Continuous column still (Coffey still)
Alambique de columna continua
- Date
- 1830 · confidence high
- Place
- Dublin, Ireland
- Credited to
- Aeneas Coffey (perfecting Robert Stein's design, 1826)
- People
- 👤 Aeneas Coffey1780–1852
- Field
- Life & health
⚠️ Disputed: the sources disagree.
What it is
A column still with plates that produced high-proof alcohol continuously, without the batch loading of the pot still. The basis of grain whisky, blended whisky and industrial alcohol.
Cellier-Blumenthal (France, 1813) and Stein (Scotland, 1826) preceded Coffey, whose 1830 design prevailed; the Irish industry rejected it and lost market share to Scotland.
What it led to
- Blended Scotch whisky and major brands (Dewar's, Johnnie Walker)
- Industrial alcohol for chemistry, solvents and fuel
- Cheap gin and industrial vodka
- Fractional distillation of petroleum (a technical analogy)
Built on
- Pot still
- Cellier-Blumenthal still (1813)
- Stein's still (1826)
Made possible
- Blended whisky
- Industrial ethanol
- Petrochemical fractionating columns