Distillation
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German: Destillation Also known as: Brennen
A separation process in which an alcoholic liquid is heated and the rising vapour is condensed again. This raises the alcohol share.
In distillation a fermented liquid, such as mash or wine, is heated. Alcohol and aroma compounds evaporate earlier than water. The vapour is condensed back into liquid in a cooler, the distillate, which contains considerably more alcohol than the starting material.
A distinction is made above all between distillation in a pot still, often in several runs, and continuous distillation in a column. Depending on the method, more aromatic or more neutral distillates result. How finely the work is done and which fractions are separated largely determines the character of the later spirit.
