A nation of Tyrs

[garbon]

Again I say, brew your own.

I'd be concerned that I would poison myself. Also what Jos said about having space to do so.

[Gups]

Looking into this the Guardian has simply used the PWC press release which, as these things, always are, is as sensationalist as possible to get coverage.

It's impossible to tell from the report itself, but I'd bet a pound to a penny that when you ask people whetehr they have bought counterfeit alcohol or fags they will assume you are taking about contraband i.e. genuine brands smuggled to avoid tax.

Moonshine hardly exists here. Even most winos drink cheap super-strength lager or cider rather than ethanol.

[mongers]

Again I say, brew your own.

I'd be concerned that I would poison myself. Also what Jos said about having space to do so.

This is all but impossible, I don't think there's a way to inadvertently brew methanol, if a sugary concoction undergoes fermentation with yeast, then you'll get some ethanol which is a natural anti-bacterial preservative.

A totally failed fermentation, might produce a unpleasant rancid mixture as it goes off, but you'll not be able to drink that anyway.

I'm sure Cal and Meri can set us both straight on the matter. 

[garbon]

Again I say, brew your own.

I'd be concerned that I would poison myself. Also what Jos said about having space to do so.

This is all but impossible, I don't think there's a way to inadvertently brew methanol, if a sugary concoction undergoes fermentation with yeast, then you'll get some ethanol which is a natural anti-bacterial preservative.

A totally failed fermentation, might produce a unpleasant rancid mixture as it goes off, but you'll not be able to drink that anyway.

I'm sure Cal and Meri can set us both straight on the matter. 

Appears you are right.

http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/health/2013/03/14/can-homemade-booze-kill-you/

What About Homebrewed Beer?
As it  turns out, homebrewed beer probably wouldn't hurt you, because the simple fermentation produces only ethanol, not its toxic cousin methanol, said Gary Glass, president of the American Homebrewer's Association. Even contaminated homebrewed beer can't make you sick, he said.

"There are no known pathogens that can survive in beer because of the alcohol and low pH," Glass said. "So you can't really get photogenically sick from drinking bad homebrew. It could taste bad, but it's not going to hurt you."

Dale DeGroff, the legendary bartender who became famous for his gourmet cocktails at New York's Rainbow Room in  the 1980s, agreed. He said the only way to get methanol during a homebrew is to somehow pick the wrong herbs and accidentally yield methanol during fermentation. But since most homebrews come with kits that include pellets of hops, homebrewers aren't foraging for ingredients, anyway.

"It's hard to mess up beer and wine to the point where you can really hurt yourself," DeGroff said. "You can give yourself a pretty bad hangover though."

[mongers]

Looking into this the Guardian has simply used the PWC press release which, as these things, always are, is as sensationalist as possible to get coverage.

It's impossible to tell from the report itself, but I'd bet a pound to a penny that when you ask people whetehr they have bought counterfeit alcohol or fags they will assume you are taking about contraband i.e. genuine brands smuggled to avoid tax.

Moonshine hardly exists here. Even most winos drink cheap super-strength lager or cider rather than ethanol.

Though I think they've been a few recent incidents of east europeans/gangs illicitly blending vodkas for their communities. I'm not sure if there have been any deaths, but wasn't there an explosion in manchester linked to one of these gangs running a bottling operation in an industrial unit?

edit;
found it, Boston actually:

Boston fire blast unit producing illegal vodka

An industrial unit in Lincolnshire, where five men were killed in an explosion, was being used to produce illegal vodka, police have confirmed.

The five victims of the blast in Boston on Wednesday were all Lithuanian nationals living in Peterborough.

It is thought Vaidas Krupenkinas, 39, Laimutis Simkus, 32, Ovidijus Mejeris, 26, Ricardas Gecas, 24, and Erlandas Duzinskas, 18, died instantly.

Police said the exact cause of the explosion was still being determined.

Officers said the unit at the Broadfield Industrial Estate housed a "filtration plant that was being used for the production of illicit alcohol being distributed and sold as vodka".
....

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-lincolnshire-14188297

[merithyn]

Again I say, brew your own.

That takes some pretty expensive stuff and a lot of space.
I've wanted to brew my own for years but I've never had a place big enough.

Um. No, and No.

It takes a one-gallon jug, water, a balloon, some honey, and some yeast. That's all that's really necessary to brew mead. It requires as much space as a gallon jug takes up.

It will be as strong as the yeast you use allows, and the amount of honey you add. For instance, champagne yeast with five pounds of honey to 3/4 of a gallon of water will net you about 18% alcohol. (But it's super dry and I don't particularly like it.)

I'd be concerned that I would poison myself. Also what Jos said about having space to do so.

Um, yeah. Not really. Some impurities may give you a headache, but that's what bleach water rinses are for.

Brewing is one of the cheapest, easiest ways to get good alcohol for minimal effort. You can spend a lot and use up a lot of space, but it's not necessary.

[merithyn]

Appears you are right.

http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/health/2013/03/14/can-homemade-booze-kill-you/

What About Homebrewed Beer?
As it  turns out, homebrewed beer probably wouldn't hurt you, because the simple fermentation produces only ethanol, not its toxic cousin methanol, said Gary Glass, president of the American Homebrewer's Association. Even contaminated homebrewed beer can't make you sick, he said.

"There are no known pathogens that can survive in beer because of the alcohol and low pH," Glass said. "So you can't really get photogenically sick from drinking bad homebrew. It could taste bad, but it's not going to hurt you."

Dale DeGroff, the legendary bartender who became famous for his gourmet cocktails at New York's Rainbow Room in  the 1980s, agreed. He said the only way to get methanol during a homebrew is to somehow pick the wrong herbs and accidentally yield methanol during fermentation. But since most homebrews come with kits that include pellets of hops, homebrewers aren't foraging for ingredients, anyway.

"It's hard to mess up beer and wine to the point where you can really hurt yourself," DeGroff said. "You can give yourself a pretty bad hangover though."

Yeah. The "pretty bad hangovers" are usually from impurities that are introduced when bottling. Just make sure you keep everything clean, and you'll be fine. It's taste that's an issue more than anything else, but that's what mixers are for.

[Ed Anger]

[Razgovory]

Again I say, brew your own.

Or, not drink.

[Tamas]

Again I say, brew your own.

That takes some pretty expensive stuff and a lot of space.
I've wanted to brew my own for years but I've never had a place big enough.

Um. No, and No.

It takes a one-gallon jug, water, a balloon, some honey, and some yeast. That's all that's really necessary to brew mead. It requires as much space as a gallon jug takes up.

It will be as strong as the yeast you use allows, and the amount of honey you add. For instance, champagne yeast with five pounds of honey to 3/4 of a gallon of water will net you about 18% alcohol. (But it's super dry and I don't particularly like it.)

I'd be concerned that I would poison myself. Also what Jos said about having space to do so.

Um, yeah. Not really. Some impurities may give you a headache, but that's what bleach water rinses are for.

Brewing is one of the cheapest, easiest ways to get good alcohol for minimal effort. You can spend a lot and use up a lot of space, but it's not necessary.

Meri you have no idea how crowded this country is. Last thing it needs is chavs and assorted youngsters having a go at brewing beer in their rooms.

[garbon]

Again I say, brew your own.

That takes some pretty expensive stuff and a lot of space.
I've wanted to brew my own for years but I've never had a place big enough.

Um. No, and No.

It takes a one-gallon jug, water, a balloon, some honey, and some yeast. That's all that's really necessary to brew mead. It requires as much space as a gallon jug takes up.

It will be as strong as the yeast you use allows, and the amount of honey you add. For instance, champagne yeast with five pounds of honey to 3/4 of a gallon of water will net you about 18% alcohol. (But it's super dry and I don't particularly like it.)

I'd be concerned that I would poison myself. Also what Jos said about having space to do so.

Um, yeah. Not really. Some impurities may give you a headache, but that's what bleach water rinses are for.

Brewing is one of the cheapest, easiest ways to get good alcohol for minimal effort. You can spend a lot and use up a lot of space, but it's not necessary.

Meri you have no idea how crowded this country is. Last thing it needs is chavs and assorted youngsters having a go at brewing beer in their rooms.

[Ed Anger]

Ahhhh, the UK.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/maciejdakowicz/sets/1391696/

I don't know to or 

I'll stick with 

[Tamas]

Again I say, brew your own.

That takes some pretty expensive stuff and a lot of space.
I've wanted to brew my own for years but I've never had a place big enough.

Um. No, and No.

It takes a one-gallon jug, water, a balloon, some honey, and some yeast. That's all that's really necessary to brew mead. It requires as much space as a gallon jug takes up.

It will be as strong as the yeast you use allows, and the amount of honey you add. For instance, champagne yeast with five pounds of honey to 3/4 of a gallon of water will net you about 18% alcohol. (But it's super dry and I don't particularly like it.)

I'd be concerned that I would poison myself. Also what Jos said about having space to do so.

Um, yeah. Not really. Some impurities may give you a headache, but that's what bleach water rinses are for.

Brewing is one of the cheapest, easiest ways to get good alcohol for minimal effort. You can spend a lot and use up a lot of space, but it's not necessary.

Meri you have no idea how crowded this country is. Last thing it needs is chavs and assorted youngsters having a go at brewing beer in their rooms.

IDK man, if Caliga fucks up his beer-brewing and it starts being all wet and smelly all over the place, maybe the racoons notice it, in the forest in the middle of his estates. Much more annoying in a crowded neighbourhood.

Or I am just basing it too much on the smell of the palinka (moonshine) making place down the road from us when I was a kid.

[Ed Anger]

<insert beet joke here>

[merithyn]

Meri you have no idea how crowded this country is. Last thing it needs is chavs and assorted youngsters having a go at brewing beer in their rooms.

Dude, if kids in dorm rooms can manage it, you guys can. (And I have been to London a couple of times, Tamas. I do actually have an idea of how crowded it is there.