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Distillation Index


Distillation Glossary


Some terms you should know before we start:

Airlock - A device to allow air out of the fermenter but prevent bugs and oxygen back into it.

Body - The distillate or condensed steam collected from the still.

Distilling - The process where the alcohol is boiled off from the Wash and the steam is collected and condensed back to liquid.

Fermentation - The process that takes place when the yeast uses the sugar to make the alcohol.

Fermenter - The container that you use to mix up the wash.

Head - The first distillate or condensed steam from the still which can contain undesirable elements.

Pot Still - A simple still where everything that boils is collected and condensed.

Reflux Still - A more complex still with a chamber called the Reflux condenser, where the steam is filtered and some of the unwanted elements are returned to the boiling vessel. This results in purer, stronger alcohol. 

Sterilization - The process of cleaning and sanitizing equipment before use.

Turbo Yeast - A package of strong yeast and nutrients that will convert the sugars in a wash into high levels of alcohol quickly - timing could be as quick as 24 hours and strengths could get into the 20% range.

Wash - The mix of water, sugar, yeast and nutrients that you will ferment to make the alcoholic base for distilling.

Yeast - An organism which converts the sugary Wash to alcohol. 


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