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ArcaneXor · 03-04-2008, 11:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lovebeer

No, maybe i'm a boarder-line alcoholic, but i was just saying that certainly not everyone who wants to make cheap moonshine is a kid, more likely the person is an alcoholic.

If you think you are a borderline alcoholic, maybe you should save the money and get some help? You'll end up sick, dead, in jail, and/or not being able to drink any alcoholic beverages at all, and that would be a shame.

Home brewing, to me, is an art, just like gourmet cooking. Experimentation is fine, but I'll never understand how one could brew up some awful "beverage" simply because its alcohol content is higher and kicks your ass more quickly.

xcrusader · 03-04-2008, 11:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lovebeer

btw xcrusader did you use carbon filters? b/c i think that will improve the taste much more than distilling. eta: can anyone answer my questions in post 8 or does nobody know?

No I didn't, but I have done it w/ cheap vodka. It works, but not very well. I'm sure it would take more out of the hooch than a cheap vodka though.. deffinately try it man, post up a thread about it when you do it.

**rod** · 03-04-2008, 11:34 PM

this may help:
The following method is recommended by Gert Strand, in order to get optimum performance from the carbon.
Activated carbon will work best when used in a granulated form as a filling in a filtration column using the following method.
Fill a tube 1.5 meters in length and at least 40 mm diameter with pre wetted granulated, activated carbon. Beware! The tube must be at least 38 mm diameter or it will introduce a "wall effect" where alcohol slips through the column without being purified. The filtration must go as slowly as possible without stopping, or the effects are much reduced. The filtration rate must not rise above approx 400ml per hour. Place one coffee cup of Norit activated carbon (0.25 to 1 mm) at the bottom of the column to reduce speed. With some carbons the speed can be higher.

To get achieve maximum effect from activated carbon the filtration must take place through the carbon bed without channeling, and in addition, the tube must be free of any air. To accomplish this proceed as follows;

Put the carbon in a bucket or kitchen pot and completely cover with 2-3 times more hot or boiling water. Mix for a minute and pour out any excess water. Repeat 4-5 times to wash out soluble material from the carbon.

Place filter papers in the tube. Fill the tube fill with warm water, then top up with the pre-wetted carbon so it flows into water and no air at all remains in the tube.

Filter 2-3 liters or more of water through the column to wash out any water soluble substances present in the carbon.

Start pouring the alcohol to be filtered directly "onto" the water so that no air comes into contact with the carbon in the tube. Filter all of the alcohol in one run, again to prevent any air from coming into contact with the carbon. Run about 1 liter of water through at the end of the alcohol to flush out the last of the alcohol. Taste the alcohol and stop collecting when you detect water.

**BigKahuna** · 03-05-2008, 02:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FEARDIZ

isn't distilling only illeagal in the US ? maybe this guy in not from the us , so all the warning about illeagal is not worth anything ??

Actually, Home distillation is ONLY legal in New Zealand. The entire rest of the world will have you in jail for this.

IF you are really just looking to make a very strong experiment, try the sugar, water and nutrient (Turbo Yeast). AVOID THE CORN unless you intend to distill and want Whiskey.
Once fermentation is done, add some soda syrup or some fruit juice. It's kinda taking the back road to get something you can choke down, but what the hell.

**BigKahuna** · 03-05-2008, 02:25 AM

Oh...ya
Most super yeasts are dry, and come with LOTS of nutrient in them. if you shake the pack, you should get to use more than once.

**BigKahuna** · 03-05-2008, 02:33 AM

Oh...ya
Most super yeasts are dry, and come with LOTS of nutrient in them. if you shake the pack, you should get to use more than once.

Philip1993 · 03-05-2008, 02:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lovebeer

the mash im talking about yields 20% abv. {...} the only problem is it requires 16 pounds of sugar. {...} this makes 6.5 gallons.

Try 23# of sugar...

16# of cane sugar in 6.5 gal = 1.113 OG (13.7% ABV). 23# of cane sugar in 6.5 gal = 1.163 OG (20.4% ABV)

Quote:

Originally Posted by lovebeer

it's way cheaper than buying a bottle of popov or some cheap liquor like that. i mean it's 6.5 gallons for a $10 pack of yeast plus whatever the sugar costs.

Popov: $17.9/gal for 100 proof. Cut 4:1 for 5 gallons of horrible tasting 20proof swill. Total cost: $17.99 Total time: 5 minutes.

Your stuff: Yeast = $11.99 22# of sugar = $9.00 $20.99 for 5 gallons of horrible tasting 20proof swill. Don't forget fermenter, airlock, bottles, etc Total cost: About $50.00 Total Time: About 6 hours.

All that said, I gotta call BS. There is no logical reason to pursue this endeavor unless you're underage or you intend to distill this crap.

Tusch · 03-05-2008, 03:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pldoolittle

Try 23# of sugar...

16# of cane sugar in 6.5 gal = 1.113 OG (13.7% ABV). 23# of cane sugar in 6.5 gal = 1.163 OG (20.4% ABV)

Popov: $17.9/gal for 100 proof. Cut 4:1 for 5 gallons of horrible tasting 20proof swill. Total cost: $17.99 Total time: 5 minutes.

Your stuff: Yeast = $11.99 22# of sugar = $9.00 $20.99 for 5 gallons of horrible tasting 20proof swill. Don't forget fermenter, airlock, bottles, etc Total cost: About $50.00 Total Time: About 6 hours.

All that said, I gotta call BS. There is no logical reason to pursue this endeavor unless you're underage or you intend to distill this crap.

Well technically that's all for not, because his would be 40 proof, so you wouldn't have to cut the popov as much.

**BigKahuna** · 03-05-2008, 03:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pldoolittle

I gotta call BS. There is no logical reason to pursue this endeavor unless you're underage or you intend to distill this crap.

AND...If you're planning to distill....you would be fairly cheap to get a gallon of $4.00 wine., it should yeild about 1.5 Ltr...That's 100Proof.

**Denny's Evil Concoctions** · 03-05-2008, 03:34 AM

Use sugar, water and turbo yeast as per the directions on the yeast pack.

Once fermentation is complete, run the resulting..er..liquid through a carbon filter (or use that activated carbon powder stuff as per directions).

Then take that alcoholic liquid and add one of those Liqueur flavorings. Such as at the bottom of this page.

I know people who have done this and it turns out pretty good. It is not illegal because it is not distilled.

Also, the person I know that does this quite often (makes them mostly for his folks) is 38, is a homebrewer, has 3 kids and is probably the biggest beer snob I know. So it's not all 14 year old kids looking for a cheap buzz.

Some of you need to untwist your panties before you have a stroke.