Unit 5 Batch pot distillation

Question 1

What are the objective of batch pot distillation?

Answer 1

Recover as much alcohol from the fermented liquor as possible in an efficient and economical way.

Produce a spirit containing desirable flavour compounds

Produce a spirit with an alcohol concentration of more than 60% abv for successful maturation.

Question 2

What is a common method of heating pot stills?

Answer 2

steam coils. Some stills are heated by directly burning gas, oil or other fuel.

Question 3

What are the common condensers’ for batch pot distillation?

Answer 3

worm tub condenser or shell and tube condenser

Question 4

Describe worm tub condensers

Answer 4

traditional type of condenser and is used by many distilleries because it results in less vapour and liquid contact with copper than in a shell and tube condenser

Less copper contact results in a spirit with heavier flavour which may be desirable.

Filled with cold water
top of the piping is larger in diameter than the bottom

Question 5

What are the disadvantages of worm tub condensors?

Answer 5

the wooden walls of the worm tub must be maintained and repaired. Also, because of the constant changes in temperature, the copper pipework may fail if not maintained.

Leaks in the copper pipework are difficult to detect and expensive to repair

Question 6

Describe shell and tube condensers

Answer 6

consists of a vertical bundle of copper or stainless steel tubes with cold water flowing through them.
Baffle plates around the tubes stop the vapour flowing straight down the condenser.

Uses less water than a wormtub condensor

Question 7

What is the aim of the 1st distillation?

Answer 7

to remove all the alcohol from the fermented liquor so the distillation continues until there is approximately 1% abv distillate being collected.

Question 8

What is the distillate called from 1st distillation?

Answer 8

low wines or intermediate spirit & has a strength of between 22-24% ABV

Question 9

What does pot ale consist of?

Answer 9

water, yeast solids and undesirable flavour compounds & a tiny amount of alcohol.

Question 10

What is the aim of the second distillation?

Answer 10

to purify the spirit produced in the first distillation.

Question 11

What are two methods of starting to collect the heart?

Answer 11

can be a fixed time of between 5-15 mins

Mist test - a sample of distillate is diluted with water 50:50 which will turn cloudy if there is still undesirable compounds in the heads.

Question 12

What is the ABV of the heart?

Answer 12

63%-73% & this flows through until the still is at a particular alcohol concentration which is typically between 55-65%.

Question 13

What is the stillage left in the still called?

Answer 13

Spent lees. Which consists mainly of water a small amount of undesirable flavour compounds and a very small amount of alcohol.

Question 14

What are the three stages called for a 3 stage distillation?

Answer 14

stage 2 - intermediate distillation

Question 15

what is ABV of the fermented liquor when it enters the first still?

Answer 15

8%

Question 16

What is the heads called?

Answer 16

foreshots or first runnings

Question 17

What is the heart called?

Answer 17

middle cut or spirit cut

Question 18

What is the tails called?

Answer 18

feints

Question 19

When plates are used in batch pot distillation, how many are there?

Answer 19

between 3-8. They increase reflux

Question 20

What is a dephlegmator?

Answer 20

A reflux condenser stored above the plates which can cause further reflux.

Question 21

What do people call a pot still with plates installed?

Answer 21

Carter Head or Lomond still