Trying to figure out if I can use sodium carbonate with my bubble plate reflux column.

[Still House]

Hi all;

I've been seeing where sodium carbonate is being introduced after a stripping run then a final run is done in a pot still. But I use a bubble plate (four of them) reflux column and its a one and done process, so I'm not sure how I would add the sodium carb if I don't do a stripping run. Not sure if I would have to add it to my final product and run the final product through again?

All thoughts and ideas are welcomed,

Thanks

[Silk City Distillers]

You can’t.  It’s not going to be possible to effectively hydrolyze esters in a reflux column.  The minute you separate the acid, it’s going to be free to react in what is an ideal environment for forming esters (in this case, reforming).

It’s possible that you change the ester composition of the final product though, whether that’s a positive or negative for flavor is anyones guess.