Using Foreshots

[Rrmuf]

Just starting a topic to see what creative ideas people have had for using foreshots. Please include passes and fails

[stillanoob]

I use it as a cleaning solvent. I tried it as a had sanitizer but it really dries the crap out of your hands.

[Demy]

I also use it as a solvent to clean the pieces before painting, you can use to clean the windows (if you like the smell), or to activate the fire in the barbecue, in a wood-fired oven, etc. I use it for different things, it's a shame to throw away it!

[Toxxyc]

Keep in mind the more toxic alcohols in foreshots are absorbed through the skin, so it's not really suitable for hand sanitizer. Surfaces - sure.

I collect until I have enough to do a proper spirit run with it. Then I put it through my still very slowly to concentrate the alcohols. That is then used to sanitize surfaces, spray into small nooks and crannies, light fires, play with, etc.

[BamaHawk]

I use it to light my BBQ smoker and to pour in the cracks of the driveway as it seems to kill most weeds.

[howie]

i have a 2l jar i keep topping up, if that's full the fores go straight onto any weeds.
i mainly use it on paper towel to clean the permanent marker numbers off my collection jars.

[The Baker]

I use it as a cleaning solvent. I tried it as a hand sanitizer but it really dries the crap out of your hands.

So do a lot of commercial hand sanitizers.

Geoff

[River Rat]

During the winter after my ferments finish I like to set them outside to cold crash and clear for a few days. I use air locks, and leave them on right up until the mash goes into the boiler. So I use fores in the airlocks so they won't freeze and break when I put them outside.

[Deplorable]

Pot still fores go into a jug for cleaning shit in the garage, and pouring on sugar ants. Reflux fores/heads get burned in penny stoves, uses as lighter fluid for the fire pit, and poured on weeds, and used to clean dog nose art off of windows.
Both are good for taking the sticky shit off the bottle after you soak the label off in hot soapy water.

[River Rat]

Both are good for taking the sticky shit off the bottle after you soak the label off in hot soapy water.

That's a good one, thanks for the tip. I'll quit wasting brake cleaner to take the label glue off bottles.

[Deplorable]

I used to use WD-40, then brake cleaner. Not any more. Wish I could aerosol my foreshots, I wouldn't have to by break cleaner anymore at all.

[cob]

I used to use WD-40, then brake cleaner. Not any more. Wish I could aerosol my foreshots, I wouldn't have to by break cleaner anymore at all.

I have different sizes of the red canister for loose solvents.

https://www.amazon.com/refillable-aeros ... erosol+can

[bluedog]

I use a white gas camp stove when I go backpacking, thats pretty nice, but I've been tempted to get an alcohol stove to use instead.

[cob]

https://homedistiller.org/forum/viewtop ... 03&t=19823

Rrmuf; plenty of other threads if you look.

[Deplorable]

I use a white gas camp stove when I go backpacking, thats pretty nice, but I've been tempted to get an alcohol stove to use instead.

Just build a few penny stoves and fill a flask with high proof fores. A penny stove full of alcohol will burn for a good while, and get hot enough to boils a couple of cups of water for your mountain house meals.

[shadylane]

Keep in mind the more toxic alcohols in foreshots are absorbed through the skin, so it's not really suitable for hand sanitizer.

I agree it's best to use clean ethanol for hand sanitizer.
It's a matter of pride, when sharing.
But at the same time.
Forshots are really good at drying up Poison ivy

[Toxxyc]

Penny stove is the best idea I've heard all day. I'm SO building one, SOON! Hopefully I can use it to light charcoal and fires, would be awesome.

[Rrmuf]

Both are good for taking the sticky shit off the bottle after you soak the label off in hot soapy water.

That's a good one, thanks for the tip. I'll quit wasting brake cleaner to take the label glue off bottles.

+1

[Deplorable]

Penny stove is the best idea I've heard all day. I'm SO building one, SOON! Hopefully I can use it to light charcoal and fires, would be awesome.

You should. That's what I use to char my oak fingers for aging.

[Toxxyc]

So I planned on making a penny stove this weekend, and ended up not. To light my fires (big get-together this weekend) I opted to just dump a piece of pumice stone in a tub of foreshots to light the one fire, and for the other I just had a small stainless steel lid that I turned upside down, filled with foreshots and lit it up. Worked like a charm, both fires started easier than using firelighters - and none of the paraffin smell on your fingers!

[Deplorable]

When its really cold, it takes a long time for my penny stoves to really get going.

[res]

What do people think about the gasses from burning fores?
Could you burn them safely inside, like an ethanol heater?

[NZChris]

Burning large amounts of any hydrocarbon fuel indoors without adequate ventilation is dangerous.

I'm quite happy to do a mini still run of gin over high proof heads/foreshots.

[Yummyrum]

I'm quite happy to do a mini still run of gin over high proof heads/foreshots.

Never really thought about this before .
Chris , how many litres of fores /heads does it take to distill X litres of Gin

I know there’s going to be a million and one variables , but whats the ball park ? . ,. It just sound’s like s bloody good idea

[v-child]

Pour it on an anthill and it soaks all the way through the nest. The vapors kill off any ants remaining. Good on weeds and fuel for a penny stove, also.

[Deplorable]

I'm quite happy to do a mini still run of gin over high proof heads/foreshots.

Never really thought about this before .
Chris , how many litres of fores /heads does it take to distill X litres of Gin

I know there’s going to be a million and one variables , but whats the ball park ? . ,. It just sound’s like s bloody good idea

Another rabbit hole... building an ethanol stove with enough capacity to run a mini gin still.
I dont make gin, but iffin I did want to explore it in very small quantities using neutral spirit hearts as a base, what's the smallest boiler one should consider? I imagine it would take a good bit of fores to sustain the heat to distill a one gallon charge of 40%.

[NZChris]

I haven’t bothered to work it out, but I don’t think it’s a lot.

[Deplorable]

I haven’t bothered to work it out, but I don’t think it’s a lot.

one of my biggest penny stoves holds about 2ounces of alcohol. it burns for about 15 to 20 minutes. So maybe a cup an hour of fores to heat a little tiny boiler say 4L?

[NZChris]

Make up a 40% abv water & foreshot charge and try running it. My biggest problem is flame control to get the output speed I want.

[Toxxyc]

Pour it on an anthill and it soaks all the way through the nest. The vapors kill off any ants remaining. Good on weeds and fuel for a penny stove, also.

Interesting you mention this. I poured a bit of this into a new hole I found in the floor of the garage where the ants came out last night. I used a syringe and slowly sprayed about 50ml into the little hole. Ants came crawling out like crazy. So I left, and a few hours later came back.

Interestingly, there were still ants there, but there were a bunch of way bigger, fatter ants coming from the same nest. Almost look like they could be queens of some sort, but I doubt it. I took more fores and sprayed it into the same hole again. This morning, no more ants were coming out. I'll repeat the process on other holes I know of around the house.