🥃 Distillation
Distilling a fermented liquid: ethanol evaporates before water, the vapour is cooled and collected; in batches in a pot still or continuously in a column. It is how whisky, brandy, rum, vodka and gin are made.
Distillation is the step that turns a fermented liquid into whisky, brandy, rum, vodka or gin. The liquid (wash, wine or cider) is heated; ethanol, which boils at 78.2 °C, that is, before water, evaporates first, and the vapour is cooled and collected as a strong spirit.
Pot still and column. According to Difford's Guide, the simplest apparatus is the pot still (alembic), which works in batches: charge it, distil it, empty it. A column still runs continuously and gives a stronger, purer distillate. The two-column still was invented by Robert Stein in 1826, and Aeneas Coffey patented an improved version in 1831.
Heads, heart and tails. The volatile "heads", with acetaldehyde and methanol, run off first and are discarded. Then comes the "heart", which is kept. At the end come the "tails" with fusel alcohols, which are often added to the next batch. Methanol boils at 64.7 °C, close to ethanol, so precise cutting matters for safety. The copper of the still binds sulphur compounds.
Law and styles. Single malt Scotch whisky is distilled only in pot stills, usually twice, and below 94.8% ABV. Regulation (EU) 2019/787 requires fruit distillates to be distilled below 86% ABV, so that the flavour of the raw material survives, while vodka is made from agricultural-origin spirit of 96% ABV or higher. Cognac is distilled twice in a Charentais alembic.
Why it matters to you. The lower the distillation strength, the more of the raw material's aroma stays in the drink; a high strength gives a neutral spirit. Home distilling without cutting off the heads is dangerous because of methanol: about 10 ml can cause blindness. The WHO reminds us that there is no safe amount of alcohol.
Facts
| Distillation method | pot still (batches) or column (continuous); ethanol boils at 78.2 °C, methanol at 64.7 °C |
|---|---|
| Legal basis | Regulation (EU) 2019/787: fruit distillates below 86% ABV, spirit for vodka at least 96% ABV; Scotch whisky below 94.8% ABV |
How it connects to Spirits
🥃 Distillation → kind of → ⚗️ How spirits are made → kind of → 🥃 Spirits
Links
- Previous step
- 🥃 Brandy de Jerez, 🥃 Hasseltse jenever, 🥃 Heads, hearts, tails, 🥃 Hefebrand, 🥃 Baijiu, 🍸 Berenburg, 🥃 Borovička, 🥃 Mahua, 🥃 Mashing, 🥃 Master distiller
and 29 more
🥃 Kirsch de Fougerolles, 🥃 Kirsch Trentino, 🥃 Schwarzwälder Himbeergeist, 🥃 Slavonska šljivovica, 🥃 Sliwovitz trentino, 🥃 Dongxiang baijiu, 🥃 Chixiang baijiu, 🥃 Fuyuxiang baijiu, 🥃 Jiangxiang baijiu, 🥃 Spiš borovička (Spišská borovička), 🥃 Finnish vodka (Suomalainen Vodka), 🥃 Swedish aquavit (Svensk Aquavit), 🥃 Swedish vodka (Svensk Vodka), 🥃 Südtiroler Enzian, 🥃 Südtiroler Golden Delicious, 🥃 Südtiroler Gravensteiner, 🥃 Südtiroler Marille, 🥃 Südtiroler Obstler, 🥃 Südtiroler Williams, 🥃 Südtiroler Zwetschgeler, 🥃 Wachauer Marillenbrand, 🥃 Williams trentino, 🥃 Fengxiang, 🥃 Jianxiang, 🥃 Mixiang, 🥃 Nongxiang, 🥃 Qingxiang, 🥃 Texiang, 🥃 Zhimaxiang - Next step
- 🍷 Alcoholic fermentation, 🥃 Charentais alembic, 🥃 Single Malt Scotch Whisky, 🥃 Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey, 🍸 Vodka, 🥃 Fruit spirit
- What it contains
- 🍷 Ethanol
- What it affects
- 🍷 Alcohol and health
- Part of
- ⚗️ How spirits are made
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between a pot still and a column still?
A pot still works in batches and retains more aroma; a column works continuously, is cheaper to run and produces a stronger, more neutral spirit.
Does distilling a spirit more times always make it better?
No. Each distillation raises strength and purity but removes aroma of the raw material; that is why fruit distillates in the EU are distilled below 86% ABV and neutral spirit at 96% or higher.
What are heads, heart and tails in whisky distilling?
The parts of the distillate in order of exit: the volatile heads with methanol are discarded, the heart is kept, and the tails with fusel alcohols are often added to the next batch.
Why are whisky and gin stills made of copper?
Copper reacts with sulphur compounds in the vapour and removes unpleasant odours from the distillate.
Can distillation produce 100% alcohol?
No. A mixture of ethanol and water at about 95.6% ABV boils like a single liquid, and ordinary distillation cannot purify it further.
What to read next
- 🥃 Brandy de Jerez — Spanish brandy from the Jerez area, aged by the solera system in former sherry casks: at least 36% ABV, up to 35 g/l of sugar; Solera, Reserva or Gran Reserva. EU geographical indication.
- 🍷 Alcohol and health — Alcohol in any drink is harmful in large amounts, and the risks grow with the quantity.
- 🍷 Alcoholic fermentation — Yeast eats the sugar in the must and releases alcohol and carbon dioxide.
- 🥃 Fruit spirit — Fruit spirit: from fermented fruit, berries or vegetables, from 37.5% ABV, no added alcohol or flavourings; kirsch, Williams, pálinka, Obstler.
- 🥃 Südtiroler Marille — Clear distillate of apricots fermented and distilled in the province of Bolzano, with a light bitter-almond note. Protected EU name, at least 40% ABV (80 proof); sugar up to 20 g/l.
Similar
🥃 Double distillation · 🥃 Ethyl alcohol of agricultural origin · 🥃 Column still · 🥃 Heads, hearts, tails · 🥃 Malting · 🥃 Triple distillation
⚠️ Spirit drinks contain alcohol and are for adults only. Alcohol harms health. Do not drink during pregnancy or before driving; check the label for ingredients and possible allergens.
What it includes
Sources
- Difford's Guide encyclopedia: Distillation — the science of distillation (ethanol boils at 78.2 °C; heads/foreshots with acetaldehyde and methanol, hearts, tails/faints; methanol 64.7 °C, ~10 ml can cause blindness)
- Difford's Guide encyclopedia: Distillation — pot v column distillation (pot/alembic still batch-operated; Robert Stein 1826 two-column still; Aeneas Coffey patent 1831; continuous stills; azeotrope ~95.6 %)
- Difford's Guide: Single malt Scotch whisky production — distillation (wash 7–8 %, low wines 21–30 %, new make ~70 %; copper removes sulphur compounds; cuts to heart)
- The Scotch Whisky Regulations 2009, reg. 3 (legislation.gov.uk): distilled at less than 94.8 % vol.; single malt — in pot stills at a single distillery
- Regulation (EU) 2019/787 on spirit drinks (OJ L 130, 17.5.2019), Annex I: cat. 9 fruit spirit (distilled at less than 86 % vol.); vodka from ethyl alcohol of agricultural origin (distilled at 96 % vol. or more)
- WHO/Europe: No level of alcohol consumption is safe for our health (04.01.2023)