Home Distiller

I've been all over the internet, looking in and out, every crack and crevice. Maybe I'm just asking my question in a different way than everyone else, but I can't seem to just find a straight answer to my question. Its driving me insane. I have found many answers, all pretty much confirming that I cannot chemically make methanol from my setup, but I would just like to be 100% clear here.

I regularly make a wash from sugar, water, and alcotec 24/48 hour turbo yeast (I've used both, not sure which I like better.)

I would like to make http://jonahsimon.com/public_forum/moon ... shine.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow THAT EXACT STILL.

I will only be able to distill however much my teakettle holds at a time.

My question is, do I really need to discard a certain amount, or discard X amount up to a certain temperature with this setup?

I have found so much misinformation, I would just like a straight answer.

Will I go blind if I screw anything up here?

I'm sorry, but I'm just so confused. I've really read so much, but I just can't seem to find a simple yes or no to my question! THANKS SO MUCH!

Welcome to the HD forums, Oisterboy...

That's one helluva ghetto setup with the tea kettle and steel pipe condenser housing... I think you can do better without spending much more money... You definitely don't want to be using a rubber stopper... Have a look at the Rules We Live By section before proceeding further... A simple stainless steel stock pot with a copper worm in a bucket would be a better choice...

Yes, you always have to discard foreshots, even with a tiny still... However, using a boiler under 8 - 10 liters in size is virtually a waste of time considering the final product you'll collect after removing foreshots, heads, and tails...

Do your research here, now that you've found us, and ask questions before proceeding... We take safety and health related issues very seriously here because we don't want anyone poisoning themselves, their loved ones, or their friends... Remember, you are ingesting the spirits you make... It's not just fires and explosions that can be harmful...

I guess, in short, what I'm trying to say is don't make a tea kettle still even if it looks cheap, easy, and ghetto... Spend your time and effort on making the right tool for the job...

Good luck...

I mite add it is not so much methanol that is the problem , there's also acetone, ethyl acetate,, ethyl and propel in the fores.

Yeah, this was just to get me going originally...

Thanks for the input. Any suggestions on a very cheap beginner still then?

Head on over to the pot still section.
There are lots of photos with which to get some good ideas.

No offense intented, but that still build is really poorly executed (imo).

Simple build is good, but ya gotta take a little pride in your work.

Good luck.

Here is a good start if you cannot find a off the shelf shop copper reflux still or better.

Rudenoise's pot still I think is a wonderful start. It also has a thumper or doubler that will produce double distilled alcohol.


http://www.homedistiller.org/equip/designs/thumper" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow

I would definately recommend a therometer at the second boiler or thumper to monitor steam temperature so I know alcohol is steaming optimal with temperature setting on the electric hob on the first boiler.

Methanol and nasties can be a little removed:
Firstly wear a protective gas mask outside or if you have a fumehood outback use that to avoid toxic fumes to eyes, face an mouth.

Gently heat your fermented yeast/sugar wash only slowly for few minutes or more to get abit of the nasties off. Then put the lid on the boiler and bring to alcohol boiling point thus distilling temp etc.

After you collect your distillate ie. moonshine water down to 40% and mix in carbon after 3 days or more in carbon filter through a vinbrite wine filter.

That's it...if all is distilled at correct temp an that first gently cook off is done along with soaking in carbon or poring over stacked carbon then put through wine filter it should be a good smooth drop at great alc percent....

Please use correct holding vessels for any alcohol at any percent. I use glass preserving jars that are sterilized, wine carboys or sterilized spirit bottles are great.

If you are really concerned for health safety an toxic bi-products produced during manufacturing then gather a sample or two an find a lab or two independant labs an take in or send in for analysis an read the results.
There is other in for on testing samples somewhere.

@beerwinespirits, The OP hasn't been here in 5 years. How did you even find this thread?

Lol. Now that's funny.

That and it's extremely bad advice.

I hope that was cleverly masked satire there beerwineandspirits

Op info probably came from parent site There is some outdated and just plain wrong info there .Tony Ackland owns it and any changes made should be through him.Anyone that finds any there let us know and Ill try to get it removed or changed

The original webpage URL link in that post has been updated to a new still and still pictures.

The original still at that webpage link was very different like 'ghetto or advice I get on the street style' and reminded me of an episode on Vice moonshine doco. Much like a makeshift toilet p-lab.

I found this thread as I was myself looking into removing methanol and nasties in my 500 gallon boiler, first and before doing the run.

Rudenoiseill Still was a good grasp in using a doubler for me and was definately a good starting point in grasping home distillation simply and a turning point I received in processing.

Instead of slum makeshift toilet p-lab styles I find happening and with deaths resulting like in the original hyperlinked webpage still.

Im not expert and I'm not into replying to trolls here as YouTube's better for that I'm more for manufacturing larger quantity good liquor and providing stores with something great to drink enjoy etc.

Any advice in methanol and nasties removal would be appreciated. I'm outta time on mobile browser.

Straight answer is: after isolating your distillate research a good few proffessional laboratories in your area or abroad and give them samples to test.

And I call troll

http://www.rsc.org/learn-chemistry/reso ... MP00003293" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pu9ENsxWoDM" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow
http://www.cyprusfoodndrinks.com/upload ... -21913.pdf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow

A test to distinguish between ethanol and methanol
Class practical
This experiment shows how methanol and ethanol behave differently when treated with iodine solution and sodium hydroxide
solution. Ethanol reacts to form a yellow solid, tri-iodo-methane, often called iodoform.
Lesson organisation
This experiment takes about 20 minutes. It is eminently suitable for students who have the iodoform reaction in their
specification. For others, it is a good observational exercise and an extension for more able students.
Both methanol and ethanol (and other alcohols and organic liquids) can be stored in
plastic pipettes, from which they can be easily dispensed. The main difficulty for students arises from the fact that if the pipettes
are squeezed too hard, the alcohols come out of the pipette in a stream (because of their low surface tension). Students must
handle the pipettes very carefully, and some practice will be required before proceeding with this experiment.
Apparatus Chemicals
Eye protection:
goggles
Each group of
students will
need:
Test-tubes, 2
Solutions in plastic dropping pipettes (one of each):
Methanol (HIGHLY FLAMMABLE, TOXIC)
Ethanol (HIGHLY FLAMMABLE) or Industrial
denatured alcohol, IDA (HIGHLY FLAMMABLE,
HARMFUL)
Sodium hydroxide, 1 M (CORROSIVE)
Iodine solution, 0.5 M (dissolved in potassium
iodide solution 0.2 M)
Refer to Health & Safety and Technical notes
section below for additional information.
Health & Safety and Technical notes
Read our standard health & safety guidance
Wear goggles throughout.
Methanol, CH3OH(l), (HIGHLY FLAMMABLE, TOXIC) - see CLEAPSS Hazcard.
Ethanol, CH3CH2OH(l), (HIGHLY FLAMMABLE) and IDA (HIGHLY FLAMMABLE, HARMFUL) - see CLEAPSS Hazcard.
Sodium hydroxide, NaOH(aq), (CORROSIVE at concentration used) - see CLEAPSS Hazcard and CLEAPSS Recipe Book.
Iodine solution, I2(aq), dissolved in potassium iodide solution, KI(aq), - see CLEAPSS Hazcard and CLEAPSS Recipe Book.
Product: Tri-iodo-methane, CHI3(s), (HARMFUL) - see CLEAPSS Hazcard.
Procedure
a Practice (over a sink) producing single drops of ethanol from the pipette.
b Add 10 drops of methanol to one test-tube.
c Add 10 drops of ethanol to the other test-tube.
d Add 25 drops of iodine solution to each alcohol.
e Add 10 drops of sodium hydroxide solution to each alcohol.
f Gently swirl the test-tubes a few times. The dark colour of the iodine should
start to fade.
g After 2 min carefully observe the two test-tubes. What differences do you notice?
Teaching notes
The solution in the ethanol test-tube should go cloudy and then a yellow precipitate of tri-iodo-methane (iodoform) should be
seen. This has a distinct ‘antiseptic’ smell. The methanol test-tube should remain clear.
The iodoform reaction is given by compounds with a methyl group next to a carbonyl group. Secondary alcohols with a CH3 on
the carbon carrying the OH (eg propan-2-ol) that can be oxidised to carbonyl compounds of this type, also give a positive
iodoform test. (NB carboxylic acids do not)
Ethanol is the only primary alcohol which will give the reaction and ethanal the only aldehyde. An explanation of the reaction is:
The negative charge on the carbon in the I3C– ion is stabilised by the three electronegative iodine atoms.
Health & Safety checked, September 2014
Credits
This Practical Chemistry resource was developed by the Nuffield Foundation and the Royal Society of Chemistry.
http://www.rsc.org/learn-chemistry/reso ... MP00003293" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow

http://www.clawhammersupply.com/blogs/m ... oonshiners" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow
http://www.clawhammersupply.com/blogs/m ... mies-guide" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow

Always discard the "foreshots."
One of the risks associated with making and drinking moonshine is creating or getting a hold of a batch that is laced with methanol. Methanol is a potential byproduct of the fermentation process and its presence in a wash is a legitimate danger. Fortunately if there is any methanol in a batch of shine, it should boil off before the ethanol because methanol has a lower boiling point. For this reason, the old time moonshiners would always discard the first bit of shine that comes off of the still. This part of the run, known as the foreshots, smells like high powered solvent, tastes even worse, and is potentially poisonous. There is absolutely no reason to keep it, so always make sure to discard this portion. Checkout our article "Making Moonshine - The Dummies' Guide" for more information on foreshots and making proper cuts.

http://www.clawhammersupply.com/blogs/m ... oonshiners" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow

beerwinespirits wrote: Teaching notes
The solution in the ethanol test-tube should go cloudy and then a yellow precipitate of tri-iodo-methane (iodoform) should be seen. This has a distinct ‘antiseptic’ smell.
The methanol test-tube should remain clear.

Sounds like a good test to see if your methanol is contaminated with ethanol

Yes your right...maybe using this test backwards or something..

This stuff does needs to come out of the distillate and any other impurities..

I remember drinking a bottle or two a few years back that was laced unknowingly with methanol and after waking up my eyes were very very sore for about a two or three days. ( optic nerves )
I remember very well as it was pain directed towards my eyes, and not like the other next day hangovers or pain or anything from different drops.

A paper also on Samogon (russian moonshine/vodka) and keyword "fusel alcohols" was quoted.

( Fusel alcohols, also sometimes called fusel oils in Europe, are a mixture of several alcohols (chiefly amyl alcohol) produced as a by-product of alcoholic fermentation. The word fusel is German for "bad liquor". Whether fusel alcohol contributes or not to hangover symptoms is a matter of scientific debate ).

Heres an interesting view of Jack Daniel's Charcoal Mellowed Drop By Drop

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O3zntml1REg" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U6JGHT9B0rg" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow

Straight Answer or Simpler Way is to

Do a First run or stripping run first of the "Heads, Hearts, and Tails altogether down to 20 proof...Then again re-distill all distillate collected from the First stripping run and run more carefully with or without a thumper but more definitely more carefully with more attention.

reference: http://www.doc-developpement-durable.or ... ftbook.pdf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow
(page 43, title: Beer Stripping)