Unit 5 - Lesson 1 - Basics of Distillation

Question 1

What are the two main types of distillation?

Answer 1

Batch and continuous

Question 2

What is wash?

Answer 2

feed to the distillation process

Question 3

What is fully fermented wash called?

Answer 3

beer or fermented mash

Question 4

Alcohol density must be measured at the standard temperature ___?

Answer 4

20° C

Temperature changes volumes

Question 5

What are congeners?

Answer 5

Organic compounds of other higher alcohols, phenols, esters and aldehydes, and volatile acids all of which give character to the spirits
From raw materials or chemical reactions

Question 6

What is water vapor?

Answer 6

This is defined as the pressure exerted by a vapour in thermodynamic equilibrium with its condensed phase, at a given temperature and pressure, within a closed system.

Question 7

What is the normal boiling point of a liquid?

Answer 7

Temperature where the vapor pressure equals the ambient atmospheric pressure

Question 8

What does high vapor pressure substance mean?

Answer 8

It is volatile compound (at normal pressure)

Question 9

What is a low vapor pressure substance?

Answer 9

Low volatile compound

Question 10

What is more volatile - water or alcohol?

Answer 10

Alcohol is more volatile since it releases vapor faster at normal atmosphere than water

Question 11

Who and when did distilling start?

Answer 11

Egypt - 2300 years ago

Question 12

What is distillation?

Answer 12

The separation of volatile components, achieved through controlled heat application

Question 13

Basic steps of distillation?

Answer 13

1. Vapor removed and condensed
2. Liquid collected as product
3. Reflux is condensed liquid returned to still
4. Reside left in the pot is removed

Question 14

What is the reflux ratio?

Answer 14

Ratio of the amount of distillate refluxed to the volume of distillate collected

Question 15

How new is column distilling?

Answer 15

200 years - started with potable alcohol in human demand

Batch has a finite capacity

Question 16

Advantage of continuous distilling?

Answer 16

Operating cost

Most output since batch is finite

Question 17

Definition of distillation

Answer 17

Process that separates the component substances within a liquid mixture, using evaporation and condensation.
Uses differences in volatility between each component to fully or partially separate

Question 18

What are the 3 states of matter?

Answer 18

Vapor
Liquid
Solid

Question 19

How does distillation work?

Answer 19

Involves partial evaporation of a liquid
Condenses the vapor
The condensate now has concentrated volatile components

Question 20

Boiling point of alcohol?

Answer 20

78.4°C

Question 21

Describe alcohol boiling in distillation

Answer 21

Water and alcohol boil, both release vapor, but alcohol releases more so the condensed liquid has more concentrated alcohol
This is the key factor and applies to congers as well

Question 22

What congers remain in the pot?

Answer 22

The least volatile

Question 23

What does condensed vapor returned as reflux do?

Answer 23

It helps separation efficiency

Question 24

Where does the reflux go in a batch and continuous distillation?

Answer 24

Batch - the pot itself

Continuous - rectifying column and as liquid return from condensing system

Question 25

What are often found in modern distillation systems?

Answer 25

Heat and energy recovery systems that preheat still feed and recover het from vapor condensing

Question 26

Up to how many batch distillations may take place?

Answer 26

Up to 3 | Helps recover a specific liquid stream - recovered or recycled

Question 27

What is typical in residual liquor from a batch?

Answer 27

Usually discarded except for rum and sour mash

Question 28

What is the window for a batch distillation?

Answer 28

8 hours

Question 29

What are the differences between batch and continuous?

Answer 29

1. Different rectification 2. Different component separations 3. Batch produces more flavors

Question 30

What does rectification do?

Answer 30

Process of increasing alcohol concentration through repeated distilations

Question 31

Typical batch capacity?

Answer 31

500L - 25,000L

Question 32

What are low wines?

Answer 32

1st distillation product (eg 45% ABV)

Question 33

What is a lyne arm?

Answer 33

Carries vapors to condensers on pot still

Question 34

What is a spirit safe?

Answer 34

Where various condensed liquid streams are diverted for more distils or recovery

Question 35

What are continuous distillers used?

Answer 35

Need to produce large volumes of lighter spirits

Question 36

What is required for a continuous distillation?

Answer 36

Constant feed and constant energy

Question 37

How much can a column still produce per hour?

Answer 37

2,000 - 100,000 L of wash per hour

Question 38

How long to column still run at steady state?

Answer 38

Days to months with constant feed stock and energy

Question 39

When a continuous still is in operation and balanced what happens internally?

Answer 39

Alcohol and other congeners including fusel oils and non-volatile still residues will be consistently removed from the system.

Question 40

Preferred material for column stills?

Answer 40

Copper and stainless

Question 41

What were the 1st pot still made from?

Answer 41

glass, clay or porcelain

Question 42

Why is copper good for pot or column stills?

Answer 42

1. Malleaable and durable 2. Good heat conductor 3. Very reactive helps Removal of unwanted sulphur 4. Other chemical reaction to control ethyl carbamate (a carcinogen)

Question 43

What are some issues with copper use?

Answer 43

1. Very reactive surface 2. Can corrode with heat and high acidity of wash 3. Costly to repair / replace 4. May need physical or chemical cleaning 5. At high temps can leave copper in liquid