Alcohol Distillation and Its Impact on Social Justice

Alcohol distillation is a complex process. Distillation stands out in its production by being used solely to produce spirits with an alcohol content over 30% (brandy, gin, rum and whiskey are produced through yeast-driven fermentation followed by boiling or distillation).

Starting with a mash, it is transferred to a still and heated at low temperature to vaporize alcohol, with its lower boiling point than water allowing the collected vapors to be collected easily and cooled back down into liquid form. As more liquid vapor is separated from its counterpart in water, its concentration decreases; multiple distillations processes may be necessary before meeting desired minimum proof levels for product.

As the concentration of vapor declines, so too does its concentration of ethanol become purer. As distilling spirit takes place, various fractions of vapor collected during distillation are known as heads, tails, and hearts; those which contain high levels of ethanol as well as toxic chemicals like methanol or acetone smell very bad and must therefore be diverted back into another batch for further distillation until their alcohol content decreases further. On the other hand, tails full of ethyl alcohol with pleasant flavors are captured before being sent back into another batch for further distillation re-distillation again.

Consideration must be given to how distillation of alcohol affects social justice. This means listening to marginalised voices, amplifying their experiences, supporting activism and advocacy work, contacting elected officials as well as taking direct actions like protesting, signing petitions or making donations towards organizations working towards this cause as well as participating in other acts of activism.