Matt Giwer wrote:

> Dick Adams wrote:
>
>> RichD > wrote:
>>
>>> ...
>>> Anybody have any ideas when/where/how distillation
>>> was invented/discovered? What are the earliest records?
>>
>>
>> You can read http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Distillation
>> But Wikipedia is highly suspect, at least to me.
>>
>> While some crude forms of distillation may have existed
>> before 1200, the stills probably couldn't get the ABV much higher than
>> 25% to 30%. We know that, with tender loving care, you can get
>> fermentations without distillation to
>> from 20% to 25% ABV.
>>
>> Brandy which is distilled wine (~40% ABV) was available, at least in
>> northern France, in the late 1100's.
>>
>> I suspect the Scots were the first to run stills that
>> reached 40% ABV and were probably the first to use
>> double distillation to reach 80%+ ABV.
>
>
> I have come across a mention that indicates the Romans had it but
> not very efficient and did not catch on. It all depends on the equipment.
>
> Reportedly the pot still was perfected in Islam and there came to be
> used in alchemy for extracting essences from every thing as in perfumes.
> The next improvement would be the coil condenser.

What appears to be an alembic set-up was found in a "perfume
factory" at Pyrgos, Cyprus. It is dated to the early 2nd
millenium BC.

<http://en.museicapitolini.org/mostre_ed_eventi/mostre/i_profumi_di_afrodite_e_il_segreto_dell_olio/galleria_di_opere/(img)/1>

> Clearly freeze separation would have been known in any climate cold
> enough to have freezing temperatures.