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Antman013 t1_j69zljp wrote

Reply to comment by extacy1375 in eli5: Why does cheap alcohol taste worse than nicer alcohol? by Chase_The_Dream

Grain makes a difference. Number of distillations is a marketing tool, just as Tito's "made in Texas" nonsense is a marketing tool. They truck it in from Indiana (iirc), run it through their own still once, and this is what allows them to claim it's "Texas made".

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The reason I say that "number of distillations" is just marketing is in the way a column still works. There are plates all the way to the top of a column still which catch the condensate. Technically, each one of these plates can be considered a separate "distillation". So, a column still with 30 plates could legally claim to be "30X distilled)". Not that I have heard of any of them doing that. But no, running it through your column still more than once is not going to significantly improve the spirit. If you didn't get it right the first time, it's not going to get much better afterwards

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hikeonpast t1_j6a62z2 wrote

Disagree on both claims.

  1. Number of distillations absolutely makes a difference when it comes to high quality vodka. While you are absolutely correct that high reflux columns with lots of plates increases ABV (thus purity) of the resulting distillate, multiple distillation runs result in fewer cogeners in the final product, thus less discernible odor/flavor.

  2. Grain makes no difference in vodka if properly (multiply) distilled. You can make vodka from grain, potatos, rice, seaweed, grape juice - anything that can be fermented to produce ethanol. Vodka by definition has no discernible taste or smell. It is very very close to just ethanol and water.

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Antman013 t1_j6a7429 wrote

Don't argue with me . . . my opinion is informed by conversations with a PhD who happens to be the Master Blender for J.P. Wiser's in Windsor. Take it up with him.

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Mayor__Defacto t1_j6aemkw wrote

I think this guy is confusing a column/continuous still with a pot still. That’s all I can think of. There’s no point to recycling through a column still, while with a pot still you have to distill it multiple times purely to achieve the proper concentration.

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