Outline

The tabletop vacuum distillation unit from UZUMA Heavy Industries is a completely new distillation device, designed to achieve ultra-small batch, high-quality distillation. By creating a vacuum inside the boiler, the boiling point is lowered, allowing distillation/concentration at low temperatures without causing heat damage to the ingredients. Its ultra-compact design makes it easy to operate on a bar or restaurant counter. The distillation process is beautifully illuminated, providing guests with a truly unique experience.

■Product Enclosures

・Tabletop Vacuum Distillation Unit
・Distilled water collection bottle
・Electric vacuum pump (100V)
・Compact induction cooker (100V)
・Transformer 110V type
・Tubing (5m)
・Water faucet connection fitting (for φ14-20 faucet diameter)
・Spare parts
　Vacuum gauge (1 set)
　Distilled water collection bottle (3 sets)
　Rubber seal(3 sets)

■Specification

・Dimensions: Φ120 x 350mm
・Boiler Capacity: 1800ml
・Max Batch Size: 900ml
・Heating Method: Induction Cooker
・Cooling Method: Tap Water Cooling
・Vacuum Method: Diaphragm Vacuum Pump (available in 100V)
・Vacuum Level: Minimum 7kPa
・Distillation Temperature: Minimum 40°C (for water)
・Distillation Speed: 15 minutes per 100ml (for water)

■Distillation System Configuration

The vacuum distillation unit consists of the tabletop vacuum distillation device itself, an induction heater (sold separately), a distillate collection bottle, and a vacuum pump. Each component is connected by flexible resin tubes, allowing users to adjust the layout according to their shop's design. By modifying the tube lengths, the arrangement of the units can be easily customized.

Both the distillation unit and collection bottle occupy only an A4-sized footprint, making them ideal for placement on bar counters. The compact vacuum pump can be neatly hidden behind the counter, keeping the setup streamlined. The connectors for the tubing feature high-quality, Japanese-made quick-connect fittings, ensuring airtight seals with easy attachment and detachment for anyone. Unlike all-glass distillation setups, there’s no risk of breakage when attaching or removing parts.

With these features, the unit can be stored when not in use and can even be transported for guest shifts. The setup time is only about five minutes, allowing for quick and easy vacuum distillation anytime.

■Distillation/concentration operations at low temperatures with minimal thermal damage to materials

The key feature of this distillation unit is its ability to perform vacuum distillation and concentration. This capability allows distillation and concentration at temperatures below 40°C, minimizing heat damage to heat-sensitive materials. As a result, it preserves the natural aromas and flavors of the ingredients, such as fruits, herbs, and petals, making it ideal for crafting delicate, high-quality products.

There is a direct relationship between pressure and the boiling point of liquids. As pressure decreases, the boiling point lowers as well. This vacuum distillation unit uses a vacuum pump to reduce the pressure inside the boiler to around 7 kPa, allowing water to boil at approximately 40°C—roughly the same as a warm summer day.

Because of this, you can distill or concentrate delicate and fresh ingredients like fruits, herbs, and flowers without losing their vibrant, natural aromas. Now, let's take a look at some real-life usage examples!

■Create aromatic distilled water/botanical spirits with minimal heat damage

By placing any ingredient and water into the vacuum distiller, you can create concentrated aromatic distilled water. Thanks to the low temperature of 40°C, the aroma is preserved without being compromised, delivering a far superior quality compared to atmospheric distillation. The aromatic water produced through this process contains no alcohol or sugars, allowing you to add pure fragrance to your target product. This makes it ideal for non-alcoholic or low-alcohol beverages, pastries, traditional Japanese sweets, or various dishes across many culinary fields.

Additionally, the boiler has a dual-layer structure, allowing for vapor infusion (also known as steam distillation) by placing ingredients in the upper chamber. This enables you to delicately extract the natural aroma from the material.

For distilleries with a distillation license or households in countries where home distillation is permitted, you can create high-quality botanical spirits by combining botanicals with alcohol. Simply add vodka, fruits, herbs, and spices to the boiler, distill them, and you'll obtain a new botanical spirit with rich aromas. For example, using juniper berries will yield gin, while a combination of wormwood and anise will produce absinthe. Since the distillation process occurs without excessive heat, the result is a beautifully smooth flavor. This unit is perfect not only for small-scale experimental distillations in distilleries but also for producing original spirits and bitters in bars.

■Create concentrated syrups with less heat damage

By placing water, fruits or herbs, and sugar into the vacuum distiller, you can create aromatic distilled water while simultaneously reducing the ingredients inside the distiller, resulting in the creation of syrup. Since this reduction process is also carried out at a low temperature of 40°C, the freshness of the ingredients is preserved. For example, by simmering citrus, spices, water, and sugar, you can create a fresh cola syrup. You can also make chai syrup or tonic syrup by adjusting the ingredients. For simple fruit syrups like strawberry or watermelon, you can blend the fruit and concentrate it into a vibrant, fresh syrup.

One unique feature of this process is that it simultaneously produces aromatic distilled water. For instance, when making cola syrup, you also obtain cola-flavored aromatic distilled water. This water carries a delightful, fresh aroma, and you can spray it onto cocktails made with the syrup for an added burst of fragrance.

This device is also being utilized in restaurants for concentrating broth. By reducing the broth without applying heat, you can enhance the flavor while preserving its delicate characteristics, which is particularly useful for first-extraction broths that require careful handling of their subtle flavors.

■Create compotes with less heat damage

When making concentrated syrup with fruits, I noticed that the syrup gets absorbed into the fruit’s flesh. This is exactly like making compote, but since no heat is applied, the result is a “vacuum-compote” with vibrant colors, fresh aromas, and the original texture of the fruit perfectly preserved.

During vacuum concentration, the fruit’s essence and syrup merge seamlessly, and when the pressure is released from a vacuum back to atmospheric pressure, the syrup is quickly absorbed into the fruit. This rapid cooking process, driven by the vacuum-to-atmosphere shift, is one of the key features of the vacuum distillation system, allowing the creation of compote in a much shorter time.

■Design Concept and Feat

As of 2024, the most commonly used vacuum distillation equipment in bars and restaurants is the rotary evaporator. However, rotary evaporators are designed primarily for concentration in chemical laboratories, and when applied to bar or restaurant preparation, or in distillery experiments, various inconveniences arise.

In contrast, UZUMA Heavy Industries’ tabletop vacuum distiller is an entirely new vacuum distillation device. It is based on vacuum distillation equipment used in the production of shochu and gin but has been miniaturized by incorporating feedback from bartenders. This distinct design offers numerous advantages for vacuum distillation in bars, restaurants, and distilleries.

■Tasting and mid-cut during reduced-pressure distillation possible

The key to a successful distillation lies in the "cutting" process. This refers to the decision of which portion of the distillate to keep as the final product, a decision that greatly impacts the quality of botanical spirits and distilled water. For example, when distilling strawberries, strong aromas are often released early in the process, while the intensity declines sharply in the middle. If the entire batch is mixed together, the result will have a weak, diluted aroma. However, by carefully selecting (cutting) only the strongest parts based on tasting, higher-quality aromatic water can be produced.

To make the best cuts, it is essential to sample the distillate during the process and check its flavor. However, rotary evaporators do not allow for sampling of the distillate while distillation is ongoing. In contrast, UZUMA Heavy Industries' tabletop vacuum distillation system allows users to extract distillate during the vacuum process for tasting and aroma inspection. This enables a precision middle cut based on real-time tasting.

The distillate can be collected by operating the valve on the collection bottle without interrupting the vacuum boiling process in the boiler. This feature allows users to fully pursue the highest possible quality of distilled water and botanical spirits. It is also perfectly suited for experimental distillations of gin and absinthe in distilleries.

■High cleanability

After use, all parts of the boiler can be fully washed with a sponge and detergent, and they are also dishwasher safe. The glass boiler is designed with a sturdy 5mm thickness, making it resistant to breakage, and unlike traditional flasks, it is easy to clean thoroughly by hand, even on the inside.

The condenser, where steam passes through, can be easily cleaned with water flushing and chemical cleaning, similar to cleaning a beer server. When distilling materials with strong odors, the condenser can be deodorized by soaking it with citric acid water or bleach to remove any residual smells. This ensures that the equipment remains fresh and odor-free for subsequent uses.

■Design for bar counter

The main body of the distiller and the distillate collection bottle have a footprint equivalent to A4 size, allowing for installation on a bar counter for distillation. The operation noise of the electric vacuum pump is minimal, kept at a level that is imperceptible in a setting where background music is playing.

Additionally, due to the nature of vacuum distillation, the equipment does not become hot, making it safe to touch even if done directly. The boiler is equipped with a 4mm thick acrylic safety cover, which prevents any shards from scattering in the event of glass breakage due to pressure changes, ensuring safety.

The internal distillation process is visible from the side, and the inside of the boiler is illuminated by lighting. This design allows guests to enjoy the process of vacuum distillation.

One of the beauties of Japanese bar culture lies in the ability to create drinks made to order right before the guests' eyes. Therefore, it is the background of the design that distillation in a bar should also be an experience for guests to enjoy as part of the process. I believe it would be delightful if the vacuum distiller at the bar counter sparks new conversations about the beverages and the techniques used to create them.

■Easy Operation

Heating is done using an induction heater, while vacuum is maintained with a compact vacuum pump, and cooling is provided by tap water (or ice water, depending on the situation). The only setting required is the power level of the induction heater, making it very simple to operate.

Unlike rotary evaporators, which require control of numerous parameters, there’s no need for large cooling water circulation systems or vacuum pumps. The perforated metal inside the boiler helps suppress bumping during the distillation process.

■Removal of sulfur compounds through the use of copper materials

The boiler lid and the cooling coil of the condenser are made from copper, traditionally used in alembic distillers. When steam comes into contact with copper, it helps adsorb off-flavors derived from sulfur compounds, resulting in a cleaner aroma. Additionally, copper has an extremely high thermal conductivity, playing a crucial role in enhancing the cooling efficiency of the condenser.

■Easy disassembly and assembly

High-quality quick-connect fittings are used to connect each unit. They allow for very easy attachment and detachment without any risk of air leaks. This makes it convenient to remove the tubes for storage when not in use or to transport them for guest shifts. The entire setup, including the induction heater and vacuum pump, is compact enough to fit into a travel suitcase.

◆How to Use

https://www.uzmlab.com/UD/MVD08/how-to-use

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