C. E. White wrote:
> Matthew Russotto wrote:
>
> > There IS 200 proof (ethyl) alcohol, it's often called absolute
alcohol
> > and can be bought from chemical supply houses.
>
> I won't stay 200 proof for long. Once you open the bottle,
> it will suck moisture from the air and turn itself into 190
> proof (or less) just like Harry said.

No; the reason that ethanol is generally sold for consumption at no
higher concentration than 95% (190 proof) is that it is all *distilled*
spirits. When you distill alcohol from any of the usual plant sources
(grapes, potatoes, whatever), the purest concentration is a 95%
azeotrope with 5% other organic impurities. There's no reason you
couldn't drink 100% (200 proof) alcohol. It's just that it's that 5%
impurity that imparts whatever flavor there is in it.

While I'm not sure how *fast* pure alcohol absorbs water, I doubt it's
anywhere near as fast as you suppose.
--
C.R. Krieger
(Too many years in chemlabs)