Where can I get 190 proof (95% pure) ethyl alcohol?

[Guest]

Yeah, you all know I'm nuts. I've got the glycerine, I've got the sugar, I've got the double boiler. Am I making a bomb? No, I'm making transparent soap.

Where's the beef? Where can I buy spirit alcohol?

I tried 2 pharmacies, nada. Where can you get this stuff?

 

[Chay]

Have you tried the local liquor store. They might carry everclear.

 

[IanT]

you can probably order it online (you can find anything online lol)... you COULD make it..all you need to do is go to homedepot, get some copper tubing, then go to walmart, get a pot with a lid, then you make a mash with potatoes (or wheat or combo of both) and yeast and some added sugar, let it ferment for a little bit, then put the pot on a hot plate, (the copper tubing must be inserted into the pot through a drilled hole) you must set it up so that it rises in a coil, cools through a spiral of the coil that is air-cooled or bathed in ice to recondense the vapor, and then a glass to catch it (size depends on batch)... bada bing bada boom

you heat the mash to the boiling point of alcohol, which lets the alcohol evaporate but the water to stay in the pot.nyou have 100% alcohol (DO NOT DRINK!!) then you dilute it with water, if you want to make it drinkable Id run it through the still a few times, filter it a few times through sand and activated carbon/charcoal, then freeze it to be sure no excess water remains, you can scoop it out when it freezes...then you dilute it with water (so lets say if you have an 80 proof desire, you would dilute the solution so that its 40% H20 and 60% water ..only use the best water you can muster as well...)


Ive wanted to make my own vodka for the loooongest time!

 

[Guest]

Durn you Ian! I should have warned you that I'm a hobby-holic and I've almost never seen a hobby that didn't appeal to me. I just started soapmaking and now you're getting me interested in home brewing!

Actually if I had to brew my own I'd skip the mash and feed the still some cheap vodka. All I'd have to do is get rid of some of the undesirable water.

I have heard of transparent soap processes using 80 proof alcohol. I suspect it might be the alcohol-lye method where you add your alcohol before the cooking and gel stage. Perhaps I'll try that.

I bet everybody is just shaking their head in puzzlement, this LH newbie with 3 batches under his belt, and already thinking he can make his own Neutragena. Well I'm a nut, what can I say?


I guess I'll try some liquor stores. I know in some states they sell Everclear, but I don't know about California. I've seen it in other states but I've never seen it here. And I'm not unfamiliar with liquor stores...

 

[Martin]

I have been wondering about this. Can moonshine be used?

Sonja

 

[Guest]

Depends on the proof and the impurities. For transparent soap you want 190 proof 95% pure ethyl alcohol (ethanol). The other 5% is chiefly water and impurities should be only a small part. I expect it would be pretty hard to get moonshine to 95% since most liquor is good enough for drinking at 80 proof or so, but perhaps they can get better than my guestimate.

Perhaps the impurities wouldn't even matter as long as they weren't something you couldn't put on your skin.

 

[ydpubs]

It does depend on what state you are in. I know in CA you cannot buy Everclear.

 

[Guest]

Yeah I just want to update this thread.

The People's Republic of Kalifornia (PRK) has decreed that no liquor will be sold unless its proof is less than or equal to 151 Proof. We have Everclear but only in the 151 version, not the 190 version.

Said from the proprietor of a local liquor store.

I'm heading to chemical supply houses tomorrow.

 

[ydpubs]

Yeah I just want to update this thread.

The People's Republic of Kalifornia (PRK) has decreed that no liquor will be sold unless its proof is less than or equal to 151 Proof. We have Everclear but only in the 151 version, not the 190 version.

Said from the proprietor of a local liquor store.

I'm heading to chemical supply houses tomorrow.

Ahh, I did not know they had 151 proof here.

 

[IanT]

Depends on the proof and the impurities. For transparent soap you want 190 proof 95% pure ethyl alcohol (ethanol). The other 5% is chiefly water and impurities should be only a small part. I expect it would be pretty hard to get moonshine to 95% since most liquor is good enough for drinking at 80 proof or so, but perhaps they can get better than my guestimate.

Perhaps the impurities wouldn't even matter as long as they weren't something you couldn't put on your skin.

Thats where the activated carbon comes in...since Carbon has 4 bonding sites it attaches itself to the impurities thereby rendering them a new molecule that doesnt cause any difference in taste (or smell! )


lol yeah I m a hobby nut too...I live at home depot lol...or lowes, I love searching for new hobbies!

I dont think it would be too hard to get it to 95 proof either, when you put it through the still 2-3 times it would be pretty darn close, thats why you cant really drink it because I think its crazy on your stomach..FIREWATER!

I really really really want to try it though lol and plus I wouldnt have to pay if I wanted to use it in soap...just for the mash supplies and the H20, way less than store bought! (if you were going to use it for biz...) unless you can find it on the cheap!

 

[Scotsoap]

Ian ! you are dangerous !! LOL ... for goodness sake nobody post asking how to make bath bombs fizzier ! He'll post how to make a nuclear explosion (just kidding ya hun)

 

[Soapmaker Man]

Sheila, owner of Synergy was one of the vendors this weekend at the TN Soap Social. She sells a 90%. She buys 100%, but we would need a liquor license to buy from her at more than 90%. Here is her link;

http://www.thesynergy.com/supplies/base ... ers%20Base

I sure am happy to be home. We had a great time in TN though! 8)
Learned so much.

Paul :wink:

 

[Guest]

Ian, you sound dangerous with H-twenty 'n mash!

Paul, I am already well known at SMF for being too impatient to buy things on the Internet. I'd rather search for a local source for two weeks than order it on the 'Net and wait two days.

I'm gonna see if I can find a chem supply house today. Locally.

 

[Guest]

Well I finally broke down and ordered my mash... er... I mean ordered my 190 alcohol from an online vendor. Here's the details in case anybody else decides they want some:

vendor: WineChateau.com

product: Evercleear 190 proof 750 mL $13.99

I got two bottles for $27.98 subtotal plus $13.67 shipping via FedEx ground for a grand total of $41.65 :shock:

If worse comes to worse I can always feed it to Ian and watch him walk into walls.

 

[IanT]

hehehe we can call it zombie brew

Ian ! you are dangerous !! LOL ... for goodness sake nobody post asking how to make bath bombs fizzier ! He'll post how to make a nuclear explosion (just kidding ya hun)

muahahahahah :twisted:

lol I no longer do pyrotechnics but I used to do alot of model rockets when I was younger and mess around with the engines (like launching them with no rocket attached....) kind of scary ! but I dont mess with balistics anymore too dangerous!! although nuclear bath fizzies sounds fun muahahaha....throw one in the tub when your ready and turn it into a n upside-down water fall !

 

[Scotsoap]

Hmm puts a whole new spin on power shower

 

[Guest]

lol I no longer do pyrotechnics but I used to do alot of model rockets when I was younger and mess around with the engines (like launching them with no rocket attached....) kind of scary ! but I dont mess with balistics anymore too dangerous!!

Funny you should say that, because I've got a whole pile of Estes stuff in my hobbies, crafts and nuclear weapons store room (same room I use for storing my junk and drying soap). I've even got a half completed sugar rocket inventory...

I told youse all, I never saw a hobby or craft or art that didn't interest me, nor any science either.

 

[IanT]

 

[SoapyGal]

Well I finally broke down and ordered my mash... er... I mean ordered my 190 alcohol from an online vendor. Here's the details in case anybody else decides they want some:

vendor: WineChateau.com

product: Evercleear 190 proof 750 mL $13.99

I got two bottles for $27.98 subtotal plus $13.67 shipping via FedEx ground for a grand total of $41.65 :shock:

If worse comes to worse I can always feed it to Ian and watch him walk into walls.

So Greg - how did this work out for you?

I found a recipe in a soap book that calls for everclear.... but it's for soaking herbs in it for 24 hours, straining it & then using the infused everclear to rebatch, combined with the grated soap of a non-scented batch.... it's just the everclear concoction & the soap shreds, no water...

then adding some more EO of the herb that was soaked in the everclear to begin with :shock: Sorry if this sounds confusing... I'd post the recipe, but there are strict instructions not to in the front of the book & I don't want to get sued :shock:

But I'm trying to figure out what the heck is the purpose of using the everclear in this manner to begin with -- ?!!

It's the only "rebatch" recipe in the book that uses the everclear... the rest of them all use water & grated soap.

If anyone else out there has a clue about this, please feel free to share your thoughts

Thanks all.

 

[digit]

So Greg..............how did the mail order work out? There was a bottle at the liquor store here. My DH inquired about it since he knew I was looking for some. Turns out the bottle has been there for 4 years. The manager called state, who asked why I wanted it. DH said for making soaps and stuff. That's all he knew. State sent me a form with that particular store listed to apply for a license. For all the trouble, I dropped it and ordered perfumer's alcohol.

SoapyGal - My intentions were to extract oil from herbs and florals. Once done, I slowly evaporate the alcohol off and have the oil left. I just order the oils now. It is great for making tinctures if you can get it.

Another fine example of useful items slipping out of our reach or becoming difficult to obtain because of stupid people. :evil:

Digit