distilling

Alcohol distillation is one of the key processes involved in producing spirits, and its influence on branding can be immense. From ingredients and packaging to the backstory behind their creation, distillation has the power to differentiate brands from similar offerings on shelves.

Spirits must begin somewhere. Be it fermented washes of grain (whiskey and gin), fruit or potato (gin and vodka), or crude alcohol distilled from oil or natural gas (vodka), the first step is always preparing the base material – sugar-containing substrate that yeast will consume and eventually turn into alcohol. This usually includes milling and mixing grains, macerating fruit or mashing root vegetables for this step of production.

Fermentation, which transforms sugar from the substrate into alcohol and other byproducts, is an integral component of all spirits, from light vodkas to dark whiskeys.

After fermentation, the mixture is then distilled. Distillers separate volatile alcohols with lower boiling points than Ethanol (drinking alcohol) from water using distillation equipment called foreshots or heads; later more desirable ethanol alcohols with higher boiling points called hearts are separated out as well. One skillful distiller knows when and how to switch the flow away from heads toward hearts in order to produce high-quality hearts that last long enough for consumption.

Reducing product purity while decreasing energy requirements through distillation requires controlling both product purity and the reflux ratio, known as reflux ratio. A unique method for producing 100 percent alcohol is currently under development using an organic material such as finely ground cornmeal as an absorbent for water from the ethanol/water vapor – however this requires extensive research and development effort.

Copper is widely utilized in distilling due to its malleability, ease of cleaning, and capacity to transfer heat efficiently. Furthermore, copper acts as a catalyst in creating esters – which give Scotch whisky its distinctive floral and fruit notes – when alcohol interacts with carboxylic acids like fatty or acetic acids. Most sulphur compounds produced during fermentation are removed via contact between stills and condensers and copper surfaces as these come into contact.

Copper’s location within a still has a dramatic impact on reducing sulphur compounds, with wash still pot having the least influence and spirit still condenser having the greatest. Corrosion may play a part here; patinaed copper surfaces seem to have less of an effect but an uncorroded surface has greater effectiveness in this regard.

Another significant element in new make spirit production is the length of time rising vapours contact copper, as it will directly influence its quality. Longer and wider still necks allow rising vapours access to more copper surface area, thus decreasing the proportion of sulphur compounds found in final product.