The Still: It’s all about Copper

Hello again from Bully Boy Distillers. As we mentioned in the last blog entry, we’ve ordered a six hundred liter, Artisan Pot Still. The still is being hand-crafted by Kothe Distilling Technologies in Germany, and it will make its journey across the Atlantic sometime in late August. The still is constructed almost entirely of copper, a material that plays a critical role in the distilling process. To understand why, you need to know something about how spirits are manufactured. Let’s start from the beginning.

The first step in manufacturing any spirit is fermentation. Technically you can ferment anything with starch, but taste, cost, and practicality favor basic grains and fruits (think corn, wheat, apples, etc.). During fermentation, starches are converted to sugars, a process that is facilitated by the introduction of enzymes. The end result is a slightly alcoholic “mash” that is transferred to the pot portion of the still (the stout apparatus in the picture below). The “mash” is then heated, and as the temperature within the still begins to rise, vapor is produced, with low-boiling congeners (i.e., acetaldehyde, methanol, and certain esters) rising first, then ethanol, and then higher-boiling congeners (i.e., fusel alcohols). The vapor then travels through a series of condensers, which convert it back into a liquid. The lower-boiling congeners, the “heads,” are disposed of, as are the higher-boiling congeners, the “tails.” The ethanol, or “hearts,” forms the base of the finished product. So, why is copper a critical material in a still? As the “heads,” “hearts,” and “tails” are making their way through the still, they contain noxious sulfides. The copper neutralizes the sulfides, and in the process it helps create a cleaner, better tasting product. Not all stills are made of copper, but for artisan distillers committed to quality over quantity, there is no substitute.


















We’ve been getting requests for tours of the “vault.” Practicality prevents any on-site tastings, but here are a few pictures.

An Idea Is Born: Boston’s First Craft Distillery

Welcome to Bully Boy Distillers, Boston’s first craft distillery. We have signed a lease on space near Boston’s South End, and we have placed an order for a six hundred liter copper pot still, all of which means Boston’s first small-batch distillery is close to becoming a reality. No doubt many of you are scratching your head, so let’s back up for a moment.

In 1920, the Federal government enacted the 18^th Amendment – otherwise known as The Noble Experiment or Prohibition. With this a generation of despondent drinkers was forced to either abstain, which was unacceptable, or learn the ancient art of distilling spirits, which was illegal. Unwilling to live in a world without libation, a smattering of brave souls chose to risk the government’s ire. Around this time, our grandfather Richard started amassing an arsenal of bootleg whiskey, rum, and vodka. With names like “Medford Rum,” “Cow Whiskey,” and “Very Old Vodka,” these early precursors to today’s craft spirits were harsh and remarkably undrinkable (We know. We’ve tried all three). Richard stored his spirits in a dank vault in the catacombs of his farmhouse basement. The vault doubled as the unofficial neighborhood tavern, and Richard was known to hold court with family and friends deep into the night.

In 2003, roughly seventy years after Prohibition was abolished with the 21^st Amendment, Massachusetts enacted legislation making it easier for farms to distill spirits. The bottles were covered in dust and cobwebs, but the vault was inspiring and we hatched the idea for a distillery that continues the legacy of artisan distilling in Massachusetts, albeit in a more drinkable form, and carries on Richard’s commitment to our family farm. Paying particular attention to the caliber of ingredients used in our products, Bully Boy will hand-produce premium spirits in small batches, emphasizing quality over quantity. As homage to our Grandfather, who served as inspiration, we named the distillery after his favorite work horse, Bully Boy, and made a decision to conduct the operation in a manner that supports local agriculture. Bully Boy’s legacy as a "willing and patient family member" is memorialized with a plaque dated 1926, which is pictured above.

Stay tuned for more details related to our product line and launch – our blog will be updated regularly.