MythBusters · Video summary
Can a Moonshine Still Really Blow Your House Apart? | MythBusters
The MythBusters investigate whether a moonshiner's still could explode and destroy a shack, testing various scenarios from slow leaks to deliberate ignition.
Watch on YouTube ↗Key takeaways
- 🌡️Alcohol vaporizes at 172°F, a lower temperature than water, allowing for distillation.03:42
- 🚫Distilling alcohol at home without proper permits is illegal.04:24
- 🔥A slow leak in a still can lead to a fire, but not necessarily an explosion, if the vapors ignite immediately.09:24
- 💨Alcohol vapor becomes flammable when its concentration in the air is between 3% and 19%.16:50
- 🎯An ideal alcohol vapor to air ratio for an explosion is 7%.16:56
- 💥A leaky still can create enough fumes to cause a building to explode if the right fuel-air mixture is achieved and an ignition source is present.20:52
Chapters
- 0:00Introduction to Moonshine Myths
- 0:27Building the Stills
- 5:21The Distillation Process Explained
- 8:59First Full-Scale Test: Slow Leak and Fire
- 17:34Troubleshooting Ignition for the Second Test
- 25:47Second Full-Scale Test: Fuel-Air Explosion
- 34:04Conclusion and Myth Confirmed
- 35:09Bonus: Old-Timey Moonshine Destruction
The digest
Moonshine, the illicitly distilled alcoholic beverage, is steeped in legend and danger. The MythBusters, Adam Savage and Jamie Hyneman, delve into the folklore surrounding moonshine production, specifically the tale of a moonshiner's shack being blown to smithereens by an exploding still. Their mission: to determine if such a catastrophic event is truly possible.
Crafting the Contraband: Building the Stills
To accurately test the myth, the MythBusters first needed to create their own moonshine stills. Adam embarked on building an authentic copper still from scratch, meticulously riveting and sealing every joint to ensure it was airtight. His process involved shaping copper sheets, soldering connections, and coiling copper tubing for the condenser. Jamie, on the other hand, opted for a modified stainless steel milk canister, which he adapted for distillation. Both setups incorporated a heating element at the base to boil the "mash" – a mixture of water and alcohol components, primarily corn, malted wheat, and malted barley.
Keep reading in The Digest
The full 3-minute article, 4 more sections, and every new episode from MythBusters and the creators you follow.
- The Science of Shine: How Distillation Works
- Scenario One: The Slow Leak and Fire Hazard
- Scenario Two: The Perfect Fuel-Air Mix and Explosive Ignition
- The Grand Finale: A Genuine "Ka-Whoomp!"
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