All terms
Distillery glossary
Congeners
Congeners are the flavor and aroma compounds, including esters, acids, aldehydes, and fusel oils, produced during fermentation and distillation. They give a spirit its character beyond pure ethanol.
The distiller's cut between heads, hearts, and tails is largely a decision about which congeners to keep. Pot stills retain more congeners than column stills, producing heavier spirits. Fermentation conditions, yeast, and mashbill all influence the congener profile carried into the barrel.
Related
See your distillery in Spirit Sight
Book a walkthrough with our team. We’ll show your operation - barrels, TTB, and the books - in one place.
Schedule a Demo