# Should Everclear be banned? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [September 10, 2011, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-everclear-be-banned/595830 "2011-09-10T15:54:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Try2B\_Comprehensive](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/try2b_comprehensive/32/65_2.png) [@Try2B\_Comprehensive](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Try2B_Comprehensive)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2011, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-everclear-be-banned/595830/41 "2011-09-10T23:40:25Z")
I hope they don’t ban Everclear. Not only does it (or so I hear) get you really drunk in a hurry, but you can also use it to power your [camping stove](http://www.rei.com/product/709000/msr-whisperlite-internationale-backpacking-stove).Yeah, the official line is that it burns “white gas, jet fuel, kerosene, and unleaded auto fuel”- awesome enough by itself- but you don’t have to think long or hard to convince yourself that 190-proof booze is another way of saying, “jet fuel”. This allows a backpacker to use a single bottle for both booze and fuel. I haven’t tried it, but at some point I hope to backpack into someplace pretty, set up the tent, cook dinner, then unhook the fuel bottle and have a nip. I hope I don’t get killed attempting to play whist with a bear, though I seriously doubt I’d drink enough while in the woods to become unglued. ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2011, 11:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-everclear-be-banned/595830/42 "2011-09-10T23:44:17Z")
> [@zoid](#): > > Let’s be clear - the root of this problem is private ownership of property. > If we compel everyone to live in state run and owned housing complexes with 24/365 surveillance then these things would not happen (at least not as regularly). > It’s worth a bit of our freedom to be safe, isn’t it?! > :dubious: What is this I don’t even ---
**Author:** ![Lobohan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobohan/32/79_2.png) [@Lobohan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobohan)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2011, 12:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-everclear-be-banned/595830/43 "2011-09-11T00:35:49Z")
> [@pkbites](#): > > I would be rather surprised if it actually got banned here in Wisconsin, _The Drunkest Place on Earth_TM Russia would like a word with you about that title. ---
**Author:** ![Belowjob2.0](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Belowjob2.0](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Belowjob2.0)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2011, 2:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-everclear-be-banned/595830/44 "2011-09-11T02:33:59Z")
> [@pkbites](#): > > I said national ban in the OP simply because it is banned in some states. > > I would be rather surprised if it actually got banned here in Wisconsin, _The Drunkest Place on Earth_TM How can it be the drunkest place on Earth when liquor stores shut down at 9PM? I think there was only one place in all of Dane County where you could get beer after nine o’clock. ---
**Author:** ![user\_hostile](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/user_hostile/32/474_2.png) [@user\_hostile](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/user_hostile)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2011, 3:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-everclear-be-banned/595830/45 "2011-09-11T03:15:25Z")
> [@Try2B\_Comprehensive](#): > > I hope they don’t ban Everclear. Not only does it (or so I hear) get you really drunk in a hurry, but you can also use it to power your [camping stove](http://www.rei.com/product/709000/msr-whisperlite-internationale-backpacking-stove).Yeah, the official line is that it burns “white gas, jet fuel, kerosene, and unleaded auto fuel”- awesome enough by itself- but you don’t have to think long or hard to convince yourself that 190-proof booze is another way of saying, “jet fuel”. This allows a backpacker to use a single bottle for both booze and fuel. I haven’t tried it, but at some point I hope to backpack into someplace pretty, set up the tent, cook dinner, then unhook the fuel bottle and have a nip. I hope I don’t get killed attempting to play whist with a bear, though I seriously doubt I’d drink enough while in the woods to become unglued. My friend, you’ll be burning a lot of Everclear long before that water starts boiling. It only packs 65% of the energy content of regular gasoline; and with H2O as remainder, you lose even more energy as water is converted to steam. With 190 proof, not so much; 150 proof–bring some white gas instead; otherwise enjoy you Ramen extra, extra _al dente_ ---
**Author:** ![pkbites](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pkbites/32/204_2.png) [@pkbites](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pkbites)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2011, 3:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-everclear-be-banned/595830/46 "2011-09-11T03:45:46Z")
> [@Belowjob2.0](#): > > How can it be the drunkest place on Earth when liquor stores shut down at 9PM? I think there was only one place in all of Dane County where you could get beer after nine o’clock. 😕😕😕😕😕😕😕😕 You’re fuggin’ with me, right? Wisconsinites don’t buy alcohol at liquor stores. Those are for the tourists and other such suckers we allow to roam around in our hallowed Land O’Cheeze. The rest of us have the wholesale truck come and stock our spare bedroom closet with our ethanol supply every month. Never, but never, pay retail, greeny. WTF is wrong with you? ---
**Author:** ![Try2B\_Comprehensive](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/try2b_comprehensive/32/65_2.png) [@Try2B\_Comprehensive](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Try2B_Comprehensive)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2011, 3:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-everclear-be-banned/595830/47 "2011-09-11T03:59:56Z")
> [@user\_hostile](#): > > My friend, you’ll be burning a lot of Everclear long before that water starts boiling. It only packs 65% of the energy content of regular gasoline; and with H2O as remainder, you lose even more energy as water is converted to steam. With 190 proof, not so much; 150 proof–bring some white gas instead; otherwise enjoy you Ramen extra, extra _al dente_ It would be a fun demonstration to drink the fuel and then pass it around to my camping guest(s). Good thing drowning ethanol-guy has already sung his swan song, as now there’s no chance he’ll be along for this trip. Too bad for him and his family though. ---
**Author:** ![user\_hostile](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/user_hostile/32/474_2.png) [@user\_hostile](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/user_hostile)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2011, 7:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-everclear-be-banned/595830/48 "2011-09-11T07:39:22Z")
> [@Try2B\_Comprehensive](#): > > It would be a fun demonstration to drink the fuel and then pass it around to my camping guest(s). Touché ---
**Author:** ![Pitchmeister](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pitchmeister/32/3459_2.png) [@Pitchmeister](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pitchmeister)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2011, 9:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-everclear-be-banned/595830/49 "2011-09-11T09:31:57Z")
> [@Huerta88](#): > > The only possible answer is “less.” On occasions when I’ve had trash can punch, I remember people mixing in a few gallons of Kool-Aid or fruit punch to every fifth of Everclear. My feeling was that it was roughly 30% alcohol (or 60 proof) at that point. Three times as strong as wine. > [@billfish678](#): > > But the silly part is this. Lets say I want to booze up some punch. So I throw in 1.0 liters of Everclear into say 3 liters of punch/redbull/pigeon crap and end up with something like 25 percent alcohol. To booze up the same mix with vodka to same alcohol level I’d to put in something like 1.1 liters. > > So it makes no sense to ban the super high test stuff when it only takes a smidge more of the regular high test stuff to have the same effect. Can I question both of your math on this? **Huerta88** , when you mix a fifth of pure ethanol with even one gallon of fruit punch, you get less than 20% - let alone with many gallons of liquid. On the other hand, **billfish678** , your initial figure is correct, but I don’t see how you get from 1 liter of Everclear (80-95%, from what I understand in this thread) to 1.1 liters of vodka. Vodka is usually 40-45%, less than half of Everclear - there is a big difference. I’d never heard of this product before, but before I read the thread I thought it was some kind of cleaning product - how anyone would drink something by this name and I’m sure pretty vile taste is beyond me. ---
**Author:** ![Zany\_Zeolite\_Zipper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/4af34b/32.png) [@Zany\_Zeolite\_Zipper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zany_Zeolite_Zipper)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2011, 1:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-everclear-be-banned/595830/50 "2011-09-11T13:06:28Z")
The math above is wonky. Lets do the 1/5th gal Everclear for each gal of mixer case first. Assuming 95% Ethanol we have 0.95(1/5)=a; a equals the volume of EtOH in a 1/5 of Everclear. And the total solution volume is 6/5=b; (our gallon of mixer and our fifth of a gallon of Everclear). To determine the concentration of EtOH in solution (vol%) we calculate a/b=16 vol%. This assumes that EtOH and water volumes are additive; volumes of EtOH and water are not additive, but the effect is small enough that we don’t really care. I am also not going to pull the references to do it properly. **Billfish678** ’s first calculation is correct for 100% EtOH (save for the non-additive effects of mixing EtOH and water). However, the second should be properly calculated as follows: Assuming you want to use 3 L of mixer with 40% EtOH to get 25v% solution the formula is: a=0.4\*Vv Vv=Volume vodka b=3 L +Vv a/b=0.25 Vv=5 L of Vodka Back check: 0.4\*5 L=2 L EtOH 0.25(3 L + 5 L) = 2 L EtOH. Assuming that you want 4 L of total solution you need 1 L of EtOH: 0.4 Vv = 1 L Vv = 2.5 L of Vodka Vi = 1.5 L of Mixers Where Vi is the volume of inert used to dilute the Vodka. The back check is trivial: 1 L EtOH/(2.5L + 1.5L)=0.25 ---
**Author:** ![Una\_Persson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/una_persson/32/346_2.png) [@Una\_Persson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Una_Persson)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2011, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-everclear-be-banned/595830/51 "2011-09-11T14:44:06Z")
I’ve used Everclear for three experiments I did for **Cecil**. I’ve never drank it, however, even diluted. ---
**Author:** ![ralph124c](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8797f3/32.png) [@ralph124c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ralph124c)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2011, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-everclear-be-banned/595830/52 "2011-09-11T17:07:14Z")
Around here, everclear is used mainly by old Italian ladies who use it to make liqeuers (like anisette and cherry brandy). Part of me says that it ought to be labelled with a skll and crossbones-since it is (technically) poisonous if drunk straight. But upon reflection, you cannot protect people from their own stupidity-23 is old enough to be aware. ---
**Author:** ![emacknight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/3ec8ea/32.png) [@emacknight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/emacknight)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2011, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-everclear-be-banned/595830/53 "2011-09-11T17:53:55Z")
> [@ralph124c](#): > > Around here, everclear is used mainly by old Italian ladies who use it to make liqeuers (like anisette and cherry brandy). > Part of me says that it ought to be labelled with a skll and crossbones-since it is (technically) poisonous if drunk straight. Better yet, the government should require the bottle be covered with graphic imagines, like Jeff’s rotting corpse. That worked for cigarettes right? Does everclear do enough to warn consumers? Shouldn’t the store clerk be required to warn people that it’s dangerous? How can we expect Jeff to be smart enough if NBC doesn’ have a “More You Know” commercial about it? > [@ralph124c](#): > > But upon reflection, you cannot protect people from their own stupidity-23 is old enough to be aware. In this case though, it was simply a matter of chance that it was Jeff that died, and not the other _adults_ that also had the same punch. There was plenty of potential for Jeff’s actions to cause injury to the other party goers. So isn’t this exactly where the government is supposed to act? Do you suppose Jeff made the conscious decision to buy everclear all on his own? Why can’t we fault advertising, media, and cultural influence–the way we do for so many other activities? ---
**Author:** ![jasonh300](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/46a35a/32.png) [@jasonh300](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jasonh300)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2011, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-everclear-be-banned/595830/54 "2011-09-11T18:14:56Z")
If you’re making a punch, and you use 1/2 gallon of Everclear and 1 gallon of Hawaiian Punch, it’s got the exact same alcoholic content as using 5 quarts of Jack Daniels and 1 gallon Hawaiian Punch. If they ban Everclear, stupid people will still consume excess quantities of other liquors and do stupid things. ---
**Author:** ![Belowjob2.0](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Belowjob2.0](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Belowjob2.0)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2011, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-everclear-be-banned/595830/55 "2011-09-11T19:08:05Z")
> [@Pitchmeister](#): > > Can I question both of your math on this? **Huerta88** , when you mix a fifth of pure ethanol with even one gallon of fruit punch, you get less than 20% - let alone with many gallons of liquid. > > On the other hand, **billfish678** , your initial figure is correct, but I don’t see how you get from 1 liter of Everclear (80-95%, from what I understand in this thread) to 1.1 liters of vodka. Vodka is usually 40-45%, less than half of Everclear - there is a big difference. > > I’d never heard of this product before, but before I read the thread I thought it was some kind of cleaning product - how anyone would drink something by this name and I’m sure pretty vile taste is beyond me. I don’t recall the taste being vile. (It’s been 25 years since I had any.) It shouldn’t taste much different than vodka or any other neutral spirit. Just a stronger alcohol taste. No flavor at all. ---
**Author:** ![Antinor01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecae2f/32.png) [@Antinor01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antinor01)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2011, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-everclear-be-banned/595830/56 "2011-09-11T20:32:52Z")
No it shouldn’t. Because then I’d have to give up one of my favorite concoctions consisting of Everclear, 151, 100 proof vodka and an assortment of other liquors. (Very occasional, I have a fifth of it that’s still nearly full after about 3 years) ---
**Author:** ![Huerta88](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/82dd89/32.png) [@Huerta88](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Huerta88)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2011, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-everclear-be-banned/595830/57 "2011-09-11T20:35:27Z")
> [@Belowjob2.0](#): > > It shouldn’t taste much different than vodka or any other neutral spirit. Just a stronger alcohol taste. No flavor at all. I don’t know that I’d encourage anyone to sip it out of the bottle. One of the things purified ethanol is used for, IIRC, is to inject into nerves for management of severe pain, because it either numbs (or kills, I forget which) nerve tissue. ---
**Author:** ![Surbey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4491bb/32.png) [@Surbey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Surbey)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2011, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-everclear-be-banned/595830/58 "2011-09-11T20:47:42Z")
> [@emacknight](#): > > Gah, that’s sounds like Libertarianism to me! And this story is clearly proof that Libertarianism causes people to get poisoned and die. Just another example of Wisconsin’s Libertarian government screwing people over. Nah, those people are loons. I, for one, enjoy meat inspectors, road crews that clean dead animals off the street, and firefighters. I don’t enjoy making laws that “protect us from ourselves”. Protect me from the greedy, the sick, and ill at heart. I’ll watch myself. ---
**Author:** ![user\_hostile](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/user_hostile/32/474_2.png) [@user\_hostile](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/user_hostile)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2011, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-everclear-be-banned/595830/59 "2011-09-11T21:14:52Z")
> [@Huerta88](#): > > I don’t know that I’d encourage anyone to sip it out of the bottle. One of the things purified ethanol is used for, IIRC, is to inject into nerves for management of severe pain, because it either numbs (or kills, I forget which) nerve tissue. I’ll second this by mentioning a story of coworker, who had a very high tolerance for large quantities of booze, tell me that he met his match with the high-test Everclear. He took a swig from the bottle to see what it was like–immediately spit it out. He remarked that “firewater” was an apt description. It felt like your mouth was dissolving. He had fear his eyes when told me that. ---
**Author:** ![zoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zoid/32/336_2.png) [@zoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zoid)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2011, 10:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-everclear-be-banned/595830/60 "2011-09-11T22:33:55Z")
> [@zoid](#): > > Let’s be clear - the root of this problem is private ownership of property. > If we compel everyone to live in state run and owned housing complexes with 24/365 surveillance then these things would not happen (at least not as regularly). > It’s worth a bit of our freedom to be safe, isn’t it?! > :dubious: > [@Ludovic](#): > > What is this I don’t even A failed joke. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-everclear-be-banned/595830.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-everclear-be-banned/595830.md?page=4)