Rectified spirit

Farm alcohol, also ethyl alcohol of agricultural origin, refers to high-proof alcohol (ethanol ), which was obtained by alcoholic fermentation of generated in agriculture sugar -or starch -containing raw materials such as fruit, grain, sugar beets, sugar cane or potatoes and then firing the mash. This agricultural alcohol is purified and taxed in Germany by the Federal Monopoly Administration; his name is then neutral alcohol or sprit. It is used in the pharmaceutical, cosmetics and food production. Synthetically produced from oil derivative ethene alcohol and alcohol from non-agricultural raw materials ( ex. cellulosic ethanol ) may not be used for this.

Unlike spirits such as grain and fruit spirits neutral alcohol is tasteless and odorless and has no sensory properties of the starting materials.

As fuel monopoly, or monopoly alcohol, referred to generally untaxed and purified alcohol of agricultural origin. It is used in the further processing in the production of liqueurs and is therefore subject to the Branntweinverordung that to § 233 of the distillery order subject to customs supervision pursuant to § 231 and is taxed and is permitted only with special permission of fiscal supervision.

Should alcohol be issued untaxed agricultural and processed for technical purposes, it must first be made ​​inedible by denaturing ( denatured ethanol, see methylated spirits ).

Use

Agricultural alcohol can be used both for further processing in the food industry to spirits such as vodka, gin and liqueurs and spirits and vinegar flavors, as well as in the manufacture of pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, detergents, disinfectants, antifreeze, paint or varnish. The conservation, landscape and habitat maintenance of numerous orchards succeed today often only through the purchase guarantee of the Federal Monopoly, which decreases the alcohol of many rural small businesses and sideline distilleries that these distill from orchards (where they can not market fruit brandy, grain spirit or potato spirit ).

With gasoline or ETBE denatured alcohol of agricultural origin ( biogenic produced ethanol) can be used as a petrol substitute and high-octane gasoline. In this form of agricultural alcohol is usually referred to as bioethanol. From the quantity produced biogenic ethanol produced about 50 % are produced in Germany as a neutral alcohol for beverages and food, and for other technical purposes and about 50 % for use as fuel ethanol. Worldwide, the ratio is about 35 % to 65%.