallons of liquid to the bottom of the vapor cone.
Thanks for reading this article. Be smart, be safe, and use common sense when distilling. Remember, it is illegal to distill alcohol without the proper permits. Do not distill alcohol at home for consumption. Do not distill fuel alcohol without a fuel alcohol permit. Always check your state laws before distilling.
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