The Hydropowered Brandy Distillery from Sârbești, Gorj County

Dating from 1935, the hydropowered brandy distillery from Sârbești (Gorj County) was reconstructed in the museum in 1966. It is a fine example of the utilitarian architecture typical of the sub-Carpathian fruit-growing areas of Oltenia. The rectangular building has a front porch and an oak timber frame, with tall walls lined with two layers of alder boards to ensure thermal protection and durability. The high-pitched roof is covered with wooden shingles and fitted with a ridge chimney to efficiently evacuate the smoke produced during distillation. The wide entrance allows for the easy handling of large barrels and vessels.

Inside are the distillation installations, comprising two stills of different capacities, a cooling tub and vessels for fermentation and storage. The defining feature is the vertical water wheel, which lifts water from the nearby stream and channels it through a trough to the cooling tub. This makes the technological process an integral part of the building's layout. The distillery is an example of how traditional construction was adapted to serve the essential function of plum brandy production.