Home made Vodka

[Bedfordblue]

When you brew alcohol (ethanol) a small amount of methanol is also made. Methanol is toxic, attacking the optic nerve and making you blind. (Hence the phrase blind drunk).

The methanol boils off first. So if you distill whatever you make, its essential to monitor the vapour temperature and discard the first spirit (about 5% of your total distillate) after it boils off. You know this because while the first fraction boils off the temperature remains constant (I can't remember the bpt methanol... something like 50-60 degrees.) When the vapour temp is around 70-77ish degrees (again dodgy memory) that's when you're getting ethanol for consumption.

Also make sure you have no rubber bungs in the line because it will taint the flavour.

Not that I ever did this in my science lab officer.

That you Heisenberg?

 

[chrismpw]

That you Heisenberg?

Not certain.

 

[degsy]

Was kind of looking to do a decent job, not any old rubbish. Thanks for the advice.

Nah mate, the science is in and it's pretty simple, it's like baking a cake, if you can read a recipe...and stick to it and if you can read a Thermometer; e.g. off @ 'X' degrees - on @ 'X'degrees plus 3.
Flavoured Gins seem the fave right now...some juniper essence, some fruit essence, like raspberry
whatever you like, jobs a goodn.