The Secrets of Building an Alcohol Producing Still. [Paperback]

Vincent R. Gingery (Author)

Product Details

• Paperback: 82 pages
• Publisher: David J Gingery; 1st edition (July 1994)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1878087169
• ISBN-13: 978-1878087164
• Product Dimensions: 10.9 x 8.4 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (16 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #16,262 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

61 of 61 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Basic recipe for basic production, September 27, 2007

By 

K. Koch (IA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Secrets of Building an Alcohol Producing Still. (Paperback)

This book gives a simple outline to the process of producing alcohol, along with plans to build one very specific setup. The section on grain preparation is very well described in this book, better than the other books that I have read. If somebody is looking to just make some ethanol without concern for the amount of energy required, this book will work OK for you. There are a number of oddities in the design given in this book, such as the concept of a water jacketed boiler. This will result in low rates of heat transfer, with a lot of heat being lost to the surroundings. Also, a batch distillation can not compete with continuous distillation on the basis of energy input. If someone is looking for a DIY batch distillation setup, consider building a Charles 803 column or the one in this book. For somebody who is interested in a robust and efficient process, look else ware.

40 of 40 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Best Book on Home Distilling out there, February 25, 2008

By 

Ashwin Umesh "ashmesh" (Jersey City, NJ United States) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Secrets of Building an Alcohol Producing Still. (Paperback)

There are a handful of books and quite a few web sites that cover the subject of Home Distilling. None as well and complete as this book though. My opinion is that most material on Home Distilling is written by folks who do it for kicks without understanding the science behind it (least that't the way it appears when i read them). This book covers the topic in a very structured manner and backs up each section with science and reasoning. The book not only does a splendid job of explaining still building but also explains malting, mashing, fementation and distillation -- with clear instruction. I found it so useful that I bought a copy for my brother as well.

17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Very descriptive, well written book, January 11, 2007

By 

Justin A. Davis (Chesapeake, VA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Secrets of Building an Alcohol Producing Still. (Paperback)

This book contains very detailed drawings and explanations for how to build a still. It even shows you the necessary forms to fill out, if you want to make the alcohol legally (for experimental fuel only of course). I liked having all the pictures and the descriptions as well as how to bend and work the sheets of copper.