Distilling

[Stefan Michaelsson]

Hello, I'm new to brewing. I want to make a "vodka", it isnt more than 17%. That's what I am allowed to make before it is illegal.

But anyways, I see people distill their alcohol, is this a must? I've heard you can become blind otherways

Thanks

 

[khannon]

As I understand, talk of distilling is not for these forums.. There are plenty of other forums out there for this.

 

[Stefan Michaelsson]

As I understand, talk of distilling is not for these forums.. There are plenty of other forums out there for this.

Oh, okay. Thanks

 

[hammy1983]

^ last I saw the stance here has changed

 

[bradleypariah]

If you're not venturing into 80 proof territory, you can "jack" the beer to step up the ABV to 17% pretty easily.
This is not illegal. "Jacking" is just another term for freezing. Use a plastic bucket that you're willing to sacrifice, and put your beer in a chest freezer, or leave it outside for a while if you live someplace cold.
Once you've frozen a sufficient amount of the water in your beer, use a sanitized drill and put a whole in the ice cap.
Pour out your condensed beer and carbonate it if you want.

If you do this with apple cider, it's called an Apple Jack.

 

[doug293cz]

Hello, I'm new to brewing. I want to make a "vodka", it isnt more than 17%. That's what I am allowed to make before it is illegal.

But anyways, I see people distill their alcohol, is this a must? I've heard you can become blind otherways

Thanks

As I understand, talk of distilling is not for these forums.. There are plenty of other forums out there for this.

Oh, okay. Thanks

^ last I saw the stance here has changed

While distillation of alcohol is illegal in the United States without the proper government approvals, discussion of distillation is legal. HBT even has a forum for distilling, and this thread has been moved there.

doug293cz
HBT moderator

 

[Homercidal]

Distilling to 17% would be challenging. The process naturally will create a much more potent spirit.

Freeze distilling would be a better way to go, but at 17% I'd call it an "Ice Beer", rather than a Vodka. I don't remember what the minimum alcohol needs to be before it's considered a spirit in the eyes of the government, but it's up past 20% IIRC.

And before you really do decide to distill, you need to read a LOT more. It certainly is possible to make yourself sick or blind if you do it wrong. A little learning is all it takes to keep yourself safe. And you will likely learn that the equipment and process is more than you want to deal with for 17% compared to other methods of concentrating.

 

[TGFV]

I hate to break it to you but in both the US and Canada it isn't the alcohol percentage but the method of creation that is the concern in these instances.

As far as the law in both countries, using heat to separate alcohol and water (ie traditional distillation) is illegal irregardless of final alcohol percentage.

Freeze distillation is a slightly different matter, as in both countries the law officers in the know will point out it's illegalitu, it's the ones that don't know what it is that will say it is legal/not know.

Either way, you can ferment to 25 if you really wanted with different yeasts and proper care.