# Moonshine Question



## Fletch_W (Dec 30, 2011)

How do you know how much of the first runnings to discard?


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## GADAWGS (Dec 30, 2011)

My understanding is the first quart to come out needs to go


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## Fletch_W (Dec 30, 2011)

I know it depends on the size of the batch, the moonshine show on Discovery showed the guy dumping over a gallon of the first runnings, but that was a big batch. Is there a ratio to go by? Any way to test it?


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## wranglerjoe1968 (Dec 30, 2011)

I have been watching that show and has me wanting to try my hand at making a little.


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## secondseason (Dec 30, 2011)

Y'all are asking on an open forum viewed by LEO's how to make unlicensed liquor that is illegal to make in any amount. FYI


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## Fletch_W (Dec 30, 2011)

FYI second season, it's been legalized on the federal level for personal use, under a certain amount per year. Besides, I was just looking for information for my friend in Canada. 


Everyone, proceed.


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## chevy85 (Dec 30, 2011)

I think you can use a proofing glass thing like thay make for wine makers. May be wrong tho.


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## wranglerjoe1968 (Dec 30, 2011)

I may be doing this for a research project


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## dawg2 (Dec 30, 2011)




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## Fletch_W (Dec 30, 2011)

I've got a hydrometer, where you can measure alcohol content, and they make even fancier ones to get it measured just right. That's not my question. My question is how much of the first runnings need to be discarded. It's an important question because the first runnings are high in methanol, which is deadly. It can kill you before you even know there is something wrong. It's not just superfluous hillbilly tradition, it's literally life and death if you get it wrong.


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## JustUs4All (Dec 30, 2011)

Fletch_W said:


> FYI second season, it's been legalized on the federal level for personal use, under a certain amount per year. Besides, I was just looking for information for my friend in Canada.
> 
> 
> Everyone, proceed.



Fletch, would you please point us to the law that legalized the distillation of spirits in some amount for personal use? 

Thank you.


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## Fletch_W (Dec 31, 2011)

Can't find it. I was lied to. A moderator on HBT said they were allowing distillation talk on their site after a very long ban, because the law had changed in some way, but I can't find anything on TTB site. There are bills introduced every session of congress to legalize it, though.  Perhaps they were talking about freeze distillation... ?


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## Fletch_W (Jan 1, 2012)

More information than I feel comfortable knowing...

http://homedistiller.org/dtw.htm

To give a brief answer to my own question, for posterity: 



> Once the still is up to temperature, and the distillate has started dripping, make sure you throw away the first 50 mL per 20 L of wash, as this may contain any methanol that is present.


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## takamineman (May 24, 2012)

I've always heard the first 10% and last 10% of the batch.


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## pstrahin (May 24, 2012)

JustUs4All said:


> Fletch, would you please point us to the law that legalized the distillation of spirits in some amount for personal use?
> 
> Thank you.



Uh OH!


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## southernboy2147 (May 24, 2012)

IDK what it is but if u drink that first percentage... it will make ur stomach cramp for dayssssssss. dont ask me how i know


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## rydert (May 24, 2012)

takamineman said:


> I've always heard the first 10% and last 10% of the batch.




never heard of throwing any of it away.........but i'm not very familiar with it either


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## j_seph (May 24, 2012)

southernboy2147 said:


> IDK what it is but if u drink that first percentage... it will make ur stomach cramp for dayssssssss. dont ask me how i know


It's called Methanol


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## takamineman (May 25, 2012)

x2 on the methanol...it's not good at all.


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## mickbear (May 25, 2012)

you discard the first 100-150 mil. of a 20Gal batch +/- .the reason is temp. ethyl alcohol turns to a gas @ or about 175-76 Deg.methyl alcohol turns to a gas @ or about 167-68 Deg.  
     there's no magic to making liquor. all your doing is seperating two liquids that have diffreent boiling points by turning one to a gas before the other.
    if i was going to make some i would be sure to use a reflux still that had a 2 foot column with copper scowering pads or marbles inside,two thermometers one at the top of the coloumn and one at the begining of the worm or condencing coil.a recirculating pond pump to transfer my cold water from a five gallon bucket thru the cooling chamber.the reflux column has taken a lot of the work out of making liquor.the ol thump kegs,puke pot days are gone in my opinion.you can go to lowes pick up the materials and buil a small still fairly cheap.
straight corn meal,turbo yeast, sugar and water and you in business

 now thats just my guess, i dont realy know for sure so dont hold me to that.


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## Mac (May 25, 2012)

mickbear said:


> you discard the first 100-150 mil. of a 20Gal batch +/- .the reason is temp. ethyl alcohol turns to a gas @ or about 75-76 Deg.methyl alcohol turns to a gas @ or about 67-68 Deg.
> there's no magic to making liquor. all your doing is seperating two liquids that have diffreent boiling points by turning one to a gas before the other.
> if i was going to make some i would be sure to use a reflux still that had a 2 foot column with copper scowering pads or marbles inside,two thermometers one at the top of the coloumn and one at the begining of the worm or condencing coil.a recirculating pond pump to transfer my cold water from a five gallon bucket thru the cooling chamber.the reflux column has taken a lot of the work out of making liquor.the ol thump kegs,puke pot days are gone in my opinion.you can go to lowes pick up the materials and buil a small still fairly cheap.
> straight corn meal,turbo yeast, sugar and water and you in business
> ...



Good information


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## Sirduke (May 30, 2012)

But ask yourself... Do I feel lucky ? Because getting making moonshine involves several felonies, at the Federal level, so think long and hard about how much you want to drink some.

But, should you decide to go forth with it, remember that a secret is only a secret until you tell someone. Then it becomes public knowledge quick.


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## mickbear (May 31, 2012)

oh, and one other thing.when you turn the the alcohol to a gas it becomes very very volatile! the stuff will blow up in the blink of an eye!!when you are cooking you have a bomb in a bucket, sitting on a flame!!!!


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## klemsontigers7 (Jun 1, 2012)

You get rid of a certain percentage... about .25% but you should dump the first .5% to be certain.  You can calculate how much you expect by knowing your mash quantity and alcohol content, as well as the alcohol content of your finished ethanol.

You're using this for fuel right?
http://www.ttb.gov/forms/f511074.pdf\

There is the link for the form you can fill out to get a license to produce fuel.


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## bunnyhunter (Aug 5, 2012)

Take temperatures at the Still Head

<174°F discard "referred to as foreshots"

176° up to 195°F "this is called the heads" >80% alcohol

196°F up to 203°F "referred to as middle run" this is the good stuff 65-80% alcohol

201°F to 208°F "referred to as the tails"

Sit aside the heads and tails for your next run. Drink the middle run!


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## Beartrkkr (Aug 7, 2012)

FYI:


http://www.ttb.gov/faqs/genalcohol.shtml#g1


Spirits

You cannot produce spirits for beverage purposes without paying taxes and without prior approval of paperwork to operate a distilled spirits plant.  [See 26 U.S.C. 5601 & 5602 for some of the criminal penalties.]  There are numerous requirements that must be met that make it impractical to produce spirits for personal or beverage use.  Some of these requirements are paying excise tax, filing an extensive application, filing a bond, providing adequate equipment to measure spirits, providing suitable tanks and pipelines, providing a separate building (other than a dwelling) and maintaining detailed records, and filing reports.  All of these requirements are listed in 27 CFR Part 19.

Spirits may be produced for non-beverage purposes for fuel use only without payment of tax, but you also must file an application, receive TTB's approval, and follow requirements, such as construction, use, records and reports.


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## BrotherBadger (Aug 7, 2012)

Fletch_W said:


> FYI second season, it's been legalized on the federal level for personal use, under a certain amount per year. Besides, *I was just looking for information for my friend in Canada. *
> 
> 
> Everyone, proceed.





Fletch_W said:


> *I've got a hydrometer, where you can measure alcohol content, *and they make even fancier ones to get it measured just right. That's not my question. My question is how much of the first runnings need to be discarded. It's an important question because the first runnings are high in methanol, which is deadly. It can kill you before you even know there is something wrong. It's not just superfluous hillbilly tradition, it's literally life and death if you get it wrong.




Hmmmm.................


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## WOODIE13 (Aug 24, 2012)

Only for a fuel alternative, promise


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## JKnieper (Aug 24, 2012)

You can't make booze for your personal use?  That's just crazy!  Government is out of control.  
As a side note, when I was a kid growing up in the 70s our neighbor was a state revenuer.  
My Father and several of our close neighbors always had a good supply of "the safe stuff"!


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## WOODIE13 (Aug 24, 2012)

You can make it, it is not a crime unless you get caught


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## JustUs4All (Aug 25, 2012)

It is indeed a crime, it is just not punishable until you get caught.


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