In liquor, methanol is an undesirable by-product because it is harmful to the human body. In a home environment, it is very difficult to completely remove methanol from liquor, as this often requires specialized distillation equipment and a precisely controlled process. However, I can provide some basic guidance and advice, but please note that these methods may not completely remove the methanol and should be handled with great care.
Separation during distillation: boiling point of methanol (64.)7°C) is lower than ethanol (78°C), so methanol evaporates first in the early stages of the distillation process. In commercial production, fractions containing higher methanol can be separated by controlling the early stages of the distillation process. For home distillation (which is illegal in many areas, follow local laws), this means discarding the first few hundred milliliters of liquid at the beginning of the distillation process.
Dilution: The toxicity of methanol stems in part from its metabolites in the body. By diluting the liquor, the absolute amount of methanol can be reduced, thus reducing the risk. However, this is not about removing methanol, but about reducing its potential harm.
Activated carbon filtration: While activated carbon filtration is primarily used to remove odors and impurities, it is also effective in reducing the content of certain types of impurities, including methanol. However, this method has limited effect and does not guarantee complete removal of methanol.
Professional handling: If you are concerned about the presence of methanol in the liquor you make or purchase, the safest way is not to drink it and seek professional testing and handling.
It's important to remember that making your own alcoholic beverages, especially distilled spirits, is not only technically challenging, but also illegal in many places. In addition, the wrong distillation process can produce high levels of methanol, which is extremely dangerous for health. Therefore, the safest way is to buy commercial liquor products that have been tested for legality and safety.