Home Distiller

Hi Folks,

I've done a lot of searches on the forum about methanol disposal, but I couldn't find anything that really answered my question. I've collected about 8 litres of foreshots which will contain maybe 2 litres of methanol. It's about 75%. These aren't the heads that I don't use when blending, these are the first 5% -7% of a stripping run. I go pretty conservative to make sure I ge all the methanol out. I'm not fussed if that costs me a couple of percent yeild. I use a pot still. I really don't think I've got enough windows, camera lenses or spectacles to use it all up as a cleaning agent. The other suggestion is to use it to start your BBQ, but I have a gas BBQ and only get the charcoal spit out twice a year, so I'm likely to produce more methanol laced heads than I use. Any other ideas for disposing of it safely? I have a septic system, so I don't want to put it down the drain even if it's heavily diluted. What sort of concentration would I need to dilute it to before it's safe to put on the lawn? Is there a safe way to just burn it? I've heard about the dangers of invisible flames from methanol, but I know my stuff isn't that pure.

Thanks,

Steve

Your 8 liters of foreshots probably only has a percent or two of methanol in it
And a 55 gallon barrel of hang overs

Well Yesterday, I slung a Cup full on a nest of Waspers. Killed the shit out of them.
Waspers?? That's a real Bar Assed Wasp for y'all city folks.

Never gave it a thought when I had a septic system. But, what do you do with the remaining liquid from your spirit run? Backwash still has alcohol in it. What are you doing with that?

Either way, if it's bothering you that much, find one spot, or rock even, that you either pour it on, or leaving sitting on. Won't take long for it to evaporate.

fores are for fires and cleaning stuff...stillage is fine weed killer.

I walk the jar over to the 2nd floor balcony and give it a toss, pretty much evaporates in the air before it hits the ground or refill the mrs nail polish remover

Fire starter, weed killer, label remover, solvent, lantern fuel.

Build yourself a little alcohol stove. Or take a look online for other alcohol run ideas. A little side project can always make for fun. Chinese lanterns?

shadylane wrote: Your 8 liters of foreshots probably only has a percent or two of methanol in it
And a 55 gallon barrel of hang overs

The 8l of foreshots was collected from 600l of rum wash made with a total of 60KG or raw sugar and 120KG of molasses, giving a wash of about 11%. So at 75%, my foreshots represent about 10% of the total alcohol in the wash. If that 8l is only 2% methanol, then that would mean the wash only has about 0.02% methanol, or 1/5000th. I thought it would be much much higher than that, but have nothing at all to support that idea except a hunch

Foreshots and methanol are not different words for the same thing. Methanol doesn't get concentrated in the foreshots, but other bad substances like the glue smell do.

One thing you can do with your foreshot is to make sterno. It's basically calcium carbonate, vinegar, and high-proof alcohol.

I did this as an experiment last year with foreshot, and it definitely works. From memory (which may be a bit fuzzy): you need about an ounce of calcium carbonate (grind up some chalk or antacid pills into a powder), about 3-4 fl oz vinegar, and about 8 fl oz of foreshot.

Put your powder into a sturdy, fireproof container. Add the vinegar slowly while stirring. You'll get a fizzy reaction, and about half the vinegar will evaporate.

Once you've added all the vinegar and the reaction has finished, add your foreshot in small increments while stirring vigorously. As you stir, the mixture will start to turn into a gelatin. Stop adding alcohol once there is excess liquid alcohol in with the gelatin and discard the extra liquid.

Congratulations: you have just synthesized calcium acetate, a flammable jelly often used as a camp fuel, for heating fondue sets, keeping buffets warm, starting fires, or any other application where you need a small, low energy burner that can run for quite a long time.

stevefzr wrote:

shadylane wrote: Your 8 liters of foreshots probably only has a percent or two of methanol in it
And a 55 gallon barrel of hang overs

The 8l of foreshots was collected from 600l of rum wash made with a total of 60KG or raw sugar and 120KG of molasses, giving a wash of about 11%. So at 75%, my foreshots represent about 10% of the total alcohol in the wash. If that 8l is only 2% methanol, then that would mean the wash only has about 0.02% methanol, or 1/5000th. I thought it would be much much higher than that, but have nothing at all to support that idea except a hunch

I was just being a smart A$$ on the percentage of methanol in a sugar wash or it's foreshots
I'll head scratch and figure out the exact numbers when I'm sober.
But I'm reasonably sure about the 55 gallons of hangovers in the 8 liters of foreshots.

Among others about methanol:

http://www.scielo.br/pdf/sa/v67n3/a05v67n3.pdf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow
Alcarde, André R., P.A. de Souza & A.E. de Souza Bellucco
Volatization kinetics of secondary compounds from sugarcane spirits during double distillation in rectifying still.
Scientia Agricola 67 (3): 280-286, may/june 2010

http://www.ital.sp.gov.br/bj/artigos/ht" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow ... n4432a.pdf
Alcarde, A.R. et al.
Cinética de volatilização de componentes secundários da aguardente de cana-de-açúcar durante dupla destilação em alambique simples.
Kinetics of the volatilization of secondary compounds from sugarcane spirits during the double distillation in a simple still.
Brazilian Journal of Food Technology 13 (4): 271-278, oct/dec 2010

http://bookshop.europa.eu/en/a-study-on" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow ... CGNA16864/
Adam, L. & G. Versini
A study on the possibilities to lower the content of methyl-alcohol in eau-de-vie from fruit.
European Commission, Directorate-General XII, EUR 16864 EN, 1996.

Discussion in: viewtopic.php?f=33&t=40606


http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?pid=S01" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow ... xt&tlng=pt
Alcarde, André R. et al.
Chemical profile of sugarcane spirits produced by double distillation methodologies in rectifying still.
Aspectos da composição química de aguardente de cana-de-açúcar produzida por metodologias de dupla destilação em alambique retificador.
Ciênc. Tecnol. Aliment. 31 (2), (Campinas) Apr./June 2011
Food Science and Technology (Campinas) 31 (2)

I load my forshot into a nice vodka bottle and leave it behind the the seat of my pickup, that way when it gets broken into I'm not the only one that's going to have a bad day. Giving it to your boss made up into apple pie is a great way to get rid of it as well.

It is quite a driveway cleaner/sanitizer. If you made enough, you could clean12x12 at a time.

How much have you made since your initial message. It sounded like you may have a thousand gallons by now. That might do your entire driveway and help the municipality responsible for your street [GRINNING FACE WITH SMILING EYES]

Your foreshots make a wonderful solvent, degreaser, cleaner for your shop

I knocked up this the other day just for something to do. I reckon it would be great in tiki torches too, if that's what your into

Nice one res, though it led me to wonder how many molotov cocktails got drunk instead of thrown?

Ya need to mix in a bit of olive or vegetable oil for the tiki torches to get some illumination . Foreshots don't give up a lot of luminessence on their own .

Truckinbutch wrote:Ya need to mix in a bit of olive or vegetable oil for the tiki torches to get some illumination . Foreshots don't give up a lot of luminessence on their own .

Never thought of that. Brilliant!... so to speak. That'll help with my invisible flame fores BBQ starter as well.

A long time ago, I combined foreshots with a very small amount of hydrochloric acid and some acetate salts of strontium, copper, barium, etc. then made small lamps out of them. They're great in pumpkins, especially the red ones.

MDH wrote:A long time ago, I combined foreshots with a very small amount of hydrochloric acid and some acetate salts of strontium, copper, barium, etc. then made small lamps out of them. They're great in pumpkins, especially the red ones.

MDH, I assume the different salts were to produce various colors of flame? ( inferred from the "red ones" comment). If true, this I have to try with my kid.

Otis

Here are a couple of backpack penny stove I made with my boy out of a can and a small bit of fiberglass insulation and screen. We tested it, and it will boil 2 to 3 cups of water before running out. Not really good for lots of fores, but if you camp a lot.......

Great for cleaning pipes too.

I've got about 3 gallons on hand right now . That will disappear fast since BBQ and brush burning season is here .
I'll be gathering more during the year . Going to test drive an oil/citronella mix in tiki torches for bug control at S317 .