where to obtain the strongest alcohol?
Discussion
Nope im not a piss head. But I am starting a home brew of my own absinthe but im having trouble locating strong enough alcohol for the process to work properly. I require (ideally 3 litres) 180 proof vodka but anything over 120 proof will do. Pure ethanol is an option but I cant find any on the internet. Any ideas? im not hinting that any of you are 180proof/ethanol drinkers but you might know for some reason i cant fathom.
Not sure about ethanol - it's plenty strong enough, but your absinthe will taste shitty. The best absinthe uses grape-distilled alcohol, not grain-distilled. You might be well off finding a strong brandy or something similar to work with. I have just googled a recipe calling for port.
Where do we sign up to try your stuff? ;-)
Ciao
Zak
Where do we sign up to try your stuff? ;-)
Ciao
Zak
Get something and distill it, sadly, due to the laws of chemistry, there is a situation where an "azeotrope" exists which means complete separation is impossible. You can get it to about 96.4% (IIRC) before you boil water over as well.
So you have your distilled CH3CH2OH at 96.4% BV so how are you going to get it to 100%? Ans:- Use a drying agent, there are loads of anhydrous salts which you can add which absorb water, stay solid and you filter the pure 100% alcohol off.
Having said, 96.4% is enough to get most shitfaced.
Stu
So you have your distilled CH3CH2OH at 96.4% BV so how are you going to get it to 100%? Ans:- Use a drying agent, there are loads of anhydrous salts which you can add which absorb water, stay solid and you filter the pure 100% alcohol off.
Having said, 96.4% is enough to get most shitfaced.
Stu
love machine said:
Get something and distill it, sadly, due to the laws of chemistry, there is a situation where an "azeotrope" exists which means complete separation is impossible. You can get it to about 96.4% (IIRC) before you boil water over as well.
So you have your distilled CH3CH2OH at 96.4% BV so how are you going to get it to 100%? Ans:- Use a drying agent, there are loads of anhydrous salts which you can add which absorb water, stay solid and you filter the pure 100% alcohol off.
Having said, 96.4% is enough to get most shitfaced.
Stu
Of course, this is all theoretical as distillation without a license is illegal, ossifer.
You can get high-percentage drinkable alcohols in the UK but they're pretty rare due to the monster taxes imposed on anything above the usual spirit strength.
I have seen something called 'Polish Pure Grain Spirit' in Fortnum & Mason, which was 80% by volume. Expensive though, and small bottles.
Any more than that and you're probably going to have to distil your own. Producing anhydrous ethanol is a probably a waste of time for drinks production IMO since it'll pick up moisture immediately anyway.
Surely the thujone extract from wormwood must dissolve fully in the ethanol percentage required in the final drinkable spirit, or you're going to get separation - given that most absinthes I've seen are up to the 80% vol strength, it should work OK with 80%
I have seen something called 'Polish Pure Grain Spirit' in Fortnum & Mason, which was 80% by volume. Expensive though, and small bottles.
Any more than that and you're probably going to have to distil your own. Producing anhydrous ethanol is a probably a waste of time for drinks production IMO since it'll pick up moisture immediately anyway.
Surely the thujone extract from wormwood must dissolve fully in the ethanol percentage required in the final drinkable spirit, or you're going to get separation - given that most absinthes I've seen are up to the 80% vol strength, it should work OK with 80%
Some good ideas! the main reason behind the high strength alcohol isnt purely to get shit faced its to release chlorophyl from the amethisia absinthium (known as wormwood). Which gives the absinthe a higher thujon level. Customs and excise is the main problem any alcohol being imported will mean I have to pay a monster duty. Im trying to do this all legally. Im not going to sell any its just a little project. Bacardi 151 is an option. I am using ground aniseed seeds along with some other herbs and spices (e.g hyssop, callamus root, nutmeg, mint, and some other secret ingredients).
Find your nearest community of East European workers. Make a friend. Ask him for some of his grappa that he's brought/had sent over from home. Tell him you want the strongest stuff possible.
When I lived in London I had some Bulgarian friends who shared with me. I thought I knew strong stuff, with potcheen, but that stuff was lethal!
When I lived in London I had some Bulgarian friends who shared with me. I thought I knew strong stuff, with potcheen, but that stuff was lethal!
Didn't know people actually drink it straight, I've always seen it in punch and so forth.Trooper2 said:
Can you get Everclear in the U.K.? Twice distilled grain spirit at 190 proof!
Good to have on hand in case you run out of moonshine!
If you could, it'd probably be around £90 per bottle because of the duty.
As to lanciachris, yes absinthe contains (amongst other botanicals) wormwood oil... a major component of which is the alkaloid thujone, which is psychoactive (and neurotoxic as well IIRC). Nasty stuff in large doses.
Given that the OP wants to put nutmeg in his absinthe as well, it's going to be a pretty lethal cocktail for the old brain cells and a wild ride
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