Clear meths

[6F2]

Anyone know where I can get meths minus the purple dye in the UK (no I haven't run out of white lightning cider) for my trangia-like from Lidl?/

 

[Doc]

The colourless meths is usually 'Industrial Methylated Spirit' or IMS. (aka Industrial denatured alcohol)

You normally need a licence to buy it. Until recently these were issued for meths heaters and stoves, but it seems they were issued in error, and are no longer being granted.

If you do a search for IMS/industrial methylated spirits on the forum you'll find the whole saga.

I have used both IMS and purple mineralised meths. I do not find blackening of the pots to be a significant issue, and heat output seems about the same (though I've not done formal tests on this). IMS does not smell as much as the purple mineralised meths though.

 

[Cormac]

if you try for meths in a chemist its a different dye, has no taste smell and such

 

[Goose]

if you try for meths in a chemist its a different dye, has no taste smell and such

Might be different over here, but how did you find out it tastes different anyway!

 

[hobbitboy]

or if on the european continent where I found meths impossible to get hold of, you can use surgical alcohol. Expensive though at 7quid a litre....

 

[KIMBOKO]

In France though £1.00 a litre "alcool a bruler".
Seemed to be in most big supermarkets.

 

[Ahjno]

or if on the european continent where I found meths impossible to get hold of, you can use surgical alcohol. Expensive though at 7quid a litre....

You can get it here (clear version) in outdoorstores for 1 GBP (aprx IIRC) a litre

 

[hobbitboy]

I really struggled to get it in slovenia, fair enough my slovenian is rubbish but even with the correct phrase and book I still failed to get it.... Weird

 

[antwerpman]

in Belgium you can buy meths in most supermarkets or gear stores under the name methylalcohol. In boxes of 5 litres it will cost 1€ a litre and it is without the purple dye.
So it doesn't smell and it doesn't sooth the pots.

 

[oilyrag]

In Switzerland you can buy the un-dyed, non-sooting meths from both supermarkets (cleaning stuff section) or from the Chemist. In German it's called Brennsprit, the chemical formula being C2H6O. It's about £1 a litre.

 

[6F2]

Loving the Windsor Davies avatar.....lovely boy

 

[dp0001]

In Holland there's something called Brandspiritus which I tried in a coke can stove. It's ethelene rather than methylene and burns yellow.

 

[alpha_centaur]

You can buy it through your local independent pharmacy

 

[RedFox]

Hello from Slovenia,

Meths in Slovenia is called DENATURIRANI SPIRIT and bottle looks like this:

http://www.chemcolor.si/eng/denatured-alcohol.html

You can buy it in shops called MERKUR.

I hope that you will get it next time you visit Slovenia.
If you have some other questions please contact me.


Luka

 

[nicodiemus]

It's sometimes called "wood alcohol" in both the states and translated to europe. Some helpful soul posted the chemical formula above, if you're in europe and visit a chemist you could always give them that and say, "Sorry, my (language here) is terrible!"

I wouldn't use clear myself, wouldn't want to forget what it was and drink a mouthful thinking it was water.

Why do you want clear anyway? It'll still blind you if you drink it.

 

[littlebiglane]

if you try for meths in a chemist its a different dye, has no taste smell and such

Cormac - its slightly spookey that you have tasted this kind of meths. Can I ask, do you have it over ice?

 

[antwerpman]

Cormac - its slightly spookey that you have tasted this kind of meths. Can I ask, do you have it over ice?

that's why they add the taste to prevent you from drinking it

 

[Riven]

Hunted high and low for meths in Sweden until a kind chap told us it is called T-rod.In my opinion this actually burns better than meths.Sadly had to leave it behind due to airflight restrictions.It is colourless and smells nothing like our meths?
Riven.