Where can you buy ethanol?

Answer 1

At gas stations? Answer: A question that can be answered on several levels depending on the intended volumes and use. Using the wrong kind in the wrong situation can have severe impacts.

Ethyl alcohol is produced by chemical reaction (industrial grade) and fermentation ( from grain, grapes, potatoes, corn, sugar, starch, cellulose). It can be consumed as a food product or so loaded with fusel oils that it is fit only for fuel. The ultra pure variety is used in chemical reactions, just lab grade is denatured with benzene to prevent lab staff from drinking it. Potential sources with % strength indicated: * Small volumes for good quality recreational drinking (5% to 95%): Bars and liquor stores * Small volumes for variable quality recreational drinking (5% to 15%): Ferment your own * Small to large volumes of potentially toxic recreational alcohol (5% to 95%): Bootleg distilleries

* Large volumes to bottle for recreational consumption (95%): Major distillers * Medium volumes mixed with hydrocarbon fuel (10% to 80%): Gas stations

* Large volumes for fuel(+80%): Major refiners, distillers and chemical manufacturers * Ultra Pure Reagent Grade (95% to 100%): Chemical supply sales firms * Denatured (+98%): Chemical supply sales firms

Answer 2

It depends on what type of ethanol you need.

Denatured alcohol (which is mostly ethanol but with other chemicals added to make it undrinkable) is available at many hardware and paint stores since it is a good solvent and cleaner for many applications.

The closest you can get to pure ethanol is usually to buy a "Rectified spirit" - particularly "neutral spirits" that has been repeatedly distilled to get it up to close to the azeotrope limit of 96% ethanol. As an example, Everclear, Gem Clear, and Golden Grain Alcohol can be purchased at about 95% ABV (alcohol by volume) which is the same as 190 Proof.

To get close to pure ethanol, you have to get it from a chemical supplier. If you only need a fairly small quantity - like a few liters - you can get it from a laboratory supplier. If you are an industry that needs it in bulk quantities like thousands of liters, you would have to go to a commercial chemical supplier.

Of course you can get dilute alcohol (booze) from any place that sells liquor - but it won't be pure - or maybe some good-ol-boy moonshiner (white lightning) which is often near 190 proof but may contain a few contaminants like lead (brain and organ damage), glycol (vomiting, seizures, kidney failure), and methanol (blindness) ...

Answer 3

You may purchase it in several of the well-known US home improvement stores, including Lowe's and Home Depot.