Your first still should teach you something every time you fire it up. This 6 gallon complete copper moonshine still is made for that. It's a straightforward, handmade American copper rig, sized for someone who has never run a still before and wants to learn the craft the right way.
Why copper makes a good first teacher
Copper has been the classic still metal for generations. It carries heat well, so you can feel the link between the heat you put in and the vapor you get out. Every run is a small experiment. You set the heat, watch the temperature, and decide where your cuts go. That's the alchemist part. Writing it all down so the next run goes better is the scientist part.
What's in the box
This is sold as a complete still, so it's meant to be set up and run, not pieced together from parts. Look over the photos on this page. If you'd like the exact parts list before you order, call our family shop in New Hampshire at 603-997-6786 and we'll go through it with you.
How hard is it?
Not very. Putting it together isn't the hard part. Patience is. Go slow, keep your heat steady, and pay attention to what the still shows you. Most of what you learn comes from watching and taking notes.
Your first steps
- Unpack it and look over every joint and connection before you heat anything.
- Run plain water first to learn how it heats up and to clean it out.
- Set up your heat source in a safe, well-ventilated space.
- Start a run log with heat settings, temperatures, and times.
Owning a still is legal in the US, and a still is useful for distilling water and essential oils. Distilling alcohol requires a federal TTB permit. Always follow federal, state, and local law.
