Hello everyone!
As a few of you already know, I've recently purchased a water injection kit for my Peugeot 306 turbo-diesel. The pump of the kit is alcohol compatible, so I've made up a solution of 50% water, 25% methanol and 25% ethanol to trial in initial tests. I thought I'd use a combination of both methanol and ethanol as methanol can absorb more heat than ethanol, but burns with less energy (apparently!). The opposite applies for ethanol supposedly.
I thought I'd buy a 10 litre bottle of spring water as it's meant to be great for water injection - not having all the impurities that tap water is meant to have. It's probably not necessary to buy bottled water as Sydney water is excellent in my opinion!
There was something bothering me when I bought the ethanol for about $3.10 a litre compared to $1.40 for methanol. I've always had an interest in brewing alcohol, but never really knew how to do it. I've long known of "moonshiners" and such, but I was never able to figure out the process. I decided to throw my hat over the wall and brew my own!
By downloading a PDF file on how to make your own moonshine reflux still, I was able to nut out how it's done. The PDF file described in detail how a reflux still works, and how to make one simply and cheaply.
About an hour ago I won some glass beads on eBay that will be perfect as a column packer. Apparently having a column packed with something like glass or ceramic beads gives a kind of reflux action, hence the name of the still. It makes for purer ethanol I'm told!
I began putting together a few copper bits and pieces, and just today I bought a 20 litre hot water urn that I intend to use to heat the mix. By mix I mean the 20 litres of water, 8kg of sugar and yeast that has now fermented - I prepared it about a week ago.
It's extraordinary how many of my friends seem to be closet alcoholics as I've generated quite a bit of interest by telling them I intend to start making my own absinthe! I've had requests for bourbon, rum and vodka thus far.
I did some further reading on reflux columns and found out that you can make your own distilled water, as well as make essential oils from lavender and such. I guess I'll never have to buy distilled water again!
Speaking of lavender, earlier this morning I went and picked some stalks and flowers from a lavender bush we have out the front. I threw them in a pot with water and warmed it gently to extract the oil. Not doing anything by halves, I let the pot sit on the stove on a low heating setting all day long. The house now stinks (and I mean stinks!) of lavender oil. Apparently I'm meant to let it sit for a day or two to extract all the useable oil.
Attached is a few pictures I thought might be of interest.
I'd love to hear from anyone who has had any experience with a reflux still - I'm keen to learn all there is about this rather esoteric hobby!
From left to right:
1) General overview. The reflux column is on the left and the condenser coil is on the right. I still need to cut another piece of copper tubing to cover the coil. I also need to braze the rest of the fittings.
2) Another general photo. The long 1/2 inch tube to the most right is the cold water inlet, and the one that bends 90 degrees under the condenser coil is the outlet. The one to the left of this is where the alcohol drips out.
3) Close-up of the condenser coil. I've yet to cut a length of copper tubing to cover this. Cool water will run inside the copper tubing making it more of a water jacket.
4) This is the hot water urn I won on eBay. With a temperature control setting it's ideal!
As a few of you already know, I've recently purchased a water injection kit for my Peugeot 306 turbo-diesel. The pump of the kit is alcohol compatible, so I've made up a solution of 50% water, 25% methanol and 25% ethanol to trial in initial tests. I thought I'd use a combination of both methanol and ethanol as methanol can absorb more heat than ethanol, but burns with less energy (apparently!). The opposite applies for ethanol supposedly.
I thought I'd buy a 10 litre bottle of spring water as it's meant to be great for water injection - not having all the impurities that tap water is meant to have. It's probably not necessary to buy bottled water as Sydney water is excellent in my opinion!
There was something bothering me when I bought the ethanol for about $3.10 a litre compared to $1.40 for methanol. I've always had an interest in brewing alcohol, but never really knew how to do it. I've long known of "moonshiners" and such, but I was never able to figure out the process. I decided to throw my hat over the wall and brew my own!
By downloading a PDF file on how to make your own moonshine reflux still, I was able to nut out how it's done. The PDF file described in detail how a reflux still works, and how to make one simply and cheaply.
About an hour ago I won some glass beads on eBay that will be perfect as a column packer. Apparently having a column packed with something like glass or ceramic beads gives a kind of reflux action, hence the name of the still. It makes for purer ethanol I'm told!
I began putting together a few copper bits and pieces, and just today I bought a 20 litre hot water urn that I intend to use to heat the mix. By mix I mean the 20 litres of water, 8kg of sugar and yeast that has now fermented - I prepared it about a week ago.
It's extraordinary how many of my friends seem to be closet alcoholics as I've generated quite a bit of interest by telling them I intend to start making my own absinthe! I've had requests for bourbon, rum and vodka thus far.
I did some further reading on reflux columns and found out that you can make your own distilled water, as well as make essential oils from lavender and such. I guess I'll never have to buy distilled water again!
Speaking of lavender, earlier this morning I went and picked some stalks and flowers from a lavender bush we have out the front. I threw them in a pot with water and warmed it gently to extract the oil. Not doing anything by halves, I let the pot sit on the stove on a low heating setting all day long. The house now stinks (and I mean stinks!) of lavender oil. Apparently I'm meant to let it sit for a day or two to extract all the useable oil.
Attached is a few pictures I thought might be of interest.
I'd love to hear from anyone who has had any experience with a reflux still - I'm keen to learn all there is about this rather esoteric hobby!
From left to right:
1) General overview. The reflux column is on the left and the condenser coil is on the right. I still need to cut another piece of copper tubing to cover the coil. I also need to braze the rest of the fittings.
2) Another general photo. The long 1/2 inch tube to the most right is the cold water inlet, and the one that bends 90 degrees under the condenser coil is the outlet. The one to the left of this is where the alcohol drips out.
3) Close-up of the condenser coil. I've yet to cut a length of copper tubing to cover this. Cool water will run inside the copper tubing making it more of a water jacket.
4) This is the hot water urn I won on eBay. With a temperature control setting it's ideal!
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