We've been asked to help design and build portions of a small commercial distillation setup for the limited production of gourmet spirits. This request by Robert Contreras of Napa Valley Distillery  is right up our alley as we are surrounded here in the SF Bay Area by the new food movement. After all, the coffee renaissance began right around the corner - why not Gin?

Shown here is the dephlegmator, or "partial condenser" portion of the setup. It is essentially a reflux condenser/cold finger hybrid and is shown at the right with the coldfinger portion removed, and below assembled. This assembly is designed around the Schott DN150 flanges, which are about 6" across the Inside, and sits atop the large column shown below.

 This assembly will be connected to the final vapor condenser using NW flanges as couplings.

Below, Robert provides scale to this partial setup, which is ~11' high. The borosilicate column offers a 360° view and will be packed with copper during operations. Looking closely, one can see the T/C ports spaced along the length of the column for close monitoring of temperatures.

And below is shown the interface between column and the stainless steel "Pot", again utilizing Shott DN150 flanges and hardware.