Really weird precipitation!

[Elite Engineer]

So I read about the various nonpolar aromatics present in whiskey and decided I would try to separate them out (I was bored). I measured 2 mL of Jefferson creek whiskey and 3 mL of xylene into a vial, mixed and then centrifuged for 5 minutes. When I looked at the vial, there was the organic phase on top, relatively clear and then below that was a solid white precipitate, with a color exactly like egg whites. Below the white precipitate was the aqueous phase, consisting of a brown, clear liquid from the whiskey. When I pipitetted the white liquid out and mixed it with xylene, I found it was NOT miscible with the xylene and was therefore hydrophilic. I really have no idea what this was, any ideas?

 

p.s.- I currently do not have a camera nor smart phone so i can post a picture. If I do in the near future I will!

 

~ee

Edited April 30, 2015 by Elite Engineer

[John Cuthber]

Sounds like an emulsion to me.

[Elite Engineer]

Sounds like an emulsion to me.

Good point.But wouldn't an emulsion usually happen with amphipathic compounds?

[John Cuthber]

If you have a look here you can see what the analysis of whiskey shows you about how complicated it is.

http://www.chromatographyonline.com/advances-ageing-chemistry-distilled-spirits-matured-oak-barrels-0?id=&sk=&date=&%0A%09%09%09&pageID=2

Why would you think that none of those compounds is amphiphilic?

[Elite Engineer]

If you have a look here you can see what the analysis of whiskey shows you about how complicated it is.

http://www.chromatographyonline.com/advances-ageing-chemistry-distilled-spirits-matured-oak-barrels-0?id=&sk=&date=&%0A%09%09%09&pageID=2

Why would you think that none of those compounds is amphiphilic?

Wow, very nice, thanks that was very helpful!