StillSmart

Posted: **Sun Jan 06, 2013 9:04 pm**

+1 for bbq lighter. They are not as parrafiny as the usual stuff so makes for better untainted fumeless cooking.
Ive also poured a puddle on floor in dark and lit it as its quite nice to watch...lol

Im also planning on trying it as a degreaser for engine and gearbox gunk..

Rich

Posted: **Mon Jan 07, 2013 1:23 am**

Dump them as soon as collected. Dont want any mistakes or accidents.

Posted: **Mon Jan 07, 2013 3:57 pm**

a friend of mine goes camping and asked if he can use it as fuel for his stove.

Posted: **Sat Jan 12, 2013 5:55 pm**

RumJohn wrote:Dump them as soon as collected. Dont want any mistakes or accidents.

Dumping the heads ain't a good idea as it has very adverse effects on the environment as you should know living in China [I say this as a keen fisherman] most councils in the UK will have a bunded chemical disposal depot. Body shops and garages also have chemical disposal facilities if you are wary of using the council, but whatever you do please don't just dump the stuff!

Posted: **Sun Jan 13, 2013 2:59 am**

With my 2 1/2" potstill (at least), I collect foreshots and heads and keep them for use as feints in a subsequent spirit run; i.e. I dont throw away anything from the moment the distillate starts running until I am well into the tails....Whilst I DO understand that one must avoid drinking foreshots, I am not sure why the foreshots 'need' to be thrown away as I am sure I never actually consume them per se....of course, I may be incorrect here. ::)

Posted: **Sun Jan 13, 2013 9:12 am**

'Fores' is not the devil's spawn. However, this fraction is 'non-consumable' due to the presence of dangerous components.

These 'dangerous' components are present in un-defined quantity which we, as simple distillers, are technically and physically unable to identify, quantify & isolate for precise separation and disposal.

For the foregoing reason, I, as a very simple distiller, choose to err on the side of caution and safety and dispose of a quantity of distillate that I am satisfied will ensure all such 'dangerous components' are excluded from the final, drinkable

product that I bottle for consumption by me and mine.

In terms of an Airstill we are talking about 50ml or 10 teaspoons of liquid to be totally sure of isolating the Fores - and even this is serious overkill.

From a 40lt charge in my 50lt keg pot still I treat the first 500ml of distillate as Fores and chuck it in a jar marked 'Solvent' which I use for cleaning windows and such like.

As I said before, this amount is serious overkill but I don't have the facility of a laboratory to tell me exactly where the Fores end so I'm happy to separate an amount that will ensure none of those nasties get into my glass.

We all need a reminder, from time-to-time, that our hobby shouldn't be about squeezing every last drop of alcohol out of our stills.

We may, individually, have different goals in this hobby and I'm not suggesting it should be otherwise but, for me, the ultimate goal is to produce a clean, safe and enjoyable spirit. I'm not trying to copy or out-do any commercial distillery's product(s) - I'd never aim so low - and if chucking away a tiny proportion of the total product from my still then I, for one, will not cry over spilt distillate.

Whatever we do we have a duty to our families, our friends & ourselves, to do it safely and without unnecessary risk.

Happy New Year to all and let's make it our best yet

AM

Posted: **Sun Jan 13, 2013 11:52 pm**

Ledgy wrote:Could a little bit of foreshots be put into the petrol tank for an engine cleaner?
Isn't injector cleaners have alcohol in them?

The water content going through your engine will probably blow your engine head off! When water becomes flash heated it expands to superheated steam increasing it's volume by a factor of x5000!!! and a pressure ratio exceeding 2500/1 !
Yes I am a NERD and proud of it.

Posted: **Mon Jan 14, 2013 12:09 am**

aidanmac wrote:'Fores' is not the devil's spawn. However, this fraction is 'non-consumable' due to the presence of dangerous components.

These 'dangerous' components are present in un-defined quantity which we, as simple distillers, are technically and physically unable to identify, quantify & isolate for precise separation and disposal.

For the foregoing reason, I, as a very simple distiller, choose to err on the side of caution and safety and dispose of a quantity of distillate that I am satisfied will ensure all such 'dangerous components' are excluded from the final, drinkable product that I bottle for consumption by me and mine.

In terms of an Airstill we are talking about 50ml or 10 teaspoons of liquid to be totally sure of isolating the Fores - and even this is serious overkill.

From a 40lt charge in my 50lt keg pot still I treat the first 500ml of distillate as Fores and chuck it in a jar marked 'Solvent' which I use for cleaning windows and such like.

As I said before, this amount is serious overkill but I don't have the facility of a laboratory to tell me exactly where the Fores end so I'm happy to separate an amount that will ensure none of those nasties get into my glass.

We all need a reminder, from time-to-time, that our hobby shouldn't be about squeezing every last drop of alcohol out of our stills.

We may, individually, have different goals in this hobby and I'm not suggesting it should be otherwise but, for me, the ultimate goal is to produce a clean, safe and enjoyable spirit. I'm not trying to copy or out-do any commercial distillery's product(s) - I'd never aim so low - and if chucking away a tiny proportion of the total product from my still then I, for one, will not cry over spilt distillate.

Whatever we do we have a duty to our families, our friends & ourselves, to do it safely and without unnecessary risk.

Happy New Year to all and let's make it our best yet

AM

You can test for methanol by putting a potassium permanganate tablet into the test sample. If it contains methanol it will start to "gas off" a hydrogen sulphide smell or rather "stench". If no methanol is present it will remain neutral. Potassium Permanganate can be found in any pet stores that sell fish and aquarium products, you will find the potassium permanganate sold in little tubes as an oxidiser for reducing algae growth on the aquarium glass and to
help keep the water oxygenated. It can be found in Pet World.
PS NO SMOKING,THE MIXTURE IS HIGHLY EXPLOSIVE AND PROBABLY ILLEGAL!!!

Posted: **Wed Jan 16, 2013 12:16 am**

Frank wrote:With my 2 1/2" potstill....I collect foreshots and heads and keep them for use as feints in a subsequent spirit run; i.e. I dont throw away anything from the moment the distillate starts

Do we need to have another talk Frank? $:-\$

There will come a time when you run it too hard and you will smear all the nasties together, right down into the tails.

My CM produces about 100ml foreshots per 40 litre wash, so I just kill weeds on the driveway with them.

scarecrow

Posted: **Thu Jan 17, 2013 12:38 pm**

Isn't ethanol the antidote to methanol poisoning?

It's the other stuff in the foreshots that I worry about. I'm taking out the 1st 50ml from the airstill. Probably don't need that much as I do low power runs but I can tell the difference the next morning if I don't.

Posted: **Fri Jan 18, 2013 9:23 am**

I use it to poison my enemies.

When all my enemies are gone, I will use it to clean the windows.

Seriously, I do use it as an accelerant when lighting my fire pit.

I am also going to start playing about with home made alcohol stoves too and test the efficiency of my fores.

http://adventuresinstoving.blogspot.co. ... esign.html

Posted: **Fri Jan 18, 2013 11:34 pm**

mozr wrote:I use it to poison my enemies.

When all my enemies are gone, I will use it to clean the windows.

Clean the windows first, you'll be able to keep a better look out for your enemies, until the poison takes hold

Posted: **Mon Apr 27, 2015 6:27 pm**

http://www.ba-bamail.com/content.aspx?e ... A%3d&d=485

Posted: **Mon Apr 27, 2015 10:58 pm**

A nice update Bill,thanks.

Robert.

Posted: **Wed Apr 29, 2015 8:55 am**

RickyRasper wrote:
YHB wrote:
Jedmau5 wrote:Drink em neat! >:D

I am assuming that this was a joke.

There may be other people who read this that do not realise that fact and may follow your “example”.

Foreshots can be made up of acetone (nail varnish remover) and other harmful compounds – I think it is dangerous to say that they can be drunk.

Please be careful when posting.

Very true, I have a friend [ a retired chemistry teacher ] who used to distill his own hooch. He had a sever addiction to alcohol and used to drink heads middle and tails the whole lot. My friend today is blind at 56 and has recently been diagnosed with dementia. A very sad and severe advert to anyone contemplating drinking the heads!!!!

Too true, I wouldn't have known any better...

StillSmart

How do you use your foreshots

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