Distillation makes spirits far stronger than wine or beer by exploiting a simple physics fact.
What is it?
Alcohol boils at a lower temperature than water ✓
Alcohol freezes first
Alcohol is heavier than water
Alcohol boils at a lower temperature than water Ethanol boils at ~78°C, below water's 100°C, so heating vaporizes alcohol first to collect. (Alcohol is actually lighter than water.)