On Fri, 24 Aug 2012 21:40:27 -0500, "RogerN"
wrote:

"pyotr filipivich" wrote in message
.. .


"RogerN" on Fri, 24 Aug 2012 05:57:14 -0500 typed
in rec.crafts.metalworking the following:
snip
This would be for fuel. From my understanding the batch process is better
for drinking because methanol would be boiled off first. You are supposed
to be able to take the alcohol from the continuous process and run it
through a pot still to boil off the methanol first and get the ethanol.

Where is the methanol coming from? Sugar & yeast produce lots of
fat yeast critters, all ****ing ethanol till they get too drunk to
continue. If you are getting methanol in your product, something else
is wrong.
--
pyotr
Go not to the Net for answers, for it will tell you Yes and no. And
you are a bloody fool, only an ignorant cretin would even ask the
question, forty two, 47, the second door, and how many blonde lawyers
does it take to change a lightbulb.

I wondered the same thing, seems most of the moonshine distilling info I
read tells people to throw the first bit of the batch out, they said it
would have the methanol (maybe if there was any, just to be on the safe
side?). I thought maybe if you made mash with grains and they got burnt or
something it might make a trace of methanol, but I'm not sure where it could
come from in a sugar/water mix. From what I have read, it seems like the
other nasties left by the yeast need to be filtered by putting activated
charcoal in a tube and filtering the alcohol through it. I'm not sure how
that works with moonshine though, where some flavor comes from the grain
mash.

RogerN


I think that most of the amateur booze makers are using reflux stills
and turning out nearly pure alcohol. Then they cut it back with
distilled water and flavor it. Most of the shops selling supplies seem
to stock the flavors so I assume that is the preferred method, rather
then using a pot still and retaining the flavor from the mash as the
scotch whiskey makers do.