Why Distillers Love Copper

[@michael3607]

Excellent job and excellent content!

[@MissBrewbird]

Oh thanks☺

[@frankromig]

Thank you for this info. Well done.

[@davidmorris6539]

So interesting

[@willemkilian9563]

Great videos, thanks for sharing :)

[@robertvoss1365]

I just discovered your channel. Thank you for a concise explanation of the benefits of copper in distilling. It took me two years of trial and error to learn what your short video explained. I started with stainless steel, but now have a 13 gallon copper pot and lid, plus copper mesh stuffed into a 7" diameter copper ball, two 6" sight glasses, and a copper pot condenser. Copper mesh everywhere. A very big difference in the quality of the final product. I also use 505 copper cleaner between every batch which makes a big difference as well. The homemade version is 1/2 gallon water, 6 ounces hydrogen peroxide, 6 tablespoons citric acid. Soak copper parts for 20 minutes. Then wash with dawn dish soap and rinse well. I subscribed and am looking forward to watching more of your videos.

[@MissBrewbird]

Nice! sounds like you have a good set-up over there. Thanks for subscribing.🙂

[@Imtellingyouthetruth]

Thanks alot, your videos are helping me to improve my knowledge right from the scratch of Alcohol production

[@MissBrewbird]

great to hear

[@BossmanEight]

Who knew? Now we do!

[@wenjohnlima3356]

Thanks for the video! Great content!

[@spykerf1545]

You are awesome. You need to teach classes to whiskey nerds like me!

[@MissBrewbird]

Thanks, ooh that's a good idea!

[@Bwachaauh]

Interesting video :)

[@kingsgaurd]

Thanks for the video. I have a cheap home distilling kit, that has no copper in it at all and now realize another reason why my cheap kit really does not work very well.

[@MissBrewbird]

Time to get some copper mesh/scrubbers.

[@kennethgoldie5257]

At 6:10 you threw me off a bit, were you about to laugh at the script or something off-camera? lmao I always like these sciencey vids, keep it up!

[@MissBrewbird]

I said pwohbably instead of probably, so I was laughing at myself.

[@kennethgoldie5257]

Now that I listen back I can hear it. The juxtaposition of your laughter with the topic of cancer felt bizarre

[@jacob106106]

Very informative!! Thx BrewBird Distillation University ;)

[@MissBrewbird]

Any time!🤗

[@RobynSmithPhD]

It’s so interesting that having copper in either the still body or condenser sequestered the most sulfur compounds… I wonder if that’s directly related to the amount of copper contact that the compounds experience during distillation. Thanks for a great video!

[@MissBrewbird]

Good question!

[@ledzep331]

I have a SS still and found that the quality/purity of copper mesh was so hard to guarantee that I have replaced it in my column with SS scrubbers, cheaper and easier to clean. I do however have both a home made shotgun condenser and dephlegmator, using external 51mm diameter SS tube but internally 4, 15mm diameter, good quality copper plumbing pipes. I guess that's why I couldn't detect a negative flavour change when I stopped using the copper mesh.

[@jamesgrey8093]

Hi beutifil, i love yer vidios, you are a smart chic and i apreciate all yer content and am truly impresed with all your achievments, keep on distilling...

[@StassBrewing]

Cheers brewbird. Interesting vid. Might have to track that study down about SS vs copper still. Sounds like a good read. Cheers

[@yaroslavzherebetskyy1908]

Hey. Thanks for your video!// How you would then evaluate iStill products. They have SS Stills, but what they are saying is the problem with DMTS and other is badly controlled fermentation process. And basically Coper can be avoided definitely for products like gin or vodka

[@MissBrewbird]

Hi! I think there is something so classic and beautiful about copper stills. I'd only choose an iStill or stainless steel still if price was the biggest factor in my decision. I believe there may be some ongoing costs with the iStill because of the software in the still.

[@yoguimasterof69]

It's so expensive! :( My country is the N1 copper producer...and is "still" very expensive to get :(

[@MissBrewbird]

yep, that's why a lot of people opt for stainless steel stills

[@yoguimasterof69]

@@MissBrewbird do think it would help if I add copper "rests of stuff" into the boiler? pieces of tubing and whatever I find?

[@ianhui3719]

A Chemistry lesson on copper. Explained by Miss Brewbird why copper was a preferred metal used in the distillery industries. Educational as usual.

[@davidhowick3665]

Thank you little miss brewbird for your videos, one question is in the fermentation stage would a copper plate in a stainless fermentation vat assist in removing unwanted sulphites before it is distilled? I ask as have just started a small distillery in New Zealand and designing own equipment, Sincerely David

[@MissBrewbird]

Hey David! No, if I had a copper plate I'd definitely try to suspend it above the liquid in the still during distillation. I was just reading a study where they found that high amounts of copper can negatively impact yeast during fermentation which can result in lower alcohol yield and can stall yeast activity during fermentation.

[@davidhowick3665]

@@MissBrewbird thanks for your study notes, on my first batch I had a copper cooling coil in fermenter, I did have trouble with slow fermentation’s.I don’t use it now but just stainless fermenters and I have no trouble with fermenting ( using my top secret wild yeasts)I also have a stainless aquarium heater inside as well, now I have a large copper still works great and rum is as smooth as the water on maple bay :)

[@michael3607]

This question may warrant a separate video, but how do you clean your copper stills in between runs, especially a copper boiler? Is it necessary after every run? Just figured sulphides would build up gradually.

[@MissBrewbird]

We spray down the boiler after every wash run, and we do the occasional caustic wash. I don't think I've ever done a caustic wash on a copper still used only for spirit runs. I just sprayed it down with a hose. I've got a video on cleaning the stills, although it is a stainless steel still with copper packing: kzbin.info/www/bejne/eHLWpIxjabutocU

[@walterl8863]

Hi, nice video as usual! Do you think that copper to fill a column (at the first usage) needs to be clean with a free run? If yes, we have to use only water or some citric acid? Many thanks!

[@MissBrewbird]

You can take the copper pieces out and clean them with warm water and citric acid before putting them in the column. The pieces get quite dirty, so you might have to take the pieces out after each distillation and clean them this way prior to each distillation.

[@aarnaarn1904]

@@MissBrewbird By inverting the column (copper mesh/saddles left inside) and rinsing with a solution of one or two teaspoons of citric acid, in one litre of water for 24-48hr, should remove much of the deleterious rubbish that accumulates on the copper during a distillation run. Then rinse column a few times, and upend column to evaporate remaining water. The science of this is inexact, and is temperature dependent. I live in Cairns tropical Australia, things move fast. Great to see Ms Brewbird flailing at windmills in Cannuckistanutopia.

[@adammitchell3462]

Did you say copper increases ethelcarbinate? Which increases the carcinogen potential?

[@MissBrewbird]

I said some research points to copper decreasing ethyl carbamate formation, while other research points to copper increasing ethyl carbamate formation. Right now, most research points to it increasing ethyl carbamate formation. Ethyl carbamate itself is a carcinogen that increases your risk of cancer.

[@torandresyltesether7832]

I have a ss-still. Any suggestions where and how to put my copper-mesh in the still? Condenser will be a problem. Anyway, thanks again for a informative video, and happy new year to you. Keep the videos coming 🙂

[@RJB510]

In the column. Roll up some copper mesh and it'll sit in there, or copper pot scrubbers, but make sure they're pure copper and not just copper plated.

[@MissBrewbird]

yep just as @Ross Bambrick says

[@scottclay4253]

Happy New Year Brewbird! Great content! Research confirms copper in a still set up helps mitigate sulfur compounds. Is there any spirit type that tends not to have issues with sulfur compounds in it’s wash? I hope your many subs and fans will contribute to exceeding the fundraising goal of your “Home at Last Dog Rescue”! You are a blessing, Dear Lady!

[@MissBrewbird]

Happy New Year! Well, as you know a lot of distillers just buy in NGS to distil their gin, so they can safely use a stainless steel still without worrying about any off flavours in fermentation. If you are distilling something fermented, chances are it will have some off-flavours that you'd want help getting rid of. Thanks, yeah I hope we can get to our target goal.

[@mikeball9900]

you remind me of my niece hehe. look up Chloe Moser if ya like music, I'm new to distilling and wondered why copper other than malability is important. thank you!

[@MissBrewbird]

Haha, she's got a great voice and is very pretty

[@mikeball9900]

@@MissBrewbird just like you hehe

[@scottclay4253]

I just noticed the “little magic” at around 2:37, you didn’t even have to click your fingers.

[@top6ear]

Happy New year, are you doing anything fun for it?

[@MissBrewbird]

chinese new year dinner 😀

[@top6ear]

@@MissBrewbird yummm. I hope it's Chinese food! I just distilled a sugar molasses wash that's been sitting in a bucket for a year, if I don't make it to the next new years you know why. Oddly it's really good.

[@mustyditch4703]

新年快乐

[@RJB510]

Good Video, only suggestion I have is when you're talking about where to put the copper in the wash still and spirit still, would be to add a diagram/ picture. I'm guessing that these videos are geared towards hobby/ new distillers, so that would be helpful!

[@MissBrewbird]

Good point!

[@adammitchell3462]

Well....If you were a still,youd definitely be a copper one