Vodka Distillery and Infusion

A still is used to heat fermented starches and produce a high-proof “shine.” The shine is then diluted with water or flavor additives. Contemporary vodka manufacturers use a time-intensive batch process to infuse their product with flavor.To develop a rapid infusion process for the liquor, this project uses vacuum distillation to obtain the high-proof shine, which requires less energy to evaporate ethyl alcohol. Impurities, such as methyl alcohol, are also easier to separate from the mixture with this method, unlike with column distillation, in which impurities are on the top tray and tend to decrease the purity and flavor of vodka. Another positive aspect of vacuum distillation is the higher recovery of ethyl alcohol from the fermented mash –above 98 percent, which is higher than column distillation’s 92-96 percent recovery rate. The infusion process is based on a packed bed reactor in which vodka flows through a pipe full of fruit that gives the desired flavor. Typically, the infusion process is done in a vessel full of fruit, and then low-proof vodka is added and left for days until the desired flavor is achieved. A packed bed reactor process can take less time and uses high-proof vodka to accelerate infusion. The new process will reduce water and electricity usage, and re-purpose or recycle depleted feed-stocks to address sustainability concerns.