# a different kind of chemistry



## Geo (Oct 8, 2011)

i helped my son put up a five gallon bucket of apple wine. well the bucket was five but i only put up four, and just forgot about it thinking he would keep up with it. i told him it would work off in ten days. that was four months ago, today he ask me if it was ready. i was sure it had turned to vinegar but i had done all the proper procedures to make good wine and even installed a bubble valve to keep out oxygen. as soon as the lid was removed the smell of alcohol was very strong and after a small sample :mrgreen: was assured it was wine and not vinegar. the taste is not sweet at all even though i had added excess sugar (four pounds) this tells me that all available sugar had been converted to alcohol. the small sample i tried instantly made my lips and tongue numb but was very warm going down with a spreading warmth of a good strong drink. it still has yeast suspended in the wine but an overnight chill will remove that and be clear as water in the morning. i think of the three and a half gallons that came off i may distill the half gallon and see what the pure alcohol from it taste like. im thinking the half gallon will make 1 pint of 100 proof.


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## rewalston (Oct 8, 2011)

Good job Geo. Distill it and you would have some mighty tasty brandy. 

Rusty


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## Harold_V (Oct 9, 2011)

If you intend to do any distilling, do so quietly. Discussing it on this forum isn't the smartest thing you can do. It's illegal as hell to distill alcohol without a federal permit. It's called moonshine, which I'm sure you've heard of. 

Harold


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## Geo (Oct 9, 2011)

yep, I've heard. but i don't know if its just a local law or not but where i live you can actually distill up to a gallon as long as you don't sell it. and can make up to five gallons of either wine or homebrew beer. all for personal use of coarse. but thanks for the heads up, ill keep shush about my mini setup. 8)
i will edit this to add: after checking the alcohol control board citing regulation 28.1.1 all manufacture of any alcohol containing beverage in any county of this state constitutes a crime unless a permit has been applied for and received prior to the manufacture of any alcohol containing beverage:
and goes on to state that if the beverage is to be sold a license must be obtained. if im not getting too senile i believe the permit is free, you just have to state that the beverage will be of personal use and will not be sold.


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## Harold_V (Oct 9, 2011)

Pay strict attention to *federal* law. It is illegal to distill without a federal permit. 

http://www.ehow.com/way_5476701_legal-make-liquor-private-use.html

Harold


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## Geo (Oct 9, 2011)

wow. thanks for the link. its amazing how federal law and state law can be so opposite of each other. well i guess ill just leave the wine as wine. thats crazy that a law such as that is still on the books when people all over the place is making meth and getting a slap on the wrist.


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## Claudie (Oct 9, 2011)

I'm not 100% sure on this, but I think you can distill alcohol in small quantities in Iowa as long as you don't try to sell it. Raising your own tobacco has similar laws.


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## Geo (Oct 9, 2011)

exactly. but federal law supersedes state law. thats why the feds can close down the medical marijuana clinics in california even though they are legal under state law. federal law covers every state in the union.


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## NoIdea (Oct 9, 2011)

It's time you moved to NZ :lol: making ones own booze was legalised 15years ago, tobacco can be grown for ones own use. Selling either is illegal. 

I have just given up smoking and I don't really drink anymore, maybe I should move :mrgreen: 

Deano


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