Alcohol distillation is an ancient craft deeply embedded within Southeast Asian culture. From communal rice wines and palm wines consumed communally to the more individualistic coconut and palm wine consumed solitary or drunk solo to vibrant array of artisanal spirits that each reflect the local identity, alcohol distillation has long been part of Southeast Asian communities and generations passed down from generation to generation as a practice that creates economic sustainability and strengthens community bonds through locally sourced ingredients production.
Every spirit starts as a base material – typically some form of starch or sugar that has been fermented into alcohol by bacteria and yeast. The fermentation process, commonly referred to as mashing, involves using various methods ranging from milling grain, macerating fruit or mashing potatoes; all with one goal: making sugars available to yeast so it can convert them to alcohol.
Once the mash has been fermented, distillation comes next. Distillation works on the principle that different substances have different boiling points; using heat and condensate for heating purposes then condensing to achieve purified streams for condensate collection; each successive condensation increases alcohol concentration by increasing water removal from vapor state streams.
Alchemists of the 9th century AD significantly advanced distillation by refining it and eliminating fusel oil components that are harmful to human beings from final products.
