A no cost, easy way to determine % of your distillate.

[Dec]

You want to determine the %vol of your distillate. If like me, there are no hydrometers available to you and you are way too poor/cheap to order one off the net. I've come up with this novel way to do it (I'm not taking credit for it, most likely it was done way before I thought it up).
Once you are fairly sure your distillate is over 60% then all this requires is a pen & paper (calculator will also suffice), a lighter and a small measuring jug.

Under a normal environment, alcohol-water mixtures are combustable at 57.1% vol (you might recognise this as british proof). So.. take 100mls of your disillate. Add 10 mls of water and mix (swirl) well. Now ignite the mixture with the lighter and quickly blow it out once lit. If it did ignite then add another 10 mls of water to the mixture, swirl and repeat as above. Keep doing this until the mixture no longer ignites.

Now get your piece of paper and pen and scribble down this formula:

X=[57.1*(105+A)]/100

Where A is the total amount of water you added in milliliters WHILE it still ignited (ie don't take into account the last 10 mls added). Also for the sake of clarity: "*" denotes multiplying and "/" denotes dividing. Now just work it out and you get X= to a semi decent approximation of your percentage to within an error of about 5%.
eg.. say you added 70 mls before it stopped igniting. Then A=60 and solving the formula X=94%.

If the above isn't good enough for you and you want a much more accurate measurment. Take 1L (1000mls) of your distillate. Then add 10 times what you originally found A to be with water. For my example A was 60 mls.. so I will add 600mls of water to my distillate. Now I will ignite it to make sure it lights (remembering to quickly blow it out and also being VERY AWARE OF SAFETY as we are using a lot more alcohol, best to use a narrow based vessel like a tall glass/jug, something where the mix surface is minimal). Now I will repeat the experiment above adding 10 mls, mixing well, igniting and quickly blowing out as necessary until it no longer ignites. My formula for this one is now:

X=[57.1*(1005+B)]/1000

Where B is the new total amount of water added to the litre distillate before it stops igniting.
eg.. Say after adding 600mls in the above example, I then proceed to add another 80mls in 10ml sequences when it stops igniting. Then B for my distillate is 670mls.
Therefore X=95.5%vol for my distillate, which is accurate to 1%!

Pretty good for a lighter and a jug eh?

-Dec

[Guest]

Something else that should(might not) also work, although not the most accurate.

simple immersion technique
find a container that is light and has almost nothing to it (plastic water bottle or something similiar) mark the side in for measuring. I'l say it in mL just to make it clear what I'm doing. so, say a half liter bottle. mark it every 5mL at least, more often if you can and still read it. fill to 500ml with your spirit. Now, keeping it upright, submerge in water. if you have a decent alcohol content then it shouldn't sink all the way, being less dense than water. Lets say it sinks to the 300ml point. This should mean that your drink is about 40% alcohol and 60% other. basically using your drink as a hydrometer.

I haven't tried this and don't have the materials to. Would someone who does have a hydrometer try this and compare to see if it works. What I remember of chemistry says it should, but who knows. Post after you try it and let us know.

[LeftLaneCruiser]

Now I will ignite it to make sure it lights (remembering to quickly blow it out and also being VERY AWARE OF SAFETY as we are using a lot more alcohol, best to use a narrow based vessel like a tall glass/jug, something where the mix surface is minimal).

-Dec

Pretty story Dec, and I take your word for it that the formula and calculations are right, but speaking on behalf of a few other colleagues here who happen to have the experience:

[at sarcastic tone used for understatements]:
An open flame and alcohol dont combine very well


If you MUST use this method, (... please buy a hydrometer..), be safer and take a bit of it on a teaspoon before ignition.

KJH



By the way;
did you know that the ESA is launching another sattelite on saturday ?

[Dec]

[at sarcastic tone used for understatements]:
An open flame and alcohol dont combine very well


If you MUST use this method, (... please buy a hydrometer..), be safer and take a bit of it on a teaspoon before ignition.

Though you could have phrased it a little less condescendingly, I take your point. Using a teaspoon is a far better idea. As long as you don't hold it over the container when lighting it then its very safe indeed. I'd thank you if it wasn't for your tone.

By the way;
did you know that the ESA is launching another sattelite on saturday ?

I was not aware of that, how is it relevant though?

[Fourway]

I'm sure LLC knew he was forfeiting your gratitude when he chose to employ the tone.

But, he needs no thanks... knowing that even one person might not be going out in a (literal) blaze of glory is all the thanks he needs.

[Uncle Jesse]

stay safe, Duke boys!

[Guest]

stay safe, Duke boys!

lol




~Pothead

[Guest]

i thought you could light sambuca and that is only 40%??

(knowledge from the college days of flaming sambuca shots)

[Yttrium]

The test for proof by lighting something on fire isn't very accurate because heating up the liquid causes it to ingite at a lower temperature. I've been able to light 20% apple schnapps on fire by heating it up to around 150F

[TheGinz]

You want to determine the %vol of your distillate. If like me, there are no hydrometers available to you and you are way too poor/cheap to order one off the net. I've come up with this novel way to do it (I'm not taking credit for it, most likely it was done way before I thought it up).
Once you are fairly sure your distillate is over 60% then all this requires is a pen & paper (calculator will also suffice), a lighter and a small measuring jug.

-Dec

It didn't work for me. Kept righ ton lighting into the 21st 10ml shot.