Mason Delacroix
Removing water from 190-proof alcohol can be done in several ways. One common method is heating the blended liquid, as alcohol has a lower boiling point than water, causing it to evaporate faster and allowing it to be condensed into a separate container. Another method is freezing, which partially removes the non-alcoholic components, leaving a mixture richer in alcohol. However, this method will not produce pure alcohol. To achieve higher alcohol concentrations, a reflux still is required. Additionally, fractional distillation can be used, with alcohol exiting the process before water, but the temperature should not exceed 90°C. Salt can also be added to separate isopropyl alcohol from water through azeotropic distillation, resulting in dehydrated isopropyl with various practical applications.
Characteristics and Values for Removing Water from 190-Proof Alcohol
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Method | Heating/Distillation, Fractional Distillation, Freezing, Azeotropic Distillation |
| Equipment | Boiling Flask, Condensing Unit, Fractionating Column, Reflux Still, Fan |
| Temperature | 80°C (176°F) or higher |
| Time | 30 hours or more |
| Additional Notes | Using a fan can speed up evaporation. Salt can be added to separate isopropyl alcohol from water. |
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What You'll Learn
Use a reflux still
A reflux still is a specific type of still that creates higher-proof alcohol with a more neutral taste. It is designed to separate alcohol from impurities like congeners and other unwanted compounds through fractional distillation. The still is highly regarded because it produces highly concentrated alcohol and a cleaner final product.
Reflux stills have a reflux condenser or dephlegmator at the top of the column, which causes the alcohol vapour to condense into a liquid and drip back down the column, turning back into vapour and travelling upwards again. This cycle of vapour climbing up the column and dripping back down as a liquid is called refluxing. This process purifies the alcohol, leaving behind water and unwanted flavours until a neutral spirit is achieved. The reflux condenser will condense a percentage of vapour to be sent back to the top plate, with a higher percentage of alcohol than what is currently on the plate. This process of enriching or concentrating the alcohol content is called the concentration principle.
To use a reflux still, you will need to fill your boiler with a wash of no greater than 40% ABV. Ensure that the Air Still Pro head unit is aligned correctly and press it firmly onto the boiler. Check that your foreshots collection vial is fitted securely. Remove the column cap and botanical basket and check that the column packing materials are sitting correctly. Fit your reflux distillation tip labelled "R" and place a collection jar underneath. Press the mode selector button to enter standby mode and then press and release the button again to start the reflux mode run. Depending on your wash and ambient temperatures, the first spirit drips should appear within 60-90 minutes.
It is important to balance the temperature and ABV when using a reflux still. Adjusting the reflux temperature can control the ABV, making it increase or decrease. For example, if the temperature rises during distillation, increasing the reflux ratio will increase the ABV being sent to the product condenser. Conversely, if the temperature drops below the ideal temperature, reducing the reflux ratio will decrease the ABV of the alcohol collected.
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Distill the liquid in a flask
Distilling alcohol at home is potentially illegal and may be illegal in your jurisdiction. Please check your local laws before proceeding.
To distill the liquid in a flask, you will need a heat source, a round-bottomed flask or boiling flask, a fractionating column, a condensing unit, and a second glass container to collect the distillate.
- Place the alcohol you wish to distill into the round-bottomed flask or boiling flask.
- Attach the fractionating column to the top of the flask. This helps to separate the alcohol from the water by taking advantage of their different boiling points.
- Connect the condensing unit to the fractionating column. The condensing unit cools the alcohol vapour, allowing it to condense back into a liquid.
- Place a second glass container at the output of the condensing unit to collect the distilled alcohol.
- Heat the flask to 80°C (176°F). Do not use an open flame or running water as a heat source, as this can be dangerous. Instead, consider using an Air Still, which has a built-in low-energy heating coil.
- As the mixture in the flask is heated, the alcohol will evaporate first due to its lower boiling point.
- The alcohol vapour will rise into the fractionating column and then into the condensing unit, where it will be cooled and condensed back into a liquid.
- The distilled alcohol will drip into the second glass container.
- Collect the first 30ml of distillate and discard it, as it may contain impurities and methanol, which is poisonous.
- Continue the distillation process until the desired amount of alcohol has been collected.
Note: This process will not remove all water from the alcohol but will increase its alcoholic content. To further purify the alcohol, additional steps such as freezing or using azeotropic distillation with salt may be required. Always exercise caution when working with chemicals and heat, and ensure you are competent in handling such processes before proceeding.
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Freeze the alcoholic mixture
The process of freezing an alcoholic mixture is a method of partially removing water to increase the concentration of alcohol. This technique is called fractional freezing and has been used for hundreds of years. It relies on the fact that water freezes at 0 °C (32 °F), while alcohol freezes at −114 °C (−173 °F).
To perform fractional freezing, you will need a container that can withstand freezing and thawing. Place your alcoholic mixture in this container and put it in a freezer or outdoor environment where the temperature is below 0 °C (32 °F). The longer you leave the container in these conditions, the more water will freeze and the higher the alcoholic content of the remaining liquid will be.
It is important to note that fractional freezing will not produce pure alcohol. The maximum enrichment of ethanol in the liquid phase is reached at the eutectic point of ethanol and water, which is approximately 92.4 weight-% ethanol at -123 °C. Additionally, this method does not remove impurities like heat distillation.
After removing the frozen mixture from the freezer, allow it to thaw. The frozen material will be mostly water, and you can siphon off the remaining liquid, which will have a higher alcohol content and a stronger flavour. This technique is popular for distilling hard apple cider, ale, or beer.
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Use fractional distillation
Fractional distillation is a method for separating a liquid from a mixture of two or more liquids, such as water and alcohol. This method works because the liquids in the mixture have different boiling points. When the mixture is heated, one liquid evaporates before the other. For example, the boiling point of ethanol is 78°C, while the boiling point of water is 100°C.
To use fractional distillation to remove water from 190-proof alcohol, you would start by creating a closed system for distillation. This system typically includes a round-bottomed glass flask (or boiling flask), a condensing unit, and a second glass container for the separated liquid, or distillate.
Next, you would heat the alcohol-water mixture in the flask to around 80°C. The alcohol will evaporate first due to its lower boiling point. Attach a fractionating column to the flask, and connect it to the separate container. The fractionating column is a straight glass cylinder lined with metal rings or glass/plastic beads. These rings or beads help trap the less volatile gases, allowing only the most volatile liquid (in this case, alcohol) to pass through to the top.
As the alcohol vapour rises into the fractionating column, it will begin to cool and condense. The condensed alcohol will then drop into the collection vessel, leaving the water behind in the boiling flask.
It is important to note that fractional distillation is most effective when the alcohol concentration is below 95.6%. At higher concentrations, the two substances may no longer boil separately, and other methods or additional substances may be required to achieve effective separation.
Additionally, there are variations of fractional distillation, such as freeze distillation, where the mixture is frozen instead of heated, causing the water to freeze first and allowing the liquid alcohol to be separated. However, this method may not be as effective at home due to the extremely low temperatures required.
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Add salt to isopropyl alcohol
The process of adding salt to isopropyl alcohol is called "salting out", and it can be used to dehydrate isopropyl alcohol, or in other words, separate it from water in an azeotropic solution.
To perform this process, you will need:
- A bottle of 50% to 70% isopropyl alcohol
- A wide-mouthed glass jar and lid, or another leak-proof container
- A pound of non-iodized table salt
- A turkey baster with a reduced nozzle
First, add one and a half tablespoons of isopropyl alcohol to a cup or container. Then, add one teaspoon of salt to the alcohol. Close the container and shake it for 20 to 30 seconds. The salt will compete with the alcohol in binding to the water molecules, allowing you to separate the water from the alcohol.
After shaking, place the jar on a level surface for 15 to 30 minutes to allow the alcohol and saltwater to separate into two layers. Carefully open the jar and use the turkey baster to extract the top layer, which will be the isopropyl alcohol.
The resulting dehydrated isopropyl alcohol has a variety of uses, such as fuel, removing fleas and ticks from pets, and as a deicer for windshields. However, it is important to note that the process of adding salt to isopropyl alcohol does not produce drinking alcohol.
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Frequently asked questions
You will need a reflux still to get to 190 proof or higher. You can also build a cheap reflux still with a 2-gallon boiler and a 1.5-inch column packed with copper scrubbers.
Another method is to freeze the alcoholic mixture, allowing for the partial removal of non-alcoholic components. The remaining liquid will be richer in alcohol, but it will not be pure alcohol.
You can distill the liquid in a flask by heating it to 80°C (176°F). Attach a fractionating column to the flask and connect it to a separate container. The alcohol will evaporate and condense in the new container.
Azeotropic distillation involves adding salt to isopropyl alcohol to separate water from the alcohol by dehydration. Dehydrated isopropyl alcohol has many uses, including as a fuel, a removal agent for fleas and ticks, and as an antiseptic.
Pour the mixture into a large dish and leave a fan blowing next to it overnight. This will cause a lot of the alcohol to evaporate, and adding a bit of heat will speed up the process.
