Plate Cooler @museum.de

M: You're looking at the next development in cooling technology – what's known as a plate cooler.

F: In this set-up, the still is walled up, so it was heated directly. To prevent the mash from scorching, it had to be stirred until it came to the boil. The still was later emptied through a pipe sealed with a wooden stopper.

M: The plate cooler is mounted on a metal cooling stand and has been widened out to form a large tube. The hot steam is piped through the plates on to the cold inner surface, where it cools and condenses. The cooler can easily be disassembled for cleaning – an obvious advantage compared to a cooling tube.