How much corn, sugar, whatever, does it take to make 20 gallons of ethanol of a quality to make E85 in my backyard? I need a per-week estimate so I can figure out how much it'll cost. Since no local gas station seems willing to sell the stuff.
by 
LarryH54
ANSWERS: 6
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As a hobby beer brewer, it takes about 8 pounds of malt or other sugar to make 5 gallons of beer at about 7% alcohol. So you will need approximately 100 pounds of sugar to make 5 gallons of ethenol in the 95+% useable fuel range. And you will have to distill to get it there, most likely distill twice. About 400 pounds of malt dextrose would be your requirement for 20 gallons. And your beginning corn syrup. My recommendation would be to use sourghum syrup for the best amount of dextrose and cheap. Now for the factor that bursts the bubble. That double distilling is going to cost. Unless you have a windgen or solar cells to generate free electricity, you are going to consume more energy and at a higher cost than what your get in ethanol. And with the fermentation process that will take 7 to 14 days and very dependent on a temperature the yeast likes. Most yeasts will begin to die and lose efficiency above 85 degrees. And most will not do well below 60. My guess is that your ethanol will end up costing you a good $20 a gallon. And your car won't run on the pure stuff. 15% is as good as it gets.
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Forgot to add E85 fuel gas less availab;e energy than gas. Ethanol has about 80% as much energy. Unless your vehicle is relatively new and designed to run on it, etanol has been known to eat up gaskets and seals on older vehicles. Even in the E85 ratio.
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Commercially it's another ball game. They by the fermentables direct from farmers in vast amounts. That distilling heat is free or close to it by other processes, such as an oil or coal power plant. And finally the Government allows them tax credits. All that and they are usually plus or minus 20 of gas. But with current gas prices much more favorable. If we copy Brazil ethanol could be produced for about 60% that of current gas. But they have sugar cane and very cheap farm labor. Hate to say it. But our best bet on ethanol is get Brazil to produce it and buy from them.
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Need to add something a Daryl, I think 61 mentioned the fact that the gas - alcool fuel most of us are using is 10% not the 15% E85. We hear E85 tossed around so much as reference to alcohol-gas fuel and assume we are burning that. So unless you own a vehicle designed to run on E85 stay away from any pump labled that. I will also mention another alcohol fuel problem. Recently I have had a problem with a 2 stroke weed eater. Turns out they don't like alcohol. So there is yet another additive you have to add to the fuel to keep them running. Shows that quick fixes and alternative fuels have many consequences. If you make alcohol, I suggest you brew beer, ale and wines instead. It's fun and I have made really great IPA's, Lagers and Meade. Cheaper than even the cheapest store bought and much better. I like Jim Rossi's Hopzilla IPA in particular. I have a couple dozen people that want me to brew 10 gallon batches for them. Too bad that would be illegal 100 gallon per year limit as I am single in my house.
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I used to make home-brew beer and we used 1 pound of sugar for every gallon of beer. We figured our beer was 11% alcohol.
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Seems that ethanol is not such a good idea
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