An Article by Ben Soulsby 16/12/2024
(We asked Ben if he would like to contribute a piece to the website on distilling in an effort to offer some clarity on issues related to distilling alcohol. The intention was to have Ben impart some of the research and reading that he has thrown himself into on the topic over the years.)
Methanol, Home Distilling, and the Dangers of Criminalization
Introduction:
With recent news about methanol poisoning in Southeast Asia, the inevitable fear-
mongering about the supposed dangers of homebrewing and home-distilled spirits has resurfaced. When I first started working in the homebrew industry over a decade ago, my
introduction to basic distilling theory was simple: “Throw out the first 50-100ml, that’s the
methanol. Keep the rest.” To this day, a widespread understanding among homebrewers
(both those who dabble in distillation and those familiar with its basics) is that methanol is
an inevitable byproduct of distillation and that, with proper technique, it can be dealt with
safely, allowing for the production of non-toxic spirits.
Sadly, this myth not only persists but contributes to practices that result in poisoning and
death. In this article, I aim to shed light on what methanol really is, how it is produced,
and—hopefully—help dispel some of the prohibition-era folklore that still surrounds
methanol and home distillation. This myth doesn’t just fuel the ongoing criminalization of
an ancient and beautiful art form; it also perpetuates dangerous misinformation about a
genuinely hazardous chemical, which can lead to tragic consequences.
American Prohibition and the Chemists’ War
A logical starting point for this discussion is the American Prohibition and the “Chemists’
War,” as incidents of methanol poisoning were not as common before this period. Most
people associate alcohol with drinking, but it is also an extremely useful solvent used for
all kinds of commercial purposes ranging from paints and thinners, to cleaning products
and many more. This industrial use alcohol has always been much cheaper than potable
spirits (just compare the cost of a 6L bottle of methylated spirits from Bunnings to a 600ml
bottle of premium vodka).
To circumvent tax laws, some manufacturers began marketing “not for drinking” industrial
alcohol as something more palatable. In response, the U.S. government introduced a
mandate in 1906 requiring that industrial alcohol be “denatured,” usually by adding
poisons like methanol or unpleasant-tasting additives like quinine. By the height of
Prohibition, the greatest source of illegal alcohol was stolen and re-natured spirits.
The Problem with Re-naturing Alcohol
The larger syndicates were employing chemists to treat these spirits, allowing them to
produce high-quality, but expensive, liquor. However, enterprising individuals with less
knowledge than enthusiasm began experimenting with their own re-naturing operations.
Fractional distillation essentially works by boiling a chemical solution and collecting the
vapours by condensing them back into liquid. As different chemicals have different boiling
points, the more volatile compounds come through the still before heavier compounds.
Without understanding the complex chemistry involved, they assumed that because
methanol boils at a lower temperature (around 65°C), it would come off the still before
ethanol, which boils at around 78°C.
Unfortunately, distilling a solution containing methanol, ethanol, and water is more
complicated than simply boiling each compound individually. The assumption that
“throwing out the first portion of distillate” would remove methanol likely originated from
this time. However, this idea coincided with the U.S. government’s decision to increase the
methanol content in denatured spirits, leading to tens of thousands of deaths.
The Challenge of Removing Methanol
It’s essential to understand that separating methanol from ethanol isn’t a simple task.
Government chemists, upon advising the authorities, pointed out that removing methanol
from its more drinkable cousin, ethanol, required complicated processes that basic
fractional distillation couldn’t achieve. One key conclusion from recent scientific studies
on the subject is that the methanol content in the finished product primarily depends on
the methanol content in the starting material. If there’s no toxic level of methanol in the
fermented product, there won’t be any in the distillate. Methanol doesn’t magically appear
during distillation.
Methanol Production in Distillation
So, how does methanol appear in the first place? It’s produced during the breakdown of
pectin in fruits. This can happen via microorganisms or by adding enzymes like pectinase.
For this reason, wines, ciders, and certain fruit-based spirits may contain methanol, but
it’s generally not present in harmful amounts. Interestingly, fermentation isn’t even
necessary to produce methanol; it can form naturally as fruit ripens. Many commercial
fruit juice producers add pectic enzymes to their juices to aid in yield and clarity. There is
likely as much methanol in a glass of apple juice as in the same amount of cider.
Does this mean brandy is particularly dangerous? Not at all. To reach dangerous levels of
methanol, it would need to be deliberately added or something would have to go horribly
wrong. Even in pear brandy, which is known to have higher methanol concentrations, the
amounts are generally well within safe limits. Interestingly, the treatment for methanol
poisoning is the administration of ethanol, as it slows the processing of methanol and
prevents the production of toxic byproducts like formaldehyde and formic acid.
All this is to say that, unless you are deliberately trying to use denatured, “Methylated” spirits in your
still, you are highly unlikely to poison yourself or others, shy of drinking too much high proof
spirits.
Addressing the Real Dangers
So why do we still hear about methanol poisoning if distillation is so safe? To answer this,
let’s look at a case closer to home. In 2013, four people in Queensland were hospitalized
with methanol poisoning after drinking homemade “grappa” made by a family member.
Tragically, three of them died. Something that was mostly left out in the reporting, not due
to any malice on the journalists part, more due to them not understanding, was that the
father who had made the “grappa” was also making bio-diesel, and had several tubs of
unlabeled chemicals, including methanol, in his production space. In this instance, he had
inadvertently added Concentrated methanol into his still thinking it was alcohol from an
earlier run. No amount of technique could have made the resulting spirit safe to drink.
Methanol Poisoning in Russia and Southeast Asia
A similar tragedy in Russia had stemmed from bad “homebrew” resulting in mass
methanol poisoning. In this instance there was no distillation actually taking place. Just as
i mentioned ethanol being a very useful chemical in various commercial applications,
methanol is also useful in several similar applications. Russians in a particularly poor area
who could not afford to buy alcohol sold for drinking, were purchasing bath oils and
perfumes containing alcohol and mixing them with other ingredients to mask the taste and
make them more drinkable. When one of these popular products changed their process to
include methanol in place of ethanol, all of these people suffered poisoning as a result.
This brings me to the recent poisonings. Unfortunately, methanol poisoning is a serious
problem in parts of Southeast Asia, particularly in poorer areas. Here, some local
distributors have taken to deliberately adding methanol to their drinks, which they then sell
to local clubs, bars and hostels. Some folk believe that adding methanol gives more of an
effect, making weaker drinks seem stronger. Others simply don’t care and are only
interested in selling cheaply made liquor at prices other honest producers can’t compete
with. This creates a dangerous situation where many producers feel pressured to
adulterate their own product in order to be competitive in such a lucrative industry. Whilst
tourists do often get sick, it is the locals who are unfortunately the most commonly
affected. In this instance, the use of methanol is more about economics and lack of
regulation than any misunderstanding of distillation techniques.
Conclusion: A Call for Education, Not Criminalization
The criminalization of home distillation in many parts of the world has created a barrier to
accessing reliable information. By keeping distillation illegal, we prevent people from
learning about safe distillation practices, which could help avoid tragedies like those
mentioned above. If distillation were legalized, it could open up avenues for education,
allowing hobbyists to safely explore the craft and avoid dangerous mistakes.
The key to addressing these problems lies in information and awareness. Rather than
pushing people into secrecy or fear, we should empower them with knowledge and proper
guidance. When people understand the facts, dangerous misconceptions can be
minimized, and safer practices will emerge.
