can molasses+water+distiller's yeast= distill-able alcohol?

cannabineer said:

For a slightly larger outlay you can get one of these: a rotary evaporator. Adding motion (and replacing the considerable heat of evaporation of ethanol) very greatly speeds the evaporation process with good solvent recovery.

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a heated stir plate? The bowl part is a little confusing. Is there somehow a vacuum being drawn?

iHearAll said:

a heated stir plate? The bowl part is a little confusing. Is there somehow a vacuum being drawn?

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Yes. Vacuum is applied at the top of the condenser. The flask in the water bath rotates, maintaining a film from which solvent evaporates quickly. I miss the lab: I had my very own (rotavap, not lab!) and guarded its seals jealously.

cannabineer said:

Yes. Vacuum is applied at the top of the condenser. The flask in the water bath rotates, maintaining a film from which solvent evaporates quickly. I miss the lab: I had my very own (rotavap, not lab!) and guarded its seals jealously.

Click to expand...

Sweeeeet

Rotary evap with cold trap is standard to capture volatiles in the lab. Alcohol evaporates, heat savings from partial vacuum.
Tall fractionating columns give reasonable alcohol separation without vacuum.. Methanol first, ethanol, propanol. Precise thermometer location in the vapour stream just before the condenser to identify alcohols. Theoretical plate calculations are interesting.
Everclear looks good.

Precise thermometer location in the vapour stream just before the condenser to identify alcohols.
OOOPS! THAT'S NOT QUITE RIGHT!

Locate thermometer tip in vapour stream at top of fractionating column. Glassware has a port for a stopper with a hole for thermometer.