Page 10 - Chase Case Study

The base alcohol is then mixed with water in a large copper

tank. It is heated with a steam jacket round the outside, till
alcohol rises as a vapour through Chase's 70ft tall copper

rectification column. By travelling up this column – twice –

the alcohol is distilled more than 100 times. Spaced up the

rectification tower are 42 bell shaped copper distillation
plates. When the vapour rises up and hits the underside of

the plate it condenses and drips off the edge. But vapours

are also passing up through the sides, and it re-evaporates

off those as well. Each time this is done a little more
impurity is left behind. In effect, if the process is repeated

then 119 quantifiable mini-distillations occur.

Distilled to 96.7 per cent ABV, the spirit is then held in tanks
for 10 days to let it "calm down" before it is tempered with

spring water from the farm's own bore well. This dilutes it to

a more palatable 40 per cent, and it is bottled on site.

If it's gin, it will be distilled again, vapours passing through

botanicals – carefully layered in a pillowcase – to impart just

the right flavour.

Distillation

Although Chase uses a unique hand-crafted copper batch

pot to produce vodka which makes for a laborious process,

it does nevertheless allow total control of the vodka making
process.

Moreover, Chase’s production process is founded on

growing, mashing, fermenting, striping, distilling and hand-

bottling its spirits on its own farm in Herefordshire.