A
still is a tool used to
distill miscible liquids by heating and then cooling. It has been used to produce
perfume and
medicine and, most famously, to produce
distilled beverages containing
alcohol.
History
Main article: distilled beverages
Distillation was developed circa 800
A.D. by the
Arab-Yemeni (
Iranian-born)
alchemist Jabir ibn Hayyan, who also invented numerous other now-basic chemical apparatus and processes which are still in use today.
Since alcohol
boils at a lower temperature than
water, the result is a strong alcoholic drink. Usually a still is made of
copper, as it does not give taste to the drink, resists
acid, and conducts
heat.
See also
fr:Alambic
Category:Distillation