The 1850s was an era when many
Canadian distillers were adopting new
technologies to enhance the performance of their
distilleries. This included a more efficient way
to produce spirits and whisky that would produce
a larger quantity in a shorter amount of time,
reduce the labour involved in the process, and
create a better, more marketable final product.
In 1850 most distilleries in Canada were using
the pot still.
 The Pot
Still
This type of still created spirits
easily and could produce an adequate amount to
service the local population in the mid
nineteenth century. Figure 1 and Figure 2 are
examples of a pot still. As illustrated we can
see that it is a relatively uncomplicated
apparatus. Spirits and whisky would be made in
batches and as a result each batch would taste
different. There would have been a wooden tank
at the bottom where a coiled condensing unit or
"the worm" was located surrounded by cold water.
In the pot still, the alcohol vapour would flow
naturally from the still through the coil and
condense into spirit which then flowed into a
second still below. At the top of the still it
narrowed and curved over into a thin pipe called
the worm. The worm was a coil that was immersed
into cold water and it was there that the
alcohol vapour condensed into liquid.
Distillation by this pot still method often
required two distillations in separate stills.
Rectifying equipment was often used to accompany
the process for the production of high-proof
spirits. At this time, spirits produced from the
first distillation were called low wines and
those from the second were called high wines.
The pot still was a discontinuous process
whereby the still had to be filled, distilled,
emptied and recharged, creating a delay in the
process; oftentimes there would be the need for
a second distillation because the first
distillation would have created a very weak
product. The recharging of the still required
extra labour and fuel. This method was often
used by individuals with different levels of
knowledge about the process of distilling; as a
result the final product varied in quality and
there were often inadequate concentrations of
raw materials used that created a rather poor
tasting whisky or spirit. Moreover, it used fire
(usually from oil, wood or coal) for boiling
which was not only dangerous but it was a slow
process to reach the desired boiling point. Wear
and tear on the equipment from repeated heating
and cooling was considerable and also had
negative affects on the quality of the spirit.
Interestingly, at this time, the pot
still was available by catalogue. This was one
of the reasons that there were so many
distilleries operating in Ontario during the
1840s and 1850s. Many people could purchase a
still, set it up, and make whisky from raw
materials that they were producing on the farm
or from extra grain at the gristmill. Best of
all it required little knowledge!
(The
pot still is still popular today for making malt
whiskey and so you will see pot stills in
Scottish distilleries. If your grandparents ever
made hooch like my great-grandmother then they
were most likely using a version of the pot
still.)
 The Column
Still
The column still, often called the
Coffey Still or the Patent Still, (Figure 3)
required an investment of capital to install and
run, however, there was the opportunity to
construct a better distillery with a more
efficient means of production. For those that
wanted a really successful business in
distilling during the 1850s, the column still
was the way to go. Not to mention economic
pressures, the desire to reduce costs, the
desire to increase the local market to supply
the increased demand - continuous distillation
was very attractive. A column still offered
speed, immense capacity, a lower cost per unit
of output, and the option to use a mixture of
grain as the raw material. The large investment
of capital came into play with the purchase of
large boilers, pumps, mash tubs, malting tubs,
large vats, as well as other ancillary
equipment. An investment of fixed capital meant
a business and so a long term commitment in the
distilling industry. In essence it was
continuity that made this new process expensive.
Consequently, the column still provided a
continuous process of distillation and
symbolized the transition of the distillery to
factory production. Notably, the advent of this
early factory type system appeared at an earlier
date when compared to other manufacturing
industries because it was relatively easy to
integrate the flow of liquids through the
different processes of production. In Canada,
the column still also symbolized the movement of
the distillery away from the business of milling
to become its own industrial enterprise. It also
allowed for the process of blended whisky - what
Canadian whisky is now famous for around the
world.
This technological change brought
forth industrial change. The distillery industry
in Canada would never be the same. To become
involved in the distilling industry meant
longevity on the part of the proprietor. In the
1850s it meant the chance to gamble with a new
expanded market (thanks to rail) and the chance
at immense profits. More importantly column
still producers occupied a new level in the
competition hierarchy with the ability to
compete over larger areas. It was a gamble:
invest a large amount of capital to gain a
larger output and the possibility of higher
profits. Clearly, some distiller's won and some
lost.
Want to try some Canadian pot
still whisky? Try Lot 40 made by the Corby
Distillery.
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