how do you ferment ethanol from bananas,grass,or corn?

Question

i know it uses sugar and yeast.. but what is the step by step process of doing it?

Answer 1

The material is first ground , chopped or mashed to expose greater surface area to make the sugars more available. Mixed with water and yeast and allowed to ferment. Usually the mash is heated to about 100 deg. F to accelerate growth. Then the solution is filtered and run through a still. This heats the solution to the boiling point ( about ) of the alcohol which is lower than that of water. The alcohol evaporates faster than the water and is condensed. Because some water will also evaporate the distillation is usually repeated until the desired purity is reached. By nature alcohol absorbs water so "pure' alcohol is difficult to achieve. The waste prodcts are used for different puposes like animal feed and fertilizer. Here in Oklahoma there are two large ethanol plants being built. One plans to use corn and wheat, the other will use primarily non-food sources like switchgrass and plant waste.

Answer 2

Alcohol is created when grains, fruits, or vegetables are fermented. Fermentation is a process that uses yeast or bacteria to change the sugars in the food into alcohol. Fermentation is used to produce many necessary items — everything from cheese to medications. Alcohol has different forms and can be used as a cleaner, an antiseptic, or a sedative.

Fermented wine made from fruits of araliaceous shrubs, and method for production thereof. United States Patent 20070104831.
Fermented wines made from fruits of deciduous shrubs or latifoliate shrubs in the family of Aralia elata, especially, fruits of Acanthopanax sessiliflorous or Acanthopanax senticosus, and a producing method thereof. These fermented wines are much milder than traditional liquors made from roots or stems of Acanthopanax. The method of utilizing fruits of Acanthopanax, that otherwise have traditionally been discarded, results in increased economic benefit by helping increase usage of farm yields...