S - like Spirit Safe

What does Spirit Safe mean?

Spirit Safe is the English term for a closed device, which is the central element of a Scottish-style still house distillation apparatus.

What does a Spirit Safe look like?

The Spirit Safe is a lockable, usually brass, cuboid box with sight-glass panes containing several glass containers through which the fresh, colorless distillate obtained during distillation flows.

What is the function of the Spirit Safe?

In the Spirit Safe, the alcohol content of the distillate can be determined by means of temperature and density determination. The main function of the Spirit Safe is to control and monitor the distillation process to ensure that the desirable New Make Spirit (main run, heart) is collected and separated from the undrinkable pre- and post-run.

Why is the Spirit Safe at St. Kilian located in a lock room?

In Germany, alcohol may only be produced in cappuccino distilleries, with the exception of cappuccino distilleries, where the alcohol tax to be paid is calculated as a lump sum according to the type and quantity of raw materials processed. From a customs point of view, St. Kilian Distillers is such a cappuccino distillery, which was set up in a cappuccino-proof manner with official assistance before it was put into operation. Therefore, our distillation plant - i.e. the Spirit Pot Still (fine spirit still) as well as the Spirit Safe - has been sealed in a room by the customs administration so that the extracted alcohol cannot be removed unnoticed.

How does the Spirit Safe work during the first distillation?

During the first distillation in the raw still, the Wash Pot Still, the vapors are liquefied again by cooling in the connected condenser and flow through corresponding pipes through a glass vessel located on the right side in the Spirit Safe. By turning an externally mounted lever, part of the distillate in the Spirit Safe can flow into a cylindrical glass vessel and fill it. Inside this glass cylinder are two measuring instruments: a thermometer and a hydrometer. By measuring the temperature and the density of the distillate, the current alcohol content can be determined with the help of measuring tables. Turning the lever again causes the glass cylinder to empty and the contents are reunited with the rest of the distillate. Distillation in the wash still continues until the alcohol content of the distillate is below 0.2 percent by volume.

Where does the distillate from the first distillation go?

The distillate after the first distillation in the raw spirit still flows through the Spirit Safe via a pipeline on to a stainless steel tank below, the so-called "intermediate receiver", where it is stored temporarily. The contents of this intermediate storage tank are used for the second distillation in the Spirit Still.

How does the Spirit Safe work during the second distillation?

The raw spirit from the first distillation is combined with the pre- and post-distillation from the preceding second distillation and pumped into the fine spirit bubble. The vapors during the second distillation are also liquefied in the condenser and then flow through a glass container on the left side of the Spirit Safe. The distillate after the second distillation in the Spirit Still is called fine spirit.

What should be considered in the fine firing?

In the fine distillation process, it is important to separate the highly alcoholic and sometimes toxic pre-run and the low alcoholic and largely unpalatable post-run from the desired middle run, the heart.

How does this separation take place?

The separation, the so-called "cut", takes place in a sensory manner. A sample of the current distillate in the Spirit Safe can be taken using a lever on the left of the Spirit Safe. The volume removed is recorded for customs purposes and counted for the purpose of determining the total volume of distilled alcohol. This removed sample can then be subjected to an odor and taste test by the distiller.

How is the cut made from the forerun to the center run?

If the sensory check shows that the transition from the preliminary run to the desired middle run has been reached, it is possible to activate a valve by flipping a small switch and pressing a button. This valve ensures that the distillate, after passing through the Spirit Safe, now no longer flows through a pipe which is connected at the end to another stainless steel container for intermediate storage, but reaches the collection container for the heart, the Spirit Receiver, via another pipe. This pipe to the Spirit Receiver is coupled with an alcohol meter for precise determination of the amount of alcohol.

How is the cut made from center to trailing edge?

If the sensory test of the distillate shows that the frog is finished and the overrun is imminent, the valve is again switched by actuating the small switch and pressing the button so that the distillate flowing through the Spirit Safe is again collected in the intermediate container.

What happens to pre-run and post-run from the intermediate tank?

Since the pre- and post-distillate after the second distillation still contain a usable amount of desirable aromas and alcohol in addition to the undesirable aromas, both are added to the next distillate obtained after the first distillation in the wash still and thus distilled again in the fine still.

Why are there two glass cylinders in the Spirit Safe for the second distillation?

Since the forerun has a high alcohol content (around 70 percent by volume), but the overrun has a significantly lower alcohol content, two different hydrometers with corresponding fine scaling are required in addition to a thermometer for the respective measurement of the density of the distillate. For this reason, two glass cylinders are installed on the left side of the Spirit Safe so that, after filling the first and second containers respectively, the alcohol content of the first run and the second run can be precisely determined at any time during distillation by measuring the respective density and temperature.

Where does the Spirit Safe of St. Kilian come from?

We obtained the Spirit Safe from the Scottish company Forsyths directly from Speyside. This renowned coppersmith also manufactured our two copper stills and delivered them to Rüdenau.

Does the Spirit Safe perform any other function?

Yes! This central element of the distillation process, in addition to the above-mentioned properties, is also a visual eye-catcher for all visitors to our St. Kilian distillery.