distilling alcohol

Alcohol distillation refers to the process of extracting ethanol from lower proof fermented liquids such as wine or beer and isolating its components, or ethanol. This is accomplished via heating, vaporization, condensation and collection processes that may vary greatly depending on both drink type and method of distillation. While distillation itself may seem straightforward enough in theory, its implementation can often prove far more complex depending on which alcohol drink and method are being distilled.

yeast transforms sugar and starches into ethanol, or booze, through fermentation. About 75% of the final wash consists of water and ethanol – both flavorless. The remaining 25% comprises complex organic molecules including alcohols, aldehydes, acids and esters which add complexity and give spirits their signature flavors; these congeners range from beneficial to harmful – some such as Methanol (CH3OH), commonly referred to as wood alcohol or wood naphtha is toxic if consumed and should therefore be removed during distillation before final distillation takes place.

Distillers use heat to separate alcohol (ethanol) from its congeners by heating the descending wash and making it steam. Alcohol or ethanol boils at lower temperatures than water, so when this steam hits an alcohol (or ethanol) molecules it carries them off leaving other constituents behind. When passing through a still’s swan neck or lyne arm it then encounters a condenser and returns back into liquid state; its proportion flowing into said condenser is known as its reflux ratio and determines both product purity and energy use.

Climate Impact on Alcohol Distillation

Distillation may seem straightforward, but in reality it is an enormously energy-intensive undertaking. According to BIER (a sustainability coalition that represents several large beverage companies), their 2012 study revealed that from source through shipping and disposal a 750 milliliter bottle of column-still liquor produces six pounds of CO2. Pot-still spirits were even dirtier – emitting seven pounds. Most GHG emissions originate in distillation itself as well as glass packaging.

Distilleries are also water-intensive operations; on average, 12 times as much water is needed to produce one liter of alcohol than is consumed while production occurs; this water then has to be disposed of, usually through waste treatment systems; which creates both environmental and financial burdens that many producers seek to minimize.

At some of the nation’s more forward-thinking distilleries, meteorological and climate data is being utilized to guide their whiskey-making. Rachel Barrie of BenRiach Distillery in Scotland says she has scrutinized weather records to see whether heatwaves or cold snaps have had any significant impact on her spirit’s creation.

Other producers are taking it one step further. Nordic Spirits, an ethanol producer in Finland, uses spent grains from milling to fuel a biopower plant that supplies 70% of their distillation requirements, with the ashes used to fertilize barley fields recirculating carbon into the soil. Tattersall distillery in Wisconsin utilizes solar panels exclusively for their operation as well as providing surplus power back into the local grid.