Methanol Explained | Alcohol Science

[@andrewfong4216]

I'm a chemist and once did a summer internship at a company that makes orange juice. I was surprised to see that MeOH is among the minor constituents of orange juice as well. There was a large problem at the beginning of the pandemic with unscrupulous vendors using methanol in hand sanitizers, too.

[@MissBrewbird]

Wow that's cool to know.

[@lamaalmulhim3517]

Chemistry ♥️♥️♥️♥️✨

[@importanttingwei7747]

​@@MissBrewbird methanol for my car?

[@daverees986]

Thank God There is a professional educated person on here. ( STOP CONFUSING PEOPLE YOUR RESEARCH MUST BE FROM KZbin, IF SO YOU ARE FOOLING PEOPLE!!!!!!!!

[@danielmanly4793]

Indeed - I wrote an article for MSRC at the time about the dangers of non-judiciously produced hand sanitizer commonly used during the onset of the so called pandemic.

[@Vohuman_Boxes]

Thank you for clarifying such stigmas, I had to search for these myself before. It was very helpful to hear them again, and I also learned some new points, thanks again

[@ianhui3719]

Interesting video as usual. Informative and educational. Enjoying it. Thanks Miss Brewbird.

[@BeardedBored]

Great info Brewbird!

[@pierrel1333]

Very sad now we have several fatal cases in Laos! Very innocent people….

[@Bwachaauh]

Yeah, at the distillery where I work the foreshots go back into the low wine and get redistilled. There is no real build-up of methanol, because the amount produced in fermentation of grain is so small, and methanol is also the quickest to evaporate off at ambient temperatures. Pretty much all the cases you hear of about methanol poisoning are due to very callous and heartless people mixing in industrial methanol into cheap, illegal spirits and thus getting greater profit.

[@aftheyabid]

Very nice and informative video. Thanks.

[@MissBrewbird]

Glad it was helpful!

[@joshuagoodsell9330]

Hello, great video as always. I'm really glad you talked about the difficulty in 100% separating methanol because of hydrogen bonding but also explained why that's usually not something to worry about. I learned that methanol doesn't come out all in the fores from the Still Behind the Bench channel and I haven't seen anyone else mention this. So great job!!

[@scottclay4253]

Well done, Brewbird! You dispelled a number of long standing myths. Wine and beer contain methanol, be it small quantities. If you drink these fermented beverages you consume all the methanol produced. If the wine or beer it distilled some of the methanol can be discarded. Oranges juice naturally contains measurable amounts of methanol, I never touch the stuff straight only mixed with the antidote. Great video, thank you!

[@MissBrewbird]

Lol Orange juice only with the antidote 😊 😃 That's hardcore

[@scottclay4253]

@@MissBrewbird better safe than sorry. In truth, the only way I drink orange juice (too much sugar) is with a good ouzo. Orange and anise pair so well, it is not widely known.

[@scottclay4253]

Congratulations on 5k subscribers! Your test will go well.

[@MissBrewbird]

Thanks! You're always so on top of my KZbin metrics, lol

[@russellbrown7729]

I question the concept that the "forces" acting on the alcohols are acting stronger on the methanol because of its lower pure boiling point, i feel this is more than offset by the significant difference in the relative polarity of methanol vs ethanol leading to stronger hydrogen bonds between methanol and water. This is shown in studies that show the concentration of methanol increasing through the distillation process and actually peaking in the tails cut. Even a good reflux still will see a tails peak and admittedly a heads peak too. In summary i feel the forces acting on the methanol are indeed stronger but those forces are hydrogen bonds preventing methanol from vaporizing. I welcome your feedback.

[@tomhill4003]

You have provided a great explanation of this phenomenon!

[@willemkilian9563]

Thanks for the informative vid. I love this technical stuff. I was actually surprised that you can drink a whisky to treat methanol poisoning!

[@mohavie2360]

holy wow... i just found your video and i think its awesome. i will definitely watch a few more to see your progress.

[@edwoo1005]

How many people are here to learn more from the recent Laos methanol alcohol poisoning event?

[@u.s.militia7682]

Good video. Explained well and to the point.👍👍🇺🇸

[@austinwhitaker6439]

Awesome video for dispelling myths regarding methanol and awesome for everyone on every level of Distilling. 🥃

[@bbracing3925]

So your saying if i accidentally ingest some methanol at the racetrack, I should immediately go to the Bar/Pub/Tavern?

[@MissBrewbird]

😂 It's up to you I guess.

[@somsackvongsa7077]

One more shot .

[@RiggerBrew]

Great presentation! I didn't know veggies causes methanol in our bodies... WOW!

[@ailkenllib]

I was most surprised to hear that an unclean fermentation can lead to higher methanol levels. I wonder how that applies to distilleries using wood fermentation vessels. Great video! Will definitely be referring people talking about removing ALL the methanol to this one so I can say "see, told you so!" LOL Always thought something was up with strawberries too, I noticed that when they're over-ripe that they taste of alcohol.

[@windsofmarchjourneyperrytr2823]

I don't think you can. Apparently a small % is part of the taste. .and if I'm right, the no BS Russian/Pole bathtub distillers have a booze that's EXTREMELY full of alcohol, but NO nasty kick. It's like water. You just KNOW a lot of people would kill themselves with that immediately. Not sure how that correlates to methanol, but I hear it smells like diesel.

[@sittnaing9720]

Thank you for sharing this insightful and helpful information.

[@tydbrokenheart]

Very well explained the whole process...👌

[@MissBrewbird]

Thanks a lot 😊

[@jim2611]

I read in an industrial microbiology test book that fermentation at certain pHs can produce butanol

[@rachmiputri]

I love your video! Thank you for sharingg!!!

[@alimamybangura1399]

Thank you for the video. You are a great teacher 🌻🌻🌻🌻❤️👍

[@MissBrewbird]

You're welcome. Thank you! 😃

[@tectonicbrewing4168]

Hi Brewbird, and thanks for this video. I have long researched and read articles about methanol, it's source in fermentation and how does it behave in distillation. The new information for me in your video was that apricots are among the low pectin containing fruits. I have always assumed the opposite. And now I'm wondering about persimmon specialy the goue ones that you have to age before you can eat. Any way back to your video, I was hoping that you discuss hydrogen bond with methanol, and is it true that in a pot still it changes methanol evaporation temperature? Thanks a lot for all you do and the efforts you put into your channel.

[@MissBrewbird]

Thanks for watching. I will have to do research on that topic

[@rudrarishi2523]

Excellently explained, Thank you 🙏

[@jackccharity]

Please explain the contradiction. At 2:39, there is a chart showing different levels of pectin (a methanol precursor) for various fruits. Grapes are listed in the low pectin group and therefore presumably less likely to produce methanol. However, at 4:05 you specifically say that "higher levels of methanol" can be formed from "beverages made with grapes"! Which is it?

[@geeljireoomaar6140]

Thanks very much. The content of your video rescinates with me. Recently, I visited Dubai abd one night someone took me to a house. They were serving what they called Whiskey. Afterwards, i experienced all the symptoms you described

[@MissBrewbird]

Oh no, that doesn't sound too good.

[@corranmchugh2881]

Great informative video. You mentioned your experience at the scotch whisky distillery about ageing the whiskey also helped with the evaporation of the methanol. Does it evaporate more readily than ethanol? Another good reason to age your spirits.

[@MissBrewbird]

Hey Corran, sorry for the late reply. Yes, it does evaporate more readily than ethanol.

[@MrWeezy312]

i did not know pectin content led to methanol content good video!

[@paulpaulsen7777]

Also the cellulose in fruits or any other parts of the fruits like remaining wigs etc. Sugar is more likely turned into ethanol, cellulose is also long chains of sugar molecules, but those rather produce methanol. Pure sugar solutions with yeast mainly produce ethanol

[@Therationallo]

I like the way you explained !!

[@TK-setophaga]

I was surprised to learn that methanol is present throughout distillation. I formerly believed I discarded all of it before my still got to 174F. Thanks

[@MissBrewbird]

Thanks for sharing!

[@isto1661]

I recently made some rum and took 1 litre of foreshots just to be sure I got all the methanol! Hi from Vancouver btw I really enjoy your videos. Maybe you can help me with doing a single malt one day! Cheers, Ian

[@MissBrewbird]

Hey Ian, sorry for the late reply. Nice to see another fellow Vancouverite on here.

[@isto1661]

No worries! Glad to see a fellow vancouverite making it big in Scotland !

[@owendavies7452]

I used to work the pits for some Solo racing bike riders, some of the best in my country and Methanol is what's used in them. I used to get very angry if a spectator came near the bikes while I refueled them, because it's highly flammable. But you also see certain high alcohol drinks, set on fire 🔥 occasionally also.

[@RFCSnapper]

Great video! Have subscribed! I was wondering - does this mean if I re-distill shop bought vodka for instance, that I still need to take a cut to remove methanol? Or will the levels be so low (because the 1st distillation would have done that) that it wouldn’t make a difference?

[@nwsli105]

Thanks Miss Brewbird

[@davidmeier1811]

Methanol boils at 148 IF it is pure, but when mixed with water and ethanol it is not 148 BUT evaporation takes place at room temperature (and lower). It is just that heat causes it to happen faster. It is volatile meaning the tendency to vaporize. Water will vaporize (evaporate) down to 33 degrees F but it takes a while. Add heat and it is faster. When water hits 212 F all of it does not turn to steam, and the same with methanol when you hit 148.

[@danthemann]

2222+ thumbs up! Thank you for the explanation and clarity you gave. I will be posting it for my friends.

[@MissBrewbird]

Awesome 😊

[@JacobTJ1]

Nice video, thank you

[@MissBrewbird]

Glad you liked it!

[@teliszog9104]

Is it safe to make home made vinegar from apples or fruits?

[@seekcamera2638]

Could something like activated charcoal be used to lower methanol level in the final product?

[@MissBrewbird]

No I don't believe that would do anything

[@marvinharms1891]

Thank Miss Brew Bird. Now I have to explain this all to my mum😔

[@bratis99]

I'm soaking blueberries with 750 g of sugar in 30 % alc. called Soju (Korean) for 6 months could there be a methanol issue here

[@tutnallman]

fascinating- I surprised that there may be ethanol in a well-controlled fermentation of apple juice- do I correctly assess that you advise the use of pectolase in musts prior to fermentation?

[@MissBrewbird]

Hi! Yes, you can make ethanol in just about anything that has a sugar content eg milk, potatoes, fruits. I think scientifically speaking, using pectolase would assist in breaking down the pectin which would in turn increase the level of methanol produced. This methanol would concentrate during the distillation process. In real life, I have heard of pectolase being used as people have said it helps create a more flavoursome distillate.

[@siavashebrahimi915]

hello and thank you for your great explanation , a question came to me that is there a way to determine the level of methanol poisonous in a drink that leads to blindness? as I don't trust the distillation process. I have heard that we can recognize a toxic methanol or ethanol drink by adding Boric Acid and watch burning flame of methanol is green and methanol is blue , I don't know that is true or not please help me :(

[@davidhowick3665]

Nice, I’m pleased to now know I will die from Ethan Allen poisoning first before methanol poisoning…well done miss brew bird ,I think it’s the Asian glow ;)

[@austinwhitaker6439]

She's so Beautiful and especially with the ", Asian Glow" 🥰

[@henrym.5884]

Thanks .

[@darylcheshire1618]

the government loves metho which is a combiniation of methanol and ethanol and can be used in household tasks such as cleaning without providing ethanol which can be drunk. Metho has a common boiling point (I forget the proportions) which means if you distil metho, you just get metho. If you need ethanol for laboratory use, you have to get a permit from Customs or I forget who does it now. I read that whiskey has to be aged in oak casks by law, this absorbs the poisonous alcohols, not sure if this is just methanol or includes the other alcohols.

[@Nickle314]

Is the way of measuring methanol in a run?

[@MissBrewbird]

The methanol is all throughout the run. I can't think of a quick way to measure it, aside from taking it to the lab.

[@konanninja]

Thanks for the new knowledge! Anti-dose is alcohol!

[@rodneytapit5636]

That was really good info and excellently presented, except, you don't need the distracting music though! Thank you.

[@surendersingal2192]

Great info about methanol related dangers in drinks, ma'am. Jussojuan

[@debonpanton3366]

I have read about a study which states that methanol is lowest in the Fore-shot but highest in the Tail. Kinda turns things upside down now, doesn't it? What are you thoughts on this?

[@Jack-It-UP]

HI, when malting barley to use straight away do you need to dry it or can you just blend/mill/wiz it wet and add it to the wort/mash. Cheers

[@MissBrewbird]

Probably can't mill wet malted barley as it would clog up the machine pretty badly I think.

[@Jack-It-UP]

@@MissBrewbird Hi, I have a small auger mill that does the job. I don;t want to kiln the malt, as not to give it any flavour just want to rise the SG of my wine must/mash instead of using table sugar.

[@originalmianos]

Any idea how it could be cheaper to produce methanol than ethanol? I find it hard to understand considering methanol production via gaseous hydronation of CO2 is much more complex to produce and more expensive than a natural fermentation process at small scale.

[@davidmeier1811]

It is not cheaper to produce but methanol is not taxed as a beverage. Ethanol is available at the gas station cheap.

[@IN-FINITE_WISDOM]

In your chart, I did not see grapes... for obvious reasons I would be interested

[@IN-FINITE_WISDOM]

... yeah sorry, watch full video before commenting 😅

[@MissBrewbird]

no worries!

[@movieedits5725]

and im at the opposite end, just bought an air still, now have 16 litres of spirits, half from whi9te sugar, the other with brown, really nice

[@machietheapachie7214]

Is this the same as methyl ethyl ketone?

[@addamr2052]

I've visited many gogobars and beer bars of Pattaya Thailand and if you know your alcohol especially spirits including the Thai and Loa whiskies like Sangsom and loa Khow . And even in a dark seedy smoke filled loud music and full of beautiful girls with strings as cloths staff gogobar and served a methanol laced JD black and coke you'll know straight away and probably spit it out very quickly . The taste and smell is just not genuine . ( windmill gogobar ) Soi diamond Pattaya Thailand .

[@conanjohny9128]

Is it true if we smell/inhale methanol for a few second can cause us faint?

[@grebulocities8225]

Nope. You're unlikely to inhale a toxic dose of methanol in a few seconds. Even if you did, its toxic effects are slow to manifest. It has to be metabolized into formic acid to cause methanol poisoning, and this is fairly slow - it takes hours after exposure for enough formic acid to build up to cause toxicity.

[@exmcgee1647]

Safety is a great reason to take the foreshots out , but the best reason is because most of us want the best spirit we can make and foreshots are disgusting . My whiskey/white dog is so pure that even excessive amounts produce almost no hangover. hobby distilled liquor is practically free , there is no reason to try to save a few pennies on wringing out an extra 50 Oz .

[@shaunliew2572]

Hi Miss Brewbird, great video!! I am just dropping by to let you know I've sent you an e-mail about some questions I have in mind.. hope you have some time to read it!

[@novianovioTV]

Back here because of Laos 2024? As an ex street drinker now 15 years sober, I had to smile when you said: ‘You should die of ethanol poisoning long before you die of methanol poisoning’.

[@irondoger]

The highest % of cases of methanol poisoning come from inhalation in industrial settings, so don’t breathe the fumes coming out of your still before condensation starts, high % methanol.

[@theghostofsw6276]

Should be no "fumes" coming out of your still....just liquid. However, some stills allow for the venting of vapours out of the column...that might be of some concern.

[@TheCbj79]

Thangs so much for this.. Is there no way or testing how pure the etanol is? If there is to much metanol. I made my alkohol from appels from now on i will get rid of more heads. Also i vent the still in the start up to 63degrees.. So most go out before maby... I cant smell the difference at least. LOL funny you say norway. Im form there ... Been a long time since i did destill it's so ilegal here. And i do it for fun. Dont even drink LOL.. But love to make it.

[@MissBrewbird]

I'm sure you can test it in the lab, but if you are just in the distillery it's mostly a smell test. If you take a generous heads cut you should be okay.

[@drumstick-marblebag]

I find it very surprising that bacteria too can produce methanol through fermentation. Till now I was under the impression that only yeast can do fermentation and only produce ethanol. Also, I did not know that fruit skins can be useful in making alcohol.

[@windsofmarchjourneyperrytr2823]

Yup. See Pruno or jail made booze

[@gilles274]

where does the misinformation come from.........thanks for setting the record straight

[@danielanthony1054]

probably the us government in prohibition times

[@MrMarkmeadowland]

Cute as a button and discussing things about the industry others ignore. What's not to like? "Snaps"

[@mohamedghribi3679]

Nothing has been said about concentration dangerosity

[@sueelliott4793]

I used to make my own moonshine but kept the heads and tails separately and redistilled them. I also used to leave the lid off the distilled moonshine for any ugly smell and any impurities to evaporate. I made the bet moonshine amongst all my peers and used a home made wash, I never got sick.

[@Ajibolaa]

In another life I’d be a chemist and brewer if I wasn’t so deep into geology and engineering 😂

[@Edward135i]

Ethanol goes in you, Methanol goes in your dragster.

[@paulpaulsen7777]

I know 😅 but it's funny "When you have an alcohol poisoning, drink alcohol to treat it" 😂 Yess! i know, alcohol is not equal alcohol... 😅

[@colerobertson4411]

When I think I'm methanol I think of super high octane race fuel

[@lucgauthier3201]

You are very beautiful !

[@MissBrewbird]

Oh thank you!☺

[@dack4545]

What a Scotch where you making so I can never buy it 🤑🤑🤐

[@lazyman-v9z]

She is just reading text from internet. She doesn't know a thing

[@djacob9800]

Thots be gone

[@Youtube_Stole_My_Handle_Too]

6:17 The text is written by morons obedient to authority. It has nothing to do with the methanol being bootleg or not.

[@carterslade1512]

Hate ur eyes try to read..

[@neilbilston5065]

Can you drink Methanol?

[@singularity-6339]

Of course you can if death is what you're after.

[@neilbilston5065]

@@singularity-6339 👍 Clearly the Asians didn't get the memo! 🤬

[@neilbilston5065]

@@singularity-6339 Aisians don't seem to think so?