• Large flask-500 milliliters or larger.
• Receiving flask-no less than 250 milliliters, preferably 500 milliliters.
• Rubber or waxed cork stoppers for flasks.
• Three feet of silicon rubber tubing or glass tube.
• Two pieces of glass tubing, each approximately one inch long.
• Container for cold water, no less than two inches deep.
• Asbestos screen or sand bath.
• Heat source, such as a kitchen stove.
• Water source and/or ice.
• Large siphon or turkey baster to remove water from container as it warms.
Distillation is a very simple and easy process. It is, however, time consuming, depending on the volume of fluid you are working with. To assist in your understanding of the process involved, keep the diagram of the distillation setup in front of you as you read these instructions, and take the time to copy it into your notebook.
• Remember: Safety first! Make sure your work area is stable and will not be disturbed while in use.
• Alcohol burns at a low temperature and is easily extinguished by smothering with baking soda or a large wet towel. Keep one or both of these handy in case of an accident, and above all, don't panic. Every alchemist has at least one explosion at some point in his or her laboratory career, and you will most likely have one as well.
• Do not leave your distillation unattended when it is running.
• Work alone. Make sure your space is free from animals, children, and prying eyes, and turn off other disturbances such as telephones and pagers.
1. Read all directions several times prior to undertaking the experiment. Be sure that you clearly understand each step. Remember: Safety first!
2. Fill the large flask about one-third of the way with several ounces of red wine. You may want to measure the amount of wine first so that you can get a rough estimate of how much will be distilled off as the process begins.
3. Connect both ends of the rubber tubing to the small pieces of glass tubing.
4. Insert both ends of the tubing into the rubber or cork stopper. The stoppers may have holes already drilled in them, or you may have to make the holes yourself with a hand drill.
5. Stopper the large flask containing the red wine.
6. Stopper the receiving flask.
7. Place an asbestos screen on your gas range, and put your large flask on top of it. If you do not have an asbestos screen, you can use a small Pyrex or terra cotta plate filled with clean sand instead. After repeated use, the terra cotta will weaken and break, so watch for cracks. The sand absorbs and distributes the heat so that the flask does not take a direct flame; it also allows for an even distribution of a gentler heat across the bottom surface of the liquid.
8. Place your receiving flask in a secure position opposite the large flask, and immerse the rubber tubing in the water basin. The water should be cold, or at least cool. You can add ice if needed, and non-melting ice packs can also be used.
9. Turn the heat on beneath your large flask. After several minutes, you may see a white vapor in the upper part of the flask. If the liquid should start to form small bubbles on the surface, it has begun to boil and the heat must be turned back immediately.
10. Check your receiving flask to see if any distillate has been collected. If you do not see drops of liquid falling into it, shake it gently to see if any have been collected, as they can be so clear that they may be initially missed until sufficient volume is built up.
11. Continue this until you have collected an amount of fluid slightly less than you have estimated as the amount you expect to recoup.
12. Alcohol boils at a lower temperature than water; thus, the surface of the liquid should not be allowed to boil, as this means water is going over with the alcohol.
13. After you have collected your alcohol, allow your equipment to cool. Clean it with strong soap and water and let it dry.
14. Repeat this operation until you have 4 to 8 ounces, or enough alcohol to make a tincture.
15. Once you have collected your alcohol, place it in the large flask and purify it by distilling it six more times, for a total of seven distillations.
It is impossible to make absolutely pure alcohol using this method. While the product will be very pure, possibly 90 percent (180 proof) or better, there is an additional operation that you will undertake to decrease the amount of water mixed with the alcohol, thereby sharpening it.
1. Place your alcohol in a jar or flask that can be tightly sealed.
2. Grind several grams of potassium carbonate and place it on a cookie sheet or pie tin in the oven for several minutes to dry out.
3. Once it is dry, open the vessel containing your alcohol and quickly pour it in, using a funnel. Avoid making contact with the powder or breathing it, as it is caustic.
4. Seal the vessel tightly and let it sit overnight.
5. Distill off the alcohol.
The process of repeated distillation is critical in the making of alcohol used in spagyric products. As the vapor rises, it is highly susceptible to psychic influence and is highly charged by the environment, the attitude of the alchemist, and the astral influences of the planetary hours. Repeated separation and recombination creates a menstruum that is very sharp or acute, that is, capable of penetrating the herb and extracting its sulphur. The benefits derived from this additional work will only be obvious to an experienced alchemist, someone who has realized the healing and spiritualizing value of the simple experiments given earlier and seeks to enhance them.
The process of distillation works the same regardless of which tools you choose to use. The laboratory glassware listed below will make the process easier and faster but will not alter the process. This brings up an important point: when examining old alchemical manuscripts and engravings, seek to understand the function of the tools, and then you will understand the process. In distillation, the function of a rubber tube or glass fractionating column is the same: to provide a surface for vapor to come into contact with a cooling agent (water or ice) so that it can condense into liquid. Prior to the widespread use of distillation equipment, or in the absence of running water, alchemists used a device known as a retort. A retort is a round-bottomed flask that has an opening in the top, which is closed with a glass stopper when in use, and has a long glass tube or neck running off the top at a downward angle. The length of the attached glass tube acts in the same manner as the rubber tubing or cooling column, only instead of water, air temperature is used, which produces a slower cooling cycle.
• Large flask-500 milliliters or larger.
• Receiving flask-no less than 250 milliliters, preferably 500 milliliters.
• Fractionating column (glass).
• Thermometer.
• Condenser (glass).
• Receiver adapter.
• Heat source.
• Water source.
• Two metal stands and clips to hold glassware in place when in use.
You can obtain the above laboratory setup new or used inexpensively from several reputable supply houses, as well as from Internet sources such as eBay and LabEx, with costs ranging from $75 to $150. You must exercise caution in purchasing used equipment, as toxic residue may be present and may contaminate your products, making them unusable. If you purchase secondhand equipment, be absolutely positive how it was used and cleaned prior to sale and shipment.