Constuction of optimized Stills sice more than 18 Years

NEW! No more silicone seals required

DESTILLIERMEISTER E2-55 Premium Plus - Top model 2024

NEW! No more silicone seals required

Legal and registration-free stainless steel still with large capacity for flowers and leaves, optimised for the distillation of essential oils

30 ml of essential oil in 9 minutes

The registration-free DESTILLIERMEISTER E2 - 55 Premium Plus Model 2024 has been optimised once again. The stand is now designed so that the boiler can be removed from the system for refilling with plants or water and the cooling system with riser pipe and lid remains in place. This makes work faster and therefore more economical. The next distillation can start within a few minutes.

Everything else had already been improved in the 2023 model. The pre-condenser for the pressure-loss-free transition to liquefy the vapour in the cooler has been designed longer and is curved. The distillate cooler is now also designed in a curved shape instead of the bulky Liebig cooler and is nevertheless longer. This makes the entire system much more compact and the overall longer cooling length has once again significantly reduced the cooling water consumption. The boiler has a bubble size of 2 litres, which is permitted without notification, but the plant tube has a total volume of a whopping 5.5 litres. This makes it one of the largest legal and registration-free distilleries for essential oils. The riser pipe of the Premium model is insulated to minimise drip-back losses. This means that the Premium model is optimised for the extraction of essential oils and hydrolates.
The vapour is liquefied in the pre-condenser so that the reduction in cross-section when transferring to the final condenser also takes place without pressure loss. Note: Pressure losses in the pipework system have the effect of increasing the pressure in the plant pipe, so the vapour has to work against a pressure mountain. This causes the hydrolate and oil to drip back, resulting in losses. This also increases the temperature in the plant pipe because the boiling point rises. This damages the essential oils and reduces their quality.

In our own tests, we were able to extract a full 30 ml of essential oil from dried lavender flowers in 16 minutes using this still. We also obtained a litre of excellent lavender hydrolate. We were surprised by the effectiveness of this still ourselves. Obviously, the optimum ratio of plant cane height to plant cane diameter has had a positive effect on efficiency. The DESTILLIERMEISTER E2-55 Premium Plus is therefore ideal for anyone who wants to produce essential oils and hydrosols effectively without customs formalities.

For the vast majority of plants and flowers, the water supply is sufficient for a complete distillation. However, if one litre of hydrolate is not enough, as we found when distilling fennel seeds, for example, there is a water refill nozzle on the boiler. This allows you to equalise the amount of hydrolat removed with the corresponding amount of water without having to dismantle the system. This saves a considerable amount of time during work.
The insulated riser pipe already reduces drip-back losses. The drip losses can be further reduced by also insulating the plant pipe, e.g. with a blanket. A higher oil yield can then be expected.

With 5.5 litres of plant space, they have plenty of volume to process larger quantities of plants or drugs. However, you can also experiment with smaller quantities by raising the flavour basket, but you should then work with reduced heating power so that the steam does not simply flow through the plant material without any effect. The steam is generated in an extra boiler under the plant container, so that contact with boiling water can be ruled out.
The best thing is: As the water boiler only has a volume of 2 litres despite the large plant container, the DESTILLIERMEISTER E2 - 55 Premium Plus Model 2024 is also legal in Germany and Austria and can be sold and operated without having to report it to customs.

Simple handling:

• In the new model, gaskets are no longer required between the 1st and 2nd as well as the 3rd and 4th due to optimised clamping closures. The sealing works metallically. This model therefore no longer incurs any follow-up costs.
• Fill 1.9 litres of water into the water/steam boiler, either demineralised or distilled water, or tap water if the limescale is removed from the bottom of the boiler with heated citric or acetic acid after a few distillations.
• Put the lid on 2. and close it with clamps,
• Screw the plant tube 3. onto the lid and tighten.
• Insert the flavouring basket, without the adjustable legs for full capacity, with legs and raised basket for smaller quantities.
• Fill with up to 5 litres of herbs or drugs - do not compress chopped herbs.
• Place lid 4. on top and tighten clamps 3.2.
• Screw on the insulated riser pipe.
• First insert the stand rod 9.1. into the pre-condenser. Then screw on the pre-condenser so that the pipework runs behind the riser pipe with some clearance. This should be automatically correct if the markings are observed. The boiler with the pre-condenser should now be stable.
• First insert the standpipes for the final condenser. Then screw on the final cooler. The cooling pipes should now have a gradient everywhere.
• Connect with connecting hose 8: 6.3 with 7.4.
• Screw the cooling water hoses to the radiator 7.3 and the pre-condenser 6.4 (cooling water hoses are not included but are available as accessories. With the -AI model, all this is included). The cooling water inlet has a 1/2‘ thread and the outlet on the pre-condenser is 3/4’. The cooling water always flows in the opposite direction to the distillate flow from bottom to top.
• Switch on the heat source and collect the hydrolat with oil at 7.5.
• With the plant tube full, distil for a maximum of 30 minutes at high power (induction plate 2000 or 3000 watts) for most plants. For small quantities of plants and a raised flavour basket, 1200 to 1500 watts. It is best to first collect 2 batches of 500 ml each in a sterile bottle. If the pH value of the 2nd batch does not deviate significantly from the 1st batch and is below 5, you can collect more stomachs. However, the amount of hydrolate removed should first be topped up with water via the refill nozzle 2.2.

The water / vapour container and plant / drug pipe, as well as all distillate-carrying pipes are made of high-quality stainless steel.

Construction

1. Water / steam boiler, 2 litres. Approx. 1.9 litres of water are filled.
   1. 4 clamp fasteners.
2. Lid for closing the kettle.
   1. ¾’ screw connection.
   2. Water refill spout.
3. Plant/drug pipe, over 5 litres capacity for flowers and herbs.
   1. ¾’ screw nipple for connection with 2.1.
   2. 4 tension locks.
4. Cover with screw connection for the riser pipe.
   1. 3/4’ screw connection.
   2. Stainless steel analogue thermometer, accuracy class 1

5. Insulated riser tube.
   1. 3/4’ screw nipple for screwing to 4.1.
   2. 3/4’ screw connection for the pre-condenser. The marker mark on the threaded nipple is also continued on the screw connection of 6.1, so that the recommended rotation of the pre-condenser is indicated during initial assembly.

6. Pre-condenser
   1. Screw connection on 5.2
   2. Double-tube condenser in counterflow (outer shell, inner core)
   3. Cooling water inlet.
   4. Hot water outlet.
   5. Screw connection for the final cooler.

7. Final cooler
   1. 1/2’ screw nipple for connection to 6.5.
   2. Coiled radiator double pipe,
   3. Cooling water inlet,
   4. Cooling water outlet for supplying the pre-condenser at 6.3,
   5. Hydrolat outlet.

8. Cooling water connection between 6.3 and 7.4

9. 4 standpipes for supporting and stabilising the distillation system. The numbering is in ascending order in the direction of flow. Take the marker markings into account for the 1st assembly. The markings for the position of the cross sleeves on the standpipes apply to the levelled assembly. Depending on the height of the heat source used, the positions are shifted upwards by this amount (the numbering on the standpipes is at the top). They must be used in the correct order.
   1. Long pipe to support the pre-condenser, shown here with the cross sleeves.

2. See 7, tube in the centre.
3. See 7, pipe on the left.
4. See 7, pipe on the right.

10. Cross sleeves for connecting the supports to the pre-condenser 5. and the final cooler 6. The cross sleeves are optimally positioned on the coolers on delivery.
    1. Sleeves for fastening the pre-condenser: Top  
    2. Bottom                                                        
    3. 3 cross sleeves for fastening the final cooler:  
11. Flavour basket for insertion into the steam pipe. This has a minimum distance of approx. 3 cm from the base and can be adjusted upwards for smaller quantities. It has a closed storage area in the centre, so that in the lower position the rising steam jet does not flow directly through the plant material and blow a tunnel due to the jet effect, which would lead to heavy losses. The vapour initially flows radially due to the accumulation surface and then rises due to its own thermal effect. The plant tube has a height/diameter ratio greater than 1, so that an effective chimney effect favours the drag effect.

12. Addition: 1 x 500 g of blue lavender flowers to try out the still straight away.

    

Test Experiment

Heating source: Induction, Power after heating time (ca. 3 min) 3000 Watts

Drug: Dried lavender flowers

Amount: 500 g

Total distillation time: 18 min

Hydrosol removal: 2 batches, one per 9 min.

1. Batche: 500 ml after 9 min, oil yield 30 ml, hydrosol pH value: 3.2.
2. Charge: 500 ml after another 9 minutes, oil yield approx. 1 ml, hydrosol pH value: 3.8.

Important NOTE:

With the new German alcohol tax law, this still can also be sold legally in Germany since January 1, 2018 and without registering with the authorities. Please note that as a dealer we must point out that this still may only be used for the distillation of distilled water, hydrosols, essential oils, aromas, fragrances, perfumes, food, alchemical experiments, etc. or as a collector's item.
Furthermore, you do not have to limit the boiler size for the above-mentioned applications. Larger kettles are also legal and can be bought and used by anyone. All you have to do is declare tank sizes over 2 liters to customs in Germany.
If you distill alcohol without a permit and are caught, you will face a fine and confiscation of the still.