Can you recommend the best equipment for distillery production? 

By Lauton Rushford, Flow Product Marketing Manager at Endress+Hauser, and Ola Wesstrom, Food & Beverage Industry Marketing Manager at Endress+Hauser 

Modern distillery production depends on more than stills and barrels. To consistently produce spirits at the target alcohol concentration and quality, distillers need reliable, inline measurement of ethanol concentration (proof/ABV) throughout distillation, blending and preparation for bottling. 

One of the most effective ways to achieve this is with Coriolis flowmeters that measure mass flow, density and temperature simultaneously. Because ethanol concentration in ethanol–water mixtures is derived from density and temperature, accurate density measurement is the foundation of accurate proof determination. 

Endress+Hauser supports this requirement with Proline Promass Q and Proline Promass F Coriolis flowmeters, which can be used for demanding Food & Beverage applications and can calculate ethanol concentration directly in the instrument using validated alcoholometric models.  

In a traditional distillery, whiskey production begins with fermentation, producing a beer‑like liquid that contains ethanol mixed with water and other compounds. Distillation then concentrates the ethanol by separating it from water based on differences in physical properties. 

Although the still itself defines the character of the spirit, ethanol concentration must be monitored and controlled during and after distillation. Alcohol content is typically evaluated as alcohol by volume (ABV) or proof, especially before blending, dilution and bottling. 

Because ethanol concentration is not measured directly, but calculated from density and temperature, inline density measurement provides a practical way to monitor alcohol content during production without relying solely on grab samples or laboratory testing.

One clear trend stands out: the shift from manual, offline alcohol testing to inline measurement. 

Distillers are increasingly using inline instruments to: 

• Monitor ethanol concentration continuously instead of periodically 

• Reduce the time lag between process changes and corrective action 

• Minimize operator intervention and manual calculations 

Coriolis flowmeters can calculate concentration directly in the device using predefined, validated concentration functions, rather than relying on external tables or lab-only workflows.

This trend reflects a broader move toward real-time process visibility to support consistent quality, repeatable blending and efficient operations.

A Coriolis flowmeter measures mass flow by detecting how flowing fluid affects the vibration of one or more measuring tubes. From this same vibrating system, the flowmeter also determines: 

• Density (from changes in resonance)

• Temperature 

Because these values are measured directly, Coriolis flowmeters can calculate derived parameters, such as ethanol concentration, without additional sensors. 

With Endress+Hauser’s Coriolis flowmeters, these calculations are performed using built-in concentration functions that convert density into ethanol concentration based on established alcoholometric relationships, enabling inline quality measurement in distillery environments. 

For distillery applications focused on ethanol concentration and proof, Coriolis flowmeters offer several advantages: 

• Direct mass and density measurement in a single device 

• Inline calculation of ethanol concentration, including ABV and proof, without separate densitometers 

• Reduced reliance on laboratory sampling, which represents past process conditions rather than real-time operation 

• Stable, repeatable measurements suitable for blending, dilution and final preparation stages 

Within the Proline Promass portfolio, both Proline Promass Q and Proline Promass F support these capabilities.

For ethanol concentration and proof measurement, proper application and installation are essential—not just for flow accuracy, but for density accuracy. 

Key considerations include: 

• Maintaining a full pipe condition so density readings remain valid 

• Avoiding conditions that introduce entrained gas where possible, since gas can affect density measurements 

• Selecting the right flowmeter design for the process conditions 

Endress+Hauser addresses these challenging conditions with flowmeter-specific design features. For example, Proline Promass Q is optimized for liquids with entrained gas and process disturbances, using Multi‑Frequency Technology (MFT) to maintain stable density measurement under real process conditions. 

Correctly configuring Proline Promass Q and Proline Promass F flowmeters is critical. This enables ethanol concentration outputs referenced to standard conditions, such as ABV at 20 °C and proof at 60 °F, directly from the instrumentation. 

Accurate ethanol concentration measurement is central to distillery quality, consistency and efficiency. By moving this measurement inline—using Coriolis technology that directly measures density and temperature—distillers can gain real-time insight into proof, respond faster to process changes and simplify production workflows.

Endress+Hauser’s Proline Promass Coriolis flowmeters provide a reliable foundation for modern distillery production. 

To learn more about industrial instrumentation for distilleries or to speak with an Endress+Hauser expert, click here.