highseas Posted March 8, 2011 Report Share Posted March 8, 2011 like it says if moonshine is illicit in american and potcheen the same in irland whats the score with it hear? is home brew ale? i think its ok if you dont sell it? or do i gots hide my still dukes of hazzard style! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HDAV Posted March 9, 2011 Report Share Posted March 9, 2011 home brew wine/beer/cider is very much legal for home consumption... Distilling i dont think is.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ajb403 Posted March 9, 2011 Report Share Posted March 9, 2011 Fermenting is legal in the UK, it's distilling that you need a license for. As far as I'm aware you can sell a certain volume of beer/cider without a license but don't quote me on that! Ashley Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cannon Posted March 9, 2011 Report Share Posted March 9, 2011 Poitin (AKA Potcheen) is quite common over here. There's always somebody who knows somebody who makes it. As far as I'm aware though home brewing of liquor is illegal Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
henry d Posted March 9, 2011 Report Share Posted March 9, 2011 (edited) Another thing to think about is the possibility of blinding or killing yourself, seriously ! **EDIT** The fatal dose of ethanol is 300-400 mL of pure ethanol (600-800 mL of 50% spirits), for the average adult if consumed in less than one hour. Chronic users develop a tolerance to ethanol. Ethanol depresses the central nervous system irregularly in descending order from cortex to medulla, depending on the amount ingested. The range between a dose that produces anesthesia and one that impairs vital functions is small. Thus, an amount that produces stupor is dangerously close to a fatal dose. Effects are potentiated by concomitant ingestion of barbiturates and other depressant drugs. Edited March 9, 2011 by henry d Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VicW Posted March 9, 2011 Report Share Posted March 9, 2011 (edited) A lot of people who have spent time in the Middle East have brewed their own booze including liquor. It's very easy although I'm not about to tell you how on here. The critical thing is getting the right type of alcohol and this done by distilling at the right temperature and if the near 100% alcohol is burnt it should burn with a blue flame and leave only a trace of water as a residue. The resultant brew was then cut 1/3 liquor to 2/3 water and if properly made was virtually tasteless.This could be remedied by adding various essences such as whiskey etc or even sloes. In Kuwait the liquor was called 'Flash' and in Saudi it was called 'Siddiqi' which is,I believe,Arabic for 'friend'. Vic. Edited March 9, 2011 by VicW Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HDAV Posted March 9, 2011 Report Share Posted March 9, 2011 mmmmmmmmmmm Flash..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Diceman Posted March 9, 2011 Report Share Posted March 9, 2011 Be very careful. If you end up with methanol instead of ethanol, which is easy to do, you may well die. At the very least you will do yourself some lasting damage. Freeze distillation is a lot safer and easier method of upping the alcohol % of your homebrew, google it if you want to know more. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hillmouse Posted March 9, 2011 Report Share Posted March 9, 2011 Not saying who or where, but an "aquaintence" had a go at distilling his own spirit using a converted pressure cooker on the gas stove. It worked well, too well and the spirit overflowed the condensor and filled the kitchen with highly flammable vapour. When it reached the height of the gas flame his council house was engulfed in a ball of flames. The gas board never did find the suspected leak that caused it. He was not too P***ed to hide the evidence. :yp: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
highseas Posted March 9, 2011 Author Report Share Posted March 9, 2011 Not saying who or where, but an "aquaintence" had a go at distilling his own spirit using a converted pressure cooker on the gas stove. It worked well, too well and the spirit overflowed the condensor and filled the kitchen with highly flammable vapour. When it reached the height of the gas flame his council house was engulfed in a ball of flames. The gas board never did find the suspected leak that caused it. He was not too P***ed to hide the evidence. :yp: the same happens if you use rubber hose`s ( and dont for christ sake it creates toxins) that touch the still melt thrue and set the kitchen on fire,, my uncle found this out. i know of the dangers, quite well if i was to find some already made and try it, it would be very small amounts. if you pop a bit in a hip flask and hand it round on shoot days, the looks on peoples face is priceless,"i can realy feel the burn" :blink: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
majordisorder Posted March 9, 2011 Report Share Posted March 9, 2011 A lot of people who have spent time in the Middle East have brewed their own booze including liquor. It's very easy although I'm not about to tell you how on here. The critical thing is getting the right type of alcohol and this done by distilling at the right temperature and if the near 100% alcohol is burnt it should burn with a blue flame and leave only a trace of water as a residue. The resultant brew was then cut 1/3 liquor to 2/3 water and if properly made was virtually tasteless.This could be remedied by adding various essences such as whiskey etc or even sloes. In Kuwait the liquor was called 'Flash' and in Saudi it was called 'Siddiqi' which is,I believe,Arabic for 'friend'. Vic. My dad was in the army in Kuwait in the late 60's, early 70's and has told many stories of local explosions put down to stills Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
berties Posted March 9, 2011 Report Share Posted March 9, 2011 I've seen a lad neck pootcheen once and had tempory blindness for two weeks,Norweegians used to distill some nasty stuff as alcohol Was so expensive the lads used to ignite it first to check purity ,I can't remember how it had to burn as never touched the rubbish always was able to get beer and spirits fom some where Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
highseas Posted March 9, 2011 Author Report Share Posted March 9, 2011 I've seen a lad neck pootcheen once and had tempory blindness for two weeks,Norweegians used to distill some nasty stuff as alcohol Was so expensive the lads used to ignite it first to check purity ,I can't remember how it had to burn as never touched the rubbish always was able to get beer and spirits fom some where one of the beaters hear is quite a drinker i gave him a bottle once well he tanked the lot in a weekend and went blind for 3 days, i recon its pushing 80-90% :blink: i make it just for something to do, it whittles away the hours Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
utectok Posted March 9, 2011 Report Share Posted March 9, 2011 Mum and dad distilled when we were kids outside glasgow. Police came round one day looking for all 2cv' s (the car) in the area as one had been in a hit and run ours was full of chickens so that was fine. Gave the cops a cup of tea then mum remembered the distill in the bathroom!!! I was told don't give them any more tea in case they have to pee !! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
henry d Posted March 9, 2011 Report Share Posted March 9, 2011 ...... went blind for 3 days, i recon its pushing 80-90% ...... No, it`s poison, called Methanol/wood alcohol. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
guest1957 Posted March 10, 2011 Report Share Posted March 10, 2011 Distilling is illegal if you haven't paid the relevant taxes, got the right paperwork etc. Although as I understand it you can distill spirits into stronger spirits as the tax has already been paid. I know someone who did this because they needed nearly pure ethanol to clean something. Anything that involves fermentation is legal and much safer. Modern yeast can also be pushed up to 23% if you know where to buy it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
highseas Posted March 10, 2011 Author Report Share Posted March 10, 2011 Distilling is illegal if you haven't paid the relevant taxes, got the right paperwork etc. Although as I understand it you can distill spirits into stronger spirits as the tax has already been paid. I know someone who did this because they needed nearly pure ethanol to clean something. Anything that involves fermentation is legal and much safer. Modern yeast can also be pushed up to 23% if you know where to buy it. yeh i make my own cider too that gets pretty potent Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
holly Posted March 10, 2011 Report Share Posted March 10, 2011 (edited) theres a smart still you can buy from most home brew shops to distill water , it will also distill alcohol but its not legal in the uk to do so , a lot of people call it the vodka machine http://www.thebrewmart.com/smart-still-distillation-unit-i602181.html :o Edited March 10, 2011 by holly Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ajb403 Posted March 11, 2011 Report Share Posted March 11, 2011 Be very careful. If you end up with methanol instead of ethanol, which is easy to do, you may well die. At the very least you will do yourself some lasting damage. Freeze distillation is a lot safer and easier method of upping the alcohol % of your homebrew, google it if you want to know more. Freeze distillation is not safer, quite the opposite. When you freeze distill you are only freezing and removing the water, leaving all of the ethanol and methanol as a liquid, in effect you are increasing the concentration of methanol in what you are going to drink. When you distill by heating and cooling the vapours you are able to remove all of the methanol from the ethanol because it has a lower boiling point. If you heat the still up till the methanol boils (65°C from memory) and hold it there till there is no more boiling, at that point you've removed the methanol (discard it) and you can then heat the still up more (to 87°C) to collect the ethanol fraction. Disclaimer - The above instructions are for informative purposes only, following them may land you in the ****! Cheers Ashley Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
highseas Posted March 11, 2011 Author Report Share Posted March 11, 2011 Freeze distillation is not safer, quite the opposite. When you freeze distill you are only freezing and removing the water, leaving all of the ethanol and methanol as a liquid, in effect you are increasing the concentration of methanol in what you are going to drink. When you distill by heating and cooling the vapours you are able to remove all of the methanol from the ethanol because it has a lower boiling point. If you heat the still up till the methanol boils (65°C from memory) and hold it there till there is no more boiling, at that point you've removed the methanol (discard it) and you can then heat the still up more (to 87°C) to collect the ethanol fraction. Disclaimer - The above instructions are for informative purposes only, following them may land you in the ****! Cheers Ashley dureing the run up you always throw the first 10% away for this reason, so ive heard. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yorkshire Pudding Posted March 11, 2011 Report Share Posted March 11, 2011 (edited) I'm not saying that any of you are WRONG . BUT Would somebody please explain to me how you end up with a poisonous substance by simply boiling a wash ? and collecting the vapour . It already exits within the wash . The first runnings out of your still is when the methanol comes out , the amount is very small AND WILL NOT KILL YOU .( If you collected this out of all your still runs and necked it , grave results would happen ) The reason why the first bit of the run is disguarded is because it is very bitter and leaves a nasty taste . http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Methanol The reason why the blindness myth has been put about is because :- Guess what if you start distilling spirits at home , HM GOV will not collect any tax's . BTW i think you will find that alcohol is a poison . I'm sure your tales of blindness and peoples fingers dropping off are indeed true , but i would love to meet these people . all the best yis yp :yp: Edited March 11, 2011 by Yorkshire Pudding Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bullet1747 Posted March 11, 2011 Report Share Posted March 11, 2011 (edited) Poitin (AKA Potcheen) is quite common over here. There's always somebody who knows somebody who makes it. As far as I'm aware though home brewing of liquor is illegal Wile serving in Ireland in 86 I stopped a known player at a check point called killturk ,after talking to him and checking his car he came back through and gave me some potcheen my god it was like fire water Edited March 11, 2011 by bullet1747 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Diceman Posted March 11, 2011 Report Share Posted March 11, 2011 I'm not saying that any of you are WRONG . BUT Would somebody please explain to me how you end up with a poisonous substance by simply boiling a wash ? and collecting the vapour . It already exits within the wash . The first runnings out of your still is when the methanol comes out , the amount is very small AND WILL NOT KILL YOU Yes and no YP. Freeze distillation is safer because of your first point, all you are doing is removing water from the mass and concentrating "everything" ie the methanol and the ethanol and all the other stuff that didn't freeze at whatever temp you were running at. So the volume is less but the ratio of meth to eth is the same, you just need less of it to get you bladdered. If you distil a big pot of homebrew in the "normal" way and catch the first condensate and bottle it, you will probably have a much higher concentration of methanol in that first bottle and that's the one that will do you some damage. If you catch everything that comes off, and you have got all your temperatures right, and mix it up before you bottle it, you are back to the same situation as above so you should be OK...ish All the stuff about discarding he first 10% or boiling at 65% is all very well if you know what you are doing and you have the right kit. The point I was making is that for the home hooch maker, freeze distillation needs less equipment and does not give you the option of concentrating the methanol into one bottle. I do have qualifications in this sort of thing, you know Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
highseas Posted March 12, 2011 Author Report Share Posted March 12, 2011 Wile serving in Ireland in 86 I stopped a known player at a check point called killturk ,after talking to him and checking his car he came back through and gave me some potcheen my god it was like fire water i like abit of burn lol you gots have a glass of milk sometimes thou this is becomeing quite a good thread as for not going blind, let me tell you if you drink enugh of the **** you will go blind, i know a couple of guys that have. my dad is one Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
henry d Posted March 14, 2011 Report Share Posted March 14, 2011 ...........I'm sure your tales of blindness and peoples fingers dropping off are indeed true , but i would love to meet these people . all the best yis yp :yp: Here you go then from Cambridge Uni....... Presentation * Signifcant ingestion causes nausea, vomiting and abdo pain. Its effects on the CNS resemble those of ethanol although in low doses it does not have a euphoric effect. * Visual symptoms present with falling visual acuity, photophobia and the sensation of 'being in a snow storm'. Complications * Up to 2/3rds of patients have a raised amylase (haemorrhagic pancreatitis has been reported at post mortem) * Seizures are seen in severe intoxication. CT scanning usually shows cerebral oedema or even necrosis in the basal ganglia (a Parkinsonian-like state is sometimes seen with recovery). * Patients with visual symptoms may develop irreversible visual impairment even with aggressive intervention. Prognostic features * Ingestion of only 10ml can cause blindness and 30ml can be fatal. 10 ml = 2 teaspoons Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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