What Does A Doubler Do When Cooking Moonshine?

Why do we distill twice?

HOW MANY TIMES IS AMERICAN WHISKEY DISTILLED? If you’ve ever visited a distillery in Scotland or Ireland, you’ve likely heard a tour guide talk with pride about how their whisky or whiskey is distilled twice, three times, or, in some odd cases, two-and-a-half times.

• They might have told you about how double-distilling is one reason Scotch whisky is so rich and full-flavored, or that triple distillation is partially responsible for the deliciously elegant and mellow flavor of that Irish malt whiskey.
• They’re not wrong.
• The number of times a whiskey is distilled does have a big impact on its final flavor.

But it’s far from the only important factor–and it’s not always a useful measure in the United States. So what’s going on stateside? How many times is American whiskey distilled? It’s a bit of a tricky question to answer, simply because there are so many types of American whiskey.

• Some are double-distilled, some are triple-distilled, and many are made on continuous column stills that don’t use a batch distillation system at all.
• Let’s dive into what each style of distilling entails, and how that plays out in the United States.
• DOUBLE DISTILLING In the United States, double distillation is probably the most common strategy used by distilleries with pot stills.

Pot stills are the simplest, most traditional variety of stills, and they operate on what distillers call a “batch system”–a batch of fermented wash is loaded in, the still gets run, and then it has to be emptied and cleaned before you can start the next batch.

1. Double distilling is a lot like what it sounds like.
2. Fermented wash is distilled twice on pot stills to concentrate its alcohol content and refine its flavors before being filled into barrels.
3. It’s the most common method of making single malt whisky in Scotland, although there are some Scotch whiskies that are triple distilled.

While the batch-based process is less efficient than continuous distillation, the tradeoff is that it often yields a rich, oily, full-flavored new make spirit. And, in Scotland, at least, it’s also legally required. The first distillation raises the alcohol level from somewhere around six to 10 percent alcohol to around 25 to 30 percent.

• The second pass boosts alcohol further.
• Distillers usually collect the entire run from the first distillation, but make their heads and tails cuts during the second.
• At the end, they’re left with a crystal-clear, flavorful new-make whisky somewhere around 72% alcohol.
• This is what gets filled into oak barrels, rolled away to slumber in a bonded warehouse, and eventually released as Scotch whisky.

Here in the U.S., the most common practitioners of double-distillation are craft whiskey distillers. Pot stills are simpler (and less expensive) than column stills, which makes them a good choice for smaller companies without deep pockets. They’re also quite beautiful, which makes them appealing objects of ogling through tasting room windows.

1. TRIPLE DISTILLING Triple distilling is most closely associated with Irish whiskey.
2. It’s a lot like double distilling, only–you guessed it–the whiskey gets distilled three times instead of just twice.
3. Why add that third pass? It tends to refine and lighten the whiskey a bit further, resulting in that smooth, almost buttery flavor Irish whiskey fans love.

In the U.S. most distilleries that use triple distillation are craft producers who are directly inspired by Ireland. They might also turn to the Irish tradition of using a little bit of unmalted barley in their mash bills as done in the style called Irish Pot Still whiskey (once called “pure pot still”.

That’s a holdover from an old law that taxed malt at a higher rate than raw grain, but it also produces a signature grassy, grainy flavor in whiskey. CONTINUOUS DISTILLATION Most mainstream American bourbons, ryes, and corn whiskeys, from ultra-premium brands like Pappy Van Winkle to grocery store staples like George Dickel, are made using column stills that operate on a continuous basis, rather than batch-by-batch.

Rather than requiring distillers to run their stills multiple times to produce a good-tasting whiskey, column stills do it all in a single pass, and they’re so efficient that you can also use them to make neutral spirits (although unaged American whiskey is generally far from neutral).

1. So, on the one hand, you could say that most bourbon is single distilled.
2. On the other hand, you could just as easily describe them as being distilled dozens of times, since the interior of column stills are filled with sometimes dozens of plates, and the liquid inside undergoes a mini-distillation each time it encounters one.

Complicating the picture even more is the use of gear like doublers and thumpers, which can be thought of as a kind of secondary pot still distillation as part of the continuous distillation process. In short, it’s complicated, and it doesn’t neatly fit into the lens of double vs.

1. Triple distillation.
2. For more details, check out our other blog posts on the topic,
3. SO WHAT ABOUT BARRELL CRAFT SPIRITS? Barrel Craft Spirits sources its distilled spirits from producers around the country and around the world–and whenever we source a spirit, we focus on flavor first and foremost.
4. The number of times a spirit was distilled contributes to that flavor, but it’s just one aspect among many that a good producer has to balance.

Each master distiller has their own unique approach to fermentation, distillation, and aging, giving us a beautifully diverse palette of flavors to experiment with in our blends and single barrels. Most of the straight rye whiskey and straight bourbon whiskey that goes into our small batch bourbon and small batch rye releases was distilled on column stills, although there are a few exceptions.

What does extra distilling do?

Vodka Myths – · Only potato or corn vodka is gluten free : The distillation process of vodka eliminates all the gluten before time of consumption. The alcohol is separated from the mash and travels through the still to turn into a liquid on the other side.

• Even wheat-based vodkas are gluten free—unless the distillery adds gluten after the vodka has been distilled, so it is important to always double check flavored vodkas.
• · More distillation = better vodka : While distilling vodka extra times can allow it to be cleaner and smoother, it does not necessarily mean it is a better quality.

Over distilled vodka can lose its flavor, aroma and character. Distilling vodka too much can potentially leave the liquid as pure alcohol. · Higher price = better quality : Top shelf vodkas price themselves as such based on the purity of the products that they use.

For instance, some companies boast about the freshness of water they use. While fresher ingredients typically equal better quality, it is more about personal taste. Don’t be afraid to enjoy a lower cost vodka if it matches your personal flavor palate. · You can use an at-home filter to make “bad” vodka taste better : Unfortunately, this urban legend is not true.

Running your vodka through a personal filter will not improve the taste or make it easier to drink. At-home filters do not have the same power as the distilleries, and it cannot eliminate the impurities that you taste. Either add a bit more of your favorite mixer or invest in a bottle with a quality reputation! Interested in learning more? Visit our ABC Articles page,

Does moonshine get stronger with time?

Summary – Moonshine cannot really expire. The flavor and characteristics of your moonshine can be changed if it is exposed to light, warmth, or air but it won’t become undrinkable. Even an open bottle of flavored moonshine will last for many years before it will start to go off.

What happens if your thumper is too small?

Thumper Still – A Thumper Still works like this: You boil your wash in your kettle and the vapors pass through the tubing and into the thumper, which is already filled about halfway with a liquid of your choice (e.g., water, fermented mash). The hot vapor from the kettle enters the thumper through a tube and exits that tube towards the bottom of the liquid inside of the thumper.

1. The hot vapor heats that liquid, which at the same time cools the vapor in a heat exchange.
2. Initially, no vapor comes out because the temperature has been reduced, but the temperature of the liquid in the thumper rises as the distillation process continues.
3. Then lower-boiling-point compounds will vaporize and rise, exiting the thumper through the condenser and dripping into your collection container.

So now you can see how the thumper part of the Thumper Still works as kind of a second distillation, because when you use one, you are basically double distilling, or doing two runs in one. The lower temperature that occurs in the thumper during this second distillation allows many of the by-products and water to stay in the thumper since the temperature remains below their boiling points.

• Therefore, distillate that leaves the thumper is actually at a higher percentage of alcohol than the vapor that leaves the kettle.
• Something important to keep in mind is the size of your thumper.
• If a thumper is too small or if you didn’t put enough liquid in it, then that liquid will heat up too quickly from the incoming vapor.

Then that vapor will just bubble up right through the liquid without being cooled and condensed first, exiting straight through the condenser. In that case, you don’t achieve the second distillation and don’t see the increased purity or proof from it.

Why is it not possible to distill more than 95% pure alcohol?

Absolute ethanol – Absolute or anhydrous alcohol generally refers to purified ethanol, containing no more than one percent water, It is not possible to obtain absolute alcohol by simple fractional distillation, because a mixture containing around 95.6% alcohol and 4.4% water becomes a constant boiling mixture (an azeotropic mixture).

• In one common industrial method to obtain 100% pure alcohol, a small quantity of benzene is added to rectified spirit and the mixture is then distilled.
• Absolute alcohol is obtained in third fraction that distills over at 78.2 °C (351.3 K).
• Because a small amount of the benzene used remains in the solution, absolute alcohol produced by this method is not suitable for consumption as benzene is carcinogenic.

There is also an absolute alcohol production process by desiccation using glycerol. Alcohol produced by this method is known as spectroscopic alcohol – so called because the absence of benzene makes it suitable as a solvent in spectroscopy. Currently, the most popular method of purification past 95.6% purity is desiccation using adsorbents such as starch or zeolites.

What happens if you distill to dryness?

NEVER distill the distillation flask to dryness as there is a risk of explosion and fire. The most common methods of distillation are simple distillation and fractional distillation. Simple distillation can be used when the liquids to be separated have boiling points that are quite different.

Does distillation increase alcohol concentration?

Distillation – The fermented liquid (often called “wash”) then undergoes the final step of the process, distillation, which greatly increases the alcohol content in the mixture. Any distillation mechanism is made up of a still/retort (to hold the liquid during heating), a condenser (to lower the temperature of the vapors), a container (holding flavoring agents), and a receiving container (to collect the cooled liquid condensed from the distilled vapors).

Distillation is generally carried out at about 175F (~79.5C) for all spirits but can be as high as 200F (~93C) in some cases. There are two main types of distillation: batch and continuous. Batch distillation generally occurs in a pot still (a type of batch reactor ) and is performed by loading and distilling the liquid in batches, hence the name.

Continuous distillation involves the use of a distillation column (also called a fractionating column). The wash is fed in continuously and the distilled product (called the “distillate”) is removed as it is formed. Often the distillation column used is a rectifying column, in which the ethanol-rich vapor leaving the column is condensed and some of the distillate is fed back into the column.

This is done to increase the concentration of ethanol in the exiting vapor. Batch distillation is generally used for small quantities and higher quality spirits, especially whiskey and cognac. Continuous distillation is preferred when producing spirits on a large scale due to the ability to produce large quantities of product relatively quickly.

The tradeoff is that it is more difficult to control the temperature and specific composition in continuous distillation. Thus, the quality of the spirits tends to be lower, and the taste is less uniform compared to spirits from a pot still.

How does distillation affect alcohol content?

Actual Operation in the Still – Let us now describe the continuous-feed distillation column process in the still as seen in Figure 2. The “stripping” section and the “rectifying” section of the column are shown in the figure as a single vertical column unit, which is the preferred configuration.

1. They may, however, be built side by side, interconnected with tubing to return the output of the stripping unit to the rectifying section and vice versa.
2. This makes the total height shorter, but requires a pump to lift liquid from the bottom of the second column to the top of the first.
3. Tubing must be quite large and well insulated.

The vapor for the stripping section is supplied either by steam injected at the bottom of the column or by the reboiler, which collects some of the liquid (mainly water) coming out the bottom of the column and boils it to produce the vapor. As the vapor moves out of the stripper, the rectifying section increases the alcohol concentration by allowing the vapor flow to move up the column against some of the final liquid product flow (reflux) moving down.

When the vapor finally reaches the top of the rectifying section, it should have a concentration of 80-95 percent alcohol, depending on the column length and the operating conditions used. The concentrated alcohol-water vapor of 80-95 percent is then condensed to liquid in the condenser by cooling it.

Roughly 2/3 to 3/4 of the final liquid is returned to the rectifying section of the still as “reflux” (a liquid of high alcohol concentration). It provides a highly volatile source of alcohol vapor to facilitate a high final-product concentration and to condense out some of the remaining water vapor.

• This reflux is necessary to obtain a concentrated alcohol product.
• The remaining liquid flowing from the condenser (about 1/3 to 1/4 of the total) is the finished product, ready for whatever use is intended.
• The ratio of amount of alcohol returned to the column to amount collected as product is called the “reflux ratio.” This ratio controls both product purity and amount of energy required for the distillation.

The higher the reflux ratio, the purer the alcohol product and the more energy that is required for distillation. The incoming beer feed, if well-filtered, may be used as part of the cooling fluid in the condenser. This will bring about condensation of the reflux and finished product, while at the same time preheating the beer feed just before it enters the stripper section.

• Thus, a minimum of added heat is needed to bring about the initial alcohol vaporization (stripping) operation.
• When the reflux liquid reaches the bottom of the rectifier, it enters the feed input level and joins the feed, which is preheated beer.
• The mixture enriches the alcohol content of the hot beer and facilitates the vaporizing (stripping) process as the liquids flow down against the upward flow of steam and alcohol vapor.

As the steam moves upward, it causes the alcohol to vaporize from the liquid as some of the water vapor condenses. If the vapor composition at every point in the entire column is plotted versus the corresponding composition of the liquid, the result is the two lines (operating lines) of Figure 3, shown superimposed on the equilibrium diagram of Figure 1.

The axes are based on how many alcohol molecules there are per hundred molecules, rather than on a weight basis (This is because one alcohol molecule evaporates for every water molecule that condenses: thus, the number of molecules of vapor passing a given point per second doesn’t change as you move up the column, and the same goes for the liquid.

So if the stripper has, for instance, four times as many molecules of liquid as of gas passing some point near the top, it will also have four times as many molecules of liquid as of gas passing some other point near the bottom This means that if the molecular composition of the gas changes by percent in a certain segment of the column, then the molecular composition of the liquid has to change by percent in the same segment, regardless of where that segment is.) The two lines in Figure 3 are straight, having a constant slope when axes of molecular percent are used.

What effect does distillation have on alcohol?

Distillation process – All spirits go through at least two procedures – fermentation and distillation. Fermentation is where all alcohol is created, distillation is where the alcohol is separated and removed. In order for fermentation to occur, two things are needed: a raw material in liquid form that contains sugar, followed by the addition of yeast.

1. Yeast is a living organism that feeds on sugar; the bi-product of this consumption is alcohol and carbon dioxide (CO 2 ).
2. A simple formula for fermentation is: YEAST + SUGAR = ALCOHOL + C0 2 Distilling is essentially the process whereby a liquid made of two or more parts is separated into smaller parts of desired purity by the addition and subtraction of heat from the mixture.

The vapours/liquids distilled will separated other ingredients that have lower boiling points. Distilled spirits are produced from agricultural raw materials such as grapes, other fruit, sugar-cane, molasses, potatoes, cereals, etc. For some spirits, only 1 raw material is used (rules set out in categories 1-14 of Regulation 110/2008): Example: production of a spirit made from cereals such as whiskey: Other spirits start with a ‘neutral’ alcohol base, to which flavourings (sometimes sweetening) are added (rules set out in categories 15-46 of Regulation 110/2008): As a result, for ALL spirits, the distillation process transforms the raw materials to the extent that they are no longer present in the final spirit drink. This was demonstrated conclusively when EFSA agreed that allergenic protein from raw materials was not present in spirit drinks.

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