Wilkins again, rag in hand and the smell of vinegar in the air — which, I assure you, is the smell of a still being properly loved. The old Dr. George Granville Wilkins of Pittsfield, my rough-hewn namesake, kept his many trades running until 1879 because he tended his tools. A barber's razor, a dentist's pliers, a saloon-keeper's copper — all of it lasts only as long as the care you give it. Let me teach you to tend yours.
A copper still is an heirloom, but heirlooms demand stewardship. Treat your copper well and it will pour clean spirit for your grandchildren. Neglect it and it will sour your runs and shorten its own life. Here's everything you need to know.
Before your very first batch of wash, every new copper still deserves a cleansing run. The fabrication process leaves behind trace oils, polishing residue, and the natural tarnish copper wears. Do this:
That single ritual brightens the interior, strips manufacturing residue, and primes the copper to do its sulfur-scrubbing work. Never skip it. Whether you've just received our 6 Gallon Onion-Head Still or any other, give it this welcome.
After each run, while the still is still warm but safely handleable, clean it promptly. The enemy is dried-on residue from your wash.
A natural paste of salt and vinegar, or lemon juice and salt, works wonders on stubborn spots — the mild acid lifts tarnish without harming the copper. Wipe it on, let it sit a minute, and rinse it clean.
If you remember nothing else, remember this: copper must be dried completely before storage. Standing water and trapped moisture are what cause the green tarnish (verdigris) and pitting that ruin neglected stills. After cleaning, leave every part open to the air until bone-dry — overnight if need be. Trapped moisture in a sealed column is the slow death of good copper. Dry it, and you've won half the battle of maintenance.
Over time the exterior of your copper will darken into a warm patina. This is beautiful and harmless — and on the inside, the cleaning runs keep the working surface bright. If you want the outside to gleam again, a copper polish or the same salt-and-vinegar paste will restore the shine. But many of us, myself loudest among us, love the honest darkened look of a still that has earned its color through years of faithful work.
Once or twice a season, give the interior a longer vinegar boil to dissolve any mineral scale from hard water. Inspect every soldered seam while you're at it — on a well-built still raised from 20-ounce American copper, those seams will outlast you, but a wise distiller looks anyway.
Putting the still up for the off-season? Clean it, dry it utterly, and store it somewhere dry with good air circulation. Don't seal it airtight while even slightly damp. A breathable cloth cover keeps the dust off without trapping moisture. Come spring, a quick vinegar run will wake it right up.
Do these few faithful things and your copper will reward you for a lifetime. Need a still worthy of such care, or a few accessories to keep it company? Everything waits for you on the shop page.
Keep your copper dry and your conscience clear,
— Alchemist G. G. Wilkins
Who polishes his stills more faithfully than the original ever polished his reputation.