Freeze jacking

[Mash]

Does/had anyone frozen the alcohol out of a wash instead of distilling?

[Almanac]

I'm pretty sure the average domestic freezing aperatus would not be able to freeze ethanol but I think I read somewhere that you can freeze a wash and remove the water and some other impurities as ice crystals.

However, many of the undesireable elements may well be unsuitable for freezing too so you'd still end up having to distill to separate the parts you want from the parts that make your head bang

AM

[Easydrinker]

What you refer to as freeze jacking,reminds me of the time that I used to make Apple Jack,many years ago.
The idea of which is to produce a strong drink by freezing the water from the drink,not the alcohol.
Simply put a bottle of cider in the freezer.
Depending upon how long you leave it,when you pour the liquid from the bottle,you leave behind more or less water,as ice.
You can concentrate eight pints of cider down to one.
This process does concentrate more than just the alcohol,and has it's limitations,unless you are challenged in the taste bud department!

Robert.

[Mash]

Apple jack,that's the one.
Freeze it hard. Alcohol doesn't. Remove cap and invert, collecting the goodies in another vessel.

I thought to use it instead of a stripping run?

[Easydrinker]

Freeze stripping sounds a bit bonkers,but I don't see why not.
It removes any chance of a surge boil!
Providing that you had freezer room,you could rack into a fermenter inside the freezer,scoop out the ice as it formed,and then scoop or ladle the strip-(Big strong folk could simply straight arm the fermenter in and out).
I would be great if someone tried this now and reported back,sadly I have a small upright freezer,and suspect a chest version will be required.
It's food for thought.

Robert.

[Mash]

I might try this.

The plan I had was.... Freeze it upright (2 days) and then invert and just let the unfrozen alcohol drain out.

My concern is whats left (if this is inefficient strip) however I think I have to tools to find out.

Wide neck fermenter might be a better shape than a plastic gerry can.
hmm ... need a stand and a big funnel.

[ant]

I've done this in five litre hdpe jugs with old flat keg bitter. Yields a strong special brew malty syrupy kind of taste. I like it but some might not.

I doubt heads and tails would be removed. Be like stripping without cuts.
If you then dilute before running have you really achieved anything other than taking it from 10 to 30%? Is this enough?

No idea what the relative energy efficiencies are of freezing vs distillation. 20 deg to zero instead of 20 deg to various boiling points between 60-100 sounds like it might be more efficient.

Old water cooler bottles make big funnels. The polycarbonate I think they are made from might craze eventually and or leach something into your alcohol. Depending on proof prolly.

[Mash]

hmm. Water cooler bottles - good idea.

For airstill users this could reduce the strip time for larger volumes?

[Still Brewing]

Easydrinker "It removes any chance of a surge boil !!"

That made me chuckle. Very dry Sir, nice one !!.

[RumJohn]

@ Mashy:

The plan I had was.... Freeze it upright (2 days) and then invert and just let the unfrozen alcohol drain out.


I have heard of it being done that way. The alchohol has a totally different freezing point so its quite feasible.

[Mash]

I thought it might be a very easy stripper.

[chill]

It would work great in Canada in the winter!

[Easydrinker]

It would work in Scotland also...
Who needs a freezer?


Robert.