On Tue, 29 Jan 2013 18:13:36 -0500, Robert wrote:

> Look for everclear. around the same price but its 200 proof.

Everclear seems like a good idea.

According to google, you can't get it any higher than 190 proof (95%),
but Califoria apparently outlawed the 190 proof so I will look for one
notch lower.

NOTE: Why they'd outlaw 190 proof but allow the next level down is beyond
me, since people could just drink more - but it is California ... so that
must explain it.

On 1/29/2013 10:21 AM, bigwheel wrote:
> 'George BTW we solved the "soda problem" by simply not drinking it. You get used to sweet stuff and a glass of water is just as refreshing.[/QUOTE Wrote:
>>
>>
>> Smartest advice I have yet heard dispensed. Soft drinks kill folks. Prob
>> drank two or three over the past ten years or so. I like to sip on a big
>> insulated cup full of ice water topped with a little Wine. It will cure
>> what ails ya. That is what Eyetalian chillins drink so they can learn to
>> grow up and be alchyholics.
>
>


Sheldon, is that you? If not, someone is channeling you.

gloria p

On Tue, 29 Jan 2013 21:33:42 -0700, gloria p >
wrote:

>On 1/29/2013 10:21 AM, bigwheel wrote:
>> 'George BTW we solved the "soda problem" by simply not drinking it. You get used to sweet stuff and a glass of water is just as refreshing.[/QUOTE Wrote:
>>>
>>>
>>> Smartest advice I have yet heard dispensed. Soft drinks kill folks. Prob
>>> drank two or three over the past ten years or so. I like to sip on a big
>>> insulated cup full of ice water topped with a little Wine. It will cure
>>> what ails ya. That is what Eyetalian chillins drink so they can learn to
>>> grow up and be alchyholics.
>
>
>Sheldon, is that you? If not, someone is channeling you.
>
>gloria p

Not moi... I don't use dumb dago grammer/spelling.

On Jan 29, 9:35*pm, "Danny D." > wrote:
> On Tue, 29 Jan 2013 18:13:36 -0500, Robert wrote:
> > Look for everclear. around the same price but its 200 proof.
>
> Everclear seems like a good idea.
>
> According to google, you can't get it any higher than 190 proof (95%),
> but Califoria apparently outlawed the 190 proof so I will look for one
> notch lower.
>
> NOTE: Why they'd outlaw 190 proof but allow the next level down is beyond
> me, since people could just drink more - but it is California ... so that
> must explain it.

After this thread yesterday I happened to be in a supermarket where
they sell the SodaStream machine and products. Ahye Karumba!
What a joke! Like many of you, I've heard the ads saying that you
can
save money, but never bothered to check it out. I had seen what 5 gal
bags of syrup sell for at Sams Club and just from that concluded it's
not worth it. So here's what the SS was selling for at the
supermarket:

Machine $200
CO2 cylinder, makes (up tp) 60L $30
Cola syrup, makes 12L $5

So, lets figure out what it costs to make a 2L bottle:

CO2 $1
Syrup $0.83

That's a recurring cost of $1.83 for 2 litres. You can buy real Coke,
not some generic cola, for $1.60 and that's when it's not on sale.
On sale which happens every couple weeks at one supermarket
or another, you can get if for $1. The generic colas you can get for
about $1 any time. And you don't have to pay $200 as an
entrance fee.

I'm sure you can do better than that for the SS by shopping around.
But still, unless they have some awesome flavored soda that is
way different than bottled soda, the whole SS thing is nuts. I'.m
sure if you go the DIY route for the machine, buy CO2 from a gas
supplier in bigger tanks, etc, the math is going to improve.

Bunch more variables than those listed. Not much Vodka is made from tates these days. Its way too labor intensive for not much if any gain in flavor. Most of it comes from grain. Some commercial Vodkas use a corn mash..aka Titos..or a rye mash aka Belvedere. Since yall are evidently do it yourself type folks might was well make your own hooch. This is the best place I know of to get started on the path to Moonshine Madness..lol.

Essential Extractor PSII High Capacity- Complete Distiller at Brewhaus

On Wed, 30 Jan 2013 06:34:05 -0800, wrote:

> That's a recurring cost of $1.83 for 2 litres. You can buy real Coke,
> not some generic cola, for $1.60 and that's when it's not on sale.

I have to agree with you that the whole Soda Stream model makes no
monetary sense to me.

My kids and I don't find the cola taste from coke all that much different
from the Soda Stream taste - so I don't think they have an edge on taste.

So, about the only thing that the Soda Stream can sell on, at least to
me, would be on price or on convenience.

I figured I'd have the price part licked by building my own carbonation
machine (which was a fun and super easy project) - but the syrup is now
the stumbling block.

I'm still working off the leads you guys gave to lower the price of the
syrup - but your store has it for the exact same price as Bed Bath &
Beyond did - so that's the biggest snag for me.

On Tue, 29 Jan 2013 20:35:17 -0500, krw wrote:

> No more than 190 proof (though some is "only" 150 proof). Ethanol can't
> be distilled beyond 95%. To get it more pure, things like Benzene have
> to be added, which just kills the flavor.

Look at what I just found in my "chemical stash" from grad school days!
http://www1.picturepush.com/photo/a/...g/12077994.jpg

It's pure ethanol, with a long tax stamp even!
It has to be 35 years old or more!

I don't see 'any' mention of benzene on the bottle though ...

PS: When did they stop using tax stamps on alcohol?

Cute pics. Thanks. Now back in physics 101 the rumor was ethanol could not quite get to 100% ABV aka 200 proof because it is so dry it will take enough moisture from the atmosphere to knock it back a few points as it stabilizes a bit. Now maybe smart folks can put it somewhere where that dont happen. Not sure. Best most can do in the down home format is around 190 proof..or so it showed on TV. Not a bad parlor trick to teach sugar and water how to do that. There is bound to be a huge mark up on that stuff..lol.

On Wed, 30 Jan 2013 19:40:15 +0000 (UTC), "Danny D."
> wrote:

>On Tue, 29 Jan 2013 20:35:17 -0500, krw wrote:
>
>> No more than 190 proof (though some is "only" 150 proof). Ethanol can't
>> be distilled beyond 95%. To get it more pure, things like Benzene have
>> to be added, which just kills the flavor.
>
>Look at what I just found in my "chemical stash" from grad school days!
> http://www1.picturepush.com/photo/a/...g/12077994.jpg
>
>It's pure ethanol, with a long tax stamp even!
>It has to be 35 years old or more!
>
>I don't see 'any' mention of benzene on the bottle though ...

That's how it's made. Alcohol and water *CANNOT* be distilled above
95%. Impossible. To make "pure" alcohol, one adds 5% benzene to the
95% alcohol/water mix and then distills the alcohol off from that.
There will always be a trace of benzene in the resulting alcohol;
enough that you really don't want to drink it.

>PS: When did they stop using tax stamps on alcohol?

Did they?

On Wed, 30 Jan 2013 20:03:50 -0500, krw wrote:

> There will always be a trace of benzene in the resulting alcohol
>>PS: When did they stop using tax stamps on alcohol?
> Did they?

I remember drinking these bottles a very long while ago.
Maybe I shouldn't have.

BTW, there is NOTHING about the benzene being in the ingredients.
It says it's pure ethanol, USP.

The tax stamp goes across the cap and down each side.
Didn't all liquor have these stamps in the olden days?

They certainly don't have them now.

On Thu, 31 Jan 2013 03:31:42 +0000 (UTC), "Danny D."
> wrote:

>On Wed, 30 Jan 2013 20:03:50 -0500, krw wrote:
>
>> There will always be a trace of benzene in the resulting alcohol
>>>PS: When did they stop using tax stamps on alcohol?
>> Did they?
>
>I remember drinking these bottles a very long while ago.
>Maybe I shouldn't have.

Well... <gazes down at his shoes...>

>BTW, there is NOTHING about the benzene being in the ingredients.
>It says it's pure ethanol, USP.

USP is branding. They don't include trace chemicals.

>The tax stamp goes across the cap and down each side.

I've seen a *lot* of those bottles. When I was in college we used to
use the stuff for cleaning electronics. Without the taxes, it's
cheap.

>Didn't all liquor have these stamps in the olden days?
>
>They certainly don't have them now.

Just asking. I don't think I've bought a bottle of liquor for at
least a decade, probably two or more. I still have an unopened bottle
of Chevas Royal Salute my MIL brought back from England (duty free) in
'84, I think.

Danny D. wrote:
> On Wed, 30 Jan 2013 20:03:50 -0500, krw wrote:
>
>> There will always be a trace of benzene in the resulting alcohol
>>> PS: When did they stop using tax stamps on alcohol?
>> Did they?
>
> I remember drinking these bottles a very long while ago.
> Maybe I shouldn't have.
>
> BTW, there is NOTHING about the benzene being in the ingredients.
> It says it's pure ethanol, USP.
>
> The tax stamp goes across the cap and down each side.
> Didn't all liquor have these stamps in the olden days?
>
> They certainly don't have them now.
>

There's other ways to remove the last trace of water besides distillation.

Bob

On 1/30/2013 1:40 PM, Danny D. wrote:
> On Tue, 29 Jan 2013 20:35:17 -0500, krw wrote:
>
>> No more than 190 proof (though some is "only" 150 proof). Ethanol can't
>> be distilled beyond 95%. To get it more pure, things like Benzene have
>> to be added, which just kills the flavor.
>
> Look at what I just found in my "chemical stash" from grad school days!
> http://www1.picturepush.com/photo/a/...g/12077994.jpg
>
> It's pure ethanol, with a long tax stamp even!
> It has to be 35 years old or more!
>
> I don't see 'any' mention of benzene on the bottle though ...
>
> PS: When did they stop using tax stamps on alcohol?
>

When my brother was in college studying chemistry his professor was Dr.
Smith and the good professor would mix a laxative into the ethyl alcohol
in the lab producing a mixture known as Smithinol. My brother told of a
few idiots who raided the chemistry lab supply room for some ethyl
alcohol to make a punch mix for a party. The consumption of the punch
caused a complete evacuation of the party goers who partook of the
punch. The cleanup of the party location was quite an odoriferous
undertaking. ^_^

TDD

The Daring Dufas wrote:
> On 1/30/2013 1:40 PM, Danny D. wrote:
>> On Tue, 29 Jan 2013 20:35:17 -0500, krw wrote:
>>
>>> No more than 190 proof (though some is "only" 150 proof). Ethanol can't
>>> be distilled beyond 95%. To get it more pure, things like Benzene have
>>> to be added, which just kills the flavor.
>>
>> Look at what I just found in my "chemical stash" from grad school days!
>> http://www1.picturepush.com/photo/a/...g/12077994.jpg
>>
>> It's pure ethanol, with a long tax stamp even!
>> It has to be 35 years old or more!
>>
>> I don't see 'any' mention of benzene on the bottle though ...
>>
>> PS: When did they stop using tax stamps on alcohol?
>>
>
> When my brother was in college studying chemistry his professor was Dr.
> Smith and the good professor would mix a laxative into the ethyl alcohol
> in the lab producing a mixture known as Smithinol. My brother told of a
> few idiots who raided the chemistry lab supply room for some ethyl
> alcohol to make a punch mix for a party. The consumption of the punch
> caused a complete evacuation of the party goers who partook of the
> punch. The cleanup of the party location was quite an odoriferous
> undertaking. ^_^
>
> TDD


Probably castor oil. It dissolves completely and colorlessly in alcohol.

Bob

On Wed, 30 Jan 2013 22:04:09 -0600, zxcvbob wrote:

> There's other ways to remove the last trace of water
> besides distillation.

Here are better pictures of the bottle in my possession.

1. Tax stamp (this bottle is probably from the 70's):
http://www2.picturepush.com/photo/a/...g/12080185.jpg

2. Front of bottle:
http://www3.picturepush.com/photo/a/...g/12080186.jpg

3. Back of bottle:
http://www5.picturepush.com/photo/a/...g/12080188.jpg

And, yes. It is still mighty potent. Ask me how I know!

On Thu, 31 Jan 2013 05:19:37 +0000, Danny D. wrote:

> 1. Tax stamp (this bottle is probably from the 70's):
> http://www2.picturepush.com/photo/a/...g/12080185.jpg
> 2. Front of bottle:
> http://www3.picturepush.com/photo/a/...g/12080186.jpg
> 3. Back of bottle:
> http://www5.picturepush.com/photo/a/...g/12080188.jpg

The first picture had a problem so here it is again:

1. Tax stamp:
http://www5.picturepush.com/photo/a/...g/12080193.jpg

When did they stop doing these tax stamps anyway?

On Jan 30, 11:04*pm, zxcvbob > wrote:
> Danny D. wrote:
> > On Wed, 30 Jan 2013 20:03:50 -0500, krw wrote:
>
> >> There will always be a trace of benzene in the resulting alcohol
> >>> PS: When did they stop using tax stamps on alcohol?
> >> Did they?
>
> > I remember drinking these bottles a very long while ago.
> > Maybe I shouldn't have.
>
> > BTW, there is NOTHING about the benzene being in the ingredients.
> > It says it's pure ethanol, USP.
>
> > The tax stamp goes across the cap and down each side.
> > Didn't all liquor have these stamps in the olden days?
>
> > They certainly don't have them now.
>
> There's other ways to remove the last trace of water besides distillation..
>
> Bob- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -

That's what I was thinking too. I mean it's only seperating
one simple liquid chemical from another. I would think there would
be many ways it could be done in a manufacturing process
and it seems unlikely krw knows what every last manufacturer
is going. Also USP is not branding, it's a set of standards
the industry sets. For a manufacturer to claim a product is
USP, it must meet those standards.

Would take a sewercidal inclined hooch maker to try distilling 95% ethanol whether it contained benzene or not. The stuff makes gasoline look tame in comparison. Not good to strike a fire under it. Now a person could dilute the 95% stock back to around 40% and run it yet again..which would put it back where it started aka slightly less than 100%. Yall sure the Bezene isn't added to discourage folks from buying and drinking cheap denatured alcohol from the hardware store?

On Wed, 30 Jan 2013 20:03:50 -0500, krw wrote:

> Alcohol and water *CANNOT* be distilled above 95%.

UPDATE:

I visited a couple of liquor stores in town this weekend, here in the
Silicon Valley, and I was shocked that neither had ANY grain alcohol
whatsoever.

I wasn't expecting the 190 proof (95%) Luxco Everclear because it's
apparently illegal in California.
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Everclear_%28alcohol%29)

But I was expecting to find the 151 proof (75%) Luxco Everclear.

The closest the two local stores had was plain old Vodka.

So this search for the highest percentage ethanol I can find in
California will be harder than I at first thought.

On Feb 4, 1:00*pm, "Danny D." > wrote:
> On Wed, 30 Jan 2013 20:03:50 -0500, krw wrote:
> > Alcohol and water *CANNOT* be distilled above 95%.
>
> UPDATE:
>
> I visited a couple of liquor stores in town this weekend, here in the
> Silicon Valley, and I was shocked that neither had ANY grain alcohol
> whatsoever.
>
> I wasn't expecting the 190 proof (95%) Luxco Everclear because it's
> apparently illegal in California.
> (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Everclear_%28alcohol%29)
>
> But I was expecting to find the 151 proof (75%) Luxco Everclear.
>
> The closest the two local stores had was plain old Vodka.
>
> So this search for the highest percentage ethanol I can find in
> California will be harder than I at first thought.

I don't understand what the big deal is. Just buy one of the
lesser brands of vodka. How much alcohol is involved in making cola
syrup? It's SODA, not a vodka and coke. Whatever amount
of alcohol goes into making a cola soda like Coke, it has to
be very small. Isn't it used to just extract the flavoring from
some of the other ingredients? Don't you put that other
ingredient in just an ounce or so of alcohol and the end
result makes gallons of soda? I bet I could find a recipe to
make cola that doesn't involve alcohol at all.

Raeco denatured alcohol. 96% ethanol.
Paint section of your local hardware.
You're looking in the wrong stores.

Christopher A. Young
Learn more about Jesus
www.lds.org
..

>
> UPDATE:
>
> I visited a couple of liquor stores in town this weekend, here in the
> Silicon Valley, and I was shocked that neither had ANY grain alcohol
> whatsoever.
>
> I wasn't expecting the 190 proof (95%) Luxco Everclear because it's
> apparently illegal in California.
> (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Everclear_%28alcohol%29)
>
> But I was expecting to find the 151 proof (75%) Luxco Everclear.
>
> The closest the two local stores had was plain old Vodka.
>
> So this search for the highest percentage ethanol I can find in
> California will be harder than I at first thought.

Danny D. wrote:
>
> I visited a couple of liquor stores in town this weekend, here in the
> Silicon Valley, and I was shocked that neither had ANY grain alcohol
> whatsoever.
>
> I wasn't expecting the 190 proof (95%) Luxco Everclear because it's
> apparently illegal in California.
> (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Everclear_%28alcohol%29)
>
> But I was expecting to find the 151 proof (75%) Luxco Everclear.
>
> The closest the two local stores had was plain old Vodka.
>
> So this search for the highest percentage ethanol I can find in
> California will be harder than I at first thought.

How close are you to the border? It was in liquor stores in Tijuana the
last time I was there loh these many years ago. That's where I got a
bottle.

My general lesson was that if you're using Everclear for anything other
than as a cleaner, chances are you're going about the problem wrong.
Harsher drink to get drunk faster is pointless as shots of regular vodka
work fine without being as harsh. And the folks who are going to be a
problem at a party want the Everclear.

Stormin Mormon wrote:
> Raeco denatured alcohol. 96% ethanol.
> Paint section of your local hardware.
> You're looking in the wrong stores.
>
> Christopher A. Young
> Learn more about Jesus
> www.lds.org
> .
>
>> UPDATE:
>>
>> I visited a couple of liquor stores in town this weekend, here in the
>> Silicon Valley, and I was shocked that neither had ANY grain alcohol
>> whatsoever.
>>
>> I wasn't expecting the 190 proof (95%) Luxco Everclear because it's
>> apparently illegal in California.
>> (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Everclear_%28alcohol%29)
>>
>> But I was expecting to find the 151 proof (75%) Luxco Everclear.
>>
>> The closest the two local stores had was plain old Vodka.
>>
>> So this search for the highest percentage ethanol I can find in
>> California will be harder than I at first thought.
>


That actually might work, since the tincture of essential oils is only
used by the drop. OTOH, you don't know what the denaturant is; it could
be Bitrex® and even a trace of it would ruin the soda. 91% isopropyl is
another possibility, but I don't recommend it.

I would just use 151 proof rum. I know that's food-grade.

Bob

Last time I bought any, the denaturant was
methanol.

Christopher A. Young
Learn more about Jesus
www.lds.org
..

"zxcvbob" >
wrote in message ...

> Raeco denatured alcohol. 96% ethanol.
> Paint section of your local hardware.
> You're looking in the wrong stores.
>

That actually might work, since the tincture of essential oils is only
used by the drop. OTOH, you don't know what the denaturant is; it could
be Bitrex® and even a trace of it would ruin the soda. 91% isopropyl is
another possibility, but I don't recommend it.

I would just use 151 proof rum. I know that's food-grade.

Bob

On Mon, 4 Feb 2013 21:23:47 -0500, "Stormin Mormon"
> wrote:

>Last time I bought any, the denaturant was
>methanol.

Methanol is too dangerous (too many bums will try to drink it anyway).
They generally use something that isn't so toxic but has an effect
similar to ipecac.

On Mon, 04 Feb 2013 22:41:22 +0000, Doug Freyburger wrote:

> How close are you to the border?
I'm in the Silicon Valley.

> My general lesson was that if you're using Everclear for anything other
> than as a cleaner, chances are you're going about the problem wrong.
> Harsher drink to get drunk faster

I'm not planning on drinking it; I need grain alcohol to make limoncello
(but we're starting to go way off topic on the soda flavoring).

If I can't find the Everclear, I'll start researching how to
distill it myself (separate topic).

On Mon, 04 Feb 2013 10:47:43 -0800, wrote:

> How much alcohol is involved in making cola syrup?

We got mixed up, on a tangent, during this thread.

The alcohol is not for the soda syrup - so I will take
the grain distillation topic to another thread.

On Feb 5, 1:39*pm, "Danny D." > wrote:
> On Mon, 04 Feb 2013 22:41:22 +0000, Doug Freyburger wrote:
> > How close are you to the border?
>
> I'm in the Silicon Valley.
>
> > My general lesson was that if you're using Everclear for anything other
> > than as a cleaner, chances are you're going about the problem wrong.
> > Harsher drink to get drunk faster
>
> I'm not planning on drinking it; I need grain alcohol to make limoncello
> (but we're starting to go way off topic on the soda flavoring).

Now I'm totally confused. You need alcohol to make
limoncello, but you're not going to drink it?


>
> If I can't find the Everclear, I'll start researching how to
> distill it myself (separate topic).

We're beginning to worry about you.....

On 1/29/2013 9:21 PM, Joe Mastroianni wrote:
> On Tue, 29 Jan 2013 15:44:03 -0500, Frank wrote:
>
>> Also mention was made of need to use food grade carbon dioxide. I think
>> you'll find oil in industrial grades.
>
> Are you sure that "food grade C02" even exists?
>

You can google it up.
I used to work in a lab and we were told industrial dry ice we used
contained oil from machinery used to produce it. I assumed same might
be true for bottled gas.

On Tue, 05 Feb 2013 11:14:52 -0800, wrote:

> You need alcohol to make limoncello, but you're not going to drink it?

Well, not in the way that he had meant it (getting drunk).

The desire for high alcohol percentage is mainly to extract the flavor
from the lemon zest.

By the time that zest becomes Limoncello, it gets diluted in half by the
sugary syrup so, in the freezer-cold shot-glass form, limoncello isn't
going to get anyone even close to drunk.

On Feb 6, 1:52*pm, "Danny D." > wrote:
> On Tue, 05 Feb 2013 11:14:52 -0800, wrote:
> > You need alcohol to make limoncello, but you're not going to drink it?
>
> Well, not in the way that he had meant it (getting drunk).

The thread has gotten quite confusing. There was
discussion about using denatured alcohol. My point
was that I would not be using that in anything I was going
to drink, whether you drink enough to get drunk or not.

>
> The desire for high alcohol percentage is mainly to extract the flavor
> from the lemon zest.
>
> By the time that zest becomes Limoncello, it gets diluted in half by the
> sugary syrup so, in the freezer-cold shot-glass form, limoncello isn't
> going to get anyone even close to drunk.

Even an 80 proof alcohol is 40% pure. That should be
enough to extract flavor from the lemon or any other
spices.

On Monday, January 28, 2013 5:44:42 PM UTC-6, Danny D. wrote:
>
>
> The 'problem' is that it cost me $5 for the cola syrup, which makes 12
>
> liters, or, roughly about 50 cents a liter. Compared to the C02 which
>
> costs perhaps a penny or two per liter, and the water which is also
>
> something on the order of a penny a liter, the whole home soda machine
>
> project is a failure unless I can get the cola flavoring costs down.
>
Your project was ill conceived to begin with
>
> Any ideas on how to relatively closely duplicate the cola flavor at a
>
> substantially reduced cost than what I'm currently paying?

No, and no one else does either.

"Stormin Mormon" > wrote:
> Raeco denatured alcohol. 96% ethanol.
> Paint section of your local hardware.
> You're looking in the wrong stores.

You might've missed where this was being used in a food product.
Denatured alcohol is alcohol that has been poisoned to discourage
citizens from evading the Federal tax on beverage alcohol--NOT
good for consumption. Great for paint.

Mike Beede

If you read the post I replied, there is no such mention.

Christopher A. Young
Learn more about Jesus
www.lds.org
..

"Mike Beede" > wrote in message
...
"Stormin Mormon" > wrote:
> Raeco denatured alcohol. 96% ethanol.
> Paint section of your local hardware.
> You're looking in the wrong stores.

You might've missed where this was being used in a food product.
Denatured alcohol is alcohol that has been poisoned to discourage
citizens from evading the Federal tax on beverage alcohol--NOT
good for consumption. Great for paint.

Mike Beede

Smart thinking. Learn how to make your own hooch and drink that. Soda pops are not good for a persons health.

Essential Extractor PSII High Capacity- Complete Distiller at Brewhaus