After distilling, the amount of wash left will depend on several factors such as the type of still used, the efficiency of the distillation process, and any losses due to evaporation or foaming. Generally, the volume of wash will reduce significantly during distillation.
If you are using a pot still, which is a common type of still used for home distillation, you can expect to lose a significant amount of wash during the process. This is because pot stills typically have a low distillation efficiency and do not capture all the alcohol present in the wash. On average, you can expect to collect about 20-40% of the original wash volume as distillate, while the remaining 60-80% will be left as spent wash.
However, if you are using a reflux still, which is a more advanced type of still with higher distillation efficiency, you will generally collect a higher percentage of the original wash volume as distillate. Reflux stills are designed to capture a larger portion of alcohol and produce a higher purity distillate. Depending on the design and operation of the reflux still, you can expect to collect around 50-70% or more of the original wash volume as distillate.
It’s important to note that the percentage of distillate collected is not solely determined by the type of still, but also by the quality and composition of the wash. A well-fermented wash with a high alcohol content will generally yield more distillate compared to a poorly fermented wash.
Additionally, losses due to evaporation and foaming can further reduce the amount of distillate collected. During distillation, there may be some loss of alcohol and water vapor through evaporation, especially if the distillation process is not carefully controlled. Foaming can also cause losses as it can carry liquid out of the still and into the condenser, resulting in less collected distillate.
To minimize losses and maximize the amount of distillate collected, it is important to use good distillation techniques and equipment, such as proper temperature control, managing foaming, and using an efficient condenser. Regularly monitoring and adjusting the distillation process can help optimize the yield.
The amount of wash left after distilling depends on factors such as the type of still used, the efficiency of the distillation process, and any losses due to evaporation or foaming. On average, you can expect to collect a percentage of the original wash volume as distillate, with the remaining portion left as spent wash. The specific percentage will vary based on the type of still and the quality of the wash, but it is important to optimize the distillation process to maximize the yield.