Alcohol Distillation and Its Role in Folk Medicine

Alcohol distillation has long been used for medicinal, spiritual and cosmetic uses. The practice may have first emerged around 2000 BC in China, Egypt or Mesopotamia before spreading throughout medieval Europe with herb infused wines used as herbal medicine – which distillation advanced to new heights of potency.

Distillation resembles heating up a soup: as the heat increases, vapors rise from the liquid surface and push into another stage (this could include coils or another pot), producing alcohol (known as heads and tails). Distillation separates Methanol (CH3OH or MeOH), with its boiling point of 64.7@C and potential eye damage potential, from Ethanol (Ethyl Alcohol or pure alcohol, commonly referred to as drinking alcohol). Esters are created when carboxylic acids react with alcohol to form ester bonds, producing fruity aromas. A skilled distiller needs to know when “cutting” their still from heads to hearts and tails will result in pure alcohol or less pure products; too early or late can produce unpleasant or harmful chemicals that compromise quality control.

Brunschwig’s book, the Small Book of Distillation, contains essential recipes for harnessing nature’s healing powers through distillation. His wide-ranging reading and personal experience is evident here as is his remarkable skill at synthesizing knowledge from different traditions into clear instructions for distillation.