I was doing some research on making a still. For water of course. I mean, distilled water is expensive. And, I got to thinking, just out of curisoity, if one were to distill 5 gallons of let’s call it 8% abv homebrew, distilled alcohol could one expect to have?
Maybe half a gallon of rotgut.
Not sure about the quantity(probably less than 1/2 gallon) but why would it be rotgut? I have a couple of friends who distill everything from fermented sugar water to homebrewed beer and they make some of the finest products I’ve ever tasted, bar none.
If you were to try this go very easy on the hops(from experience), hop aromas can get really concentrated.
If I were to ever distill something other than water, it would be hopless. I was thinking two row, and maybe some peat smoked malt. Perhaps a bit of rye? But, then again. That would be illegal. ;D
Everything these guys have distilled has been for my alcohol lamp, even the absinthe. But a little hops is really quite good. So is Thai basil, juniper berries etc. The smoke from the alcohol lamp smells so good.
You can totally distill two row and peat smoked malt or rye legally, not an issue.
Just don’t mash and ferment first. 
Absolutely don’t agree. First of all, you’d likely get about a gallon, and it could be quite good. Distillation technology is very old and pot stills are very simple. Home distillation of potables is illegal but with a little learning & care, you can produce quite enjoyable drink that won’t make you go blind.
Let’s use a horrible math example - someone will be along shortly to correct me… 8)
Eight percent of five gallons. Lets round to ten because it’s early. So that’s half a gallon, if you are using a fractional still and getting in the high nineties for purity. Traditionally what we consume is much less than that, so if you use a pot still you would get a bit over a gallon, then re-distill it to clean it up and to get a little more than half a gallon. Then you would need to cut it - to make it drinkable. So - yeah you could get a gallon, drinkable, out of this situation.
So, all I got left to say in IB4TL !!!
Guys, distilling is not what this forum is about. I’d appreciate it if this topic is dropped.
Hope I dont take this thread in the wrong direction but isnt it funny how distilling is the taboo subject. Strange especially cause home brewers fight to legalize brewing. Fight for the freedom to “make your own” stuff.
I know when I tell some of the uninitiated that I brew my own beer and make wine they instantly think moonshine. There is sort of a taboo about makeing alchol for consumption at home.Like you make it in your bath tub or something.
Isnt it sort of like the coke heads looking down on the crank heads? OR maybe there is a better analogy.
Denny, how is talking about distilling (not actually practicing it, of course) further from “what this forum is about” than talking about bbq, cooking, cheese making, etc?
Perhaps if we talk about it, we might realize there is a significant and/or growing number of homebrewers who’d like to see the laws against home distillation changed. It’s not that far off from legalization of making beer or wine. It might be something we want to look at regarding our lobbying & legalization efforts.
Mark, you make a very valid point, but the mods received a couple of comments about it, so I’m just trying to please everyone. You know how easy that is! But you notice I didn’t lock or delete this thread. Let’s just treat it gingerly, like the Bible thread, and I think everything will be OK.
Since it’s not locked.
While I was outside heating my strike water I was thinking. This is the same as the current AHA situation except now it’s all 50 states in the case of distilling vs a handful of states in the case of homebrew. Is there anyone lobbying for home distilling?
Its also weird that distillation does not make alcohol. Fermentation does. http://www.gin-vodka.com/legal.html
Now that making alcohol is legal no reason distillation shouldnt be.
The law says you are not allowed to own distillation equipment at all, even if you are not using it to create alcoholic beverages.
Sorry Denny. Didn’t mean to cause a stir. I really gotta stop watching the History channel. It give me all kinds of ideas. You shoulda seen me the first season of Meteorite Men was on!!! ;D
It’s quite a bit more hazardous than brewing. We spill stuff. Maybe burn our leg. :
Stills can explode plus distilled spirits are highly flammable and can burn your house down.
So is a propane tank and burner. More so than alcohol vapor.
And if that were actually the reason, turkey fryers should be illegal too.
Hey, Barry, from a theoretical standpoint I think it’s an interesting subject. We just need to make sure that’s the path it stays on. Unless it goes pear shaped or I hear from the AHA that it’s not a good idea, the topic stays open.
Sorry cap you won’t convince me with that argument. Distilling is a specialized skill.
No, you can OWN a still. You CAN’T separate alcohol from water legally. You can extract essential oils and distill water all you want. There’s a certain size that won’t even get anyone’s attention (sears even sells a water distiller) - but once you buy the big mamba jamba stuff cuz you’re making “perfume” you might get a visit.
Skymall used to sell a tabletop still. The ad copy totally said it was legal to own and use because of the low quantity it could produce. That was in the early 90’s - I haven’t seen it since. And I have since found out even distilling an ounce would be illegal.