Despite what you may have seen on television or certain rural areas, distilling alcohol at home (called DIY liquor or moonshine) is both dangerous and illegal. Inexperienced brewers (or those who can’t afford proper equipment) are at risk of unknowingly using harmful ingredients in their homebrews. Since the whole point of the process is avoiding taxes and regulations from the government, there are no inspections or safety standards. Operation of the still itself can also be dangerous. Alcohol concentrations at higher strengths are flammable and therefore dangerous to handle, especially during the distilling process when vaporized alcohol may accumulate in the air. This concentration can become dangerous without adequate ventilation.
The biggest risk is lead poisoning since a homemade still might consist of items such as car radiators, lead pipes, and brass or copper pipes soldered with lead. Lead poisoning can cause high blood pressure, joint and muscle pain, difficulties with memory or concentration, headache, abdominal pain, mood disorders, reduced sperm count and abnormal sperm, and miscarriage, stillbirth or premature birth in pregnant women.
It’s a common statement that moonshine or other home-distilled liquors can cause blindness. There is some truth to this, but the causes of blindness can be separate from the alcohol distillation process itself. When homemade spirits cause damage to the optic nerve, the danger is almost always methanol, also known as wood alcohol. Methanol is a byproduct of alcohol distillation, but it only forms in small, non-toxic amounts when done properly. It is also easy to separate and discard. The first few ounces of alcohol that drip from the condenser contains foreshots or low-boiling-point compounds that come out of the still first. Methanol is among these compounds, and if not properly disposed of it not only lends an unappetizing flavor to the moonshine but can cause unpleasant side effects.
Some moonshine producers will actually add methanol to their product to up the potency or mask the fact that it’s been watered down. It is also not unheard of for moonshiners to add embalming fluid, bleach, rubbing alcohol, and even paint thinner to give it more of a kick.
Stills can be made from anything from a tea kettle to a pressure cooker, along with copper tubing and a few other items found in most households. It’s perfectly legal to own a still, and you can even use it, as long as you’re not making alcohol to drink. Federal law states that “While individuals of legal drinking age may produce wine or beer at home for personal or family use, federal law strictly prohibits individuals from producing distilled spirits at home.” Making ethanol for fuel use at home is also legal, provided you obtain a permit from the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau.
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