Why “Methanol” is being discussed
The most recent Hacker News stories and comments contributing to this topic's mentions.
> you literally just pour out the first 0.5% of whatever comes out of the still So you have to 1) remember that and 2) calculate how much will come out. You will be surprised to…
by tpm · Oct 21, 2026
“Perfectly safe” eh… freeze distillation doesn’t remove methanol so it is far from perfectly safe, but closer to “probably be fine” than poorly handled alembic would be. I think…
by therealpygon · Oct 20, 2026
Citation needed. Apparently the methanol is only slightly concentrated in the heads, and might even be higher in the tails. Plus most of it codistills with the ethanol.
by BenjiWiebe · Oct 20, 2026
Mushroom poisoning is far riskier. The methanol poisoning risk is overstated.
by BenjiWiebe · Oct 20, 2026
Can you give an example of someone poisoned by methanol from home distilling, that wasn't a case of methanol adulteration?
by BenjiWiebe · Oct 20, 2026
nah it's more like the homebrewer / home distiller / homesteader types big push started in Texas why would companies want you to make it on their own when their own sa…
by red-iron-pine · Oct 20, 2026
Interest
Proportion of Hacker News items mentioning "methanol" over time.
Mentions
Total number of Hacker News items mentioning "methanol" over time.
Methanol is an organic chemical compound and the simplest aliphatic alcohol, with the chemical formula CH3OH. It is a light, volatile, colorless and flammable liquid with a distinctive alcoholic odor similar to that of ethanol, but is more acutely toxic than the latter. Methanol acquired the name wood alcohol because it was once produced through destructive distillation of wood. Today, methanol is mainly produced industrially by hydrogenation of carbon monoxide. Read more on Wikipedia