distilling basics

this is a companion to my instructable, how to make moonshine, that will explain the basics of distillation. with all of the questions i have received, i find it necessary to write a small primer about what the distillation process is all about. this is not a scientific treatise or journal article. i am not a scientist. i will not get too far into chemistry. this is just the basics, folks, so take that to heart before you berate me for my gross oversimplification of this topic.

distilling is simply a way to separate different liquids dissolved in a solution. henceforth i will refer to each individual component of the mixture as a 'liquid,' and the mixture as a whole as the 'solution.' using a simple pot still such as the one in my fore mentioned instructable i will show the basic science involved in distillation.

i hope this clears up a lot of the questions out there. read up and enjoy.

Step 1 Apparatus

refer to my instructable how to make moonshine for the basic physical set up. this is what is known as a pot still and is the easiest type of still to build and use. reflux and column are alternate still types that can be used with higher levels of efficiency, but with the trade-off of more difficult construction and operation. in principle, though, they all work the same way. i, however, will focus solely on the pot still.

Comments

[warren_adams]

This is really interesting a story-tell and a step-by -step guide combined! I've been reading your posts and I'm really learning a lot! I made my first run using a copper pot distiller which I bought just lately. I tried and use your moonshine recipe and it awesomely worked! Well just to add, for those who have the same pot still as mine or at least interested in home distilling, this page might also help you: http://www.whiskeystill.net/pages/how-to-distill . I found this thing while I was eyeing on starting this hobby :)

[jiggerboy]

Hello everyone im new to this stuff and wonder if any of u has any good tips

[justane212]

Is there a way to test to make sure you have all of the methanol out of the ethanol solution, other than just plotting temperatures?

[illegalgame]

Can I use a aluminum pressure cooker for my pot? Some people mention it in their instruction and other dont. I had built one before reading other saying no. Do I start over??

[catchtoot22]

at 25gallons of water how much sugar and yeast should a man at to the wash this is a hell of a good page i completely understand it all. been around it all my life but you put it in the langauge that i speak and understand thanks

[mvasher]

I'm curious to know how much shine we should expect to produce each run? A cup, two cups?? Thanks!

[durbandave]

hey i made my pot still useing a preasure cooker but can anyone tell me the right ratio of fruit sugar and water to use and how long should i leave the fruit before i put them in the pot

[hillbillyPop]

hi!
anybody got the receipe for JD its now £24 a bottle here so i'm up for making my own even elijha craig would be better
will

[akagoldminer]

check out Mile High Distilling online. they have flavoring concentrates that can be added to the distilates to give the flavor you want to have they also have ready made stills for sale that are of high quality. there are other manufactures of stills and flavoring extracts that can be found with a simple web search. I wish it were legal to make alcohol for drinkinig purposes in the area i live in but unfortunately it isnt. i think they need to include alcohol wiskies in the same classification as diy beer homebrew operations or microbreweries. i have considered buying a still for legal manufacture of ethanol for fuel.

[Punkazz189]

Jack Daniels gets it's distinct flavor and colour from the kegs they age the whiskey in. Unless you have some wooden kegs laying around you probably won't be able to make it. If you want a bourbon, start with a corn based mash. :)

[getyourshoes]

If you used a glass or stainless steel container you could get the white oak flavoring (or other wood flavoring) by adding some shavings and letting it soak for a while. The process is apparently faster than using actual barrels (according to a friend that has made whiskey for a few decades). Rack it after about a week and you should have the wood flavoring you're lookin' fer.

[mpitts]

when you boil your wash and you are watching your temperature, the methanol boils out at like around 150 or something. and the ethyl alcohol should boil around 173. at both the boiling points the temperature should plateau. but what is the stuff that drips out of your condenser between the two temperatures? is that safe to collect? do i keep anything after the 150 plateau all the way through the 173 plateau? and also is storing your wash outside not a good idea?

[ardousius]

I wouldn't keep the stuff in between who knows what it is. lol

[ardousius]

hey i was reading everyone worried about the methanol and ethanol boiling points. According to wikipedia (which knows all the answer to life's questions) methanol boils at 143 F and ethanol boils at 173 F so pdub is pretty much correct in his instructions. Nice job pdub

[beehard44]

i have one of those broken espresso machines where you just place them on your stove. I was thinking of modifying it to become by kettle by epoxying some copper tubing to the outlet and making it similar to your setup. I'm not making drinkable alcohol, just some alcohol for lab use.

[pdub77]

Could work, but a really low yield. I hope you don't need much.

[jkb3614]

from what i understand the boiling point of ethanol is about 141 F so wouldnt that make your instructions backwards? as in the first thing to condense in the receptacle will actually be the ethanol, and then second comes the methanol at about 148 F ?
not trying to be a jerk, i just dont wanna go blind haha

[pdub77]

Google it. Not trying to be a jerk either. I've studied this a bit. Don't go blind!!!!! Go to a liquor store if you aren't sure of what you are doing!

[jo_hf]

hey, i'm midway through creating a still like the one you have and was wanderin wether, when you distill and it reaches the level at which methanol evaporates wether after removing this methanol, any liquid or sediment could still be present in the tubing of the condenser????... :S Thanks

[pdub77]

Some could possibly still be there, but it will be in quantities that are generally negligible. I'm not an expert, though, so please do more research if you are concerned.

[parksm5]

My Daughter bought me a book on making Moonshine for Christmas (a great kid or what?) and then forwarded me your link. Many thanks for your clear and concise basic tutorial - I enjoyed it immensely - along with your wit. I'll let you know how the first lesson goes.
 

[pdub77]

That's awesome!  I am honored to be a part of your Christmas.  Hope it goes well.  Let me know if you have any questions.  I will do my best to answer them if I can.  (remind me who you are if you do.)  Take care.

-paul

[bazalaz]

Why is everyone worried about methanol, the cure for methanol isethanol, which is the primary.  The amount of methanol would benegated simply by the fact that you are drinking ethanol..  Here isa quote from a medical site "Specific antidote is ethanol and thisshould be given IV as a 10% solution in 5% dextrose A loading dose of0.6g/kg should be given followed by an lVI of 0.07g/kg/hr fornon-drinkers (regular drinkers should receive 0. 16g/kg/hr):" You are actually in no danger because in addition to drinking a poison,you just drank the cure.

[Techwolf77]

now I have herd that if you build your still basicly in the same way as you shown above and have a port higher in your coil the upper will be white lightning and the lower will be moon shine do you know what i am talking about or am i about half cocked grandpa is laughing watching me build this and now wants to help

[pdub77]

You may be thinking of a column still or maybe even a reflux still. They are generally more efficient than pot stills and are what many commercial producers use to distill their spirits. Doing a google search will show you what I'm talking about. White lightning and moonshine are simply two different slang terms for the same thing, a spirit that is not aged and very high in alcohol content. Have fun with Grandpa.

[peede1]

Whats the best way to "cut" the ethanol so that people dont burn a hole in their stomachs? Me personally don't want to consume 150 proof. Id personnaly like to be around 80 or 90 proof.

[Radke22]

What I plan on doing may be too simplistic, but maybe not. I just thought I would take my moonshine (distilled 2-3 times) and half it with sno-cone syrup =) That would fix the taste problem lol. Someone tell me if that is just pure nonsence or if it is possible.

[addicted to drinkin]

what i think would taste better than snow cone syrup would be after its all made and been distilled would be to put you r favorite berries in like raspberries or somthing you like. put them in whole and mash em up after you put em in then let it sit for a week and let the flavors soak in good. than drink it and have a drunken blast. lol

[pdub77]

sno cone syrup might be a bit strong, but essentially that is a good plan. distill it to get quality and higher proof, then cut it back down to something drinkable.

[addicted to drinkin]

hello I was wondering how you make sure your getting ethanol and not methanol i have never made alchohaul before and i want to learn. thanks

[pdub77]

Read through the comment threads of my Instructable How To Make Moonshine. This is the single most popular question I get and I've discussed it ad nauseum.

[addicted to drinkin]

i found it but one thing i wanted to ask you said distiling it takes out methanol how many time do i distil it before its completly safe.

[addicted to drinkin]

i looked and didnt see it which part of the page is it on. thanks

[ironsmiter]

cut with water(filtered tap works well for drinking. distilled/deionized water for most other applications) to make a less-potent version. That is presuming you are distilling a FOOD GRADE ETHANOL. To quote his moonshine 'ible "the hard part is making sure you are getting ethanol and not methanol (or the like). " Having a little methanol mixed with your ethanol, in your flex-fuel lawnmower engine won't hurt anything. Doing the same in your stomach can KILL you ;-( you can also : drink immediately(good stuff warms, instead of burning), filter through activated carbon(and yes 6 passes through a britta filter makes nasty/cheap stuff taste pretty good), introduced with oak chips for flavor and color, burn as fuel in your car, or anything else you can think of. Personally, I'd treat it like vodka... Soak some pears in it for a few months, then bottle. Pears not only add sugar, and flavor, but also tend to "smooth" things out a bit, without needing to dilute the end product.

[the rowdyboy]

i recently tried soaking toasted oak chips in with my rum and after just 24 hrs in a bottle the flavour was improved and it turned golden. a good tip smiter.

[the rowdyboy]

(removed by author or community request)

[ironsmiter]

Not sure what you mean by "oven cement" give a product link, and I might be better able to help. Rubber is, for the most part, inert to the distillation process. But you may need higher temp rubber to withstand the heat.

[the rowdyboy]

'pyruma ' fire cement. its an english product. for repairing ovens, fires ,boilers etc.

[ironsmiter]

Odds are pretty good that it will NOT react, but you'd have to check the ingredients list on the cement. Not sure what you're gonna use it FOR in your setup. Possibly, you're referring to oven Mastic? the glue like stuff used to secure oven glass? Sorry, My queen's english is limited. Cement where I am usually refers to the motor product called concrete. I think you may mean the glue stuff. :-( If you ARE using he glue product to secure or seal the parts... be aware that the steam MAY weaken the joints to the point of failure. that stuff is rated for DRY hot strength. Once cured though, it will probably not react. Probably.

[the rowdyboy]

thanks for your advise. there was no ingredient list on it. i used it to seal the joint between a stainless kettle and 42mm copper tube. ill stay with it as now its been heated its as hard as rock. will let you know more in a week or so.