Braga on enzymes: recipes with cold and hot saccharification. Hot and cold saccharification methods for quick home brew

You can cook without additional effort and energy, as well as without temperature pauses. To do this, you just need to use enzymes in the process. Enzymatic grain mash, cold saccharification of which takes place quickly and efficiently, turns into moonshine with good taste and softness.

Grain mash

Features of the technique

Hot saccharification occurs with the help of phased preparation of malt and wort, as well as mixing them at a certain temperature and infusing the liquid. This technique is labor intensive, which is why most moonshine makers using wheat or other grains use the cold saccharification process. It has a number of undeniable advantages:

• the process is quite simple;
• high temperatures are not needed;
• filtration before fermentation is not necessary;
• bacteria in such an environment multiply less or do not multiply at all due to the production of carbon dioxide in the process;
• mash is distilled by direct heating;
• the technique is suitable for beginner distillers who have little equipment and little experience.

But among the minuses, the following features of the technique are distinguished:

• More time is needed for fermentation - this is about 20-25 days, in some cases up to 27. But at the same time, the person who brews moonshine does nothing, he is free from constant stirring or surveillance of raw materials.
• If you do not follow the technology, then the mash will turn sour at the end of the process. Therefore, phased preparation and attentiveness of the distiller to the conditions are important.

In order to prepare mash first, and then moonshine in this way, you need ingredients and equipment:

Must have products such as:

• Raw material. This item is full of variety. As raw materials, you can use flour, starch, cereals, pasta, malt of various types. It is better not to use whole grains, as the process will drag on for a long time.
• Water.
• Enzymes. For example, the common "Amilosubtilin" and "Glucavamorin". They can be supplemented with unfermented white malt. The first enzyme is responsible for the breakdown of molecules, and the second - for the processing of starch into sugar. The result of the action of enzymes is almost the same as with malt brewing. The technology is cheaper, therefore, enzymes are added to the raw materials with water at the stage of preparing the mash. The processes of fermentation and processing of starch into sugar occur almost simultaneously.
• Yeast dry or pressed.

Additionally, an antibiotic, an acidifier (citric acid) and a defoamer (Sofaxil) may be required. As equipment you will need:

• fermentation tank;
• water seal;
• stirrer and aquarium heater - optional, their action can be replaced by creating environmental conditions for mash;
• Moonshine still for distillation of finished mash.

Selection of ingredients and proportions

According to the recipe, you need to determine the proportions of the ingredients. There is no perfect recipe, but the most popular version for one kilogram of raw materials is this:

• 3.5 liters of water at a temperature of 38 degrees Celsius, most importantly, not higher than this indicator.
• Enzymes: fresh - 3 grams of Amilosubtilin and Gluquamorin, old ones should be taken 4-5 grams each.
• Dry yeast - 20 grams or pressed - 50 grams. You can take wine yeast.
• "Doxycycline", an antibiotic - one capsule per 20 liters of mash.
• Defoamer ("Sofexil") - 10 milliliters per 20 liters.

The proportions are not final and may be supplemented by distillers based on personal experience. And for calculations, it is important to know that enzymes have such a parameter as activity. It is measured in units per gram of dry matter or per milliliter of liquid solution. Enzyme activity should be declared in the manufacturer's instructions. Each manufacturer has its own strains and, accordingly, its own indicators. For example, the metrics look like this:

• "Amylosubtilin G3x" - 1000 units per 1 gram of powder;
• "Glucavamorin G3x" - 1000 units per 1 gram;
• "Cellulox-A" - 2000 units per 1 gram;
• "Protosubtilin G3x" - 70 units per 1 gram.

At the same time, the instruction is not a guide to action and does not explain how much product should be put per kilogram of wheat, rice or other cereal. It specifies recommendations only for the amount of raw materials ready for processing, i.e. starch, cellulose or simple protein. Therefore, before using the product, you need to find out how much these simple substances are contained in the raw materials.

Enzymes for mash

The use of enzymes is not as common because many distillers consider them to be non-natural products. Accordingly, the drink also turns out to be unnatural and there is an aftertaste in it. The issue of the taste of enzymes is controversial, since some of the figures absolutely do not notice the taste even with a single distillation. This thesis can only be verified experimentally.

If you mess up with the amount of enzymes, then the drink can still be corrected. By putting more, the mash will saccharify faster, but the distiller will spend more money on saccharification. And if you put less enzyme, then the drink simply will not be saccharified or the process will slow down. The lack of the Gluquamorin enzyme especially slows down the fermentation process, the amount of foam decreases, and caps from cereal crops are not observed. Enzyme consumption can be halved if green malt is used.

The main choice of raw materials is made between products such as:

• Flour. This is a ground raw material that is sold in any grocery store. In terms of accessibility, flour ranks first. The raw material saccharifies faster and is not too difficult to work with. Grains of flour are small, so it is easier for enzymes to interact with them. But there are also disadvantages, for example, the tendency of flour to foam and “run away”. And mash from this type of raw material must be clarified and decanted, which leads to loss of alcohol. Groats are cheaper, but it takes longer to saccharify due to large particles. Sometimes the process stretches for 3-4 weeks. To speed up fermentation, you can use a stirrer, only without opening. The container itself can be rolled on the floor with an inclination.
• Malt is a raw material that is obtained from germinated grain. Malt itself has a lot of enzymes, but powdered enzymes are also added to it. The malt also acts as a flavor enhancer, as it is very fragrant. There is green and white malt. But this ingredient is also added to the mash in ground form.
• Exploded grain, or extruded in a vacuum-technical way. In appearance, these are porous grains with a small presence of enzymes in them. The technique for obtaining such raw materials is not yet popular.
• Products with starch. This is most often pasta, bread. If the distiller works in places where there are many such products, then they can be used as raw materials. But for serious distillers, these ingredients are more suitable for a one-time experiment.
• Regular grain.

The use of specific cereals of varying degrees of grinding will give different results. The cheapest raw material is wheat. But the yield of pure alcohol from it is relatively small. But the drink is soft and pleasant to taste. Rye, which has sharp drink characteristics, gives an even lower alcohol yield due to the fact that the cereal crop forms a lot of foam and “runs away” during fermentation.

Corn - the least capricious to the conditions and gives a large yield of alcohol. But the drink has a specific taste. Barley is another cereal that not everyone likes when it comes out. Rice is the leading cereal in terms of alcohol output.

It is rice that is used for the further preparation of tinctures. The taste is very subtle, the drink is fragrant and easy to drink. Sometimes buckwheat is also tried as a raw material, but with a large yield, the taste is also an amateur.

When choosing ingredients, if it is difficult to decide, you can use a mixture of cereals. Usage tips are:

• Barley and rye can drown out the flavors of other grains. Therefore, when using a mixture, they should be added carefully, preferably up to 25%, while not focusing on these particular crops.
• Rice is a culture that does not tolerate use in mixtures, since its taste will disappear, grain moonshine will turn out without features.
• Bourbon mixes with corn and barley malt are not liked by all tasters because of the specific taste.

You can also experiment with different percentages in grain mixtures. The result is unique in some cases and absolutely not tasty in others. You can also try combining grind levels, although you should be aware that adding whole grains will always lengthen the fermentation process.

For other ingredients, the selection criteria are simple. Water can be taken clean, with good taste, it is not necessary to check the composition of its trace elements or other properties. Feeding is not required. Of the defoamers, Sofexil is recommended as the most effective in relation to this technique. You should not be afraid of getting an antibiotic into moonshine: usually the drug remains in the apparatus during distillation and does not enter the “body” of the drink.

The method of making mash

The technology of cold saccharification consists of the main stages, as a result of which grain mash is obtained with the addition of enzymes:

• Products are added to the container, as well as water at the right temperature, along with enzymes and yeast. It should be noted that more than 70% of the volume of liquid cannot be poured into the container, since active foaming occurs and the mash can “escape”.
• The sugared raw materials are mixed and closed with a water seal.
• The liquid is placed in a dark place with a temperature of 24-28 degrees Celsius.
• Fermentation begins after 2 hours, and after 3 days it becomes active and lasts up to 25 days. It is important to prevent the formation of a film on the surface of the mash, as this is a sign of souring. Such a braga needs to be overtaken urgently.
• When ready, the drink is removed from the sediment and distilled.

Preparing a drink in this way has a number of advantages and disadvantages. Therefore, distillers should decide on their own, get rid of the influence of rumors and test the technique for themselves. The drink gets good qualities and is suitable for drinking.

Enzymes for moonshine appeared initially in the industry. But gradually the substances gained popularity and became available in home production. In general, the popularity was due to the ease of use, the cooking processes became stable and the amount of alcohol eventually increased.

Enzyme "Glucavamorin" for grain mash

It is enzymes that help to obtain the maximum amount of alcohol from raw materials. They are more effective than the use of natural methods, and their presence reduces the amount of harmful fuselage in the drink. This is a useful factor not only for health, but also for the taste of alcohol.

Enzymes and their benefits

As enzymes for moonshine, drugs such as:

• "Amylosubtilin" - liquefies the raw material and prepares it for distillation;
• "Glucavamorin" - suitable for saccharification of both starch and non-starchy polysaccharides, depending on the type of enzyme (types "G" and "C");
• "Protosubtilin" - breaks down proteins of plant origin, which contributes to the activation of yeast.

You can use several enzymes at once. But the two most necessary for the process are Amyloubtilin and Glukavamorin. These substances are the main constituents and names of enzymes. In stores, they can be sold under trade names, so pay attention to the composition.

But earlier, before the appearance and spread of enzymes, they used malt. Now the technique is inconvenient and costly. In particular, malt has such disadvantages as:

• duration of plant growing;
• the complexity of the process (washing, grinding and processing of malt);
• there are few enzymes in malt;
• prolonged saccharification of starch;
• limited area for growing malt;
• green malt has a short shelf life;
• saccharification is not complete, and alcohol is lost.

The use of enzymes, in turn, has many advantages:

• saving time and money;
• speed of saccharification processes (sometimes within 2 hours);
• low costs for the purchase of enzymes;
• efficiency and completeness of the process;
• the shelf life of the finished product is up to two years.

After getting acquainted with the benefits of processing raw materials with enzymes, I want to know about dosages. Typically, manufacturers list the dose of enzyme in active units per gram of treatment fluid. Sometimes the distiller independently adjusts the amount of enzyme depending on the technical process.

Number of enzymes for the process

• p is the percentage of the content in the composition of the substance to be processed (for example, starch);
• r is the recommended dose of enzyme active units;
• a is the activity of the enzyme in units per gram.

If the raw materials for the preparation of the drink have some drawbacks, such as an expiring shelf life, then the amount of enzymes must be increased by about 25%. At home, it is not possible to adhere to the correct and accurate dosage, so it is worth taking approximate values ​​in order to navigate the amount of the substance.

Calculation of dosing of enzymes per 1 kilogram of raw materials:

Interestingly, if the amount of enzymes is less than necessary, then the raw material will ferment more slowly. And if you slightly exceed the dosage, then this will not affect the drink, except for the excessive use of enzymes.

If you take 1 kilogram of raw materials, then you can use the following proportion:

• 1 gram - "Amylosubtilin GZx1500";
• 2 grams - "Glucavamorin GZx3000";
• 1 gram - "CelloLux-A 2000";
• 4 grams - "Protosubtilin 120".

The main methods of saccharification with enzymes

There are several ways of saccharification. Technologies are based on different temperatures at which starch hydrolysis occurs. Among them are:

• hot technique;
• cold saccharification.

In the first case, the process temperature reaches 50-80 degrees Celsius. In this state, the enzymes are kept up to 20 hours. The advantages of the method will be the minimal risk of contamination of the wort, as well as the efficiency of the enzymes. The method is slightly more laborious than cold saccharification.

The last technique occurs at a temperature of about 30 degrees. During this, fermentation should occur. The method is longer, and there is also a risk of souring the mash, therefore, in terms of labor intensity, it differs slightly from the previous one.

Of course, there are also intermediate methods of saccharification using enzymes, but they are used individually, depending on the characteristics of the drink and the production technology.

There are basic recipes for both methods. Hot saccharification with enzymes can occur as follows:

• First, the raw materials need to be crushed, cleaned of tares, if any.
• Boil water in the following quantity: 7 liters of water per 1 kilogram of starch or cereals in raw materials.
• Raw materials must be added to hot water, stirring the liquid. For these purposes, even a clean screwdriver or drill is suitable. It is best to pour raw materials directly onto the nozzle, which rotates.
• After the mixture has cooled to 75 degrees Celsius, you need to add the second half of the dose of the ampilosubtilin enzyme. Before applying, it must also be diluted with warm water in a ratio of 1 to 10.
• The next half an hour you need to mix the wort. After cooling the wort, the second part of the ampilosubtilin enzyme, as well as gluquamorin, can be added to it. Then everything is thoroughly mixed with a mixer.
• After mixing is over, the wort is hermetically sealed so that it does not become infected during cooling.
• Upon reaching a temperature of 30 degrees, the wort should be poured for fermentation into a container where yeast will be added, and further action will take place under a water seal.
• Fermentation continues for 4 days, then the mash is poured and shaken.

Cold saccharification also occurs using enzymes:

• The first cleaning step is identical.
• Prepare 7 liters of water per kilogram of starch in the raw material. The water temperature is up to 35 degrees Celsius. At the same time, do not fill the container by more than 70%.
• It is better to add the antibiotic "Doxycycline" to the water (1 tablet per 20 liters of mash).
• It is necessary to monitor the acidity, it should be within the range of 5-5.5 pH. If the value differs, adjust with food acids.
• Half of the water is poured into the container, and a mixture of ampilosublitin and gluquamorin is added to it according to the dosage from the table.
• Sometimes the defoamer "Sofexil" is added - 1 ml per 20 liters of liquid.
• Next, raw materials are added and everything is mixed.
• Next, throw in the yeast and add water.

Braga must ferment, only then it can be used for distillation. If it is covered with a film, then most likely the product is sour and unsuitable for further consumption. The use of enzymes is practically harmless, but the taste of the drink may differ, especially if a person is making moonshine with enzymes for the first time. It all depends on subjective perception, so someone likes drinks on malt or other plants, and someone uses enzymes and does not see the difference.

It can be cooked on grain without additional expenditure of effort and energy, as well as without temperature pauses. To do this, you just need to use enzymes in the process. Grain on enzymes, the cold saccharification of which takes place quickly and efficiently, turns into a good taste and softness.

Features of the technique

Hot saccharification occurs with the help of phased preparation of malt and wort, as well as mixing them at a certain temperature and infusing the liquid. This technique is labor intensive, so most who brew with wheat or other grains use the cold saccharification process. It has a number of undeniable advantages:

• the process is quite simple;
• high temperatures are not needed;
• filtration before fermentation is not necessary;
• bacteria in such an environment multiply less or do not multiply at all due to the production of carbon dioxide in the process;
• distilled by direct heating;
• the technique is suitable for beginner distillers who have little equipment and little experience.

But among the minuses, the following features of the technique are distinguished:

• More time is needed for fermentation - this is about 20-25 days, in some cases up to 27. But at the same time, the person who brews moonshine does nothing, he is free from constant stirring or surveillance of raw materials.
• If you do not follow the technology, it will turn sour at the end of the process. Therefore, phased preparation and attentiveness of the distiller to the conditions are important.

In order to prepare mash first, and then moonshine in this way, you need ingredients and equipment:

Must have products such as:

• Raw material. This item is full of variety. As raw materials, you can use flour, starch, cereals, pasta, malt of various types. It is better not to use whole grains, as the process will drag on for a long time.
• Water.
• Enzymes. For example, the common "Amilosubtilin" and "Glucavamorin". They can be supplemented with unfermented white malt. The first enzyme is responsible for the breakdown of molecules, and the second - for the processing of starch into sugar. The result of the action of enzymes is almost the same as with malt brewing. The technology is cheaper, therefore, enzymes are added to the raw materials with water at the stage of preparing the mash. The processes of fermentation and processing of starch into sugar occur almost simultaneously.
• Yeast dry or pressed.

Additionally, an antibiotic, an acidifier (citric acid) and a defoamer (Sofaxil) may be required. As equipment you will need:

• fermentation tank;
• water seal;
• stirrer and aquarium heater - optional, their action can be replaced by creating environmental conditions for mash;
• Moonshine still for distillation of finished mash.

Selection of ingredients and proportions

According to the recipe, you need to determine the proportions of the ingredients. There is no perfect recipe, but the most popular version for one kilogram of raw materials is this:

• 3.5 liters of water at a temperature of 38 degrees Celsius, most importantly, not higher than this indicator.
• Enzymes: fresh - 3 grams of Amilosubtilin and Gluquamorin, old ones should be taken 4-5 grams each.
• Dry yeast - 20 grams or pressed - 50 grams. You can take wine yeast.
• "Doxycycline", an antibiotic - one capsule per 20 liters of mash.
• Defoamer ("Sofexil") - 10 milliliters per 20 liters.

The proportions are not final and may be supplemented by distillers based on personal experience. And for calculations, it is important to know that enzymes have such a parameter as activity. It is measured in units per gram of dry matter or per milliliter of liquid solution. Enzyme activity should be declared in the manufacturer's instructions. Each manufacturer has its own strains and, accordingly, its own indicators. For example, the metrics look like this:

• "Amylosubtilin G3x" - 1000 units per 1 gram of powder;
• "Glucavamorin G3x" - 1000 units per 1 gram;
• "Cellulox-A" - 2000 units per 1 gram;
• "Protosubtilin G3x" - 70 units per 1 gram.

At the same time, the instruction is not a guide to action and does not explain how much product should be put per kilogram of wheat, rice or other cereal. It specifies recommendations only for the amount of raw materials ready for processing, i.e. starch, cellulose or simple protein. Therefore, before using the product, you need to find out how much these simple substances are contained in the raw materials.

Enzymes for mash

The use of enzymes is not as common because many distillers consider them to be non-natural products. Accordingly, the drink also turns out to be unnatural and there is an aftertaste in it. The issue of the taste of enzymes is controversial, since some of the figures absolutely do not notice the taste even with a single distillation. This thesis can only be verified experimentally.

If you mess up with the amount of enzymes, then the drink can still be corrected. By putting more, the mash will saccharify faster, but the distiller will spend more money on saccharification. And if you put less enzyme, then the drink simply will not be saccharified or the process will slow down. The lack of the Gluquamorin enzyme especially slows down the fermentation process, the amount of foam decreases, and caps from cereal crops are not observed. Enzyme consumption can be halved if green malt is used.

The main choice of raw materials is made between products such as:

• Flour. This is a ground raw material that is sold in any grocery store. In terms of accessibility, flour ranks first. The raw material saccharifies faster and is not too difficult to work with. Grains of flour are small, so it is easier for enzymes to interact with them. But there are also disadvantages, for example, the tendency of flour to foam and “run away”. And mash from this type of raw material must be clarified and decanted, which leads to loss of alcohol. Groats are cheaper, but it takes longer to saccharify due to large particles. Sometimes the process stretches for 3-4 weeks. To speed up fermentation, you can use a stirrer, only without opening the container with mash. The container itself can be rolled on the floor with an inclination.
• Malt is a raw material that is obtained from germinated grain. Malt itself has a lot of enzymes, but powdered enzymes are also added to it. The malt also acts as a flavor enhancer, as it is very fragrant. There is green and white malt. But this ingredient is also added to the mash in ground form.
• Exploded grain, or extruded in a vacuum-technical way. In appearance, these are porous grains with a small presence of enzymes in them. The technique for obtaining such raw materials is not yet popular.
• Products with starch. This is most often pasta, bread. If the distiller works in places where there are many such products, then they can be used as raw materials. But for serious distillers, these ingredients are more suitable for a one-time experiment.
• Regular grain.

The use of specific cereals of varying degrees of grinding will give different results. The cheapest raw material is wheat. But the yield of pure alcohol from it is relatively small. But the drink is soft and pleasant to taste. Rye, which has sharp drink characteristics, gives an even lower alcohol yield due to the fact that the cereal crop forms a lot of foam and “runs away” during fermentation.

Corn - the least capricious to the conditions and gives a large yield of alcohol. But the drink has a specific taste. Barley is another cereal that not everyone likes when it comes out. Rice is the leading cereal in terms of alcohol output.

It is rice that is used for the further preparation of tinctures. The taste is very subtle, the drink is fragrant and easy to drink. Sometimes buckwheat is also tried as a raw material, but with a large yield, the taste is also an amateur.

When choosing ingredients, if it is difficult to decide, you can use a mixture of cereals. Usage tips are:

• Barley and rye can drown out the flavors of other grains. Therefore, when using a mixture, they should be added carefully, preferably up to 25%, while not focusing on these particular crops.
• Rice is a culture that does not tolerate use in mixtures, since its taste will disappear, grain moonshine will turn out without features.
• Bourbon mixes with corn and barley malt are not liked by all tasters because of the specific taste.

You can also experiment with different percentages in grain mixtures. The result is unique in some cases and absolutely not tasty in others. You can also try combining grind levels, although you should be aware that adding whole grains will always lengthen the fermentation process.

For other ingredients, the selection criteria are simple. Water can be taken clean, with good taste, it is not necessary to check the composition of its trace elements or other properties. Feeding is not required. Of the defoamers, Sofexil is recommended as the most effective in relation to this technique. You should not be afraid of getting an antibiotic into moonshine: usually the drug remains in the apparatus during distillation and does not enter the “body” of the drink.

The method of making mash

The technology of cold saccharification consists of the main stages, as a result of which grain mash is obtained with the addition of enzymes:

• Products are added to the container, as well as water at the right temperature, along with enzymes and yeast. It should be noted that more than 70% of the volume of liquid cannot be poured into the container, since active foaming occurs and the mash can “escape”.
• The sugared raw materials are mixed and closed with a water seal.
• The liquid is placed in a dark place with a temperature of 24-28 degrees Celsius.
• Fermentation begins after 2 hours, and after 3 days it becomes active and lasts up to 25 days. It is important to prevent the formation of a film on the surface of the mash, as this is a sign of souring. Such a braga needs to be overtaken urgently.
• When ready, the drink is removed from the sediment and distilled.

Preparing a drink in this way has a number of advantages and disadvantages. Therefore, distillers should decide on their own, get rid of the influence of rumors and test the technique for themselves. The drink gets good qualities and is suitable for drinking.

You can independently carry out saccharification with malt. This is the process of splitting potatoes, cereals or flour and other raw materials that contain starch, under the action of natural enzymes. Sometimes artificial ingredients are used, which requires less effort. Which method of saccharification to choose is decided in each case individually.

What is the saccharification process for?

Cold or hot saccharification is necessary to make alcohol. Yeast alone is not enough. The presence of sugar is important. It is found in cereals in the form of starch. It is a polysaccharide that contains sucrose, fructose and glucose. Since only monosaccharides are needed to feed the yeast, the starch chain must be broken down into molecules before incorporation. If this is not done, then fermentation will not work.

Braga on enzymes of natural origin is performed in a hot way. And if you use synthetic enzymes, cold saccharification is used.

Selection of ingredients and proportions

For hot saccharification, take 4-5 liters of water per 1 kg of flour, cereals or other raw materials. Malt must be crushed and added at the rate of 150 g per 1 kg of feedstock.

To perform cold saccharification, 4 liters of water are taken per 1 kg of raw materials. Enzymes are required in the amount of 5 g per 1 kg of raw materials. Yeast will need 25 g of the pressed type or 5 g of dry per 1 kg of feedstock, regardless of whether flour, starch or any cereal needs to be saccharified.

Some recipes involve adding other components to the mash:

• antibiotics designed to prevent souring;
• feeding yeast so that the fermentation process goes faster;
• an acid that stabilizes the acidity of the wort;
• defoamer.

Cold working

Cold saccharification with enzymes is not done with malt. The natural ingredient is replaced with synthetic counterparts. Glukavamorin processes starch to the state of sugar, and Amylosubtilin provides partial breakdown of molecules.

The technology is less expensive, easier compared to malt brewing, and the effect is not much different. Enzymes with water are added to the raw materials at the time of the manufacture of the mash. Starch is converted to sugar around the same time that the fermentation process takes place.

Grain mash on enzymes - cold saccharification - a solution for those who are just starting to make alcohol at home, who do not have special equipment.

Processing in a cold way will not require high temperatures and pauses. At the same time, the mash is prepared easier and faster.

The disadvantages of the technology include:

• the need to purchase enzymes;
• the importance of increasing the fermentation time to 10-20 days;
• unnatural enzymes, which may leave an aftertaste after several distillations.

Cold processing takes place according to the following technology:

1. Flour, starch, pasta or cereals are added to the container for the fermentation process, water is poured at a temperature of 35 ° C, enzymes are added and yeast is added. To avoid increased foaming, the container is not filled by more than 70%.
2. The mixture is closed with a water seal and rearranged in the dark, in a place where the temperature is not higher than 28°C.
3. The fermentation process starts after 1 or 5 hours. In the first 2 days, fermentation is active, then the intensity is less. The process takes a week or 25 days.
4. It is worth making sure that a thin film does not appear on the surface of the mixture. This indicates that the process of souring has begun. In this case, the mash is urgently distilled.
5. The finished mash is removed from the sediment, distilled.

Hot processing

Hot saccharification is the traditional way. The grain germinates in moist conditions, which starts the process of activating the necessary enzymes needed to process starch. Grain that has germinated to a suitable state is called malt. It can be of 2 varieties: light and green.

Green malt is used for saccharification of raw materials when sprouts of 3 cm have appeared. This product is stored for no more than 3 days. If you dry the cereal that has sprouted, it will already be light malt. It is kept longer. Both types of malt are quite effective.

Technology Disadvantages:

• a temperature is needed at which there is a risk that the raw material will burn;
• it is important to provide temperatures up to 72°C for several hours, which is not always easy to create at home;
• saccharified wort can quickly turn sour.

Hot saccharification with malt is carried out according to the following technology:

1. Flour or cereals are poured with water at a temperature of up to 50 ° C. It is necessary to stir the raw materials so that lumps do not turn out. For 1 kg of raw materials take 5 liters of water. The dishes should be filled to 75% and not more than this volume.
2. The temperature is raised to 60°C, kept in this state for 15 minutes.
3. The mixture is brought to a boil and boiled for 1 or 2 hours, depending on the recipe. Groats need to be cooked longer than flour. You should get a porridge-like mass of a homogeneous consistency.
4. The composition is cooled to 63°C, malt is added to the mixture and stirring is continued. For 1 kg of raw materials, 150 g of crushed malt is required.
5. When the mixture reaches a temperature of 65°C, it is covered with a lid and wrapped to provide warmth for 4 hours. Half of the indicated time, the mixture should be stirred every 30 minutes.
6. To prevent souring, reduce the temperature to 25 ° C. Then add 5 g of dry or 25 g of pressed yeast per 1 kg of raw material. Then they put a water seal, send it to ferment in a dark place for a period of 2 to 6 days.

If the required temperatures are not observed, then saccharification will not work or it will be insufficient. Additional heating will not give the desired effect, since the enzymes will no longer be active.

The process of saccharification with malt is only a step towards obtaining alcohol at home. When using natural ingredients and applying hot processing, there is a risk of unnecessary trouble. But if you choose the right ingredients, observe the temperature regime and spend time distilling the alcoholic beverage, the result will be excellent.

The preparation of moonshine from starch-containing raw materials is a troublesome business, since it requires saccharification. Beginners bypass it for a long time, preferring a simple and understandable recipe for sugar mash. You should not deprive yourself of the pleasure of making real grain moonshine with your own hands, it is enough to study a clear description of the process, and feel free to get down to business.

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Saccharification: types and benefits

In grain products, the carbohydrates that yeast will turn into alcohol are in the form of starch. This polysaccharide is a chain of simple sugars - glucose, fructose and sucrose. In order for the yeast to start producing ethanol, it is necessary to divide the starch molecule into simple sugars, for which saccharification is used.

Cold saccharification

The hydrolysis of polysaccharides is accelerated by the addition of enzymes that are contained in malt or bought in specialized stores. Enzymes work gradually, so monosaccharides are obtained slowly and immediately processed into alcohol. Thus, saccharification takes place simultaneously with fermentation.

• Saving time and effort on setting up the mash.
• Does not require the use of special equipment.
• Braga is less susceptible to acid fermentation at the beginning of the process.
• There is no need to create and maintain a set temperature.
• Possibility of distillation by direct heating.

• Fermentation duration. Braga on enzymes by the method of cold saccharification will be ready in 2-3 weeks, but does not require special attention during this period.
• There is a high probability of souring at the stage of fermentation. This disadvantage is leveled by the addition of antibiotics.

Hot saccharification

photo from mirkateclapp.ru

The meaning of the technology is to accelerate the hydrolysis of starch into monosaccharides by maintaining certain temperatures. At the same time, splitting also occurs due to enzymes that are obtained from malt or artificial ones are introduced.

• High speed of the saccharification process.
• Fast fermentation.

• Raw materials are boiled at high temperature. If the mash burns, it is almost impossible to remove the smell of burning from moonshine, so you have to constantly mix the raw materials.
• Maintaining a temperature pause, during which it is necessary to maintain a temperature of 60-65⁰С. In industrial conditions, this is done by equipment, and at home you have to wrap the must with blankets.
• At the stage of saccharification, the probability of souring the wort is high.
• Before distillation, the mash must be filtered.

When fermented mash is prepared at home, cold saccharification is preferable due to the simplicity of the technology. But if you want to experiment, you can try the hot method.

What is fermented mash made of

photo from the site tonnasamogona.ru

The choice of ingredients does not depend on the technology, so it is not necessary to describe it separately for each method. General issues, such as the choice of water and yeast, each moonshiner decides on his own. Someone is satisfied with the result of pressed yeast and tap water, while someone uses only wine yeast and be sure to filter the water. There is no dispute about tastes, and if you are not the first day in moonshine, you have probably already made your choice.

Starch

In home brewing, an extensive group of products is called starch-containing raw materials. It includes all types of cereals, cereals, flour, legumes, starch, pasta and even bakery products. Sometimes everything that a moonshiner can profitably buy or get is used. But real gourmets prefer to use certain raw materials, getting the characteristic organoleptic properties of the finished drink:

• Wheat gives a mild, pleasant taste. A good yield of moonshine in 650 ml per kilogram of raw materials is complemented by the cheapness of grain.

• Rye gives moonshine a sharp, specific flavor that not everyone likes. A typical yield of moonshine is about 600 ml, and intense foaming, due to which rye flour brew on enzymes should not fill more than half of the container.

• Corn gives a characteristic pleasant aftertaste and a high yield in 800 ml. Despite the high cost, it is often used, because it is completely non-capricious in work.

• Barley is responsible for a bright, intense taste and allows you to get about 700 ml of drink at the exit.

• Rice with an indicator of almost 900 ml is the record holder for output. The smell of moonshine is very mild, and is easily clogged with any other raw materials.

photo from agro2b.ru

It is perfectly acceptable to use mixtures of different grains, just keep in mind that soft and unobtrusive aromas will be lost against the background of more intense ones. Braga from fermented corn, if ¼ barley malt is added to it, is close in composition to bourbon recipes, so there is room for imagination.

Cereals ferment more slowly than flour from them, which increases the likelihood of sour mash. You can speed up this process by grinding them or resins into flour. Unpolished cereals, from which the outer shell has not been removed, are not suitable for home brewing.

Enzymes

Adherents of organic products prefer to get enzymes from malt, arguing that artificial ones in the drink are noticeable even after triple distillation. Less demanding ones use ready-made enzymes, enjoy the convenience and cheapness, and do not notice differences in taste. Without trying both options in practice, it is impossible to decide which one is better.

Malt

Sprouted grains are used immediately after the sprouts are 2 cm long, and then it is called green malt. After germination, the malt can be dried for future use, and consumed as needed. Dried malt is called white malt and is sold ready-made, which saves some of the hassle.

photo from gotovimudoma.ru

artificial enzymes

• glucavamorin (G);
• amylosubtilin (A);
• cellulox (C);
• protosubtilin (P).

The last two are optional, but, according to reviews, slightly increase the yield of alcohol and reduce the amount of impurities.

Auxiliary components

When preparing grain mash on enzymes, it is advisable to use a number of other ingredients that are not included in the classic recipe, but simplify the work with mash and reduce the likelihood of acetic acid and lactic acid fermentation.

• The addition of acids shifts the pH of the medium to the acid side, which is unfavorable for bacteria. Orthophosphoric or citric acid is used.

• The antibiotic does not allow the bacterial flora to develop. Amoxiclav or other drugs with clavulonic acid work best.

• As a defoamer, "sofexil" or the children's drug "bobotik" is added - they work the same way, take what you can get.

photo from irecommend.ru

Enzymatic grain mash: cold saccharification

The preparation is quite simple, and even a beginner who has never put mash before will cope with it. Braga from flour and enzymes is cold-prepared according to one recipe, calculated per kilogram of raw materials.

Grain mash on enzymes: recipe

It does not matter the type of product, and you also use cereals, grains or flour - the ratio of components will be unchanged.

• 1 kg of raw materials (flour, corn, starch, etc.);
• 3.5 liters of water;
• 3 g of enzyme A and G;
• 20 g dry yeast (or 100 g pressed);
• 1 amoxiclav tablet per 20 liters;
• 1 ml defoamer per 20 l;
• 1-2 g of citric acid;

When using malt, keep in mind that its amount should be 150 g per kg of raw materials. If there is less malt in the mash, enzymes should be added.

photo from travelfotki.ru

Mixing components

• Ferment yeast in warm sweetened water until foamy. If fermentation has not started after an hour, the yeast cannot be used, it is inactive.

• If you plan to use an antibiotic, soak the tablet or capsule contents in water to dissolve.

• Prepare the fermentation tank, taking into account that 1/3 of the volume should be left empty for foaming.

• Pour warm (30-35⁰С) water into the container, add enzymes, antibiotic, defoamer and citric acid.

• Pour in grains or cereals, mix with a long-handled spatula. If a recipe for fermented flour mash is used, then a construction mixer is useful for mixing.

• Add yeast starter, mix again until smooth.

Since cold saccharification occurs simultaneously with fermentation, the duration of the process is quite long, and it is worth making every effort to speed it up. This reduces the likelihood of souring and the amount of impurities in the mash.

• Be sure to install a water seal on the container. In the early days, fermentation will be very intense, and if a glove is used, it can be torn off. Pierce the glove with medical needles and leave them, this will facilitate the release of carbon dioxide. When the gas formation decreases, the needles can be removed.

• Stir the brew. An aquarium pump does an excellent job, but if it is not available, shake the brew by hand daily. In the first 2 days, you can even remove the water seal, and after that just rotate the bottle for 3-4 minutes.

photo from sovetadieta.weebly.com

• The optimum temperature for fermentation is 26-28⁰С. An aquarium thermostat, underfloor heating film, placement near a heat source, or simply wrapping in warm clothes will help support it.

• Fermentation takes from 1 to 3 weeks, depending on the grain size of the raw materials, if large particles remain, the residual fermentation is extended for another week. Practice shows that after 3 weeks, the increase in the strength of the mash is quite insignificant 1-2%, given the likelihood of souring, it is not advisable to wait for the complete cessation of fermentation.

• Check your braga several times a day. The appearance of a film on the surface at any stage is a sign of souring. Such mash needs to be urgently distilled, because after a day all the alcohol will be oxidized to acetic acid, and there will be nothing to distill.

After fermentation is completed, the flour-based mash should be taken out to the cold for clarification and drained from the sediment. Filter grain or cereals through a sieve and squeeze.

Enzymatic grain mash: hot saccharification

photo from playerist.ru

A classic method that reduces the fermentation time, but is quite labor intensive in itself. Hot saccharification is carried out in a large heat-resistant dish, which is to be heated on a stove.

Ingredients

• 1 kg of starch-containing raw materials;
• 4.5 liters of water;
• 150 g of malt (or 3 g of enzymes G and A);
• 5 g dry yeast (or 20 g pressed).

Heating errors

If the recommendations for temperature pauses have not been observed, then saccharification will not occur at all or will be only partial. In this case, the enzymes will work according to the cold saccharification technology, and the fermentation will be delayed. Reheating the wort in an attempt to correct the mistake is useless.

Cooking

• Pour the raw materials into a container and, with constant stirring, pour hot (55⁰С) water. Remember to leave a third of the free space for foaming.

• Heat the mixture to 60⁰С and cook at this temperature for 15 minutes.

• Bring to a boil and cook for 1-2 hours until smooth. Flour will be ready faster, and cereals will have to be cooked for a long time. Stir regularly so the mixture doesn't burn.

• Cool the resulting porridge-like mass to 65⁰С and add ground malt, mix until smooth.

• Cover and leave to ferment for 3 hours at a temperature of 60-65⁰С. Stir the wort every 30 minutes for the first 1.5 hours.

• 40-50 minutes before the end of fermentation, dissolve the yeast in warm water to ferment.

• Quickly cool the wort to 26-30°C, for example, by placing a container in ice water.

• Add yeast and stir until smooth.

photo from doughpunching.blogspot.ru

Further recommendations for installing a water seal, maintaining the temperature, mixing and other practical tips are the same as for cold saccharification. The only difference will be in the timing of fermentation, which will take from 4 to 7 days.

Now you know exactly how mash is prepared from flour and enzymes using cold and hot methods. It remains only to overtake her, observing all the rules for the selection of heads and tails, so as not to spoil the aftertaste and morning well-being. Trying real grain moonshine is definitely worth it, because its characteristic taste and aroma can make you forever abandon sugar recipes in favor of an authentic drink.