Distillation Process

The distillation process is a crucial step in extracting organic ethanol after fermentation. The fermented mixture, often called “beer” or “wash,” contains ethanol, water, and other byproducts. Since ethanol has a lower boiling point (78.37 °C) than water (100 °C), distillation leverages this difference for separation.

The process involves heating the fermented liquid, causing the ethanol-rich vapor to rise. This vapor is then collected and cooled in a condenser, turning it back into a liquid with a higher ethanol concentration. ¹ Multiple distillation stages or specialized columns are used to progressively increase the ethanol purity. While simple distillation yields a lower purity, fractional distillation with a fractionating column allows for a more efficient separation based on the differing boiling points of ethanol and water, resulting in a higher concentration of organic ethanol.