WHAT IS DISTILLATION?

Distillation is the ancient art and science of separating alcohol from fermented liquids through heating and cooling, the fundamental process behind all spirits production. This technique has been refined over millennia but remains based on a simple principle: alcohol boils at a lower temperature than water.

The process begins with a fermented liquid called wash, which typically contains 5-10% alcohol. When heated in a still, alcohol vaporizes at around 173°F (78°C), well before water's boiling point of 212°F (100°C). These alcohol-rich vapors are then collected and condensed back into liquid form.

However, it's not just about separating alcohol from water. Hundreds of flavor compounds - congeners - also vaporize and contribute to the spirit's character. The distiller's skill lies in deciding which compounds to keep and which to discard through cuts made during the run.

The heads, or foreshots, contain volatile compounds that are typically discarded. The hearts contain the desired alcohol and flavor compounds and form the main body of the spirit. The tails contain heavier compounds and are often recycled or discarded, though some contribute desirable characteristics.

Different still designs and distillation techniques create dramatically different spirits. Understanding distillation is essential to appreciating why whiskey tastes different from vodka, why some rums are funky and others are clean, and why craft distilling requires both scientific knowledge and artistic judgment.