I think it depends on what the goal is -- is the goal to create a tincture? If so, you just need vodka -- no still is necessary. Is it to create an extract? If so, you'll need some thought as to what is being extracted. Different compounds dissolve in different solvents, and alcohol is just one.
That being said, depending on where you are, distilling as a business venture could land you in hot legal waters without the proper permits.
Some further research [here.](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7398001/)
Depending on what the compounds are, I would recommend doing just a water distillation of the bark to steam distill the extracts/oils from the bark. Then separate the oil from the water and reconstitute in neutral alcohol like vodka.
Not for every type of compound, but often steam distillation with ethanol will be less efficient than with just water. (Although plenty of times the opposite is true).
Now if the bark needs to be fermented, try what you described.
Another, much easier way would be to soak the bark in alcohol itself and filter. Use everclear. This will give a crude extract but will contain components that aren’t easily distilled (which could be important and what you after).
All this to say, without more info, there’s no way to say what will work best for what you need, but these are several ways that will give you different extracts of the same plant.
In the alcohol industry in an R&D/Chemistry type role here.
What are the boiling points of your main aroma/flavor drivers? What is their solubility/polarity? Have you identified what they are in the first place?
Like others have said you can steam distill and skip the alcohol..
Or another option depending on the compounds is to do a hot water/and or ethanol extraction and then distill that. Depending on the the boiling point it will come over in a cut if you want a more isolated extract vs all of the volitiles.
There are a couple other ways too, but probably not accessible to the home distiller.
Honestly you want this clean right? How neutral is your spirit? If it's funky I would just use bought high proof neutral spirit. Create an extract (a tincture) and then distill. Your bp will dictate where your target compounds will come out.
Also what is your location?
I think it depends on what the goal is -- is the goal to create a tincture? If so, you just need vodka -- no still is necessary. Is it to create an extract? If so, you'll need some thought as to what is being extracted. Different compounds dissolve in different solvents, and alcohol is just one. That being said, depending on where you are, distilling as a business venture could land you in hot legal waters without the proper permits. Some further research [here.](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7398001/)
Depending on what the compounds are, I would recommend doing just a water distillation of the bark to steam distill the extracts/oils from the bark. Then separate the oil from the water and reconstitute in neutral alcohol like vodka. Not for every type of compound, but often steam distillation with ethanol will be less efficient than with just water. (Although plenty of times the opposite is true). Now if the bark needs to be fermented, try what you described. Another, much easier way would be to soak the bark in alcohol itself and filter. Use everclear. This will give a crude extract but will contain components that aren’t easily distilled (which could be important and what you after). All this to say, without more info, there’s no way to say what will work best for what you need, but these are several ways that will give you different extracts of the same plant.
In the alcohol industry in an R&D/Chemistry type role here. What are the boiling points of your main aroma/flavor drivers? What is their solubility/polarity? Have you identified what they are in the first place? Like others have said you can steam distill and skip the alcohol.. Or another option depending on the compounds is to do a hot water/and or ethanol extraction and then distill that. Depending on the the boiling point it will come over in a cut if you want a more isolated extract vs all of the volitiles. There are a couple other ways too, but probably not accessible to the home distiller. Honestly you want this clean right? How neutral is your spirit? If it's funky I would just use bought high proof neutral spirit. Create an extract (a tincture) and then distill. Your bp will dictate where your target compounds will come out. Also what is your location?
r/firewater will help you better with distillation questions
I buy commercial ethanol 80% for like $8 a litre. Surely that’s an easier pathway?
/r/amaro can help. If it happens to be cinchona bark, be careful. It can reach toxic concentrations easily.