What Are the Dangers of Home Distillation?

Home distilling poses dangers you can avoid bottle neck image by Sean Gladwell from Fotolia.com Home distillation, or the process of making your own potable alcohol, is a practice that unnecessarily scares many, according to Smiley's Home Distilling and the Home Distiller websites. Some of the biggest fears are based on myths or improper use of faulty equipment. Some of the dangers home distillation does pose can be avoided with proper precautions. Lead Poisoning Lead poisoning is a danger that can be avoided with proper supplies. Never use lead-based solder or old car parts. According to the Home Distiller website, using an old car radiator for the still's vapor condenser used to be a popular practice---a practice that is definitely dangerous as the radiators were soldered with lead. Lead will leech into your finished product and make you ill. Construct your still with silver-based solder or weld the pieces together. Fire Fire is another danger with home distillation. Two ways to ...  more