Isn't Ethanol a byproduct of the brewing process?

Question

With all the breweries in America, why are we building an ethanol "Industry?" The brewers are already making it, aren't they?

Answer 1

Ethanol is 200% proof alcohol.

You get alcohol by fermentation of crops with lots of sugar. Same process is used by brewerys. The fermented 'beer' gets distilled same way that hard liquor is distilled.

Ethanol has the characteristic of evaporating at a lower temperature than water when the brew is 194%. That means further processing is required to dry the alcohol. Can't mix anything less than 200% proof with gasoline because of issues with water in the fuel.

No reason that a car on pure ethanol can't run on significantly less pure alcohol. V2 rockets used 150% proof ethanol made from potatoes.

Answer 2

not the by product...its the product!...why would a distiller sell it for 4 a gallon when he can get 20/and more a quart....

Answer 3

Ethanol cleaners is the difference.

Answer 4

Ethanol takes further processing to be used as a fuel.  Plus some storage and transportation issues.  And who wants to lose their beer?

Answer 5

The biggest problem is that it takes a lot of energy to distill that ethanol out of the beer. [] <--This is a box. Think outside of it!

Answer 6

Beer is only 3% ethanol. Corn whiskey, though, has been used as fuel since the days of Prohibition.

'course, the IRS might have a thang or two to say about home brewing...