Aussiedistiller, Home Distilling, Moonshine, Home Brew

G'day all.

I have a shed load of TRUGEL 100 Civil Engineering Grade Bentonite that I use for making green sand, I am considering trying it for clearing my FFVs prior to distilling to see if I can get it even better.

This is the MSDS: https://www.google.com.au/url?sa=t&rct= ... tYRMyIM4uJ

It does say it can be used as a food additive.

Anyone ever used this or similar? Cheers.

I use bentonite as a drilling fluid, there’s no way I’d use it in a wash :handgestures-thumbdown:
What’s green sand though?

Green sand is used for casting metals, it’s what you make the mould out of.

The uses are endless.......................

"Regularity Aid

A commonly purported benefit of the bentonite powder intestinal cleanse is improved intestinal regularity, and success with bentonite powder has been reported as a treatment for both constipation and diarrhea. For these reasons, bentonite powder is also sometimes marketed specifically as a regularity aid. By helping to purge the intestines of toxins and accumulated impurities, bentonite powder dissolved in water promotes a natural bacterial balance, which can relieve constipation. Bentonite also can bind stools quickly, making it a fast-acting diarrhea reliever. As a diarrhea treatment, bentonite powder can be dissolved in water or stirred into a serving of applesauce, which is another natural treatment for runny stool. "

You could turn your product into medicine.

You can buy bentonite from hbs as a clearing agent. If its food grade no heavy metals I cant see why not..I know it works well as a clearing agent from early experiments with ginger wine..

Doubleuj wrote:I use bentonite as a drilling fluid, there’s no way I’d use it in a wash :handgestures-thumbdown:
What’s green sand though?

It's used as a mould for metal casting. The bentonite bonds with the sand to make it "sticky" hence able to take an impression from a pattern.

Yes bentonite is used as a drilling fluid but it has many other uses including finings, but it's a question of grading I think, as the MSDS says, this particular grade is used as a food additive, but I wouldn't want to use it in my wash without some kind evidence that it can be used as finings - I may have to contact the manufacturer.

Peregian wrote:
You could turn your product into medicine.

What are you talking about? It's already "medicine"! - are you telling me you are making yours for "recreational" use? tch tch :laughing-rolling:

(PS: I recommend my produce as deterrent for colds and flu).

bluc wrote:You can buy bentonite from hbs as a clearing agent. If its food grade no heavy metals I cant see why not..I know it works well as a clearing agent from early experiments with ginger wine..

Oh yes, but buying HBS stuff is problematic for me at the best of times (distance, time, cost), on top of that I already have a lot of this industrial grade stuff - the problem is the MSDS is, at least to me, ambiguous as to whether it's food safe or not. The MSDS indicates NO heavy metals.

I have watched some videos showing bentonite works really well, quicker than the TurboClear I have used in the (far) past.

Yep I can second that definatley better than turdbo clear.

Bentonite is a clay and 'naturally' shouldn't contain heavy metals in any significant quantities.
It all depends where it was mined though. Next to a landfill or some sort of treatment plant could be problematic as for industrial uses its probably not a problem to be above safe limits. If yours is food grade (it says ok as a food additive) go nuts!
If you have a contact for the supplier it might be worth contacting them and just asking if you're not sure.

Your distilling the product. Almost no chance of carryover of whatever trace is there. Its not like mead or wine where you drink the soluble fraction directly.

warramungas wrote:Bentonite is a clay and 'naturally' shouldn't contain heavy metals in any significant quantities.
It all depends where it was mined though. Next to a landfill or some sort of treatment plant could be problematic as for industrial uses its probably not a problem to be above safe limits. If yours is food grade (it says ok as a food additive) go nuts!
If you have a contact for the supplier it might be worth contacting them and just asking if you're not sure.

Yep that's my thinking - however I am a "better safe than sorry" sort of bloke (ie a wuss ;-)) and was hoping (but not expecting) for a "yeah been using it for years" kind of response.

I have sent off an email to the manufacturer, maybe they will reply, you never know.

Bentonite is used to clear wine......................

http://winemakersacademy.com/bentonite-clarify-wine/

Well I’ll be a monkeys uncle, I’ve used this in drilling for years. But like was said, there’s different grades of bentonite and it is a natural product so maybe there is an application here for it.

orcy wrote:Your distilling the product. Almost no chance of carryover of whatever trace is there. Its not like mead or wine where you drink the soluble fraction directly.

Exactly, AND it is distilled twice (in my case), AND it's diluted in between runs. It's hard to believe that there would be too many nasties left, and yet there is always the nagging doubt...

Just to add, if this particular bentonite IS suitable then it's incredibly cheap and comes in 25kg bags that will see most of us out I reckon (certainly me anyway).

You say your self in first post that its suitable as a food additive. Or did you just mean bentonite in general..

bluc wrote:You say your self in first post that its suitable as a food additive. Or did you just mean bentonite in general..

No, I am just repeating what it says in the MSDS I linked to, that's what I mean by it being ambiguous - it says that it's suitable as a food additive but *nowhere* does it say it's food safe. Whilst "suitable as a food additive" implies it is food safe, it doesn't, for instance, say how much can be added, if you know what I mean.

Just to clarify, the MSDS I linked to is the MSDS for the product we are discussing - as a result I am *nearly* certain it is ok to use... but not quite,

Note that it also refers to being a " decolourising agent" - I found from another source that this refers to clearing food safe oils - so close to what we want to do.

Yep a finnings addititive. I reakon it would be fine. But just give the manufacturer a buzz and ask. Tell them your making wine and want a clearing agent....

bluc wrote:Yep a finnings addititive. I reakon it would be fine. But just give the manufacturer a buzz and ask. Tell them your making wine and want a clearing agent....

Yes, I have sent off an email to them to that effect.