The Analogy of the Snake - Mythology

[Still 173]

The Analogy of the Snake
When I try to explain how I am different then the big distillers like JD
I usually respond by saying “They throw the whole snake into the bottle – I just take the heart of the spirit- or the heart of the snake”
I don’t know where I read or heard it – but the analogy of how to make cuts - that I learned -goes something like this.
Imagine the spirit run coming out of the coil like a snake coming out of the coil head first.
The first thing to come out is the teeth (methanol and acetone) these are pulled from the snake and discarded. This is the part of the snake that can hurt you.
Next comes the head of the snake – without the teeth not very tasty but not very dangerous. Cut off and save for later batches (you use your nose and taste to determine the head from the body).
For anyone who has butchered a real snake – the good meat is the long extension of meat (flaky like fish – a bit firmer – a cross between fish and chicken – dependent on how you cook it) between the head and the tail or the “heart of the spirit” for our purposes. The “ethanol run” that we are here for.
The ass end of the snake comes next - brackish and rich with propanol, butanol, fusels and a wet cardboard smell. The nose first - then tongue will identify the tail of the snake. Miniature oil slicks on the top of my 1 gallon collection jars show me the heavier alcohols. The tail is also kept for later batches (and contributes to the flavors of some spirits).
Can anyone point me to this “snake analogy reference? I don’t think I dreamed it up myself. It must have been out of a book or “Modern Marvels” episode.

Thanks
Nate
Still173.com

[trthskr4]

Never heard of it but you put me in mind for some rattler meat.

[pintoshine]

Your analogy is pretty and well written but it is inaccurate.

When you mix any miscible liquid with water and boil the two, you will get some of each liquid, throughout the boiling period, until there is none left of one or the other. Methanol and acetone are no more volatile than ethanol.
you stated...

The first thing to come out is the teeth (methanol and acetone) these are pulled from the snake and discarded. This is the part of the snake that can hurt you.

This part is inaccurate and could lead the less fortunate to interpret this as a way to distill methylated spirits and make it potable.

Please be careful of generalizations like this. I am aware that this has been the "defacto" method for centuries but the reason is that the heads taste bad, not that it will rid the spirits of the nasties, especially in a pot still.

http://homedistiller.org/forum/viewtopi ... t=methanol is a good argument about the methanol.
Another is http://homedistiller.org/forum/viewtopi ... t=methanol this one gives a general discussion on why to remove heads, but it isn't to rid the spirit of methanol because if it is in the wash it will come over in all parts of the run.

[Still 173]

I agree Pinto – I understand that my reflux still will not neatly package my “alcohols in solution” into neat well defined boxes
The audience I usually tell this “story” to – is someone who is interested in what I’m doing – not distillers
They usually ask :
“what kind of beer do you make?”
“How does the still work?”
I use the analogy to explain simple chemistry (then draw the chopped up snake on a bar napkin or dry erase board)
I’m not advocating one practice over another
I hope you don’t believe I am misinforming the people I talk to (my in-laws, then people I work with)
I agree it is about diminishing the undesirable components not eliminating them
I’m just looking for someone to cite a reference for me

Thank you for calling my analogy “pretty”
I don’t think anybody has called anything of mine pretty for some time
I appreciate it
Nate

[trthskr4]

Whatever you tell folks be sure it doesn't play into the old myths and misgivings of others in the old days. Most of us are trying to draw a positive image for others about our hobby in the hopes that one day it will again be legal.

[Butch50]

This is a good analogy. I have used it a couple of times now and people "get it" right away. These are the same people I tried to explain cuts to before and their eyes glazed over.

Thanks for this!