======Ethanol Purification by Distillation======


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**Alternative titles:** Simple Distillation of Fermentation Mixture
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====Summary====                   
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====Procedure====  
  -[[demonstrations:yeast_fermentation|Ferment]] sugar with yeast until the fermentation stops or after 1 week.
  -Filter the fermentation mixture to remove solids and measure about 50 mL into a round-bottom flask.  
  -Add a few boiling chips to the flask to ensure smooth boiling.  
  -Assemble a simple distillation apparatus with a condenser and receiver flask; connect the condenser tubing to a steady water supply.  
  -Position a thermometer so that the bulb is just below the side arm of the still head.  
  -Turn on the condenser water and begin heating the flask gently with a heating mantle.  
  -When vapors reach the condenser and liquid begins to drip into the receiver, collect the distillate.  
  -Record the temperature at which distillation occurs and continue collecting until the temperature rises above the boiling point of ethanol.  
  -Separate the distillate into small fractions.  
  -In a darkened lab, place a small amount of each fraction onto a heat-proof mat.  
  -With supervision, carefully attempt to ignite the fraction using a lighter or splint. Fractions containing ethanol should burn with a pale blue flame.  




====Links==== 
Simple Distillation - Professor Dave Explains: 
{{youtube>cw-Wc_KjHgc?}}\\

📄 Alcohol: Production by Fermentation and Distillation - Indiana University: [[https://iu.pressbooks.pub/iuegenchemlabs/chapter/alcohol-production-by-fermentation-and-distillation/]]\\

====Variations====
  *Compare fractions distilled at different temperatures to see which contain more ethanol.  
  *Use a hydrometer or density measurements instead of ignition tests to quantify ethanol concentration.  
  *Test different fermentation mixtures (e.g., sugar, honey, fruit juice) to compare ethanol yields.



====Safety Precautions====
  *Ethanol is flammable—keep flames away from the distillation apparatus.  
  *Do not seal the distillation system; pressure buildup could cause explosion.  
  *Use heat-proof mats and ignition tests only under close supervision in a well-ventilated space.  
  *Wear safety goggles, gloves, and a lab coat.  
  *Waft vapors instead of smelling directly.  
  *Dispose of waste fractions down the sink with plenty of water.




====Questions to Consider====
  *Why does ethanol distill before water? (It has a lower boiling point and higher volatility.)  
  *How does the distillation process purify ethanol from the fermentation mixture? (It separates based on differences in boiling points.)  
  *Why should boiling chips be used in distillation? (They promote smooth boiling and prevent bumping.)  
  *What does observing a blue flame indicate about a fraction? (That ethanol is present in a flammable concentration.)  
  *Why is ethanol concentration from fermentation limited to ~12%? (Yeast cannot survive at higher ethanol levels.)