Ever since I did my videos about making FECO or RSO in the POT by NOIDS I have been getting a lot of questions like this:

Dear Cheri,

HELP! I want to make FECO but when I went to buy Everclear I was told it was not legal in my state.  Where can I buy food grade alcohol for making FECO?

I understand your frustration.  I too lived in such a state, but thankfully I was I able to mail order it. 

The Good News and the Bad News About Food Grade Alcohol

Laws surrounding high proof alcohols vary widely state by state.

In some states you can go to the store and buy it.  Others allow it to be mail ordered.  Others require a permit for it to be mail ordered.  And still others do not allow it at all!

Of course having to pay for shipping adds to cost.  That’s one of the many reasons I like the POT by NOIDS.  It reclaims the alcohol so that you can use it again and again.

 The good news is, you are never that far from a state that has either store or mail order access.  So perhaps a road trip to a neighboring state my be in order.  Or maybe get it sent to a friend in a neighboring state.  .

If you live in state where it available in stores, a well-stocked liquor store should be able to get you set up.

The map at this page will quickly get you up to date on the laws in your area

What is food grade alcohol?

Fact: Not all alcohol is created equal. Available in so many varieties, the options available can lean to confusion patients seeking the safest solution for skin and body.

In a nutshell food grade his safe for human consumption.  See the lists below of other names for food grade alcohols.

Food grade alcohols are pure alcohols without additives or water.

Because alcohol for consumption is subject to a lot of complex laws and regulations (not nearly as much as cannabis which is far safer, interestingly enough, but I digress), high proof alcohols are often subject to special laws.  Other types of alcohols purposely have additives that keep them from being suitable for consumption.  Ahh, the wisdom of politicians (but again, I digress).

Other names for food grade alcohol

The topic of food grade alcohol for extraction can be confusing, especially when it comes to semantics.

The technical name for food grade alcohol is ethanol.  Sometimes it is labeled differently, depending on how it was made. 

The following forms of alcohols are food grade alcohols safe to use for tinctures or concentrate making:

• Ethyl alcohol
• Anhydrous alcohol
• Absolute alcohol
• Non-denatured alcohol
• Grain alcohol
• 190 proof grain alcohol
• Cane alcohol
• Everclear (brand name)

NEVER use these types of alcohol for tinctures or making cannabis concentrates

Just as we gave you a list of names for food grade alcohols you can safely use, below is a list of alcohols you NEVER want to use for making tinctures, FECO, or RSO.  If it has this on the label, don't use it!

• Denatured alcohol: denatured means it has additives that prevent its consumption as a beverage
• Isopropyl alcohol: also known as rubbing alcohol, this is NOT food grade
• Hydrous alcohol: this has to do with water content in the alcohol, but it is not safe for our purposes

Where to buy food grade alcohol

If you need to mail order food grade alcohol, my favorite place is Culinary Solvent.

This is a small batch Mom and Pop distillery in Northern Maine.  The have regular and USDA organic food grade alcohols, all distilled from corn.  (They also make small bath vodka too.)

Their website has a lot of great educational resources too, so be sure to check it out regardless of whether or not you order from them.

One more note:
At the Culinary Solvent website you will see alcohols labeled for perfumers, hobbyists, and tinctures.  This is done to help them be found in internet search engines but know that the products are all exactly the same.  The ONLY difference in any of their products is USDA organic or not.

Food grade alcohol Coupon Code Alert!

I liked the Culinary Solvent company so much, I even asked them if they had a coupon code I could share with my audience.  They said yes, so enter code CHERI at checkout for 10% off your order!

Buying food grade alcohol in Mexico

 Extra tip: If you live in Mexico or anywhere close to the border, know that botanica stores sell food grade alcohol there for a fraction of the cost of what you can get it for in the states.  Check out the post I did about food grade alcohol bargains in Mexico.