Birch coals for cleaning moonshine. How to use coconut charcoal to clean moonshine

Cleaning moonshine with charcoal for barbecue allows you to completely get rid of fusel oils, methanol, aldehydes and other harmful impurities.

The substance is a good adsorbent, so its use allows for the processing of home-made alcohol and the elimination of unpleasant odors.

Usually, an activated type is used to clean moonshine, which is sold in the pharmacy chain.

Many novice moonshiners are interested in whether it is necessary to use only its activated counterpart for the barbecue or be sure to use it. To answer this question, you must first figure out what type of this substance can be used to remove fusel oils from alcoholic liquids, consider methods for using charcoal from a barbecue when cleaning a drink.

Choosing methods for filtering alcoholic liquid

The moonshiner for cleaning homemade alcohol has 3 options:

• use black charcoal tablets that can be bought at a pharmacy;
• use high-quality charcoal, taking them, for example, from an old household water filter;
• use the barbecue component.

Pharmaceutical tablets of the activated substance are made from the bones of various animals.

The adsorbing component in them has microscopic pores through which large molecules of fusel oil and many harmful components cannot pass.

Therefore, pharmaceutical coal tablets can only be used when cleaning moonshine that has already passed 2 distillations.

Tableted coal is advised to use only after 2 distillations

Such a filter handles Braga poorly. Harmful components remain in the alcohol solution, which have to be eliminated by other methods, for example, using potassium permanganate. Along with this, the composition of the black tablet includes additional ingredients such as starch. These substances bring bitterness to purified moonshine.

An alcoholic drink is best passed through charcoal, which is obtained by decomposing wood at high temperatures. This process takes place without access to air (pyrolysis).

Such a coal substance can be obtained at home, but the process of its manufacture is quite laborious. Some people pull these components out of an old gas mask filter, but although they are made by pyrolyzing birch stakes, they are not recommended. Suitable material is sold in specialized stores, used in water filters and other devices. Learn more about charcoal cleaning in this video:

Birch stakes are used to kindle barbecues, so for many distillers they use coal obtained after frying barbecue.

To filter an alcoholic drink, you can also use a mixture of charcoal and coconut charcoal, which is also used to kindle a barbecue.

Some people use coals from a fire to filter the mash, but keep in mind that the resulting alcoholic drink will have a slight smoke flavor. Most often it is not possible to get rid of it completely, but repeated running of the alcoholic liquid through the apparatus sharply reduces these odors.

How to use the coals from the barbecue?

For charcoal filtration to be successful, you need to use a homemade filter. To do this, take a metal or plastic watering can. 2-3 layers of gauze or cotton wool are placed on the hole in its neck. After that, charcoal for barbecue is poured on top so that its particles make up a layer about 2-4 cm thick.

After that, mash can be passed through the resulting filter device. This method allows you to quickly clean alcoholic beverages at home using the components left after the barbecue. For high-quality filtration, all the described actions must be repeated 5-6 times, and at each cycle, the cleaning alcohol coal must be replaced with a new portion.

Pour coal into a cone-shaped vessel

For complete confidence in the quality of the resulting moonshine, you need to use coal in the form of a filter after the first and then the second distillation of the alcoholic liquid. Moonshine will come out transparent, without any harmful impurities, only if high-quality charcoal is used.

If the moonshiner is in no hurry, then you can increase the efficiency of using a filter with coals for barbecue.

To do this, you need to grind the particles of the substance, put them on the bottom of the pan with a layer of 3 - 4 cm, and then pour moonshine. The ratio of the amount of coal and the purified alcoholic beverage is about 50 g of adsorbent per 1 liter of liquid.

The pot is closed with a lid. It should be infused for 3 days. After that, the drink is drained from the sediment so that a little alcoholic liquid remains at the bottom. If there are coal particles in the purified moonshine, then you just need to remove them by driving the liquid through 2 layers of gauze. See the cleaning process in this video:

In the event that a mixture of coconut and charcoal is used, the cleaning efficiency is the highest.

To apply such a mixture during filtration, you need to take a ratio of charcoal and coconut coals of 3 to 1.

When mixing both components, you can grind them - then the filtration quality will increase noticeably and the purification will be better.

It is impossible to infuse the purified alcoholic drink on charcoal for a long time, since some of the harmful substances absorbed by it can return to alcohol. If a household, home filter is used, then you need to know that it may contain components that are not needed when cleaning moonshine. They do not spoil the taste of the resulting drink, but it is better not to have them at all.

When filtering moonshine, it is advisable to use more adsorbent - this will not spoil the drink, and the quality of cleaning will be much higher. You need to know that you cannot reuse the same portion of coal.

If the alcoholic drink, after cleaning with the help of coals from the barbecue, has the smell of smoke or burnt wood, then you can get rid of it by re-distilling the moonshine. When grain-based alcohol is filtered through charcoal, the flavor and aroma of the grain is lost.

After moonshine passes through a carbon filter, it loses not only harmful impurities, but also pleasant aromas.

If a person does not want to lose the taste of these crops in moonshine, then he must use other methods for cleaning, for example, potassium permanganate, rye bread, milk.

Before filtering alcohol, you need to check the quality of the charcoal. To do this, a little moonshine is passed through a small amount of coal.

If the liquid turns brown or a burning smell is clearly felt in it, such a substance cannot be used.

In order to get the desired effect from filtration, it is best to purchase coconut charcoal. But you need to know that it is not always sold in stores.

Experienced moonshiners agree that the most effective and fastest purification of moonshine from fusel oils is the method using activated or charcoal. This is not surprising, because coal particles have large pores that are able to absorb not only small elements of impurities, but also large ones.

So, how to clean moonshine at home so that the filtration takes place with maximum effect. Consider 2 effective ways:

1. Express method. During distillation, a funnel is placed in the container into which the distillate will be collected. One layer of cotton wool is placed in it, small fractions of coal are poured on top, then larger ones and at the end they are covered with 2 cotton pads. Everything needs to be pressed tight. As a result, it will not be necessary to spend additional time on cleaning moonshine from fuselage, since the product is filtered right at the outlet of the moonshine still.
2. Infusion. After distillation, alcohol is poured into a glass jar, crushed coal is also placed there. Everything is thoroughly mixed and left in a cool place for 5-14 days. At the end of exposure, the consistency must be filtered through a multilayer gauze.

This is one of the best options on how to quickly clean moonshine before the second distillation. It is preferable to use coal from birch. No less effective will be the component from the water filter. Silver is often present in its composition, which will only improve the quality of filtration.

Use coal in the following proportions: 50 gr. for every liter of alcohol. This calculation is suitable for both the first and second cleaning methods. Therefore, when filtering moonshine through a funnel, cotton wool with filler will periodically need to be changed to a new one.

Vegetable oil

Not all moonshiners know that fusel impurities and other harmful components are perfectly neutralized in vegetable oils. Therefore, moonshine can be cleaned with olive or sunflower oil. The main thing here is to use an odorless product, that is, refined, otherwise the concentrated flavor will be transferred to the drink.

With this method of cleaning moonshine at home, part of the vegetable oil remains in alcohol even with high-quality filtration. Therefore, the second distillation in this case is a mandatory step.

How to clean moonshine after the first distillation with vegetable oil:

1. Dilute the moonshine with water to a fortress of 20o. For every liter of alcohol, 20 ml of oil will be required. For example, in 5 liters you need to mix 100 ml of cleaner.
2. Stir the ingredients for 1-2 minutes, then leave for 5 minutes, and shake everything thoroughly again.
3. Put the jar in a dark place with a constant temperature of 6-15 ° C, the lower the indicator, the better.
4. After the infusion is completed, the liquid will become slightly cloudy, and an oily film will form on its surface. It is necessary to drain pure alcohol through a tube. Try to do it in such a way as not to hurt the film.

Milk

Filtration of moonshine with milk is very popular among experienced craftsmen - this is how the “soul” of the drink is preserved and its taste softens. The principle is based on the binding of harmful impurities by the molecules of casein and albumin, which are part of the milk protein. As a result, a flaky sediment appears, due to gravity falling to the bottom. It takes about a week to filter, after which the distillate is removed from the sediment and run again. After cleaning, the moonshine acquires a clean structure, and also becomes soft in taste.

Milk is a simple, effective and completely safe way to make high-quality alcohol.

It should be borne in mind that milk contains fats, they make the drink cloudy. Therefore, in moonshine there are 2 cleaning recipes. In the first one, skim milk is used, and re-distillation is not provided, in the second - the percentage of fat content of the product is not important, since secondary distillation will help to clean the structure.

Method for cleaning moonshine with milk without distillation

The advantages of this filtration of moonshine are obvious, the method is absolutely safe, does not need secondary distillation and makes it possible to combine alcohol purification with other methods. But it also has disadvantages, in rare cases, the structure of the liquid may become cloudy.

Cleaning steps:

• prepare a skimmed pasteurized dairy product with the calculation of 150 ml per 10 liters of fortified drink with a strength of 50%;

Instead of pasteurized milk, in this case it is allowed to use dry milk. But first, 3 hours before cleaning the moonshine from fusel oils, it will need to be diluted in warm water.

• mix the dairy product with a fortified drink, tightly close the jar and leave for 5-6 days in a dark place with a temperature regime of 20-25 ° C;
• every day during infusion, the container must be shaken well;

From the very first minutes, a precipitate will begin to form in the liquid in the form of large white flakes. This milk protein enters into a chemical reaction and precipitates harmful impurities.

• at the end of exposure, alcohol is drained from the sediment and filtered several times through a multilayer gauze with a cotton pad.

If, after cleaning at home, moonshine has acquired a cloudy structure, it should be filtered through a charcoal filter.

VIDEO: What is the best way to clean distillate - coal, butter or milk?

How to properly clean the moonshine with subsequent distillation

In this case, the fat content of the dairy product does not matter, the main thing is that the milk is fresh. The process of removing harmful impurities is as follows:

• 100 ml of a homemade dairy product is mixed into 1 liter of alcohol, but the alcohol is first diluted to obtain a strength of 45-55 °;
• all components are well mixed, tightly closed with a lid;
• the container is placed for 4-6 days in a dark place, while the first 3 days the contents must be shaken for better cleaning;
• Moonshine is drained from the sediment and diluted with water by 20%, after which it is sent for secondary distillation with separation into fractions - heads, body, tails.

These methods can be used to check the quality of store-bought vodka. Sometimes the result is shocking by the amount of sediment.

Egg protein

Purification of moonshine at home using protein from chicken eggs allows you to eliminate not only harmful components in the drink, but also an unpleasant odor. This method works best when filtering a distillate prepared with wheat or sugar mash. But if alcohol was prepared on berries or fruits, it is not recommended to use egg white for cleaning.

The composition of the cleaning product includes casein and albumin, in fact, due to which all impurities are deposited on the bottom. In terms of absorption, this method of cleaning moonshine at home is not inferior to coal. In addition, it should be noted the minimum loss of distillate - only up to 5%.

Consider the steps on how to clean and filter moonshine from fusel oils and unpleasant odors using egg white:

• dilute the distillate to a strength of 45-55 °, but at the same time leave 20% free space in the container;
• separate the protein from the yolk, add water to it in a volume of 10% of the amount of alcohol and beat with a mixer until a homogeneous mass is obtained, but until foam forms;
• mix the protein solution with moonshine, cover the container and leave to infuse for 1 week;
• shake the mixture every day, but do not perform these manipulations 1 day before removal from the sediment.

At the end of the exposure time, strain the liquid without sediment through a cotton-gauze stopper in a funnel. Change the filter and do the same with the sediment. Dilute pure alcohol with drinking water to obtain a strength of 18-20 ° and distill it a second time.

frostbite

This is the easiest way to filter moonshine at home. When the temperature drops below 0 °, fusel oils and other impurities begin to freeze, while the freezing point of pure ethyl alcohol is -114 ° C. The method takes a lot of time compared to other cleaning options, but high quality in this case is guaranteed.

You need to put the jar in the freezer or outside if the weather conditions meet the requirements of freezing. When ice forms in an alcoholic drink, and these are fusel oils, the remaining liquid must be drained, the rest must be disposed of.

In the north, the “on scrap” method is practiced, although it is more convenient to use a metal corner. It is left for some time on the street so that the metal freezes well, put it in a bowl and slowly drain the distillate over it. When moving, the fuselage freezes, and the raw flows down. The result is fast and efficient.

In order to eliminate extraneous aromas from moonshine as much as possible, it is recommended to add 30 gr. to 1 liter of the drink. raisins and chopped violet root 5 pcs. The consistency should be infused for at least 10 days, after which it will be completely usable.

Rye bread

In ancient times, few people were interested in the better to clean moonshine from harmful impurities, since they used a bread cleaning recipe that has been proven for centuries. This method has not lost popularity in our time.

You need to use only fresh bakery products made from rye flour without various impurities. Homemade rye bread is ideal.

There are many yeasts and gluten in this product, which contribute to the retention of fusel oils. As a result of such cleaning, even the most low-quality alcohol will acquire a pleasant aroma and brighten.

The process will require 100 gr. bread pulp per 1 liter of moonshine. Prior to purification, the alcoholic beverage should be filtered using one of the previous methods. After that, the bread is cut into slices, they are cleaned of the crust and crumble into small particles.

The crumbs are poured into a container, mixed with distillate, closed with a lid and left for 3 days in a dark place. After completion of the infusion, the consistency will acquire a yellow color, which is eliminated by subsequent filtration.

Place a funnel with a stopper made of cotton pads into a clean jar and strain the alcoholic drink through it. The remaining pulp is disposed of without pressing. Next, the moonshine must be diluted with water and put on distillation with the separation of fractions.

Gluing

Bonding of fusel oils and other impurities is carried out using Karluk glue. Before use, the component is diluted in water until a jelly-like consistency is obtained, after which it is mixed into the moonshine. Adhesive elements bind undesirable components of the drink and are deposited on the bottom of the container.

This method is the most qualitative, it cleans the distillate as much as possible. Its disadvantage is only inaccessibility. The fact is that glue was used, as a rule, in large-scale production activities. Also, the deficit is affected by a sharp decrease in the number of sturgeons, from the swim bladders of which the component is produced.

Salt and soda

A quick cleansing of the drink from toxins and fusel oils is carried out through the use of baking soda with salt. The advantages of the technology are short-term, the process requires no more than 1 day. Minus - inefficiency. The fact is that soda is not able to precipitate all harmful components, therefore, it requires a second distillation.

Cleaning steps:

• dilute the moonshine to get a fortress of 40-50 °;
• Separately dilute 10 gr. drinking soda in 100 ml of pure water;
• mix the ingredients with 1 liter of alcoholic drink, close the lid;
• shake well and leave for half an hour, then stir again;
• put in a dark cool place for 15 hours.

After the formation of a precipitate, the clean liquid is carefully drained and filtered. A cotton pad is placed in the funnel, granules of crushed charcoal are poured on top, after which everything is covered with one cotton layer. Through such a "sandwich" a fortified drink is passed into a container.

With the help of salt and soda, you can partially cleanse the product of harmful impurities, the smell and taste remain unchanged.

Potassium permanganate with soda

There is also the usual way to clean moonshine with potassium permanganate, but it is less effective than the combined one, so consider the second option. Baking soda helps to neutralize acetic acid, while potassium permanganate partially eliminates fusel oils.

The main advantage of such cleaning is the minimum time spent. Minus - the likelihood of a residue of manganese crystals, which adversely affects human health. To eliminate this factor, it is necessary to overtake the composition a second time.

Prepare the components based on the following proportions - for 1 liter of alcohol you need 1.5 g. manganese and 10 gr. baking soda. Pre-mix potassium permanganate with water in a volume of 200 ml, pour the alkaline solution into the moonshine and shake thoroughly. Add manganese, cover the jar with a lid and mix well.

Place the container in a dark, cold place for 14 hours. During this time, a thick precipitate forms at the bottom of the jar, a clean liquid is drained from it and placed for re-distillation.

Fruits

A less effective cleaning method that partially removes harmful components from an alcoholic beverage, but at the same time gives it a pleasant aroma and aftertaste. This is where a secondary forcing is required.

For 3 liters of an alcoholic product with a concentration of 20o, you need to prepare 1 carrot and 1 apple. The fruits are peeled, coarsely chopped and added to a container with moonshine. After this, the jar is left to infuse for 2-3 days until the fibers begin to separate from the carrot and apple.

Making alcohol cloudy

Some tasters like moonshine of a cloudy milky color, as they are made in real Russian settlements. To achieve this effect, you can use several recipes that give the product the desired shade, while not worsening its taste and aromatic qualities.

Some people like the authentic color of moonshine - it can be made cloudy on purpose

1. Whey from milk. For 1 liter of moonshine, from 10 to 25 ml of serum will be required, depending on the required color saturation.
2. Powdered milk. Use the ingredient in proportions of 5-15 gr. for every liter of fortified drink.
3. Vegetable oil. To obtain a white consistency, 3-5 drops of refined sunflower or olive oil are enough. After adding the component, the liquid must be thoroughly mixed.

VIDEO: Moonshiner's little tricks

Many moonshiners are greatly mistaken, thinking that their craft is only the distillation of mash for moonshine. But those who trust homemade alcohol more than industrial vodka need to take care of the high quality of their own drink.

It’s not so easy, because you need to know exactly all the secrets and recipes of the right one, and most importantly, determine for yourself what is the best way to clean moonshine.

For beginners and those who are in this business or have not yet decided which method is more suitable, I propose to learn how to clean homemade alcohol with charcoal, what are the pros and cons of this method, and how to make a carbon filter for moonshine.

It is known that in crude alcohol contains fusel oils and other harmful impurities. The principle of coal efficiency lies in its ability adsorb on its porous surface all the substances we do not need. The quality of cleaning also depends on how much coal you added and how many times you distilled. Since this material is ecological in itself, there is no reason to doubt its harmlessness if you did everything right.

It should be noted that not all types of carbon products are suitable in this case. It all depends on the size and number of pores on the surface, because it is in them that the adsorbed molecules of hazardous substances are contained. From this point of view, for example, cleaning moonshine pharmaceutical coal is not effective- there are small pores that will not let large molecules of fusel oils and dangerous impurities through.

Activated

Once again, we will return to it and tell you how to clean moonshine with activated carbon.

More recently, animal bones have been used in production. As a result of heat treatment, small pores formed on the coal surface. As you already understood, this is bad.

At present, the raw material is wood which means it is much more efficient. But, according to the recipe, it contains talc, starch, because of which the drink becomes unpleasant and bitter in taste. In general, the coaling of moonshine with such a product has many disadvantages. But if that doesn't stop you, use 45 tablets per 1 liter alcoholic drink.

Woody

It is produced as a result wood pyrolysis or decomposition under high temperatures while maintaining its structure. Due to this, this high-carbon product has a large number of capillaries and pores, and this increases adsorption capacity. Purifying alcohol with charcoal is much better than other options. Among its various types, it is better to use birch charcoal grade BAU-A.

Coals for barbecue

They are also made from charcoal, but since barbecue coals must burn well, they are impregnated with special solutions for better flammability. It is not known how these mixtures will affect alcohol, so cleaning moonshine with charcoal for barbecue not a good idea.

Coconut charcoal for cleaning

Cleaning moonshine with coconut charcoal has long been a very popular method used to purify homemade alcohol. On the surface of the pore special structure due to coconut shell from which they are made. This helps clean moonshine much faster, better and gives the drink a milder taste.

Embers for wine

Since it also contains harmful impurities and needs to be purified, coals for them are made specifically for this. With proper use, you can safely use this product.

Summarizing, birch and coconut coals are undoubted leaders in the process of carbonization. If you still think that cleaning moonshine with activated carbon is quite effective, we advise you to combine this method with any other that you like.

Ways of carbonization

Two purification options are known: using carbon filters and direct immersion of the carbonaceous product in alcohol. Let's deal with them in more detail.

Filter

The first method is harder, but better. First you need the filter itself. Perfect fit filter from a gas mask, but it contains specific ingredients that can ruin an already awful smell. We can also use the usual household water filter, but with its help you will have to overtake many times. You can also make a carbon filter for cleaning moonshine with your own hands. More on this later.

To speed up and simplify the process, you can clean the moonshine directly through the coal column. It is connected to, so the filtered product enters the tank. But since it is very expensive, a coal column for cleaning moonshine with our own hands will help us.

How it's done? We take a two-liter bottle and cut off the bottom. A large hole is made in the lid, and 5-6 small ones in the bottom. An already filtered alcoholic drink will drain through the opening of the lid, and with the bottom you need to press the crushed coals to the bottom so that it does not float on the bottle.

In a jar, neck down, put the base of the column - a bottle. Then we fill it with a suitable product for you, for example, coconut charcoal for cleaning moonshine and cover it with a bottom. Don't spare coal add it as much as possible. It should occupy at least 2/3 of the dishes, otherwise the cleaning will not be as high-quality and effective as you would like.

Do not be alarmed if the alcohol comes out of the column black, this is quite normal at this stage. In the future, the finished alcohol will be cleaned of coal dust and become crystal clear. From time to time, the lid opening will become clogged. To overcome this problem is very simple: shake and squeeze lightly bottle. If it does not come out, unscrew the lid and clean the neck with your finger. Another 2-3 times we distill alcohol through a coal column.

Then we pour coal powder in the proportion of 30 grams per 1 liter, close it tightly and leave it for a day. During this time, all the coal settles to the bottom of the can. In such a simple way, you can make a carbon filter for moonshine with your own hands.

At the next stage, moonshine is needed strain to remove sediment. We fill the neck of the watering can with cotton wool and pour the moonshine through it. Cotton wool will remove all coal particles and alcohol will become transparent.

We clean coal

The second method is much easier. First you need to collect all the ingredients, study the recipe, and then get down to business.

Since fusel oils are hydrophobic, we reduce the drink to 40 degrees. This will bring them together and help the charcoal absorb them. First of all, grind the coals as much as possible, and then add them to homemade alcohol in the proportion of 50 grams per liter.

We tightly close the solution and put it in a non-plastic container for a week, shaking 1-2 times a day. As in the previous example, a precipitate forms. To get rid of it, you need to strain the alcohol through a layer of cotton wool.

This method attracts with its simplicity, but behind it danger is hidden. The fact is that with prolonged contact of coal with alcohol, even the most suitable for this, for example, BAU-A, KAU-A, aldehydes are formed, as a result of which your moonshine will not only not be cleaned, but will also acquire additional harmful substances. Also, over time, coal will begin to return all the impurities that it has absorbed.

1. Do not rush to clean until you are sure of the quality of the carbon product. Test it on a small amount of alcohol, before the main cleaning. High-quality coal for moonshine should not leave a burning smell.
2. Embers are used just one time.
3. So that the coaling of moonshine is successful, carefully wash the embers. This will prevent dust from entering the final product.
4. No need to filter moonshine in a cold room, as cold slows down the process.

In conclusion of the article, it should be noted that coal will not help you completely get rid of the typical "moonshine", which is better handled soda, potassium permanganate or tinctures on plants.

But cleaning moonshine with charcoal at home is in no way inferior to these methods in terms of efficiency, and in terms of health safety, it is far ahead of them. Which method to use is up to you. The main thing is to follow all the recommendations, as well as recipes and enjoy your creation.

Even after fractional distillation, there are still a lot of fusel oils in the moonshine, which can be removed with sorbents- substances that absorb and retain impurities present in ethyl alcohol.

Cleaning moonshine with coal is deservedly considered the best, in which harmful substances are adsorbed and precipitated. And after filtering, you will get a high-quality homemade distillate, which is pleasant to drink, and in the morning you will not have to suffer from headaches and other “charms” of a hangover.

Activated pharmacy

It would seem - why be wise, if you can buy activated charcoal in a pharmacy, crush it and clean the moonshine. But not everything is so simple. There is information that pharmacy coal has too small pores and they cannot absorb rather large molecules of elements that make up fusel oils.

So it was before, when tablets were made from burnt bones of cattle. Now the preparation contains charcoal or coconut charcoal and its adsorption is not bad. But the problem is different. Manufacturers add talc, starch, etc. as a tablet binder. In contact with alcohol, they can change the taste, giving moonshine excessive bitterness.

Thus, classify this species as a poorly suitable substance for purification of home alcoholic distillate. It should only be used in extreme cases.

Woody

Purchased charcoal, specially designed for cleaning strong alcohol, is suitable. You can also use your own made from birch wood.

The most suitable - produced in accordance with GOST (6217-74) by pyrolysis birch charcoal BAU-A.

Coals for barbecue

Charcoal for barbecue is sold in supermarkets and gas stations. They can serve to improve the organoleptics of the distiller's products. But only on condition that they do not contain substances for quick kindling. It is not always possible to determine this, so it is better not to risk it. But if you are sure of the quality - use it.

Attention. To make barbecue coals suitable for use in cleaning homemade alcohol, you can use repeated pyrolysis (without oxygen) combustion.

To do this, place the coals in a basin (bucket) and pick up a tight lid in it. Light up and cover. In a closed environment, they will reach the desired condition.

Coconut

Although we do not grow coconuts, coconut charcoal is no longer in short supply. Even in the pharmaceutical industry, it is increasingly being used. Yes, and it costs not much more than wood.

Carefully. Coconut charcoal is not suitable for hookah, because it has a special impregnation for better burning.

Need to buy grade A coconut charcoal, without additives.

This view is useful for several other reasons:

• it needs 20% less - 10 g versus 50 g of wood;
• adsorption capacity is higher;
• it is easier to filter moonshine after cleaning, since there is almost no dust in the coconut sorbent.

Embers for wine

There are also special coals for wine. Many successfully use them for moonshine. For winemaking, the brands BAU-A, DAK, OU-A and others are produced.

Reference. Fusel oils are found not only in moonshine, but also in homemade wine.

Where to get?

Activated carbon for cleaning home-made alcohol from harmful impurities is sold in specialized stores for winemakers and distillers.

If there is no such outlet in your region or you do not know about it, special-purpose online stores are at your service. That is, today this is not a problem.

How to make your own cleansing charcoal

If you have the opportunity and raw materials, then prepare the coal for cleaning moonshine yourself. For this you will need:

• birch firewood;
• a place where they can be burned;
• a metal container with holes in the bottom and a lid - for pyrolysis combustion;
• a pot of water and a piece of gauze - to activate the coal.

First, saw and cut the logs into 10x3 cm segments that will fit into the prepared dishes. More often it is a large tin can, in the bottom of which a dozen holes are made. Pick up a tight cover for it.

Light a fire in the air. Put the logs in a bowl and cover with a lid. It is in it that pyrolysis combustion will occur with the release of tar gases through holes in the bottom. After the gas formation stops, remove the jar from the heat.

Coals will smolder for some time without oxygen. Only open the lid the next day, when the dishes are no longer hot. And do the activation. To do this, put the raw materials in cheesecloth, tie.

In a saucepan, heat water to a boil, lower the gauze knot so that it does not come into contact with water, cover the lid and continue steaming for 10 minutes. Then lay out the raw materials and dry. This charcoal is suitable for a cleansing purpose. Store the sorbent in a closed glass container.

Peculiarities. Self-prepared charcoal can give moonshine a "smoked" smell.

Homemade alcohol charcoal purification technology

In activated carbon (not so important which type you choose), pores are formed, which, when a substance is immersed in a liquid, absorb all kinds of impurities that are present in it.

Moreover, this does not apply to ethyl alcohol, its amount will not change in any way.

For cleaning produce infusion. There are three methods that we will talk about, and which one to use is up to you:

1. Cleaning in several stages(up to five). Every 2-3 hours, the alcohol is filtered and a new batch of sorbent is added. This is explained by the fact that, having allegedly been in the liquid for more than 3 hours, coal stops absorbing fusel oils and returns them back. This statement has no scientific confirmation, but some believe it.
2. The second method requires weekly infusion. Shake the jar twice a day. Then filter.
3. There is also a statement that for high-quality adsorption of fusel oils, you need to infuse moonshine two weeks.

How much coal do you need?

The rate based on 1 liter of moonshine is:

• Wood, coals for wine or barbecue - 80-100 g.
• Coconut - 65-80 g.
• Activated tablets from a pharmacy - 3-4 tablets.

Advice. When using pharmacy coal, first try it on a small amount: 1 tablet of crushed coal per glass of moonshine.

If the end result suits you, then apply to the entire batch of distillate.

Instructions for charcoal

Before proceeding with the cleaning procedure, dilute homemade distillate to 40-45 °.

Important. In too strong alcohol, the molecular bonds between ethylene and fusel oils are stronger.

Simply put, strong moonshine does not want to give away the sivuha. The process itself:

1. Clean with crushed charcoal. Push it until you get a small crumb. Then sift through a sieve so that there is less dust that quickly clogs the filter.
2. Pour the required amount into the product to be cleaned. Stir and do not forget to shake during the infusion process.
3. Build a simple one. To do this, cut off the bottom of a plastic bottle with a long neck. Unscrew the plug, you won't need it. Roll up a few cotton pads and insert them into the bottle so that the tip of the "tubular" filter comes out of the neck.
4. Install the filter in a three-liter jar and pour moonshine into it, which will drain into a container in a thin stream. If the filter becomes clogged (which is likely), return the non-leaking liquid back to the container and change the cotton pad.

We have given the simplest filter in execution. There are also more complex designs. For example, two layers of cotton wool, between which a layer of calcined river sand, wrapped in gauze, is laid. Or they advise you to pierce the cork in several places and screw it onto the bottle filter.

Charcoal filtration of moonshine is one of the most effective strategies for removing fusel oils and harmful impurities. Important choose the right coal, prepare it for cleaning and comply filtration technology. All steps are presented in the form of step-by-step instructions at home.

Note that this method has been used by moonshiners for decades, if not hundreds of years, and has proven itself as a highly effective cleaning method. Currently, there are many varieties of coal, each of which has a different effect on moonshine. I propose to look into this issue and put a bold point.

The "hero" of our publication is a sorbent for cleaning moonshine

Appearance of BAU and KAU

1. Birch activated carbon (BAU-A). Special sorbent for moonshiners and winemakers, is the most effective and inexpensive. The price is about 200 rubles for a standard package of 500g.
2. Coconut activated crushed carbon (CAC). Similar in quality and also a very interesting option, made from coconut shells. Second place for an increased cost, the price is about 250 rubles per 500g.
3. Carbon from water filters. You can take the path of least difficulty and. It is inexpensive (around 300 rubles), fast and very effective. If you don't want to sweat too much, then this is the best option for you. If you want to achieve perfect transparency, then we recommend BAU and KAU.
4. Pharmacy activated charcoal. A clear disadvantage of this cheap sorbent is the presence of excipients in the composition, which are of no interest to us. Only in extreme cases is it recommended to use the pharmacy version, it is better to give preference to specialized raw materials.
5. Charcoal for barbecue and barbecue. Obviously a bad idea, since it is not known in what conditions it was made and what it came into contact with. Very dirty raw material for such delicate cleaning.
6. Hookah charcoal: quick-burning and coconut. Anyone who has ever worked with hookahs knows that this coal, when ignited, emits an extremely unpleasant odor. Even the most expensive varieties cannot boast of environmental friendliness and purity. Therefore, there is nothing to think about here either, we immediately refuse such a filter.

Summing up, we highlight the brands BAU And KAU. These are the best moonshine cleaners from the options presented.

The water filter is a little behind the leaders, but it is also an excellent tool. We use the sorbent from the pharmacy as a last resort, but we immediately forget about the option for barbecue and hookah.

Technology for cleaning moonshine with coal

Regardless of the sorbent you choose, the carbonization process will be approximately the same everywhere. First of all, let's decide on the proportions, and then go directly to the technology.

Proportions:

• BAU and KAU - ~ 30 grams per 1 liter.
• Water filter - 1 cartridge for 15–20 liters.
• Coal from a pharmacy - 45 tablets per 1 liter.

Having decided on the volumes of moonshine and the amount of sorbent, we proceed to cleaning:

1. We make a carbon filter. We cut off the bottom of a bottle with a volume of 2 or 5 liters, put a thick layer of cotton wool or gauze on the neck, pour the required amount of sorbent on top of it based on the proportions above. The filter is shown in the picture on the right.
2. Before filtering, the coal must be washed with a liter of water in order to minimize the loss of alcohol.
3. The filter is installed on top of the container into which the purified moonshine will drain.
4. With the help of a silicone tube and the principle of communicating vessels, we begin filtration.
5. Repeat filtration 2-3 times until completely cleaned.

The output is a wonderful moonshine, completely ready for use. If you originally used a low-strength distillate, you can re-distill and get an even purer product.

It is important not to get too carried away with filtration, because coal can absorb up to 5% alcohol, which can result in large losses.

Common Mistakes

List of problems that moonshiners face when using the above cleaning technology.

• Didn't rinse with water and lost half of the alcohol. The sorbent very strongly absorbs all compounds at the first contact with the liquid. That is why we wash it with a liter of water before filtering the moonshine.
• You can use coal no more than 1 time. An exception can only be with a water filter, which can be washed with water and reused if less than 15 liters of moonshine have passed through it. In all other cases, the sorbent is discarded.
• A little coal, one cotton pad ... We strictly observe proportions. Here it is better to add more than less, otherwise there will be a glut of fusel oils and the whole thing will flow directly into pure moonshine.

Video

The best video on this subject from Youtube. It is better to see once than to read ten times.

Triple cleaning method uses moonshine gurus Moonshine Sanych. The first is to infuse the sorbent inside the moonshine. The second and third are filtration through a carbon filter. The man explains everything in simple terms, so everything is very accessible to a wide audience.