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How distillation works
The herbal distillation apparatus shown here did not produce rum – but the principle is the same:
Still
Alcohol, water and herbs are added to the still for a herbal distillate. The distiller refers to them as “drugs”. For the production of aquavit, these are caraway and aniseed for example. For rum, the mash would be poured into the still.
After being screwed down, the still is heated. In the past, fire was used to produce rum. In this apparatus, hot steam is used
Head
The foam is trapped here and a first condensation takes place. The alcohol vapour drips back again into the still – in this way the distillation begins gently.
Spirit tube
As a result of the renewed heating, the alcohol, which has not finally turned into vapour, rises through the tube into the spiral condenser.
Spiral condenser
The vapours cool in the condenser, i.e. they liquefy. The condensed liquid is cooled to the desired run-off temperature. The condensate runs down through tin-plated copper spirals, while the coolant water rises in the reverse flow.
Sheet filter
Before bottling, the finished spirit runs through a fine sheet filter with paper sheets for example. This removes the final traces of clouding.
Alcohol pump
Centrifugal pump to pump finished spirits, semi-finished products or rum from barrels into and from blending tanks.