Neutral Spirits Only

Neutral spirit types of alcohol need filtering and are most often produced in a continuous still.  The purpose of a pot still is to bring the flavors over to the resulting liquid.  Any flavoring to neutral spirits is is infused in a “Gin Box” right before the steamed vapor is condensed, or it is added (infused) to already distilled spirits.

Neutral alcohol has little or no sediments after being distilled because the sediments are too heavy to become airborne and reach the condenser.  What needs to be filtered is the undesirable oils that are as light as alcohol.

Alcohol filtering with  carbon will clean the spirit or ” polish” the spirit by removing impurities. The impurities are what cause a harsh taste and smell. After alcohol carbon filtering the alcohol will be a smooth clean pure product.  High end vodkas are filtered with activated carbon many times to get the pure clean neutral spirit that wins awards.

To see how effective charcoal is a absorbing unwanted particles and oils, put a charcoal stick into a glass of filtered water.  Stir it around then let it sit for 15 minutes.  Then taste the water.

Carbon is made from stone, ignite, coconut, and peat.

Peat has no macros and almost all micro pores (780 sq meters surface area per gram). It is easy to stop up.

Stone carbon (450 sq meters per gram) pores are .4 to .85 nano meters. This has a good balance of macro, a lot of meso pores, and very much of micro pores. The size is great for trapping fusil oils.

Ignite is very similar to stone but not as good. Coconut only has micro pores.

Commercial distributors will mix the different types of carbons to produce a quality activated carbon.