Methanol?how do I know?

[gobucks85]

I got a megahome distiller. I use a gal of mash amd get a good quarts out. I been dumping atleast a shot to a shot and a half of the head off. Im still worried. Some reason I have one symptom and its diahrea. Now I could be coming down with something like a bug but I have been drinking about a glass of moonshine mixed with friut juice a night for three nights. I got etreme cramping every day for three days but it just comes on out of no where. It also only happens once a day rest of the time I feel 100%

[Dan P.]

If you think it is hurting you, stop drinking it!

Aside from which, a quart out of a gallon of mash is crazy, and you will certainly be consuming some weird compounds most people will never taste.
It would lso be interesting to know what size "glass" you have been drinking.

[dakotasnake]

sounds like your drinking heads and tails and who no's whatelse. stop it. do a ton of reading, even if you got the flu bug you need to do alot of research here b4 you continue.

[Dnderhead]

"""I been dumping atleast a shot to a shot and a half of the head off"""
thats not heads,,thats fore shots...
http://homedistiller.org/forum/viewtopi ... 46&t=13261..

[gobucks85]

so how much should I be getting rid of of the first bit that comes out of my mega home distiller?. I have been getting rid of a pool shot glass 1.6 fluid ounces from reading that I've looked at on Google it says a 50 milliliters forever 100 l I have watched people on YouTube they also are getting rid of the first shot glass on Mega home distiller

[jholmz]

with only a gallon of wash you would have to do cuts in shot glasses or smaller to get a decent spirit out of it. most people suggest starting out on at least a 5 gallon boiler so you can make definative cuts. with what you have now the hearts may be 200ml if that

[Dnderhead]

to be basic its about 1/3ds..so , 1/3 heads,1/3 harts (the keepers) and another 1/3d tales.
the fores are ditched,,,heads and tales can be rerun.
(this can very with product produced)
so your shot glass is ok as fore shots but your not taking off heads or tales.
so out of 1 gallon of wash and you have 50%/100pr,, youd have 1oz of fores,8oz of heads,,8oz of harts (keepers) and 8oz of tales.
(this is approximate,your mileage will very)

[gobucks85]

Is the fores methanol??

[Dnderhead]

some a small amount of methanol in a wash but there is other things ,acetone,methanol,ethyl acetate for a few.
these and others can be in small amounts or even large amounts depending what was fermented and even how it was fermented.
(fruit tends to have more methanol,on the grain ferments can have more,,high alcoholic wash tend to create more of these,
hot/fast ferments can create more.)

now all that said:most are "lower alcohols" this means they vaporize at lower temperatures.doing so they come off the still first.
but not all at the same time . so this brings us to the fact that "most" will vaporize first and will be taking off in "fore shots"
but not all,so we then take off "heads" where some will still linger.(a good reflux still is better at separating these than a pot still)

the harts with is the cleanest is what we keep this has the least amount of any of the fractions .

next is tales,,these are "higher alcohols" these can have a good taste or not,the ones we don't like we try to remove.
these among others are butyl,amyl,furural..again depending what and how it was fermented.
these we also try and remove.

this mite sound bad ,but most can be removed,and some is even good,as they can change over time (aging) into flavors that is associated with diferant drinks. so that that "fruity" "spicy" etc. flavor may not be from what it was made from but from a chemical reaction.
now each one of these "fractions" are about but not always 3ds. and this is why we tend to "save" about 1/3.the other 2/3 can be rerun to remove more ethanol.
now lets say none of these when all mixed will "kill" you (you mite wish it did) but separated into large amounts can do bad things.

[gobucks85]

I just seen guys on youtube remove a shot from their mr distiller or megahome elec water purifer. I am trying to.get some answers from others thst use this operation of distilling

[Dnderhead]

the thing is it dont matter if you have a 1 gallon still or a 50,your just working with diferant amounts.
a gallon still will produce about 14 oz,of alcohol and you "keep" about 4-5 oz,,a 50 gallon still produces about 740 oz
and you "keep" 246 oz..of alcohol.this is one resin that many dont like those little stills.
basically YOU NEED TO MAKE CUTS it dont matter if it on a still that produces a pint or several gallons.
after cuts you WILL end up keeping about 1/3d.

[gobucks85]

I get a good 750 ml of good alcohol before it starts dropping off to a low abv. One gallon of wash in pot. Everything I have read says a shot glass to 2oz

[Dan P.]

If you like distilling, it is very easy to upgrade from what you are currently using. There is no "good" 750ml of anything from a gallon of wash. Nobody is trying to trick you, it's just a fact.

[Ghost]

Dnder is laying it out for you about as simple as it comes - listen to what he is saying. I did a 7-8 gallon mash today and after my cuts only got about 750 ml total to keep. CUTS - learn how to make them and even though it is easy to do, dont be greedy. Just cause it is still a higher proof doesnt mean that its ok or desirable product. I have seen tails come in at 80 proof and have a oily film on the top (granted I was stripping and runing it hard)


Take a step back and re-read what dnder responded with - youll get it.

[Prairiepiss]

If you take off 2 oz of fores and keep 750ml of good alcohol.

I'm guessing its approx 40% ABV? So if you are taking off a total of 809 ml of 40% ABV alcohol. That 323 ml of 100% alcohol. And a wash amount of 3785 would make that wash approx 8.5 to 9% ABV.

Just because you have a megahome thingamagig distiller. Doesn't mean you don't have to make cuts. To make the best possible spirits you can. The still is not magic. Yes you can collect every last bit of what comes out. And drink it. Will it be good? No. So you take the foreshots off and keep everything else. Is this the best you can make. No. Does it still contain the stuff that will give you a hangover. Yes. Those are in the heads that you are not removing.

You came here with a question and concern. That you may not be removing as much as you need. Because you are getting the runs and cramps. And the answer you got was you are not removing all that you should. But yet you don't want to listen to it. Because the videos on YouTube say differently.

Let me see would I take what is posted on YouTube or what is posted on the worlds largest hobby distillers forum. By the oldest and wisest member on that forum. I think I would chose dunderpedias word over anything posted on YouTube. Tell you the truth there are very few in the hobby distilling community that can hold a candle to his knowledge.

Yes you have a small still. Yes if you make bigger cuts you won't get much of anything. That is the down falls of buying one of those George forman stills. They were designed to distill water. Not alcohol. There is a reason many of us here try to discourage people from buying them. But you have two options. Make bigger cuts or actually makes some cuts other then the foreshots cut. Or just live with what you are making now. Your choice. We can't make you do anything. We can only suggest the best option to you.

This thread goes over making cuts. And should be read. Multiple times. Along with the rest of the must read new distiller reading lounge.
Novice Guide for Cuts (Pot Still)
http://homedistiller.org/forum/viewtopi ... 46&t=13261

[jholmz]

prairie just pretty much laid it out for you. you can heed his advice or live with the shits up to you.

[cornsqueezer]

prairie just pretty much laid it out for you. you can heed his advice or live with the shits up to you.

keep drinking and it may turn into the screaming shits!!!!!

[gobucks85]

Mine starts getting oily towards the end. Im taken everyones advice as well as the guy on youtube who is also a survialist.

[gobucks85]

So a good half of quart would be more recomended. Ur saying once the oily starts cut it there.

[gobucks85]

Also which is it that makes u feel bad with headaches and cramps fore or tales.

[jholmz]

Also which is it that makes u feel bad with headaches and cramps fore or tales.

the fores is what has the really bad stuff in it and needs to be discarded then it goes into heads which carries a few other baddies and the hangover this trails out into the hearts which is the really good stuff that you want then comes the tails which will hold a lot of flavor but if you get too far into them it will be oily and start to smell like cardboard. a little of the headfs and tails blended into your hearts is actually good depending on your tastes some go deeper into them than others this is where small jar collection comes in handy let it air for 24 or 48 hours and smell youll see the difference and taste then go from there

[gobucks85]

U all are being very helpful. like I said I have been collecting just a shot glass full from.the start, and my pot holds 1 gallon wash run. Then collecting a complete quart after. Maybe I should collect lil more maybe two.shot glasses which would equal roughly 3.2 fl oz. I would think that would get me most of my fore shots but I would need to take off 5 more for heads.

Would also filtering it through charcoal filter and then through a clothe or coffee filter help.take impurities out?

[BourbonStreet]

The best way to remove impurities is to make good cuts. Charcoal might work, but would take a lot of flavor out. A coffee filter drips too slowly; a clean cotton cloth works best. I use one to strain out any dust or yeast particles that might be in the distillate.

[gobucks85]

I do both so thx alot. Ive noticed the taste also is,slight different when u let it set open for 24 hr.? Is that normal

[Ghost]

The airing out for 24 hours does make a difference in the flavor profile. I can really tell the tails when it sits and airs. Heads become a little more profound as well and the hearts - well the hearts only get better.

[genejonesiii]

ok, i've got a question on cuts. I have a re flux column still that I made. I can set the tempature at 175-180f and it will put out 90%abv from start to fininsh. First is will come out real fast then it slows to a drip and then it starts refluxing it gets a good stream and then stops and then get a good stream and stops, etc. When I turn the heat up it will drop abv hard and start being oily and have an off taste. Smell like wet dog, cardboard, etc. How do I make proper cuts with this. All my shine taste good and its strong but i get cramps the next day. it will hold at about 150f for a while and of course I throw all of this away. Can anyone help

[Prairiepiss]

Smell taste and feel. See the novice guide to cuts. Yes it says pot still. But the same general rules apply to all stills.

What you are describing at the end is just what happens when tails come in. What kind of reflux still are you using?

[genejonesiii]

I made a re-flux still. I packed a 36" column with copper mesh. I then installed a 1 1/2 cap with drain and overflow, which also re-fluxes when it reduces going around the capp. Then I made a copper finned heat exchange and attached a water cooler and pump. I maintain around 60-70 degree water. I have read the article that you are talking about, the abv the taste or the smell do not change. If i don't turn up the heat it will run for a long time and just start putting out a few drops every ten to fifteeen minute. If I cut the outlet of the drain off i can sit there and run the thing for hours then the water starts to heat up and I have to shut it down because my pump is only rated for 100 degree water. With a first run it still has some flavor if I run it twice i put out about 95 abv and it has no taste. When i had a pot still i could see the abv changing and the taste and smell changes, this one is really throwing me off.

[Prairiepiss]

There are differences. You just can't find them yet. It takes time to learn what you are looking for. And to train your senses. Letting it air for 24 to 48 hours may help you. Collect in small jars. And cover with coffee filters. Let it air out and try again to make the cuts.

And I have no clue as to what kind of still you are describing? Is it an LM, VM, or a cm?

[genejonesiii]

It's a vm column And yes u can tell the differance. I just had 90 abv taste like crap. When I was using a pot still my abv would change with heads tails and faints. Now my abv stays the same but yes taste differant live and learn no wonder I'm getting cramps. Thanks for your help