Culinary Solvent and Everclear are food grade ethyl alcohol (ethanol) products that differin important ways. While both Culinary Solvent and Everclear are pure ethanol, nondenatured, and safe for human consumption, is one product better than the other? Ultimately, the choice comes down to your application and location.
AboutEverclear
Everclear is non-denatured mixture of ethanol product derived from 100% corn available for beverage use. It is currently available as 190 proof or 95% alcohol by volume (ABV) and 151 proof or 75.5% ABV.
Everclear is manufactured in the United States as a product of Luxco, a consumer product company. Everclear is available for sale from retail stores in glass bottles ranging from 500 milliliters (ml) to 1.75 liters (L). You can use their website to find locations to purchase Everclear. Everclear is not currently offered for sale online or to ship to residential or private addresses.
About Culinary Solvent
Culinary Solvent is a brand name, non-denatured, food grade ethanol product derived from 100% corn. Itis available in 190 proof (95% ABV) and 200 proof (100% ABV) varieties, as well as United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) certified organic.
Distilled in Brewer, Maine by The Northern Maine Distilling Company, Culinary Solventis only availableonline from CulinarySolvent.com. Orders available in quantities ranging frompints, quarts, single gallons, and five-gallon jugs are shipped directly from the distillery in leak proof high-density polyethylene (HDPE) plastic bottles. Culinary Solvent is also available in bulk (fifty-five-gallon drums). Orders of any size are also available for pickup, in-person, at the distillery in Maine.
Compare: Everclear vs. Culinary Solvent
| Everclear | Culinary Solvent | |
| Food grade (safe for skin and human consumption) | Yes | Yes |
| Non-denatured or denatured | Non-denatured (additive-free) | Non-denatured (additive-free) |
| Organic | No | Yes -- available as USDA certified organic |
| Beverage use or non-beverage use* | Beverage use | Non-beverage use |
| Distilled from | 100% corn | 100% corn |
| Distilling process | Industrial column still | Pot still |
| Available asbelow190 proof (less than 95% ABV) | Yes -- available as 151 proof (75.5% ABV) | No -- Culinary Solvent is not sold at any proof less than 190; however, our 200 proof ethanol can be diluted to a variety ofABVs |
| Available as 190 proof (95% ABV) | Yes | Yes |
| Available as 200 proof (100% ABV) | No | Yes |
| Available in-store | Yes -- Everclear is available for purchase from brick-and-mortar retail locations insomestates | No --Culinary Solvent is only available for direct purchase from our online store, culinarysolvent.com; although we do not have a retail location, we do offer same-day pickup from our distillery in Brewer, Maine |
| Available online | No -- Everclear is not available for purchase online or to ship | Yes -- we ship; learn more about shipping to your location |
| Availablesizes | 50 ml, 200 ml, 500 ml, 750 ml, 1 L, and 1.75 L | Pints, quarts, single gallons, five-gallon jugs, and bulk |
*See below for more information onbeverage vs. non-beverage useand how this impacts your ability to purchase and ship food grade ethanol.
Similarities
Both Culinary Solvent and Everclear are...
- pureethanol products,
- non-denatured (contain zero additives),
- safe for human consumption (food grade),
- available as 190 proof (95% ABV), and
- distilled in the United States from 100% corn.
Differences
Distilling Process
Culinary Solvent: Pot Still
Pot stillsutilize 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, respectfully), 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: 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.
Proof Availability
Culinary Solvent: 190 proof (95% ABV), 200 proof (100% ABV)
Culinary Solvent is available for purchase in both 190 proof and 200 proof. 200 proof Culinary Solvent can be diluted down to a variety of ABVs, including 190 proof and 151 proof. The dilution process only involves adding specific measurementsof water to 200 proof or 100% ethanol to achieve certain ratios of ethanol to water resulting in lower proof solutions of ethanol.
Everclear: 190 proof (95% ABV), 151 proof (75.5% ABV)
At the end of the distilling process of any ethanol, be it Culinary Solvent or Everclear, approximately 5% of water still remains in the ethanol, rendering it to be about 95% ABV. To achieve 200 proof (100% ABV, pure) ethanol, additional steps after distilling are required in order to dehydrate the remaining water. While adding water to ethanol to achieve lower ABVs is fairly easy (and can even be done from home),only distilleries with the right equipment can increase the ABV of their liquid without jeopardizing the food grade nature(purity) of the ethanol.
Lower proof ethanol can be necessary for a variety of reasons, but for most extractions, tinctures, or similar applications, 200 proof works either the same or better than diluted proofs, such as 190 proof. Read more about diluting 200 proof and whether 190 proof is right for your application.
Quantity and Bulk Options
Culinary Solvent: Pints through Drums
Culinary Solvent is available in high-density polyethylene (HDPE) plastic bottles in pints, quarts, single gallons (sold as a four-pack of quart bottles), five-gallon jugs, and fifty-five-gallon drums. Bulk quantities are available in five-gallon jugs and fifty-five-gallon drums.
Everclear: 50 Milliliters through 1.75 Liters
Everclear is available in glass bottles in 50 ml, 200 ml, 500 ml, 750 ml, 1 L, and 1.75 L quantities. Everclear is not offered in sizes larger than 1.75 L nor in bulk volumes at this time.
Depending on your application, Culinary Solvent is available in both small and large quantities, ensuring you always have exactly what you need for any size project. Learn more about our bulk options and pricing.
USDA Certified Organic
Culinary Solvent: Availableas Organic
Culinary Solvent, both 190 proof and 200 proof, is available as both regular and USDA certified organic. The organic solvent is distilled from certified organic corn.
Everclear: Not Available as Organic
Everclear, either 190 proof or 151 proof, is not certified organic at this time.
Culinary Solvent iscertifiedby theMaine Organic Farmers and Growers Association(MOFGA).Learn more about what it means to be USDA certified organic.
Where and How to Buy
Culinary Solvent: Online
Culinary Solvent is only available to order online. We do not have a retail location; however, we do allow same-day pickups from our distillery in Maine(where all our orders are fulfilled) for those who want to save on shipping. We are able to shipto most residential and business addresses in the lower 48 states, often without a permit. Most orders are fulfilled (packed up and leave the distillery) within one business dayof purchase.
Everclear: In-Store
Everclear is currently only available for purchase in-person at brick-and-mortar retail locations. Everclear is not available for purchase online at the moment.
Even if your state currently prohibits the sale of Everclear, Culinary Solvent ships direct in states where others can't. Read more about your state's regulations on purchasing and shipping food grade ethanol.
Beverage versus Non-Beverage Use
Culinary Solvent: Non-Beverage
Culinary Solvent isnon-beverage non-denatured ethanol.While regulations, laws, and permit requirements vary by state, Culinary Solvent's non-beverage status make it much easier to buy and ship, often without a permit.
Everclear: Beverage
Everclear is a non-denatured ethanol approved and intended for beverage use. Because of its status as a "beverage," there are often increased restrictions on the purchase and importation of beverage-use ethanol. Therefore, not only is Everclear not able to be shipped, but it is also not available in all states -- even from a brick-and-mortar store.
While both Culinary Solvent and Everclear are safe for consumption, the classification as beverage or non-beverage impacts the regulations and permit requirements that affect the sale and importation of food grade ethanol. Read more about the shipping of food grade non-beverage ethanol.
Other Important Differences
Culinary Solvent: Easier Business Expense Tracking
Culinary Solvent provides all customers, private and business, with descriptive, emailed receiptsafter each purchase. These receipts make expense tracking for business customerseasier and more professional.
Culinary Solvent: Customer-Focused Company
The Northern Maine Distilling Companyis owned and operated bya passionate team of engineers, distillers, and overall ethanol experts. The people that make Culinary Solvent are the ultimate guarantors of quality for your food grade alcohol. Our website is more than a catalog; it is a resource and hubfor herbalists, hobbyists, perfumers, and anyone who uses our product.We are always available to assist you in the ordering process or answer any questions you may have about food grade ethanol.
We also love to hear from our customers! If you have a story to share about your experience with Culinary Solvent or any further questions about how Culinary Solvent measures up to the other food grade ethanol options that isn't addressed on this page, get in touch.
