Alcohol Distillation Vs Fermentation

Many alcoholic beverages are both fermented and distilled; examples include wine, beer and spirits such as vodka. Fermentation is a biochemical process whereby yeast feeds on sugar to produce alcohol, carbon dioxide, byproducts like acetone and methanol for flavor enhancement and hangover prevention – giving our drinks that irresistibly complex flavor we’ve all come to love but which often leaves us feeling worse the morning after.

Distillation is an increasingly precise method. Distillers heat and cool the liquid they are distilling until its components separate according to their boiling points, then select which of these elements they wish to keep or remove for their product of choice.

Distillation concentrates ethanol to produce stronger beverages than fermented beverages like wine or beer, while also eliminating elements like water, volatile chemicals and flavor compounds known as esters – these latter compounds form when carboxylic acids combine with alcohols to form aromatic esters that impart fruity aromas like strawberry, pineapple or banana to the final booze product.

Addition of heat during distillation helps separate terpenes, aromatic compounds found in certain plant essential oils, from their finished booze. Although terpenes can add complexity to some recipes, most distillers remove them before bottling because they tend to make their finished spirit taste harsh or unpleasant. Distillation also results in the separation of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that may be hazardous to human health.