When speaking spirits, people’s tendency to focus on the word ‘distillation’ or ‘distiller’ can lead one to believe that the distillation process is all that makes a quality spirit.  While you will have great difficulty in producing a spirit without some form of distillation, it’s actually one of the later stages in production.  An oversimplification of the distilling process looks something like this: ingredients + fermented product + still = spirit.  The process of distillation does not magically round out the edges or take liquor to the next level. In fact, if the ingredients put in the still (the wonderful invention in which distillation happens) are marginal or flawed, the distillation process will likely accentuate those unpleasant peculiarities, resulting in a poorly made and poorly tasting product.

As one can imagine, there are endless opportunities for a distiller to stick their nose in along the way and tweak the process. There is the actual art of distilling – the process, methods, and devilish details, not to be confused with the more recently coined term “craft distiller.”  While craft distilling is often contrasted with the current norm of mass production and scalable factories, the concept of a careful, handmade production is arguably the original form of distillation. Through a modern resurgence, craft distilling has become something boutique and novel.

We’ve been distilling for over 800 years and it wasn’t always to make liquor. A modern day non-alcoholic example sits on the shelves of your local grocery stores:  distilled water.  The distillation process separates the water and the unwanted impurities are left behind.  The trends changed sometime roughly 500 years ago when artisans in Europe took some extant distilling technology and got down to the business of making spirits.

We’re a resourceful species and as a result we have learned that a multitude of different ingredients can be distilled and transformed into something arguably more enjoyable.  From the barley, corn, rye and wheat in whiskey to the apples sacrificed for the greater good of calvados, to grapes and other fruit that have a long and robust tradition. Generally, these raw ingredients are heated up to extract sugars then cooled and mixed with various strains of yeast to start the fermenting process.  A distiller is more appropriately called a chef of grain, according to Mr. Cimino, the distiller from 1512 Spirits in Northern California.  From the selection of the right grain, to milling, to factoring in the balance and components of one’s local water, attention to detail is key.

Let’s focus on Whiskey. You’ve landed yourself some quality ingredients, but before you jump over to the still, the ingredients are first “cooked” with some added water to create what is known as the mash.  The fermentation process is then pushed along by various strains of yeast cells that impart different flavors.  Think of the distinctly different flavor a Belgian beer has or the unique flavors classic sourdough bread – both products of different strains of yeast.    Even within this process, variables include the temperature the mash is cooked at, the length of time the mash is left to ferment, and whether or not the fermentation is left open to air and elements. The Leopold Brothers distillery in Colorado utilizes an open fermentation process and makes some fantastic small batch traditional spirits.  The development of a well-crafted mash is paramount and secrets of the trade often remain secrets.

After the fermentation process is complete, the resulting liquid can be distilled.  Frankly put, it’s time to take the makings of a wine or beer and turn it into a high-proof substance.  For you budding chemists: the liquid is heated up so that the alcohol transforms into vapor, separates, and rises in the still.  The alcohol vapors are partially segregated from water and other constituents, cooled, condensed, and finally returned back into their liquid form in a higher concentration.  The resulting liquid is your spirit.  The specifics of the distillation process are unique to each distiller, and again several factors (such as how many times you run the liquid through the still) all impact the final flavor.

Finally, what do you do with unadulterated raw spirit after it comes off of the still?  Vodka usually goes straight into the bottle. Other spirits, such as whiskey and Cognac, are often stored and aged in wood casks that can alter the flavor drastically. Casks formerly used to age Bourbon will tend to impart vanilla, charred wood and spices.  Sherry-cask-aged spirits tend to be more full-bodied and rich.  Some distillers even make use of port pipes, Sauternes (a French sweet wine) casks and plum wine casks.

Craft distillers are not only attempting to create a hand-touched alternative to the more readily available spirits, but are also creating a renaissance of appreciation for the cultured consumption of fine liquors. The art of craft distilling is not akin to a hobbyist’s dabbling in liquor production, and few things could be farther from the truth.  The investment of time, the dedication to learning and building upon traditions, and the attention to detail often require a passion that borders on obsession. To add to the pantheon of quality spirits is a noble endeavor and an arduous and worthy pursuit.