Alcohol Distillation For Medicinal Purposes

Distillation is an ancient process used by early humans for medicinal use. Booze made by fermenting wild grasses and honey predated farming; in fact, its medicinal use dates back as far as 8000 BC! Distillation creates higher concentrations of alcohol by separating its vapors from liquid, then condensing these vapors back into spirits or alcohol that can then be used in medicine and therapeutic applications such as tinctures or flavoured alcohols like absinthe.

Distillation plays an integral role in controlling volatile aroma compounds by altering boiling point and isolating low- and high-boiling molecules; this influence leads to changes in aroma compounds which in turn influence odour of distillates products.

Distillation first made its appearance in Semitic philosophical writings and alchemical works by Jabir ibn Hayyan and other early alchemists who used glass alembics; their crude methods produced concentrated alcohol beverages known as “acqua vitae or eau de vie,” meaning “water of life”.

Alcohol distillation soon spread throughout the world, but was particularly popular during Islamic Golden Age due to Muslim prohibition of drinking alcohol and desire to produce medicines, perfumes and even gold.

At distillation, temperature regulation is of critical importance. Mishandled temperatures may lead to burnt or contaminated distillate and therefore it is vitally important that thermometers accurately measure both liquid and vapor temperatures. A skilled distiller should also know when to “cut” outflow of heads and hearts in order to obtain high quality ethanol ethanol for final processing.