[beheada]

So I attempted to make a tiny amount of ethanol using a couple of wine jars. After allowing the jars to ferment for a week or so, I strained the solutions and then distilled them. Tragically, the liquid consistently came over at the BP of water, instead of ethanol. I'm aware that ethanol and water form an azeotrope which should boil at a different temperature than JUST water. Since ethanol and water BPs are so close, does this mean in order to get a higher proof ethanol I need to fractionally distill the solution at a temperature lower than the BP of water (azeotrope is 78.1 C)? Then ultimately use a drying agent to get the ethanol as absolute as possible? (note: the ethanol isn't for consumption, so I'd like it as high a proof as possible)

Also, a note I'd point out is that the distillate smells very strongly of alcohol, so I know the ethanol was produced, but I'd like to find an actual yield and get a suitable product for lab use (95-absolute).

[billnotgatez]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ethanol