For many years, wine has been at the core of world culture. Distilled wine is a process in which the alcohol in wine is evaporated by heating and recondensed into a higher alcohol concentration. Unlike traditional wine making, the purpose of distillation is to extract and concentrate the alcohol content, which is usually used to produce wine spirits (such as brandy), etc. For beginners or winemakers engaged in wine making, it is crucial to understand the distillation equipment. This guide will explain how to make wine and the required distillation equipment to help winemakers make wine better.
Distilled wine is a wine that has been processed to increase the alcohol concentration. The alcohol in wine is produced through fermentation. Wine grapes are crushed to extract the juice, which winemakers call grape juice. Grape juice contains sugar, which is converted into alcohol when yeast is added.
However, when the alcohol concentration is too high, yeast cannot survive, which naturally limits the concentration of fermented wine. This is why you can’t find ordinary wine with an alcohol content of more than 16%. To make beverages with a higher alcohol content, the wine must be distilled.
The alcohol in wine is called ethanol, and it has a useful property: it has a lower boiling point than water. When wine is heated, the alcohol evaporates along with some other components, while the water remains in liquid form. Using a simple device, a distiller, we can separate the evaporated alcohol from the water. The result is distilled wine, which is much stronger than the original wine.
During the wine distillation process, not only ethanol is extracted. Other elements also enter the distillate: aromatic compounds, volatile acids, and congeners. These elements determine the aroma, taste, and mouthfeel of the final product.
Winemaking Process
Grape Crushing and Stemming
After grapes are picked, the next step is crushing. The purpose of crushing is to separate the grape skins from the juice and release the grape juice. Traditionally, crushing can be done by foot, but modern wineries generally use mechanical crushers for this step. For red wine, the grape skins are fermented with the juice to extract color and tannins; for white wine, the grape skins are usually removed and only the juice is retained for fermentation.
After crushing, destemming is also required. The purpose of destemming is to remove the stems of the grapes to prevent the bitter substances and unnecessary flavor components in them from entering the wine. Destemming can improve the taste and flavor of the wine, making the wine more refreshing and balanced.
発酵
Fermentation is one of the most critical stages in the winemaking process. In this process, the sugar in the grape juice is converted into alcohol and carbon dioxide by yeast, and other important flavor substances are produced. The temperature, time, and yeast selection of fermentation will have a profound impact on the flavor of the final wine.
- Red wine fermentation: Red wine is usually fermented with grape skins, which helps to extract pigments, tannins, and flavor substances in the grape skins. Fermentation of red wines is generally carried out at higher temperatures to accelerate the extraction of pigments and tannins.
- Fermentation of white wines: White wines are usually fermented at low temperatures to maintain the freshness and acidity of the wine. The grape skins are generally removed to ensure that the wine is clear and light in taste.
Pressing
After fermentation is complete, especially in the production of red wines, pressing is required. The purpose of pressing is to extract the remaining juice from the fermented grape skins to ensure maximum output of the wine. During the pressing process, winemakers need to be careful to avoid excessive pressing and the release of bitter components. For white wines, pressing is usually carried out before fermentation because it does not require the skins to ferment with the juice.
Aging and maturation
The aging and maturation process of wine is to place the wine in a container for further fermentation or standing to make the wine more rounded and complex. The length of this stage and the choice of container have a great impact on the flavor of the wine.
- Barrel aging: Many red wines and some high-end white wines are aged in oak barrels. Oak barrels can provide unique flavors to the wine, such as vanilla, smoke, and roasting, and the breathability of the barrels helps the wine oxidize and soften the tannins of the wine.
- Aging in stainless steel tanks: For white wines that need to maintain a fresh taste and fruity flavor, many winemakers choose stainless steel tanks for aging. Stainless steel containers can maintain the original flavor of the wine to the greatest extent.
Filtration and clarification
After aging, the wine is usually filtered and clarified. The purpose of this step is to remove solid particles, yeast precipitation, and other impurities in the wine to ensure the clarity and stability of the wine. Common filtering methods include the use of filter paper, activated carbon, or microporous filters.
Bottling and sales
The last step is to bottle the mature wine. After bottling, the wine may continue to mature, especially some high-end red wines, which usually need to be aged in the bottle for a long time. After the wine is bottled, it will go through a certain storage period until it reaches the best drinking state before it is put on the market.
蒸留ワインにはどのような醸造設備が必要ですか？
Crusher
Crush the destemmed grapes to separate the grape pulp from the juice. Crusher usually uses rotating drums or rollers to crush, ensuring that the juice can flow out smoothly while retaining the flavor of the grapes.
発酵設備
Modern wine production often uses stainless steel 発酵タンク, which have excellent sealing properties, can prevent oxidation, and maintain the pure taste of the wine. Stainless steel is also easy to clean and maintain.
プレス設備
- Vertical press: Usually used in the production of white wine, it squeezes the grapes through vertical pressure to extract the grape juice. The vertical press is usually designed as a cylindrical structure with a grid. After the grapes are pressed into the grid, the grape juice is squeezed out by applying pressure.
- Horizontal press: Commonly used in the production of red wine, it separates the grape juice from the grape skin through horizontal pressure and is suitable for mass production. Modern horizontal presses are usually equipped with hydraulic systems that can evenly and accurately control the pressure.
ディスティラー
- Pot: Usually made of stainless steel, copper, or other high-temperature and corrosion-resistant materials. The pot body needs to be able to heat the wine evenly, and at the same time have good sealing, so that the alcohol gas escapes.
- Heating source: Traditionally, the additional pot can be heated by open flame, steam, or electric heating element. Most modern additional heating equipment uses steam heating, which can more accurately control the temperature and directly avoid the series connection caused by heating.
- Steam: The alcohol evaporated from the pipeline will be transmitted to the condensation device through the steam pipeline. The design of the pipeline must prevent the alcohol vapor from being overcooled or leaking during the transmission process.
コンデンサー
The function of the condenser is to cool and liquefy the evaporated alcohol vapor. It is usually composed of a long tube or a serpentine tube, and cooling water flows between the two layers of the outer pipes to effectively reduce the temperature of the alcohol vapor and help it condense into liquid again.
Fracturing tower
The fractionator is a device for separating different components, especially for distillation processes that require the separation of different concentrations of alcohol. For distilled wine, the function of the fractionator is to accurately separate the alcohol component and remove other impurities such as water, sugar, and flavor substances. The fractionation tower is usually composed of multiple fractionation trays or pre-set towers. The alcohol vapor rises in the tower, gradually cools and stratifies, and finally collects alcohol of different concentrations through different outlets.
Distillation temperature control system
Temperature control during heating and cooling is crucial because the evaporation and fractionation of alcohol require a specific temperature range. The temperature control system usually includes temperature sensors, heating equipment, and cooling devices, which can accurately control the temperature control during heating and cooling.
フィルター
During the replenishment process, a small amount of wine, such as suspended matter, precipitation, and insoluble matter, may be taken out with the alcohol vapor, affecting the quality of the final wine. To ensure clarification and removal in the replenishment of wine, filters are required for treatment.
Storage and aging equipment
The distilled wine alcohol is generally not fermented directly but needs to be further stored, blended, or aged until it reaches the best flavor. At this time, use containers such as reserve barrels and oak barrels for aging to enhance the taste and layering of the alcohol.
How to choose wine distillation equipment?
Clarify the distillation goal and alcohol type
The selection of distillation equipment should first be determined based on the production goal. Different types of wine spirits (such as brandy, wine distilled spirits, etc.) have different requirements for the distillation process. If the goal is high-purity alcohol, it may be necessary to equip a multi-layer distillation tower and a high-precision distillation pot to ensure efficient removal of impurities. If the goal is to retain the flavor and aroma of the wine (such as brewing brandy), a traditional copper distiller may be a better choice because copper can remove harmful sulfides and retain the aroma of the wine.
Choose the right distillation pot material
蒸留釜の材質は蒸留効果に直接影響します。銅製の蒸留釜は、熱伝導性と化学反応性に優れているため、高級アルコールの蒸留によく使用される。効果的に硫化物を除去し、ワインの品質を向上させることができる。ステンレス製の蒸留釜は、耐食性が強く、耐久性と清潔性に優れているため、大規模生産に適している。生産規模や製品の位置づけによって、適切な素材を選択する必要がある。
Consider the production scale and equipment capacity
蒸留装置の容量は生産規模に応じて選択する。小規模で手作業で生産する醸造所では、生産工程を柔軟にコントロールするために容量の小さいスチル（50L～500L）を選択するのが適しています。大規模な醸造所や工業生産の場合は、効率的な生産のニーズを満たすために、より大きな容量のスチル（500L以上）が必要になる場合があります。適切な設備容量により、生産効率を効果的に向上させ、エネルギーの無駄を省くことができる。
Temperature control system and condenser design
蒸留プロセスには正確な温度管理が不可欠です。蒸留工程では、成分によって沸点が異なるため、アルコールと不純物の分離を確実にするためには、正確な温度管理が必要です。デジタル温度制御システムを備えた機器を選択すれば、スチルとコンデンサーの温度をリアルタイムで監視し、加熱パワーを自動的に調整することができます。さらに、凝縮器の設計も同様に重要です。凝縮効果はアルコール還流の効率を直接左右するので、凝縮性能に優れ、冷却システムが完備された装置を選ぶ必要があります。
Equipment cleaning and maintenance convenience
機器の洗浄とメンテナンスは、長期使用における重要な要素です。分解や洗浄が容易な機器を選ぶことで、メンテナンスの難易度を下げ、ワインの品質に影響を与える不純物の蓄積を避けることができる。銅製の器具は洗浄に特別な注意が必要だが、ステンレス製の器具は通常、耐久性に優れ、洗浄も簡単だ。加えて、機器の耐食性も重要な考慮点です。長期間使用しても錆びにくく、劣化しにくい機器は、メンテナンスコストを大幅に削減できる。
Budget and return on investment
蒸留装置によって価格差は大きい。選ぶときは予算に応じて合理的に決める必要がある。高級銅製蒸留釜は通常より高価ですが、ワインの香りをよりよく保持でき、高品質のワイン生産に適しています。ステンレス製の機器は比較的安価で、大規模生産に適している。設備を選ぶ際には、エネルギー消費量やメンテナンス費用など、長期的な運転コストも考慮し、設備投資が相応のリターンを得られるようにする必要がある。
Supplier and after-sales service
最後に、評判の良い機器サプライヤーを選ぶことが非常に重要です。良いサプライヤーは、高品質の機器を提供するだけでなく、タイムリーな技術サポートとアフターサービスを提供します。選ぶ際には、他の醸造所の評価を参考にして、設備の安定性とサプライヤーのサービス品質を理解することができます。アフターサービスが充実していれば、生産中断を避けるため、使用中の設備の問題を迅速に解決することができます。