Alcohol Distillation and Its Role in Folk Medicine

Distillation may be best known for producing alcoholic beverages, but it has many other applications on a homestead – from creating herbal tinctures to fuel production and fruit preservation.

Alcohol has long been used as an integral component of life. From providing nutrition and calories, trading commodity, medicine, analgesia, social lubricant to religious rituals – alcohol has served many purposes throughout its history.

This article takes an interesting approach to alcohol distillation by exploring its cultural importance throughout history and how the distillation process has progressed, along with how it affects drinkers’ experiences. Furthermore, they discuss how distillation can also produce various beneficial chemicals for medicinal use, from biofuel to agrochemicals.

Distillation dates back to ancient Greece. Ancient breweries and distilleries were often run by women who used their spirits for medicinal use as well as selling them, since many considered alcohol healthier than water.

Distillation allows distillers to isolate various chemical compounds, including aldehydes, ketones and esters. Their presence determines the flavor of distilled products such as those made with apples and lemons smelling of apples and citrus while those crafted from strawberries and vanilla may possess more floral notes.