FAQ

Depending on how much ethyl alcohol (ethanol) you are attempting to dilute, the amount of water you will need to add to your ethanol will vary. For every diluting process, you will begin with a full pint, quart, or five-gallon jug of 200 proof ethanol and add water directly to it.

Below is a quick reference for how much water is required, depending on your total amount of ethanol.

• For one pint, add 25 milliliters (ml) of water directly to the bottle of 200 proof Culinary Solvent/ethanol.
• For one quart, add 50 ml of water directly to the bottle of 200 proof Culinary Solvent/ethanol.
• For one five-gallon jug, add one liter (L) of water directly to the jug of 200 proof Culinary Solvent/ethanol.

We recommend following the complete, step-by-step recipes for your diluting your ethanol, available here.

The bottles we source are designed to be leak proof.  In addition to the special design of the cap and threads, leak proof bottles are also slightly oversized.  Filled to the neck, our quart bottles can technically hold 33.6 fl. oz., and our pint bottles hold 17.5 fl. oz.  The extra room in the bottle, known as head space, is part of the bottle's design for safety and is provided to give the liquid contents room to expand or contract due to changes in temperature without compromising bottle integrity throughout transport or storage. 

Read more about bottle fill, weight versus volume (why doesn't my 32 fl. oz. bottle weigh 32 ounces?), and head space here.

Yes. All orders shipped from CulinarySolvent.com will require the signature of an adult over the age of 21 for successful delivery.  Upon signing for the delivery, customers acknowledge that this product must be kept out of reach of children and that adequate care should be observed in the use, storage, and application of food grade ethanol. 

Won't be home delivery? Orders of pints, quarts, and single gallons can all be shipped with a signature release form instead. Learn about your options and download a signature release form here.

Note: five-gallon orders and bulk orders will always require a signature for delivery.

See how to open your five-gallon jug with a strap wrench.

We include a strap wrench and instructions on how to use one in every five-gallon order of Culinary Solvent. Follow the steps below to use your strap wrench to open your five-gallon jug of Culinary Solvent.

1. Place your five-gallon jug on a table or other flat surface that is about waist high.  You will need to be able to grab the jug and wrench at the same time. 
2. Thread the strap through the slot in the handle of the wrench.  You want the loop to be just a little bigger than the jug cap.
3. Orient the wrench to loosen the cap.  Holding the strap wrench in your hand, the teeth of the wrench should be to the right.  Always turn the wrench toward the teeth. The teeth of a strap wrench are designed to bite into the rubber strap, preventing the strap to get bigger and providing a strong grip on the cap thanks to friction.  Orientation of the wrench is important; the strap wrench will not work if you turn the wrench away from the teeth.
4. Place the loop of the strap wrench over the cap of the five-gallon jug.  Pull the lose end of the strap to tighten the loop around the cap snuggly.
5. While holding the five-gallon jug with one hand (to prevent the jug from moving while twisting the cap), begin to apply pressure to the strap wrench handle in a counterclockwise motion.  Ensure the teeth of the strap wrench are biting into the rubber strap by pivoting the teeth at the top of the handle into the rubber strap.  This pivot motion will begin to stretch the rubber strap on the opposite side of the teeth.  As the far end of the rubber strap stretches, the strap's grip on the cap is steadily increasing.  This pivot-and-stretch motion of the strap is necessary for the wrench to have an adequate grip on the cap. 
6. Continue to apply constant steady pressure in a counterclockwise motion to the strap wrench handle until the cap's torque is overcome.  Gripping the handle as low as possible (furthest away from the cap) will increase your leverage and will be easier.  The cap will begin to move slightly as the torque is overcome.  Continue applying pressure to the handle until the cap turns freely. 

The extra tight seal is only necessary for transit, and you can close your jug to a tightness that you can easily open and close by hand afterword.

You can read more about using a strap wrench and learn about alternatives to a strap wrench (and why a strap wrench is your best option) here.

Orders of pints, quarts, gallons, and five-gallon jugs (in non-bulk quantities) will be processed and fulfilled within one business day of placing your order To give you an idea as to what this means, if you place your order Monday, it will be processed and fulfilled -- packed up and scheduled to be picked up by your selected carrier -- by Tuesday morning, depending on what time you place your order; if you place your order on Friday, it will be shipped out no later than Monday, depending on what time you place your order.  Typically orders placed in the early morning (keeping in mind our location in Maine, i.e., Eastern Standard Time (EST)) will be fulfilled the same day they are place.  In general, any orders placed after 9 AM EST will not be packaged up until the next day.

Bulk orders may require additional time to process depending on production and availability.  Get in touch directly to inquire on bulk fulfillment times.

For all orders above, delivery times vary and will be dependent on the carrier.  You can use the tracking number provided to you to know your estimated delivery time and date. 

Please note: we are a small team. Although we strive to maintain the processing and fulfillment times above, extenuating circumstances can happen.  Also, please be aware that carrier delays (delays on the part of the carrier chosen for your order, i.e., FedEx or UPS), such as weather, staffing, availability of drivers, failure of the carrier to pick up shipments from our distillery, or other circumstances, are unfortunately not within our control.  If you have a question or are concerned about the status of your order, please feel free to contact us. 

Yes, as long as the destination state allows.

You will get a tracking number for your chosen carrier via email once your order is fulfilled (i.e., packed and picked up by the carrier).  You can also check the status using our live chat.

Yes.  While we do not currently operate a retail location at the distillery, we do offer customer pickup appointments by availability for all sizes.  Choose "Pickup Appointment at Distillery" as your shipping option at checkout and follow the directions in your order confirmation email to schedule your preferred pickup time.  Read more about scheduling your pickup appointment here.  

Please note: due to the rules and regulations governing the sale and shipment of food grade ethanol, customers requesting a pickup appointment must reside in a state we are allowed to ship to.  See our map with permit requirements for more information.  

Residential: Yes.  We can ship to residential addresses via FedEx Home or UPS ground.  FedEx Home will attempt delivery on weekends to most locations.  FedEx and UPS both charge residential service fees, which are reflected in our shipping prices at checkout.

Commercial/industrial: Yes.  We can ship to commercial and industrial addresses via FedEx Ground, UPS Ground, FedEx Freight, or local freight carrier.  Read more about how we ship bulk orders via freight.

P. O. box: No.  Because orders require an adult signature for delivery, coupled with the flammable nature of the product being shipping, orders cannot be shipped to a post office box at this time.

Rented mailbox: Typically, yes.  Destinations like a UPS store or Mail Boxes Etc. where a physically present staff member is available to receive the package at time of delivery is permitted so long as the recipient is allowed to receive and hold items shipped as ORM-D or hazmat.  Before choosing this destination as your delivery address, please contact your desired destination to ensure their policies permit them to receive items shipped as ORM-D or hazmat.  In the event the receiving party does not accept ORM- D or hazmat items, your order will be refused and shipped back to us.  See our returns and refund policy for more information on returned orders due to destination refusal.

Authorized location: No.  While some carriers, like FedEx, offer the service of holding your packages at a nearby location that is not a post office or shipping store (typically a retail store like Rite Aid or Walgreens), items shipped as ORM-D or hazmat like Culinary Solvent are not eligible to be held at an authorized location. 

Please note: although you will be able to enter and proceed with an authorized location as your delivery address at checkout, your order will be refused at the time of delivery and may be subject to return and restocking fees.  Please see our return and refund policy for more information.  

No.  Due to Department of Transportation (DOT) rules and limitations, including those stated in 49 CFR Part 173, all orders of food grade ethanol must ship via ground service only.

Depending on the type of package in transit (i.e., pint, quart, or gallon; five-gallon jug; or bulk), method used to ship, and where the package is in transit, it is possible to change the address after your order has shipped. 

For orders of pints, quarts, and gallons, please reply to your order confirmation email as soon as possible to change your address. You can also contact us via phone or our online form, which can both be found here. Please have your order number and tracking information available.

Five-gallon orders unfortunately cannot be changed after the order has shipped. Please contact us as soon as possible if there is an issue with your five-gallon order. Be aware: restocking and/or reshipment fees may apply.

Bulk orders shipped via freight can typically be modified after shipping. Please reply to your order confirmation email as soon as possible to change your address. You can also contact us via phone or our online form, which can both be found here.

Please note: changing or modifying the shipping address may add one to two days to the original delivery estimate for your order.  As the shipment approaches its final destination, changes to the destination address may not be possible.  In this case, if you are unable to retrieve your package from the destination to which it was shipped, your order may need to be reshipped, which can incur additional freight and restocking fees.  The payment of these fees is the receiver's (customer's) responsibility. 

All carriers (FedEx and UPS) will make at least three attempts to deliver your package and obtain the required signature.  Carriers will leave instructions when a delivery attempt is made to schedule a different delivery window for future attempts.  After at least three unsuccessful delivery attempts, the package will be returned to us.  Packages returned to us due to customer refusal at time of delivery or due to an inability to deliver after multiple attempts may be subject to additional fees. See our returns and refund policy for more information.

Pints, quarts, and gallons (single gallons, which are composed of four quart-sized bottles, not five-gallon jugs) of 200 proof Culinary Solvent ship via common carrier (UPS or FedEx) as other regulated materials (ORM-D) due to ethanol's hazmat status.  Although these specific quantities are not considered hazmat, they require a marking indicating that they contain a limited quantity of a hazmat that poses a limited hazard during transportation.  

Five-gallon jugs ship via common carrier (UPS or FedEx) as hazmat due to the weight and volume of flammable material in each package.  Hazmat fees apply to all orders of five gallons or more; these fees are included in the shipping price quoted at checkout. 

Bulk orders may be shipped via common carrier as freight, depending on destination location and order size.  Learn more about shipping freight here.

All orders ship using new containers, new boxes, and new packing materials that are fully recyclable and sourced with ecological sustainability in mind.

If you just placed your order (less than 24 hours ago), reply to the order confirmation email as soon as possible so we may intercept your order before it is fulfilled.  If your order is already in the hands of the carrier, we must first confirm the item is on its way back to us before we can initiate the cancelation and refund.  Please read and review our returns and refund policy for more information about canceling your order.

No. We currently cannot ship orders outside of the lower 48 states. We cannot ship to Canada, Mexico, or other international destinations.

Please see our shipping map and state rule page for more information.

No. As the federal excise tax varies by state, we are unable to incorporate this total cost into our pricing ahead of time.

For more information, see our page about federal excise taxes.

Our certified organic Culinary Solvent is non-GMO. We cannot guarantee the corn used to produce our non-organic Culinary Solvent is non-GMO.

The Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association (MOFGA) annually inspects the production methods of any product that is certified organic. MOFGA has certified the organic version of Culinary Solvent.

Learn more about MOFGA and Culinary Solvent's organic certification here.

While both Everclear and Culinary Solvent are non-denatured, additive-free, pure food grade ethyl alcohol (ethanol) products, safe for human consumption and produced in the United States from 100% corn, the difference between these two options comes down to how they are made.

Culinary Solvent is distilled using a pot still. Pot stills utilize a fixed batch size, which results in higher quality production and end result. Here's how: a pot still allows for controlled operation during distilling. The distiller is able to isolate the "heads" and "tails" of the distillation run (the very first and very last batches), saving only the purest "hearts" to be bottled up and sold. The heads and tails, while still ethanol and still safe for consumption, are not nearly as high in quality as the hearts, and using the heads and tails can result in mixed or poorer quality of each bottled product. By only bottling and using the hearts of a distillation run, the final product is supremely neutral in aroma and flavor profile.

Everclear is distilled using a industrial scale reflux column still. This type of still is incredibly cost-effective when producing massive amounts of ethanol. However, due to the large output these stills can produce, the end result is of lesser quality and can come in a mixed or weaker aroma and flavor profile.

While both a pot still and column still work for making ethanol, only small-scale pot stills with fixed batches are capable of refining the collected ethanol into a supremely neutral character profile.  Culinary Solvent is the only food grade ethanol that is distilled using a pot still. 

Click here to compare Culinary Solvent and Everclear.

Due to be distilled, Culinary Solvent does not expire!

200 proof ethyl alcohol (ethanol) will stay 200 proof ethanol, even if unopened.

Yes. 200 proof (100% ABV) Culinary Solvent/ethyl alcohol (ethanol) interacts well with all popular brands of concentrated alcohol inks.

Read more here.

In small volumes, Culinary Solvent does not give off any odors. However, as pure ethanol, there is a slight alcohol smell to larger amounts. The distillation process makes the odor minimal and as neutral as possible. 

As far as taste, Culinary Solvent has the slightest hint of sweetness in an otherwise neutral flavor.

Our distilling process emphasizes producing the most neutral smelling and tasting ethanol solvent available. 

Vegan: Yes. Culinary Solvent is free of any and all animal products.

Gluten-free: Yes. The distillation process removes proteins, including gluten, from the ethanol.

Kosher: No, Culinary Solvent is not currently kosher certified. Read more here.

Halal: Undetermined. Due to the conflicting perspectives on this topic, we cannot confirm whether Culinary Solvent is halal. Read more here.

See our dietary restrictions page for more information.

Yes. Culinary Solvent is food grade ethanol and safe for consumption.

Yes. Culinary Solvent is completely non-toxic.

Yes. Culinary Solvent is food grade and completely safe for human consumption. You can use Culinary Solvent in a variety of ways in the kitchen. See our "Alcohol for Chefs - Beginner Guide" for more information.

You can download a copy of the free eBook, Top 4 Cannabis Tincture Myths Everyone Believes, here.

No. Isopropyl alcohol is unsafe for human consumption and it is less effective. Most isopropyl solvents are only available at 70% alcohol by volume (ABV).

Both our 200 proof (100% ABV) and 190 proof (95% ABV) Culinary Solvent are safe for human consumption and more effective in extractions due to their higher ABVs.

Denatured alcohol is ethyl alcohol (ethanol) plus some toxic additive chemical.  The primary purpose of adding a denaturant is to inhibit consumption for the purpose of intoxication. 

Non-denatured means no additives. Non-denatured ethanol is pure ethyl alcohol (ethanol).  Only non-denatured ethanol is food grade and safe for consumption.

Culinary Solvent is non-denatured ethanol: food grade and safe for human consumption.

Read more here.

Non-denatured ethyl alcohol (ethanol) can be used to substitute denatured ethanol in any receipe. Choose the highest proof available, either 200 or 190 (100% ABV or 95% ABV, respectfully). Ethanol with a higher water content than 5% (anything less than 95% ABV) may not provide the same results or can affect your project in other ways.

However, denatured alcohol CANNOT be substituted for non-denatured alcohol ever! Denatured ethanol contains toxic additives (denaturants) that render the ethanol not safe for human consumption. While not all projects calling for non-denatured ethanol will be physically consumed, if a recipe is calling for non-denatured ethanol, follow the recipe to avoid any degree of toxic exposure.

Read more about denatured and non-denatured alcohol here.

0.79365 grams per milliliter (g/ml) according the the TTB Alcohol Tax and Trade Bureau Gauging Manual Tables.

You can also use the following values to represent the density (specific gravity) of 200 proof ethyl alcohol:

• 6.58 pounds per gallon (lbs/gal)
• 0.79 kilograms per liter (kg/L)
• 0.823 ounces per fluid ounce (oz/fl. oz.)

Alcohol by volume. ABV is a standard accepted method of representing how much actual alcohol (typically ethyl alcohol/ethanol) is contained in a given volume of liquid.

Read more here.

Because ethyl alcohol (ethanol) has as a lower density than water, its weight can vary from water or other liquids.

Here is a quick reference for commonly asked weights:

• One gallon of 200 proof ethyl alcohol = about 7 pounds (lbs.).
• Five-gallon jug of 200 proof or 190 proof ethyl alcohol = about 33 lbs.
• Fifty-five-gallon drum of 200 proof or 190 proof ethyl alcohol (including the weight of the drum) = about 384 lbs.

Read more about calculating the density of alcohol.

The best materials to use with 200 proof ethyl alcohol (ethanol) would be anything that has excellent chemical compatibility and/or is a non-reactive material. Non-reactive materials are materials used to store or hold chemicals, food, and fuels without risk of a dangerous or adverse chemical reaction.

Examples include acetal; glass; and certain plastics, such as high-density polyethylene (HDPE), which is what our bottles are made of.

Find a longer list of compatible materials, as well as materials that are not recommended, here.

To reduce the volume of ethyl alcohol (ethanol) in a tincture/extract, let a fan blow room temperature air over it, evaporating and blowing away the ethanol vapors.

Always work with ethanol in a well-ventilated area. Do not apply heat to ethanol; ethanol is flammable.

Yes. Both 190 proof and 200 proof Culinary Solvent are good at winterizing your CO2 or hydrocarbon extractions. Most processors use 200 proof ethyl alcohol (ethanol) for winterizing.

No! Applying heat and/or not properly ventilating ethyl alcohol (ethanol) is not safe. Do not use heat to evaporate ethanol.

Some states do not permit the sale or importation of 190 proof or 200 proof food grade ethyl alcohol (ethanol) to individuals or businesses.

See our shipping map to learn more about your state's regulations.

Not at this time. All orders must be paid in full before delivery.

Please use our contact page to request another e-mail with your confirmation and/or receipt.