Commission Regulation (EC) No 2870/2000Show full title

6. Procedure U.K.

Preliminary remark:

• Distillation may also be by the procedure published by IUPAC (1968).

6.1. Distillation apparatus verification. U.K.

The apparatus used must be capable of the following:

• The distillation of 200 ml of a water-alcohol solution with known concentration close to 50 % vol must not cause a loss of alcohol of more than 0,1 % vol.

6.2. Spirit drinks with alcoholic strength below 50 % vol. U.K.

Measure out 200 ml of the spirit into a volumetric flask.

Record the temperature of this liquid, or maintain at standard temperature (20 °C).

Pour the sample into the round-bottomed flask of the distillation apparatus and rinse the volumetric flask with three aliquots each of approximately 20 ml of distilled water. Add each rinse water aliquot to the contents of the distillation flask.

Note: U.K.

This 60-ml dilution is sufficient for spirits containing less than 250 g of dry extract per litre. Otherwise, to prevent pyrolysis, the volume of rinse water must be at least 70 ml if the dry extract concentration is 300 g/l, 85 ml for 400 g/l dry extract, and 100 ml for 500 g/l dry extract (some fruit liqueurs or crèmes). Adjust these volumes proportionally for different sample volumes. U.K.

Add a few anti-bumping granules (3.1) (and antifoam for crème liqueurs).

Pour 20 ml of distilled water into the original 200 ml volumetric flask that will be used to hold the distillate. This flask must then be placed in a cold water bath (4.1) (10 to 15 °C for aniseed-flavoured spirit drinks).

Distil, avoiding entrainment and charring, occasionally agitating the contents of the flask, until the level of distillate is a few millimetres below the calibration mark of the volumetric flask.

When the temperature of this distillate has been brought down to within 0,5 °C of the liquid's initial temperature, make up to the mark with distilled water and mix thoroughly.

This distillate is used for the determination of alcoholic strength by volume (Appendix II)

6.3. Spirit drinks with alcoholic strength above 50 % vol. U.K.

Measure out 100 ml of the spirit drink into a 100-ml volumetric flask and pour into the round bottomed flask of the distillation apparatus.

Rinse the volumetric flask several times with distilled water and add the washings to the contents of the round-bottomed distillation flask. Use enough water to bring the flask's contents up to approximately 230 ml.

Pour 20 ml of distilled water into a 200-ml volumetric flask that will be used to hold the distillate. This flask must then be placed in a cold water bath (4.1) (10 to 15 °C for aniseed-flavoured spirits).

Distil, agitating the contents occasionally, until the level of distillate is a few millimetres below the calibration mark of the 200-ml volumetric flask.

When the temperature of this distillate has been brought down to within 0,5 °C of the liquid's initial temperature, make up to the mark with distilled water and mix thoroughly.

This distillate is used for the determination of alcoholic strength by volume (Appendix II)

Note: U.K.

The alcoholic strength by volume of the spirit drink is twice the alcoholic strength of the distillate. U.K.