Rectified alcohol and distillate: the difference

2024 Author: Isabella Gilson | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:14

Alcohol-containing products are quite often used in our modern life. And sometimes it’s simply impossible to do without them (and by no means does it mean alcohol). Usually distillate (the basis for many drinks and medicines) is obtained by fermentation and subsequent distillation of raw materials. But quite often they think that rectification is a re-distillation. And this opinion is wrong. Only repeated conversion of liquids containing ethanol in special columns can result in straightening (this is how the term is literally translated), purification of alcohols from impurities.

Both rectificate and distillate are used in industry and home distillation. The difference between them is quite significant. But which is better to use? This question worries many. But in order to properly assess the advantages or disadvantages of technologies, we must first determine what result we want to achieve: a cleaner drinktears or, on the contrary, enjoy its aroma and taste? I would like to put it on the shelves, what is rectified and distillate. Is there a difference between them, or is it a “notion of the masters”, which is a narrowly professional focus and does not play a big role for the average consumer? Let's figure it out!

Types of distillates

These are liquids resulting from the process of the same name - distillation, that is, the distillation of almost any alcohol-containing mixture, its further cooling and condensation of vapors. According to the classification, several types of distillation can be distinguished:

• simple,
• fractional,
• actual rectification.

Let's talk about each in more detail in order to establish the difference between rectified and distillate. There is still a difference between them!

Simple distillation

This technology, according to historians, has been known since the third century BC - this method was used by the Egyptians in order to make paint from spoiled grape berries. At least this is the oldest documented moment. And it is possible that distillation is familiar to people from more ancient times. For this process, copper cubes were used, consisting of a distillation tank, a condenser, a vapor outlet pipe.

At first, paint and essences, perfumes were made with the help of such devices. And later, due to the complexity of transporting wines by sea (drinksdeteriorated due to the scorching sun), applied the process to the production of strong alcohol.

Summary of the process

So the distillation process became famous throughout Europe, and the raw materials for the preparation of alcoholic beverages were used in different ways: grapes and grains, corn and sugar, beets and sugar cane, and in the American colonies even plants such as cacti.

In short, the process itself looks something like this:

1. Braga is first made from raw materials - the alcohol content in it, as a rule, is small. Moreover, the methods of its manufacture may differ.
2. The simplest: dissolve the yeast in warm thirty-degree water, mixing it with sugar and water syrup. Then we tightly close the container with a lid (or put, for example, a rubber glove on a three-liter jar so that the gas has somewhere to go), put it in heat for a week.
3. A more sophisticated way eliminates the use of sugar. Grind potatoes or cereals, fill with water and heat. During this time, the starches contained in the raw materials must be converted into sugars. Next, ferment the mixture with yeast and leave to infuse in the heat.
4. When the fermentation process is close to completion, we filter the mash and pour it into the distillation device.
5. It heats up with a heat source, and the wash begins to evaporate.
6. The resulting steam enters the refrigerator through the outlet tube, where it condenses, turning into a distillate.

It should be noted that the technology is simpledistillation does not involve the complete removal of impurities from the resulting drink. And if such a process is repeated repeatedly, it still will not lead to its complete purification. Therefore, the distillate has a light taste and aroma of those products that were used for mash. Subsequently, to give an authentic taste and smell, the product is flavored (by placing in oak barrels for making rum or cognac, adding coriander, pine essence and almonds in the case of gin).

Sometimes, to get rid of unpleasant odors and aromas, cleaning is carried out using chemicals, which can have a very negative impact on the he alth of the end user of the product.

Factional

It would seem that there is no difference: distillate and rectified are still alcohols. But there are still nuances. It is no secret that different liquids also have different boiling points: water is 100 degrees Celsius, alcohol will only need 78 degrees for this. Based on this property, the following type of distillation has arisen - by fractions. Its mechanism is quite simple: different fractions of the resulting liquid are distributed during distillation into different containers.

Summary of the process

Selection of these fractions is carried out in accordance with the concentration of ethanol, vapor temperature, volume of raw materials. At the same time, the so-called “pervach”, or “head” (the first fraction of the drink), is not used, because it does not have a very pleasant smell (and is also quite harmful to the human body). It is cut off according to temperature and percentageethyl, drop by drop.

But already the middle fraction (or, as it is popularly called, the “moonshine body”) usually has no color and has a neutral smell. Its selection takes place at a temperature of 90 to 95 degrees Celsius and a strength of 35-45%, while the liquid is burning.

Tails

"Tail" (the last fraction) has a characteristic pungent odor and aroma, as it contains a large amount of fusel oils. And you should carefully monitor that they do not fall into the main "body". Then, to obtain a quality drink, it is recommended to additionally purify it with coal (and, if possible, distill it again, while this should be done more slowly than before, and clearly divided into fractions).

What is the difference between rectified and distillate and the corresponding processes of the same name? It should be remembered that it is practically impossible to produce high-purity alcohol by distillation, even if it is repeated and fractional: the resulting drink must have a specific aroma and taste. Therefore, for the manufacture of alcohol in industrial (and at home) conditions, rectification is used.

Rectification of pure alcohol

So, we already know what rectified and distillate are. There is a difference between them, and a big one! Rectification is a method of separation of mixtures based on the principle of heat exchange between vapor and liquid. As a result, we get an absolutely pure liquid. And do not confuse rectification with re-distillation. Thethe process is different from the above.

Summary of the process

First, containers with moonshine are heated to a boil. At this time, the vapors that are formed during boiling rise up through the distillation columns, falling into a special apparatus for condensing steam, called a reflux condenser. That, in turn, is cooled by water.

On the cooled surfaces of the reflux condenser, vapors begin to condense, forming phlegm, which flows down the columns into a special container. Steam rising up and phlegm flowing down interact with each other. In this case, heat transfer processes take place. As a result, at the top there are components that boil more easily, which turn into condensate, collecting in a container.

When rectified, the purity of each participating ingredient is at least 90%. Using this method, for example, gasoline can be isolated from oil, and in winemaking, rectified alcohol is obtained from mash (ethanol content - 95%).

What's the difference: distillate and rectified. Which would you prefer?

So, we are convinced that these are two completely different liquids. Therefore, answering the questions: "Rectified alcohol and distillate - what's the difference? And what is better to use for home distillation?" - the following factors should be taken into account first of all:

1. After simple (or even multiple fractional) distillation, the resulting drinks retain the aroma and taste of those products that underliefeedstock.
2. During the rectification process, all these properties are subject to destruction.

The difference between distillate and rectified is already in the preparation. The first is a drink that is made by a distiller in such a way that it retains the organoleptic characteristic of the original raw material. In other words, if it is Calvados, then apples, if whiskey, then m alt, if cognac, then grapes. During the distillation process, in addition to ethyl, the “spirit” of the drink still remains inside - all sorts of impurities that form into an authentic bouquet: taste with aroma. That's the difference!

Distillate and rectified products are distillation products. But! A rectified product is a refined, purified product, where the organoleptic of the source is “killed” completely, emasculated. At least from a chair, at least from the most delicious grapes, but it should turn out with the smell and taste of ethyl, and "nothing personal." Why is the maximum strength of alcohol - 96%? But because the rest is not impurities, but water, since ethyl is an absorbent, that is, it draws water into itself. Then, on the basis of pure alcohol, we get different tinctures, liqueurs, liqueurs. That is, we introduce the organoleptics of not raw materials, but flavors - flavoring additives.

Instead of afterword

So, let's fix the material: what is the difference between rectified alcohol and distillate? The difference between them is significant. The product obtained by distillation will be able to "work" for the distiller and further. When placed in oak barrels, the remaining components can oxidize, and the drinks become aromatic. Rectified has no dataproperties, it only needs to be bred. This is the difference. Distillate and rectified serve different purposes in the production of spirits.