Lufah wrote:
I thought all home distilling was illegal. Just because your not using a still to achieve the end product I don't see how that would make a difference legally. Also won't that really concentrate any fusel alcohol that is in there?
Travis
I found this on homedistiller.org which doesn't seem to come right out and say it, but produces the general tone that freeze distillation is illegal. Specifically they say that freezing "appears to fall somewhere in-between the legal issues for many areas (eg can you really stop your Applejack from freezing if its left outside ?). Sort it out with your own authorities (or just keep your freezer contents personal)." I read that as, yes it's illegal.
They also add this:
"fractional crystillization, the practice of freezing an alcoholic mash then removing the (concentrated)alcohol was used in ancient times before distilling was known. The problems with trying to purify alcohol this way was that not only did the ethanol come out of the block of ice, but so did all the nasty higher and lower alcohols that cause painfull hangovers, and there is no way to separate them from the ethanol by freezing."
The process is described as this:
"Make a good strong cider, as described in the recipe given, then put it in a sealed cask. Place the cask in some place where it can freeze through very slowly. In Canada this is doen by digging a large hole in the ground and covering the cask about three inches deep. When the thaw comes, the cask is at once dug up, and the contents will be found to have separated into apple water and to pure spirit. The spirit will be in the centre of the cask. The ice must be broken with great care, and the liquid spirit in the centre carefully run off. This is the apple-jack. It should never be drunk undiluted."
I'd take that "SHOULD NEVER BE DRUNK UNDILUTED" under advisement.
Cheers,
brendan
