It is dangerous to ferment and distil hard aplle cider ?

Information about fruit/vegetable type washes.

Moderator: Site Moderator

Post Reply
antiangelnow
Novice
Posts: 1
Joined: Sun Feb 24, 2013 4:46 am

It is dangerous to ferment and distil hard aplle cider ?

Post by antiangelnow »

Greetings
Could anyone answer me this :
I was wondering why it is more dangerous to distil fermented apple cider witch may contain methanol or formaldehyde, if you are able to separate these products during a distilation ?because some of these undesirable products may be still left in distilate ? If so how to get rid of pectins in apple juice to stop methanol and its byproducts from appearing in hard cider ? thank you for answers in advance this is really bothering me alot
Dan P.
Distiller
Posts: 1085
Joined: Thu Jul 29, 2010 7:24 am
Location: The Islands

Re: It is dangerous to ferment and distil hard aplle cider

Post by Dan P. »

Make a competent heads cut from the appropriately distilled low-wines and you should be fine.
There is probably nothing more tedious than being told to search the forums, but if you want to know what I mean by "competent" and "appropriate", that's what you are going to have to do.
However, if you bear in mind that there is a greater amount of methanol in fruit washes, and act accordingly, you should be confident that the danger will be largely eliminated.
If it makes you feel better, I have done fruit washes with no one there to confirm or deny my methanol fears, and survived.
Washashore
Distiller
Posts: 1055
Joined: Thu Dec 29, 2011 5:40 pm
Location: New England

Re: It is dangerous to ferment and distil hard aplle cider

Post by Washashore »

Whoever said it was dangerous to distill fermented apple cider? And where did you hear formaldehyde was a bi-product of fermentation? Formaldehyde may be produced in your digestive system when your body tries breaking down methanol.

MUCH research on your part is in order. You may want to give this a read in your endeavors:

http://homedistiller.org/intro/methanol/methanol" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow
"It's hard to argue with the government. Remember, they run the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, so they must know a thing or two about satisfying women." --- Scott Adams
likkerluvver
Site Donor
Site Donor
Posts: 398
Joined: Wed Aug 25, 2010 2:28 am

Re: It is dangerous to ferment and distil hard aplle cider

Post by likkerluvver »

Dan P. wrote:Make a competent heads cut from the appropriately distilled low-wines and you should be fine.
People go blind or die when their illicit spirits have been doctored with industrial methanol by unscrupulous bootleggers. The comparatively high methanol content of all fruit fermentations result in a low percentage of methanol in the distillate of "sensible illicit distillers" you'll find here.

If you made NO cuts and drank A LOT of the collected spirit you would die of alcohol poisoning before you would die from the effects of methanol poisoning. In Eastern European countries many home 'stillers make NO cuts on their slivovitz - and live to tell the tale.

I WOULD NOT want to experience the hangover after drinking even a moderate amount though.

BTW, Apple Brandy is one of my favourite products. although IMHO, it does require comparatively generous head cuts. I never get a hangover from my "Kalvados". Practice and experience will get you there, so collect in small jars until you gain more confidence.


LL
Having fun stillin' seriously..... This antique engine runs best on high octane.
User avatar
Jimbo
retired
Posts: 8423
Joined: Wed Oct 10, 2012 1:19 pm
Location: Down the road a piece.

Re: It is dangerous to ferment and distil hard aplle cider

Post by Jimbo »

Folks been distilling brandy out of apples since the beginning of time. Ive been distilling apple brandy for almost 20 years and my eeysghti iss ffinne :wtf:

Read up, LOTS here on HD on apples.
In theory there's no difference between theory and practice. But in practice there is.
My Bourbon and Single Malt recipes. Apple Stuff and Electric Conversion
Dan P.
Distiller
Posts: 1085
Joined: Thu Jul 29, 2010 7:24 am
Location: The Islands

Re: It is dangerous to ferment and distil hard aplle cider

Post by Dan P. »

likkerluvver wrote:
Dan P. wrote:Make a competent heads cut from the appropriately distilled low-wines and you should be fine.
People go blind or die when their illicit spirits have been doctored with industrial methanol by unscrupulous bootleggers. The comparatively high methanol content of all fruit fermentations result in a low percentage of methanol in the distillate of "sensible illicit distillers" you'll find here.

If you made NO cuts and drank A LOT of the collected spirit you would die of alcohol poisoning before you would die from the effects of methanol poisoning. In Eastern European countries many home 'stillers make NO cuts on their slivovitz - and live to tell the tale.

I WOULD NOT want to experience the hangover after drinking even a moderate amount though.

BTW, Apple Brandy is one of my favourite products. although IMHO, it does require comparatively generous head cuts. I never get a hangover from my "Kalvados". Practice and experience will get you there, so collect in small jars until you gain more confidence.
I believe the crippling hangover would come under the "not being fine" category.

A larger head cut is necessary with fruit washes.
Commercial pectin treatments for home-brewers will be of little help in this instance.
Boiling your fruit mash will destroy the enzymes which are in part responsible for methanol production, but this will also destroy the wild yeasts that are needed for the authentic fermentation of a fruit wash.
likkerluvver
Site Donor
Site Donor
Posts: 398
Joined: Wed Aug 25, 2010 2:28 am

Re: It is dangerous to ferment and distil hard aplle cider

Post by likkerluvver »

likkerluvver wrote:
People go blind or die when their illicit spirits have been doctored with industrial methanol by unscrupulous bootleggers.
jimdo64 wrote:... and my eeysghti iss ffinne :wtf:
I always assume anyone here is NOT a bootlegger and DOES NOT add methanol to their hooch. Glad to hear that you don't either DJD. :thumbup:


LL
Having fun stillin' seriously..... This antique engine runs best on high octane.
likkerluvver
Site Donor
Site Donor
Posts: 398
Joined: Wed Aug 25, 2010 2:28 am

Re: It is dangerous to ferment and distil hard aplle cider

Post by likkerluvver »

Dan P. wrote: Commercial pectin treatments for home-brewers will be of little help in this instance.
Pectin treatments INCREASE the amount of methanol in an apple fermentation. Definitely NOT advised.


LL
Having fun stillin' seriously..... This antique engine runs best on high octane.
Post Reply