Still Shape

[Joel1802]

It used to be quite common for the pot stills in Irish distilleries to have necks that not centred on the pot. I know that Bow St, Tullamore, and John's lane were some that had this arrangement on some or all of their stills. Was there a specific reason for this arrangement (I assume it would hinder the passage of spirit vapour up the neck). Is this correct? Did it promote a specific flavour profile? Does anyone know why it was abandoned when New Middleton was built?

[Distiller]

THey were off center because of a rumager .

[IrishWhiskeyChaser]

Just for clarification ...

The rummager was an arm with chains(I think) inside the pot that agitated the mix to prevent heavy particles from sticking and burning to the inside of a pot still. This was especially common with pot still recipes (heavy oats) and direct fired stills.

[Joel1802]

There's no indication in the photos of a rumager being mounted there, how was it put in? I know the direct fired stills in Scotland still use a rumager (I think Glenfiddich is one) but it is connected on the side.

[Distiller]

You can see the hole on the top of the stills in Kilbeggan. The shaft would have been driven from the water wheel main drive line. There is a part in the wall where you can see how this lined up with a gear box inside the building.

[Joel1802]

Very interesting , thanks! I wonder if the pics of John's lane and Bow St. I've seen are after a conversion to steam and removal of the rummager?

[Distiller]

Can you show us the pictures?

The rumager is only used on the wash still. It is needed to stop the solids from the wash burning and fouling the low wines. So the intermediate stills or spirit stills would not have a one. So the picture may not be a wash still. Either way the placement of the neck in the middle or not would not have a large effect on the spirit quality. Total size of the still vs fill level along with rate of heating and cooling temp of the condenser would have more effect. Vapours move fairly fast so 3 or 4 feet to one side is not going to make that much of a difference.

[Joel1802]

If you have a copy of McGuire's Irish Whiskey one of the plates shoes Bow street's still house (no shaft or gears visible). I have since found another that shows the shaft for the rummager at John's Lane the background shot here:

http://singlepotstill.com/powhistory.do ... _2011_page

I suppose you're right about there being little effect on the spirit as initially the vapour will rise to the high centre, but in short order the rise in pressure will drive it up the neck.