Still spirits "take no cuts" airstill instructions?

[Ashley12]

Just wanted to discuss the safety aspect of the instructions that come with the airstill. The instructions state that you don't take any cuts from each run of turbo yeast wash.

Let me just be clear, I wouldn't never run a batch without taking cuts.

I just want to discuss the health risks and safety related to taking no cuts. I'm pretty sure it will give you a raging headache but the question is, would it actually be dangerous?

As a side question regarding methanol. I've been told that sugar washes produce no methanol. is this actually the case? Could other variables lead to a higher amount of methanol being produced such as an increase in temperature? Doubling up the the turbo yeast? Ect. Again I wouldn't do these things I just want to be clear on methanol levels in a sugar wash and what could cause these to be higher than normal?

[RC Al]

The whole Methanol thing is a bit of maybe depends answer.

Like most things, if you look hard enough, you will find papers by people with letters after their name saying yes and others saying no. From what ive seen none of them had a wide enough sample of "home made" spirit to test.

Certain fermenting conditions will cause it, the chemistry of which is pretty complicated and beyond what im willing to re-read and spend many hours making a concise post for.

There are ways to check at home without lab testing, but I havent tried and it involves using a couple of not so safe chemicals so I wont post it here.

The main points of what I have researched is that if its is there, its not going to concentrate in the heads, it most likely will be through the whole run with a concentration in the tails. The practice of cuts with the proven recipes (not made for car fuel turbo) and a nod to cleanliness seems to cover most things of this nature for the "enlightened" home distiller in general. I havent seen any reports of poisonings that wasnt from very shonky practices.

Oh and theres plenty of other possible dangerous chemicals in what we produce, methanol is just easy to spell for the media and the masses

[PeterC]

Agree with all RC said. From my understanding greater amounts of methanol are made from pectins which you find in the skins of fruit like grapes and plums. There are equally unwanted other compounds. You can usually smell acetone and ethyl acetate coming off in foreshots. The whole turbo yeast thing is a bit of a racket in my view. They sell a thermo-tolerant yeast mixed with nutrients to add to sugar. They also then sell you clearing agents and carbon. Then you buy bottles of essences to make you preferred style of spirit which is only good enough really to use as a mixer. A good business model for a HBS to sell lots of stuff.

For relatively clean simple process it is hard to beat a TPW wash. It settles out with a bit of time so you don't need to clear it and you don't really need carbon if you do cuts and everything is available at the supermarket. (Well maybe, along with toilet paper, meat etc.)

Cheers.

[bluc]

The whole Methanol thing is a bit of maybe depends answer.

Like most things, if you look hard enough, you will find papers by people with letters after their name saying yes and others saying no. From what ive seen none of them had a wide enough sample of "home made" spirit to test.

Certain fermenting conditions will cause it, the chemistry of which is pretty complicated and beyond what im willing to re-read and spend many hours making a concise post for.

There are ways to check at home without lab testing, but I havent tried and it involves using a couple of not so safe chemicals so I wont post it here.

The main points of what I have researched is that if its is there, its not going to concentrate in the heads, it most likely will be through the whole run with a concentration in the tails. The practice of cuts with the proven recipes (not made for car fuel turbo) and a nod to cleanliness seems to cover most things of this nature for the "enlightened" home distiller in general. I havent seen any reports of poisonings that wasnt from very shonky practices.

Oh and theres plenty of other possible dangerous chemicals in what we produce, methanol is just easy to spell for the media and the masses

The whole methanol in tails theory. Is this backed by spectograph data or is it just theory :think:

[RC Al]

Spectagraph.. a link to it is on HD somewhere

[bluc]

I will try track it down but i bet it will be above my brain capacity :laughing-rolling:

[PeterC]

The HD link and another
https://homedistiller.org/wiki/index.php/Methanol
https://diydistilling.com/how-to-avoid- ... istilling/

[renedox]

Does this mean continually storing tails for all an all feints run concentrates the methanol?

[robtes]

Hi guys as i have been thrashing one of these beauties i got off EB for 25% rrp, I have been investigating the BS. Thares a lot of t about :teasing-neener:

What do you think of this https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wnyl0yYR1ew a 3 year old infomercial from a well known kiwi site

can you see how the naughty magician is fooling the kids - buy my special offers on the way out punter dads

Im referring :handgestures-thumbupleft: to the very smart stillers on this board who really know the subject (and I am sitting at their feet of learning btw)

I wouldnt mind so much but this kind of info is so desperately misleading to noobs.
We surely want to encourage good science and credible product. :handgestures-thumbupleft:

[Wellsy]

It is unfortunate mate but a lot of videos do not promote the best of practices, but videos are much easier to follow than text. Especially when just starting out. Facebook tends to be the worst for this.

YouTube channels have to be funded so often promote product to get paid.

You are right about a lot of the long term experienced distillers on here, we are lucky they are so generous with their knowledge.