mattozan
Member
I've been following this story of methanol poisoning in Kenya.
See below for other links regarding the culture of illicit brewing/distilling of "chang'aa" in Kenya. It seems like some accounts are misusing the terms "distilled" and "fermented," so I'm a bit unclear as to whether chang'aa and bus'aa are equivalent to beer or liquor.
I'm pretty sure chang'aa, the drink at fault, is a grain-based (maize or sorghum) distilled spirit. It sounds like the methanol was actually added to the spirit, not just occurring naturally. The accounts keep repeating this line that the methanol is added to "increase the fermentation rate" and enable quicker production.
My question: Would the addition of methanol, or even "jet fuel," actually increase yeast fermentation activity? (leaving aside whether it would be a sane or insane idea)
Or do they really just mean that these additives are used to artificially increase the alcoholic content?
From what I have read, the CNS will react similarly to both ethanol and methanol, so adding methanol would, in fact, give a beverage more "kick." The problem occurs in the liver, where the same metabolic path that turns ethanol into ascetic acid turns methanol into formic acid and formaldehyde (resulting in blindness and organ failure).
It doesn't seem like a good business model to just add straight poison to a product. So I'm assuming these additions have some chemical purpose. Any idea what that purpose might really be?
See below for other links regarding the culture of illicit brewing/distilling of "chang'aa" in Kenya. It seems like some accounts are misusing the terms "distilled" and "fermented," so I'm a bit unclear as to whether chang'aa and bus'aa are equivalent to beer or liquor.
I'm pretty sure chang'aa, the drink at fault, is a grain-based (maize or sorghum) distilled spirit. It sounds like the methanol was actually added to the spirit, not just occurring naturally. The accounts keep repeating this line that the methanol is added to "increase the fermentation rate" and enable quicker production.
My question: Would the addition of methanol, or even "jet fuel," actually increase yeast fermentation activity? (leaving aside whether it would be a sane or insane idea)
Or do they really just mean that these additives are used to artificially increase the alcoholic content?
From what I have read, the CNS will react similarly to both ethanol and methanol, so adding methanol would, in fact, give a beverage more "kick." The problem occurs in the liver, where the same metabolic path that turns ethanol into ascetic acid turns methanol into formic acid and formaldehyde (resulting in blindness and organ failure).
It doesn't seem like a good business model to just add straight poison to a product. So I'm assuming these additions have some chemical purpose. Any idea what that purpose might really be?