alcohol distillation

Alcohol distillation is one of the key steps in producing spirits such as wine and beer, as well as fermented beverages like bourbon, gin and vodka. Distillation also plays an integral part of cultural symbolism for spirits industries, from pot stills used by Dionysian cults to modern column distillation using shiny copper towers with multiple-story copper columns used today – yet what lies behind all this magical distilation magic?

Alcohol (ethanol) boils at a lower temperature than water – approximately 212o F – meaning when heated, its alcohol molecules will vaporize while other liquid remains unchanged, producing an alcohol-rich vapor cloud which can then be collected and condensed back into liquid form with increased concentrations of ethanol by volume.

Distillation involves more than simply extracting alcohol; there are numerous other chemical compounds–aldehydes, acids and esters–that give spirit its flavor as well. Distillers refer to these elements as congeners. Their job is to keep those they like while eliminating those they don’t.

Here, various types of stills come into play. A basic pot still is a closed vessel equipped with a heat source at its base and a collection vessel at the top, eventually evolving into more intricate models used today for making whiskey and some gins. By the early 19th century commercial distillers were seeking quicker methods, prompting Robert Stein and Aeneas Coffey to develop large scale column stills with giant glistening columns that reach several stories high – an accelerated method they called column stills.

Alcohol distillation involves heating a liquid mixture to separate its constituent molecules into separate chemical fractions with different chemical compositions, each collected into separate containers for collection. Almost exclusively performed on a laboratory scale, the device used to perform distillation (commonly referred to as a still) usually comprises three elements – reboiler/pot for heating the source material into vapor state; condenser for cooling down said vapor; and finally receiver to collect concentrated or purified liquid known as distillate – as needed by individual components.

Distillation is most frequently employed for producing alcohol for use in sherry, port wine and spirits such as gin and vodka production. But distillation can also be used to extract essential oils from aromatic plants as well as extract ingredients for food processing or skin care products – it even helps eliminate impurities from certain chemicals!

Grain alcohol or potstill alcohol obtained through distillation is commonly known as “grain alcohol”, though its name can also refer to “potstill alcohol.” Grain and potstill alcohols may be produced organically according to specific criteria or as regular denatured ethanol; when using grain alcohol to create perfumes it must be cosmetic grade denatured ethanol rather than the harsh isopropyl (rubbing) variety commonly sold at drugstores as this could damage skin cells significantly. For optimal perfume creation SD-40b or 190 proof Everclear would be best for this task.