What is better: distiller or rectifier?
More often this question worries novice distillers and people making moonshine. To obtain a “flammable drink” you can use the following equipment: a distiller or rectifier. Which of these units should you choose? To understand this, you need to find out what each of the devices is.
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Distiller: advantages and disadvantages
In the distiller, alcohol vapor is distilled, followed by condensation of the cooled vapor. The design of the apparatus is simple: it must have a distillation cube, as well as a steam chamber with a cooler. Raw mash is heated in the cube. The steamer is designed to allow the splashes of mash to settle. “Fusel oils” are also condensed there, and a cooler is used to convert the vapor into a liquid that flows into a receiving vessel at the outlet. This element often serves as an aroma basket. Hot steam passing through aromatic herbs and berries absorbs essential oils or pleasantly smelling substances, giving the distillate new notes of taste and smell.
Advantages of the distiller:
- with its help, you get a strong moonshine that cannot be compared with store-bought vodka;
- products obtained by distilling mash are environmentally friendly;
- modern devices are compact;
- the device is simple;
- may have several degrees of purification;
- the device is reliable.
The disadvantages include:
- lack of temperature control;
- tank volumes of some models.
Pros and cons of a rectifier
The rectifier is one of the more modern units. It resembles an experimental device. The process of producing alcohol itself involves separating the mixture by repeated evaporation. The result is 90-proof alcohol.
This device differs from a distiller in that a U-shaped tube, which has a complex structure and is called a column, is installed above the distillation cube. The part of the tube going up is supplied with water cooling, which is called the cooling jacket. In the tube, the shirt allows you to maintain the desired temperature. The part of the tube pointing down is the cooler. It is also water-cooled. The presence of various attachments that increase the area of the column tube makes it a rectifier.
The advantages of the device are:
- the ability to regulate temperature conditions and control the procedure for obtaining alcohol;
- the column makes the alcohol purer;
- the alcohol is extremely strong;
- The product can be used to prepare cognac and other strong alcoholic drinks.
The disadvantages vary from model to model. But a common disadvantage is the high strength of the resulting alcohol.
Attention! The alcohol obtained by the rectifier should be diluted before use.
The disadvantages also include low productivity compared to distillers.
What is better: distiller or rectifier?
Which device is better to choose depends on what your goal is. If a pure strong alcoholic drink is to be obtained, a rectifier is recommended. It allows you to obtain rectified alcohol.
Distillation produces a distillate with the characteristic smell and taste of the original mash. Grape grappa, malt polugar, apple Calvados, etc. are obtained by distillation.
The rectification procedure produces neutral alcohol that can be used for tinctures or liqueurs. It is not recommended to drink pure undiluted alcohol.
Something to remember! The rectifier allows it to be used as a distiller. And although the taste will be slightly different from the product that comes out of the distiller, it will be cleaner.
The latter device is more universal and has more capabilities. But this is precisely what makes it more expensive. But it works slower than a distiller.
The distiller, while preserving the aroma of the product, does not make it possible to obtain alcohol. When processed, only moonshine is obtained.