Why do you throw out the first batch of moonshine?

This means that methanol (148F boiling temp) will start to boil before the ethanol (174F boiling temp). This is why commercial distillers always throw out the first bit of shine they produce from each production run (more on this below).

Can you drink the heads of moonshine?

These contain the most volatile alcohols and should not be ingested, as they contain methanol and other undesirables. Commercial distillers always discard the foreshots and never consume them.

Why is the first distillate discarded?

The more volatile components such as acetone, methanol and the various esters are undesirable; methanol for instance has been known to cause blindness. It is common practice to throw away the first portion of the distillate, this way you will get rid of the methanol.

What is the first cut of moonshine called?

Foreshots – “the low boiling point compounds that come out of the still first. They contain acetone, methanol, various esters and aldehydes, and other volitiles. Foreshots are to be considered poisonous and should be discarded.” Gauger – A revenue agent in the pre-Prohibition era.

How much head do you throw away when distilling?

Always discard the foreshots — they make up around 5\% or less of the product collected during a run. Throw out the first 30 ml on a 1 gallon run, the first 150 ml on a 5 gallon run, or the first 300 ml on a 10 gallon run. Heads come off of the still directly after the foreshots. Simply put, they taste and smell bad.

Can you get a hangover from moonshine?

The heads won’t make you blind, but the volatile alcohols they contain will give you a whopping hangover. The product also smells and tastes terrible, this is because of the acetone that is present.

Can you drink the tails of moonshine?

Don’t drink the tails, either. They will contain the heavier, oilier compounds that are bitter and many are also toxic.

How much should I discard when distilling?

How much moonshine do you get from 5 gallons of mash?

A 5 gallon run will yield 1-2 gallons of alcohol. A 8 gallon run will yield 1.5-3 gallons of alcohol. A 10 gallon run will yield 2-4 gallons of alcohol.

Why do they shake moonshine?

Bubbles in Moonshine The shake test involves placing some moonshine in a mason jar and giving it a vigorous shake. If the spirit has large bubbles that disappear quickly, it would indicate that the batch is higher proof. If the spirit has small bubbles which disappear slowly, it would indicate a lower proof.

Why do they shake the jar of moonshine?

“When shiners shake a jar of moonshine to check the proof, they’re observing the size of the resulting bubbles and how long they take to dissipate,” a video on the topic explains. “When low-proof alcohol is put to the shake test, the bubbles are small and linger on the surface for a longer period of time.