Basic Distillation Rules

In order to distill, as in any other activity, it is important to respect the basic rules, so the following information is just a set of elementary ideas about distillation.

Distillation does not produce alcohol, it just concentrates the alcohol that is already present in a mixture (water/alcohol). And it takes place in order to separate substances according to their boiling point. For the production of beverages, distillation is not only used to separate alcohol from a liquid substance, but also to separate alcohols that can be consumed from alcohols that are not good or toxic for consumption, based on their different boiling temperatures. Alcohol starts to evaporate from 78.3º C and water from 100º C, so when a liquid containing alcohol reaches this temperature, it starts to evaporate.

The products of a distillation for beverage production are divided into three fractions: head, heart and tail distillate.

The head distillate, obtained in the initial stage of distillation, is richer in volatile substances than ethanol, and can reach an alcoholic strength between 65º and 70º.

The tail, the final distillate, has an alcohol content below 38°C and is rich in undesirable products. The head and tail spirits compromise the quality and flavor of the product, in addition to bringing health risks to the consumer when incorporated into the beverage.

Heart distillate is the spirit of interest, as it contains Ethanol, which boils between 78º and 82º in temperature, (between 45% and 65% in alcoholic percentage if you use an alcoholmeter to measure)

Heads are the first substances obtained during distillation and are the most volatile, with lower boiling points, in general they are substances such as acetone, methanol and various esters that must be separated to be redistilled or discarded. Usually separate the first 50 ml for every 25 liters of distillate if using a column still, or 100 ml for every 20 liters of distillate if using a traditional still. To prevent the heads from contaminating the distillate, it is important to check the distillation temperature (they come to boiling at temperatures below 70°C), it is important to make sure that all the heads have disappeared before starting the collection of the heart (the ethanol) recognized by the More experienced distillers for its totally transparent color, this distillation also has cut-off points, the final phase being known as the tails, these contain a lot of compounds with a high boiling point such as higher alcohols and furfurols, such as heads these can also spoil the flavor of the distillate if the collection is too long, so it is important to make the cut-off point, recognized through the temperature, around 82ºC, the tails can also be saved to be added in subsequent distillations as it can so recover some ethanol.

Sealing technique.

Given the artisanal manufacture of our stills, and the method of assembling the stills, it is sometimes necessary to seal to prevent the escape of vapors, this can be done in a very simple way, just mix a little rye flour and water creating a mass, with which you introduce it in the joints where you can check any gap or leakage of vapors, thus completely sealing your still, you can also use Teflon tape for high temperatures, however in this case it is important not to put too much so that it does not prevent the helmet from jumping, in case some pressure is eventually generated inside the pot. When assembling your still, place the swan neck in the pot with light pressure, also join the remaining parts to the condensation container, if any escape of vapors use the process described above.

Cleaning and maintenance

For any still model, when used for the first time, we recommend that you carry out a water distillation to clean all the impurities left by the still construction process. In order for your still to be preserved over the years, it is important to keep it clean, in fact like any piece of machinery or hardware.

When using the still is sporadic, make sure you clean it before storing it for the next distillation, which is what happens in the Iberian Peninsula after the harvest season.

The cleaning process will eliminate all the harmful substances accumulated and deposited on the walls of the still, from the pot to the coil. You can carry out the cleaning distillation with a mixture of rye flour and water, mixing 40% of your still capacity with water and 5% with rye flour. Before performing cleaning distillation, make sure the gooseneck and coil are not clogged. After putting on the still helmet, seal all its joints, using rye flour or Teflon tape for high temperatures.

For frequent uses of the alembic it will not be necessary to carry out a cleaning distillation using flour, a normal distillation using only water will be enough.

With use and over time the copper gradually oxidizes, leaving your still a dark brown color. To polish the outside of your alembic you should use an appropriate polisher that does not contain toxic substances, never using abrasive substances, you can also clean using traditional methods, rub with a cloth moistened with a solution of salt and lemon juice, or put on a cloth the ashes from the fire, if this is the source of heat for the still.

If using the still to produce essential oils, be careful as these will adhere to the pot walls and tubes, forming a sticky crust. Be sure to clean all parts of the still with lukewarm water to remove grease, especially in the condensing tube, otherwise it will become clogged after a while. It is important to point out that the stills used in the production of essential oils should not be used to distill alcoholic beverages, as over time the copper will be naturally impregnated with the oils, which could contaminate the beverage, which could become unsuitable for human consumption.



Safety precautions.

Distillation entails some precautions to be taken into account, before starting the distillation please read the following precautions and make sure you understand them.

 Make sure that the area in which the distillation will take place is sufficient and adequate, and must be well clean and light, and that good ventilation of the space is also important, due to the vapors released during the distillation

Handling flammable liquids requires taking the necessary precautions to minimize the risk of fire, collect the distillate carefully, do not smoke and make sure you have a fire extinguisher in place.

Before starting the distillation, check that the pipes of your still are not obstructed, which could cause excess pressure, we advise you not to tighten the helmet too much because in this way, in case of obstruction, it will jump out.

We always advise to carry out a cleaning distillation before the intended distillation.

If you notice any leaks in the still seals, use wheat or rye flour mixed with water to seal it.

Do not overfill the still, and be careful to check the source of heat as well, because if you overfill the liquid contained in the still can overflow, covering the pipes, at the most, we advise you to put the capacity of the still with organic matter, It is also important to always check the water contained in the still boiler so that the distillation process is correct.

Always pay attention to the temperature, as a very high temperature will cause the still contents to boil continuously. The temperature should be regulated so that the still boils as slowly as possible, so we advise you to keep the heat source soft as soon as the still starts to boil.

If using an electric or gas heat source, make sure it has a cut-off mechanism in the circuit.

Always check the water level in the condenser (coil) it is important that the water is always kept as cold as possible.

Adopt a responsible posture when the distillation process.

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