The other day I tried distilling alcohol for the first time but when I ran it nothing boiled around 173 F instead it boiled at 180 F which I know is isopropyl alcohol (rubbing alcohol) I followed the instructions on the distillers yeast package except it says to add flavoring to the mash and then drink it instead of running it (mash was 1 package liqourquik super yeast and 17.5 lbs if sugar) can anyone help?
Edit: I'm running a pot still using a tea kettle and copper tubing and The mash is 6 gallons of water with 17.5 lbs of sugar (i bought it at Weis and it was sucrose) and 1 4oz package of the yeast mentioned above to ferment it I used a plastic container which I thoroughly cleaned and after I added the mash I covered it with a towel I made sure the weather for the week was in the temperature range for the yeast I bought and I let it sit and moved it inside during the night to keep it from getting too cold and let it ferment until it stopped bubbling to distill it I filled the tea kettle to its max capacity (about 7 cups) and put it on the stove with copper tubing connected to the spout which ran through my make-shift condenser then dropped out into a glass jar. Nothing dripped into the jar until it hit about 175f then the temperature kept rising until about 180 and it stayed around there and ended up around 195f and by then the water in my condenser was too warm and I decided to stop for the night and every 5f it rose I switched jars
Rubbing alcohol
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Rubbing alcohol
Last edited by Randomguy on Thu Jul 04, 2013 2:58 pm, edited 2 times in total.
- drinkingdog
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Re: Rubbing alcohol
Need more info about what you are distilling with. If you're running a pot still temperatures don't matter. You just turn heat up enough to get product coming out while making the proper cuts.
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He also used to say. I didn't say it was your fault. I just said that I was blaming you.
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He also used to say. I didn't say it was your fault. I just said that I was blaming you.
DD
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- Distiller
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Re: Rubbing alcohol
Definitely need more info from the type of still your running... then start at buying your sugar to what size fermenter you poured it into.... how much water you added ect...
have fun happy stilling

have fun happy stilling

Do it Safely read The safety section: http://homedistiller.org/forum/viewforum.php?f=33
New Distillers Reading: http://homedistiller.org/forum/viewforum.php?f=46
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New Distillers Reading: http://homedistiller.org/forum/viewforum.php?f=46
Hookline's Basic Still Designs: http://homedistiller.org/forum/viewtopi ... =1&t=18873
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- Rumrunner
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Re: Rubbing alcohol
I think this means that you accidentally made rubbing alcohol. Better not drinks it. 

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- Distiller
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Re: Rubbing alcohol
I don't think you made isopropyl alcohol, it sounds like you may have had a low ABV for your boiling point to start so high.
The vague description you gave can really clue any one in on what you have made there though.
How much water are we talking here? And like others have ask what kind of still? Maybe some details on how it was ran.
Good luck to ya, you'll get this figured out. Just read tons!
Edit to add...If this was your first run it needs to be tossed out and not drank! Gotta get them cleaning runs in.
The vague description you gave can really clue any one in on what you have made there though.
How much water are we talking here? And like others have ask what kind of still? Maybe some details on how it was ran.
Good luck to ya, you'll get this figured out. Just read tons!
Edit to add...If this was your first run it needs to be tossed out and not drank! Gotta get them cleaning runs in.
"yeah? yeah? the maple flavored kind?" A dog on you tube.
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Re: Rubbing alcohol
unless you had pure ethanol it wont boil or have vapors at 173.4f.
if this was boiler temp,it would be about 56%
if it was vapor temp then about 86%
if this was boiler temp,it would be about 56%
if it was vapor temp then about 86%
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- Bootlegger
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Re: Rubbing alcohol
If i read your post correctly your distilling in a 7 cup pot still. You need larger
- S-Cackalacky
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Re: Rubbing alcohol
You made aproximately 7 gallons of sugar wash and you're distilling it in a 7 cup teapot. Was there a typo there somewhere, or are you just pulling our collective legs?
Just sayin',
S-C
Just sayin',
S-C
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Re: Rubbing alcohol
I'm on a college budget so I can't afford a copper still and I've seen countless people do it in a tea pot so I figured I'd just run it 1 tea pot at a time