what to do with 'heads'?

[detroitdistiller]

what do you guys do with the heads? any use for them? i can't imagine the drain is acceptable.

[Andrew]

This is hearsay rather than personal experience, but bottle it and use it (or sell it) as lighter fluid.

[Hans]

How about burning it in your gas tank?

[Guest tom]

How about burning it in your gas tank?

Heads from what, Vodka, or whiskey? Vodka throw them out or polish windows. Whiskey put them back in the next run.

[Charles@AEppelTreow]

As a cidery/winery - I put them in a spray bottle and use them to sanitize the bottler.

[Rogue distiller]

I have been using them in my car. Iworks really great and I save a couple of bucks.

[grehorst]

I have been using them in my car. Iworks really great and I save a couple of bucks.

Are you using an E85 vehicle? Any concerns regarding water content? Do you "dry" the heads out before adding it to gas? What kind of ratio between gas and heads do you run?

It's a great idea, I'm just a little nervous about damaging the fuel system... thoughts?

[coop]

Are you using an E85 vehicle? Any concerns regarding water content? Do you "dry" the heads out before adding it to gas? What kind of ratio between gas and heads do you run?

It's a great idea, I'm just a little nervous about damaging the fuel system... thoughts?

I am using some heads in my truck, 2000 Dodge. I use about 1 pint to each tank full of gas. Works great for injector cleaner. Coop

[grehorst]

I am using some heads in my truck, 2000 Dodge. I use about 1 pint to each tank full of gas. Works great for injector cleaner. Coop

Interesting, I may just have to try this... maybe my daughters car ...

[Rogue distiller]

I use about 40% re distilled heads per tank and put though a drying agent with out any conversion to my car. I get about 23 mpg. The only problem I see so far is hard starts on cold days but other than that no problem and a big drop in gas cost.

[Gverseityillery]

What type of a drying agent do you use and what % alcohol are you at?

Thanks for the great topic

[Rogue distiller]

I get the drying agent from milehigh and use 5lbs for 5 gallons. It ends up being about 97%. I have used lower than this without much problem (90%) my car just sputtered abit more in the morning.

[Gverseityillery]

I get the drying agent from milehigh and use 5lbs for 5 gallons. It ends up being about 97%. I have used lower than this without much problem (90%) my car just sputtered abit more in the morning.

Can you give the website for the above product? I tried a search and did not come up with a site to buy the product (although I did learn much about the mile high club)

Thanks

Kent

[Rogue distiller]

http://www.milehidistilling.com/

[Ken]

As a cidery/winery - I put them in a spray bottle and use them to sanitize the bottler.

Charles,

After you have distilled your fine apple wine into a finer apple brandy... what are you doing with what is left of the charge. I have been told that the left over makes an excellent herbicide, though I'm not sure by what action it kills.

Ken

[Charles@AEppelTreow]

Charles,

After you have distilled your fine apple wine into a finer apple brandy... what are you doing with what is left of the charge. I have been told that the left over makes an excellent herbicide, though I'm not sure by what action it kills.

Ken

Just to be clear - Guy is doing my distilling for the moment. I asked the State the wrong question when I was setting up and wound up with a small still and DSP I can't use because of a regulatory conflict with my cidery tasting room. :-(

Hypothetically, I would run it down the drain and it gets sprayed onto a soybean field. (Like all the rest of the cidery rinse.) The spent 'wash' from apple and pear tastes awful. I think you might be able to make a jelly out of cherry - better remaining flavor.

[Robert Cassell]

This topic has appeared multiple times on the board, and all the comments back are great and cool.....but only total a couple of gallons here and there. Does anyone know what "the big boys" do with thier stuff in the US? I know myself and a few others that have drums and drums and drums and drums of heads and tails. Sure you can put some back into the next distillation....but obviously you only put a band aid on a long term bleeding artery because sooner or later, you still have a ton to get rid of at some point.

Anybody know what Hangar in doing? Or any other guys that have been doing this for a decade?

[delaware_phoenix]

My guess is sell it to make denatured alcohol.

[grehorst]

This topic has appeared multiple times on the board, and all the comments back are great and cool.....but only total a couple of gallons here and there. Does anyone know what "the big boys" do with thier stuff in the US? I know myself and a few others that have drums and drums and drums and drums of heads and tails. Sure you can put some back into the next distillation....but obviously you only put a band aid on a long term bleeding artery because sooner or later, you still have a ton to get rid of at some point.

Anybody know what Hangar in doing? Or any other guys that have been doing this for a decade?

We're by no means big, but we aren't about to dump them down the drain, so we collect a few months worth and pay to have them hauled off. I've been told if you produce enough you can sell them. When they leave us they get redistilled, seperated and are used to produce various solvents. These guys pick up ours- http://www.brenntag.com/en/ and they have offices around the US. There are many environmental services companies that will haul it away for you- check your local phonebook.

[Classick]

I get the drying agent from milehigh and use 5lbs for 5 gallons. It ends up being about 97%. I have used lower than this without much problem (90%) my car just sputtered abit more in the morning.

Hey Rogue... have you seen this?

http://www.change2e85.com/servlet/Page?template=coldstart

I too am looking for what to do with our heads... we are producing several products where our heads are already above 182 proof, so collecting isnt an issue, but trying to figure out what to do with it is a different question.

I have a newer model Nissan frontier, as well as a honda 1000rr motorcycle. If i could use my heads in either one of those vehicles, that would be awesome.. i hate seeing alcohol of any quality go down the drain... seems like such a waste.

Anyone know of companies that would buy ethyl alcohol in the san francisco bay area? seems like the alternative fuel crowed should be pretty big here

[Paul G]

You could always purchase a quantity of Zeolite or other molecular sieve and dehydrate your heads. You can use it to stretch your fuel without having to retrofit to burn pure ethanol or e85. I recall that there are other discussions out there in the interwebs that break down what kind of dilution will work before it becomes a modification issue. In effect, you have octane booster on your hands (checking the label will reveal that it's typically ethanol, methanol, or a combination).

[MadMacaw]

A note on using heads as a sanitizer.... just like with wood alcohol (isopropyl) it is a more effective sanitizer at 75% than higher. If you aren't diluting it, you are just wasting alcohol and being less effective.

Eric

[Tupper Lake Distillery]

I'm not American so I'm confused by your terminology. By "heads" are you referring to "foreshots" which is the first thing out of the still or the actual "heads" which is the first 3rd or first 5th cut?

The reason I ask is because what I've always referred to as the foreshots, make cleaners/fuel whatever. But the "heads" are everything down to your "heart" cut around 58-60% in a potstill.

Thanks

[JohninWV]

Resurrecting an old thread......

Guy,

How do you record your heads and tails alcohol that you have picked up by Brenntag?

[DrewKulsveen]

You can add your heads & tails to the fermenter just prior to entering the still.