Distillation and storage of alcoholic spirits (mainly ethanol) has some potentially fatal dangers associated with it. Reflux columns can produce very high strength ethanol, at a concentration of 95% ABV. 

While there are some very real dangers, following some basic, common sense safety rules will reduce any risk down to an acceptable level:

1. If you are new to distilling, then stick to using well tested designs and materials and recipes to start with. Experimenting with new ideas is good and part of what we do, but you should learn to stand and walk properly before you try to run. Thus, get to know and understand your still and its capabilities before trying new ideas.
2. Check your equipment carefully before each run. Make sure all the openings and pathways are not blocked, and any valves are working. Set the whole still up, including connecting the coolant system up fully and test it, before turning on the heat source for the still.
3. Always a good idea to distill in a well-ventilated area as the gas used and the vapours from the distillate are dangerous and volatile. Once again, I can’t express it enough, check for leaks and make sure you are prepared to deal with them if the occur during a run.
4. Have a fire extinguisher near you, they come in handy if something goes wrong! Sounds like a safety tip from work but trust me on this one.
5. NEVER leave a running still unattended. That is just asking for serious trouble. Get to know the behaviour of the still well, and directly always monitor it during the run. Make sure you will not be disturbed during the run by anybody or anything. Do not run a still while you are tired or sick or upset, or under the influence of alcohol or any other kind of intoxicating drugs. Keep your mind firmly on the job. You working with ethanol (flammable), heat (gas or power) and air (oxygen)….. the three components of a potential fire. Keep them separate!

Liquid ethanol above a concentration of about 50% abv is very flammable, and the vapours are also flammable and highly explosive in the right concentration of air-vapour mix. In these ways ethanol is similar to the dangers from petrol. Liquid ethanol above a concentration of about 50% abv is very flammable, and the vapours are also flammable and highly explosive in the right concentration of air-vapour mix. In these ways ethanol is similar to the dangers from petrol.

Ethanol vapours are almost invisible, and the flame from burning liquid ethanol is almost invisible in med-strong light. Do not allow vapours or liquid product to be anywhere near a heat source, especially a naked flame.