DISTILLATION
HISTORY
• Distilling was used as early as 3500 BC in Mesopotamia where perfume makers had developed it as a technique for isolating the scented oils of flowers and plants, what we know as “attar”.
• Around 1100 AD wine was first distilled to make spirit by Irish monks who traveled around Europe.
• The results of distillation were considered to have magical powers and this led to alcohol being called “water of life” or “usige beatha” in Gaelic, “eau de vie” in French and “aqua vitae” in Latin.
Distillation is the process of separating elements in a liquid by vaporization and condensation. This method has many applications and one of them is the production of spirits. In distillation, the alcohol
present in the fermented liquid (alcoholic wash) is separated from the water. Spirits are examples of distilled
drinks and the plants producing the spirits are known as distilleries.
Brandy, whiskey, gin, rum, vodka, and tequila are examples of spirits, which are prepared from alcoholic
wash as given in the following.
- Brandy – fermented grape juice
- Rum—fermented molasses
- Gin, whiskey/whisky—fermented cereal
- Vodka—fermented potatoes or cereal
- Tequila – fermented sap of agave Tequilana weber
All spirits are distilled from a base of a fermented liquid and have a high percentage of alcohol compared
to fermented drinks. There are many distinct and popular types of spirits, each having its own flavor and
body. There are differences in taste, smell, and color. They may be full-bodied or pale and light-bodied with a strong or mild aroma, colorless or with color, and so on. The differences in characteristics are largely influenced by the following:
- Ingredients used in the fermented liquid – molasses, cereals, juices used in the fermentation process contribute to the character of the final product.
- Proof at which it is distilled – higher the proof, lower the flavor and vice versa
- Amount of congeners allowed to go to the condenser – the congeners influence the flavor, body, and taste of the product (methanol, acetone, acetaldehyde, esters, aldehydes)
- Type of cask used and the period of maturation – the type of wood used in the cask, the type of cask – new, used, toasted – contribute to the flavor and color of the spirit. Longer the maturation period, mellower the product.
- Blending – it is mixing the spirits of a particular kind of varying qualities to ensure consistency.
Types of still
There are two types of still used for distilling spirits
o Pot Still
o Patent or Continous still ( also known as Coffey still and Column still)
Pot Still
