Do-it-yourself charcoal for cleaning moonshine. Which birch charcoal is best for cleaning moonshine

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.

Cleaning moonshine with charcoal is called carbonization. This method is common among both beginners and experienced moonshiners due to its simplicity, affordability and high efficiency.

Purifying properties

Coal is a wonderful natural adsorbent. Due to the porous surface, it is able to absorb and retain the molecules of the surrounding substances and chemical compounds. When it comes into contact with moonshine, more than 80% of fusel oils and more than 90% of esters are retained.

Charcoal for cleaning can be made from almost any combustible organic matter. For industrial purposes, petroleum coke, coconut shell, coastal wood are used.

Production is carried out by pyrolysis, that is, combustion at high temperatures in an oxygen-free environment. In conditions of industrial production, the firing temperature, depending on the type of material, is 400-1050°C. For wood and peat, for example, 250-400°C is sufficient. During pyrolysis, a degassing process takes place. Gases, resins, ethers are emitted as combustion products. The resulting pyrolysis coke can be called an environmentally friendly product.

Kinds

To clean moonshine with activated carbon at home, several varieties are used.

Birch activated (BAU).

Made from birch wood. Popular among home moonshiners due to the ease of self-production. If we turn to industrial designs, the BAU-A and BAU-LVZ markings are found on sale. These brands are intended for the food industry, and in particular for the alcoholic beverage industry.

Coconut activated (CAU)

As the name implies, the raw material for production is the shell of a coconut. A commercially available coconut product may be intended for smoking and hookahs. The food variety is labeled KAU-A and KAUSORB. Due to its natural properties, cleaning moonshine with coconut charcoal, in addition to removing impurities, can enrich the drink with useful substances, such as iodine. The only downside is that it is not widely available. KAU-A and KAUSORB are found mainly in specialized or online stores.

Professional distillers appreciate coconut for its economy, high efficiency, natural origin and additional useful properties.

medical activated

Familiar to every person, is directly available in any pharmacy at a budget price. Allows you to clean moonshine quickly and without prior preparation and self-production of activated carbon. A significant drawback is the composition of the drug. It is made from animal bone. Therefore, the pores of such coal are numerous, but very small in diameter. Impurity molecules are often much larger in size, so they are not retained. The second point is the addition of binders to the medical product. They are usually talc and starch. According to a number of moonshiners, cleaning moonshine with activated charcoal tablets makes the taste tougher.

For a large amount of alcohol, an impressive batch of this drug will be required. The weight of one tablet is only 0.25 grams. To get a noticeable result, you need about 100 packs per couple of liters.

Wood for barbecues

It differs from the first type not so much in raw materials as in manufacturing technology. The material is also birch. Roasting is carried out at lower temperatures than in the production of activated. Pore ​​activation is not carried out. In addition, for better ignition in the barbecue, wood can be additionally treated with chemicals. If you are sure that charcoal does not contain toxic impurities, you need to re-burn it, clean the pores and use it for moonshine.

Household filters

Carbon adsorbent is found in most household filters. In this way, water is filtered in household jugs. Another example would be a gas mask. These filters can be used under one condition - they must not be in use. The filter, which served to purify water and, especially, air, contains all the impurities that it collected during previous work. Accordingly, they can get into your product. A used filter can spoil moonshine more than clean it.

Making at home

For supporters of everything homemade and homemade, we offer a way to make activated carbon with your own hands. Birch wood is most suitable for these purposes. The log must be cut into small chips up to 3 cm thick, up to 10-12 cm long.

To independently carry out pyrolysis, you will need a tin container (for example, a tin can) and a fire. Make 15-20 holes at the bottom of the container with an awl or nail. Then put the chips inside, close tightly on top and put on fire. During combustion, tar-containing gases will be released through the holes. When gas formation stops, the container can be removed and cooled.

Charcoal must be activated before use. This will require a tall pot. Inside, we fill half the water and put it on fire. When the water boils, we hang a gauze bag with the resulting charred firebrands to the center of the lid and close the pan with a lid. We check that the bag of water does not touch, but is close enough and steamed from all sides. This expands the pores and increases their ability to entrap. Such carbon can be considered activated. The cleansing effect depends on how many open pores have formed.

Cleaning process

There are 2 ways to make an activated carbon filter. The first option is persistence. The second is flow filtration. Whichever of the methods described below you choose, you must first grind. This increases the contact area of ​​the adsorbent with the liquid to be purified, and increases the efficiency. The resulting coal crumb must be blown off excess dust and rinsed under running water. If this is not done, you can color the filtered moonshine with charcoal in a dark color.

Infusion of moonshine

Proper cleaning of moonshine involves preliminary dilution of moonshine to 40-50 °. This is done in order to reduce the strength of molecular bonds. Fusel oils are poorly soluble in water, but wonderful in strong moonshine. After dilution, it will be easier to extract impurities.

In a container with moonshine, you need to fill in activated carbon for cleaning. The amount depends on the substance chosen. For 1 liter of diluted moonshine you will need:

• 10 grams of coconut charcoal;
• 50 grams of wood;
• 100-150 medical pharmacy tablets.

Mix thoroughly and wait a while. There is an opinion that in a day the pores can open and release impurities back. How true this is is hard to judge. But the maximum effect is created in the first 2-3 hours. It's just pointless to take more. Shake the container every half an hour.

Every fan of moonshine easily goes through the first two stages of making moonshine at home. He will be able to make mash and distill it into raw alcohol. But with the purification of alcohol, many have problems. However, there is nothing complicated in such technology. One of the most effective and environmentally friendly methods is cleaning moonshine with charcoal or carbonization.

The structure of coal allows you to absorb molecules of fusel oils and other impurities, as well as absorb the specific unpleasant smell of moonshine. Thus, the final taste of the drink is improved, it becomes less harmful and, when consumed in moderation, is not harmful to human health.

Please note that not all charcoal is suitable for cleaning alcohol. Its correct choice is the key to the quality of this process.

Which coal to choose?

To purify moonshine, charcoal (for example, birch) or coconut charcoal, which is obtained through pyrolysis, is best suited.

The most affordable brands that show the best results are BAU-A activated birch charcoal and BAU-LV coconut. The fact is that they were originally produced for use in the alcoholic beverage industry.

Activated charcoal tablets are not the best choice. The problem is that it is often made from animal bone tissue. Such material does not have the necessary properties that would make it possible to obtain high-quality moonshine.

Do not remove coal from a gas mask or any other device. The only exception to this rule is charcoal, which is used in water filters. However, if you take such material, then you need to make sure that it does not include foreign impurities.

A separate line is charcoal for barbecue or barbecue. It also allows you to remove harmful chemicals and compounds from the made moonshine. Please note that it is burnt material that suits us.

Coal for barbecue should be removed from the grill while it is smoldering. After that, it must be placed in a metal dish and tightly closed with a lid. For the effect we need, it is necessary to create tightness, that is, no air should flow to the smoldering coal. Only after the material burns out to the end can we use it to filter moonshine.

This cleaning process has an interesting feature. After it, the drink acquires an interesting aroma of smoke and fire. For many people, such homemade smoky alcohol is especially to their taste.

Now let's talk directly about how to clean moonshine with charcoal.

The right technology

Selected charcoal or coconut charcoal must be carefully crushed in any way convenient for you. The smaller the particles, the better the purification process will be.

First of all, we should dilute the prepared moonshine with water. The optimal strength is from 40 to 50 degrees. Pour the crushed angle into a clean container of a suitable volume. Pour diluted moonshine into it. It is important to keep the correct proportions. So, 25 grams of coal goes to 0.5 liters of moonshine.

Now it remains for us to hermetically seal the container and leave it in the pantry for infusion for 4-7 days. Remember to shake the container well every day.

Alternative Technology

This technique is less commonly used, although, in my opinion, it has its clear advantages. It involves the use of a simple carbon filter during the process of the first distillation (distillation) of moonshine.

Many moonshine practitioners ask how you can make such a cleaning device with your own hands. Everything is incredibly simple.

We will need any funnel available at home. To begin with, we place 1-2 cotton pads in it. Sprinkle a layer of crushed charcoal on top. 2-3 cotton pads are additionally lined even higher.

Now we just have to place the do-it-yourself carbon filter under the stream of moonshine flowing from the moonshine still.

This method, of course, is inferior in efficiency to the one described above. However, such cleaning can also make the drink much better and tastier.

1. If in doubt about the amount of coal that is needed to purify alcohol, then it is better to put it a little more. It will not harm the drink in any way.

2. Once used charcoal must not be reused.

3. If you use different brands of coal for cleaning moonshine that were recommended above, then there is always a danger of spoiling the moonshine. To insure yourself against such an unfortunate accident, first test a small amount of the purchased product on a small amount of moonshine.

4. Using the methods described above, you can purify store-bought vodka. Believe me, the result is worth your time and effort.

Do not forget to share your own experience in purifying homemade alcohol in the comments to this article.

Birch charcoal for cleaning moonshine is often used by distillers, since the raw materials are cheap and the technique works efficiently. The method allows you to get rid of most of the harmful components that remained in the distillate after the primary distillation. You can use the technique after the second distillation, but this method is not suitable for mash. Purification of distillate with birch charcoal is not difficult and does not take much time.

birch charcoal

It is birch coals that are the easiest to get. They are neutral in smell, will not give the drink an unnecessary aftertaste and have good adsorbing properties. Embers can be bought at the store or made from birch with your own hands. It also won't take long.

How to clean moonshine and cook coal with your own hands?

To prepare activated charcoal, you will need birch logs that need to be burned in an oven or on a fire. As soon as combustion is completed, red-hot coals remain from the logs, which must be collected and poured into a clay pot. If there is no pot, then you can use an iron container. The main thing is that air does not get into the container, then the coals will go out after a certain time. As soon as the fire goes out and the coals do not smolder, the container is opened, the coals are crushed, but not to the state of a fine powder, then they are washed with water and dried.

With the help of coals, there are several. They also depend on the type of coal and its origin. If birch charcoal is used, then the technique is as follows:

• Coal is added to the distillate in a proportion of 50 grams per liter of drink. In this form, moonshine is left for 2-3 weeks. This term applies only to wood coals. If other types are used, then the period should be reduced to 2 hours, since coal provokes the appearance of aldehydes in the composition. In order to better adsorb impurities, the container with coal and moonshine must be shaken every day. At the end of the term, sediment will collect at the bottom of the container, where fusel oils will fall out.
• To get rid of fine coal in moonshine, you need a filter. A household model designed for water is suitable. Gauze is not suitable for this process, because it will not be able to catch all the small particles. The filter can be prepared manually. To do this, the bottom of the plastic bottle is cut off and cotton wool is placed in a thick layer closer to the neck. Powder is poured on top of the cotton wool with a layer of 10–15 centimeters, and the filter is used with the neck down.
• It is possible that after the filtration process, the moonshine still remains cloudy from small particles of coal. Therefore, to get rid of the unwanted effect, it is enough to pass the drink through clean cotton wool again. The filtration itself can be started after diluting the alcohol strength to 45–50 degrees.

In general, the action of activated carbon lies in the method of adsorption. Small particles of a substance are porous, so they attract harmful components to their surface and settle to the bottom. Not only coal, but also walnut shells, for example, have the same property. After the chemical reaction has occurred, it will not be possible to use coal a second time.

Buying coal will not cause much trouble. This product is sold in supermarkets in the kebab and barbecue section. Filters can also be purchased from the store. The cost of these products is inexpensive, but it is important to keep the filter clean so that the quality of the cleaning processes does not fall. The filter cartridges can also be loaded with charcoal or coal, which makes cleaning thorough.

It is better not to use other types of coal. If coking coal is still acceptable in the absence of wood and birch coals, then the tableted version from the pharmacy is not suitable for moonshine. The fact is that coal from a pharmacy is made from animal bones, the pores in it are too large, so the absorption of harmful substances will be less. Also, these tablets contain starch. It contributes to the acquisition of a drink of bitterness, which is difficult to get rid of.

The charcoal itself, which has a cleansing ability, is used for water, aquariums, air system cleaning and other areas, so there is no interruption in this substance. As a high efficiency option, a 3:1 mixture of charcoal and coke can be used.

There are some tips for those who are going to use this method:

• The time of purification, that is, infusion on coal, should be limited. If moonshine is overexposed, then there is a possibility of charcoal returning harmful components to the drink.
• It is important to monitor not only the cleanliness of the filter, but also the composition of the cartridges. There may be impurities and chemicals other than coal. They will not greatly affect the taste of the distillate, but experienced distillers try not to use anything other than natural coal.
• Waste material is not reused due to inefficiency, purification of moonshine with coal is not possible.
• It is better to put a lot of coal than not to report it to the container. It is impossible to go overboard with this indicator.
• If, after filtering through coal, there is a smell or taste of rotten, burnt wood, then you can get rid of the sensations only by distilling the moonshine again.
• If you like the drink to taste and without purification, then it is better not to distill it through coal. And the filtration step should be skipped when the mash was made from grain or fruit. The aroma of such a drink can be lost after cleaning.
• If you are not sure about the quality of coal, it is worth testing it on a small amount of distillate. Old charcoal can give a rotten or burning smell to the drink. It is better not to take risks and not to filter moonshine immediately in full.
• You can effectively mix several types of coal, the main thing is that they are natural and do not have impurities. The number of filtrations through such a barrier depends on the degree of contamination of the drink, as well as on the desire of the distiller.

Of course, it will not work to completely kill the unpleasant aroma or taste of the drink with the help of coal. Only rectification can fix this. But cleaning moonshine with charcoal is capable of getting rid of an excessive amount of fuselage.

Purification of moonshine is a mandatory procedure that is carried out after its single distillation. The harm caused to health by impurities and fusel oils that inevitably get into the drink has not been disputed for a long time. The result of their impact on the body varies on a scale from a severe hangover to death.

To avoid such consequences, home moonshiners are actively experimenting with sometimes unexpected materials to choose the most effective cleaning method. If you enter the query in the search engine line: “How to clean moonshine”, you can get a lot of a wide variety of options using both special technologies and improvised means. The top lines of the popularity rating are occupied by cleaning with coconut charcoal. Let's figure out why the choice fell on coconut charcoal and how effective the process itself is.

Coal educational program

The process of purifying alcohol with charcoal is called carbonization. Coal is a wonderful natural sorbent, that is, it absorbs other substances. To be even more precise, it refers to adsorbents: it attracts and holds the molecules of these substances on its surface. In this it differs from absorbents, which react and convert the original substances into new compounds.

Several types of coal can be used in distilling. The most affordable is activated medical. The next type is woody. The brands BAU-A and BAU-LVZ are intended for the alcohol industry. And the third type is coconut-based. Produced under the name KAUSORB or KAU-A. The name is worth paying attention to, since coconut coals are produced not only for food purposes, but also for hookahs, barbecues. In this case, they may contain aromatic additives or flammable compounds.

Coconut charcoal is produced by pyrolysis - exposure to high temperatures in an airless environment. On sale it is present in crushed form or in small briquettes. A significant drawback, you will not usually find it in the wide sale. You need to order online or look in specialized stores. Can sometimes be found in liquor stores.

Cleaning methods

Infusion

The first stage of the process involves the infusion of moonshine. To do this, strong moonshine must first be diluted to 40 ° -50 ° or even lower if there is a second distillation. Doing this is a must. The higher the strength of the drink, the stronger the molecular bonds and, accordingly, the more difficult it is to extract impurities.

Coal also needs to be prepared. If it is formed into briquettes, they should be broken up as finely as possible. We need to maximize the area of ​​​​contact of the surface of coal and moonshine. For 1 liter of liquid with a strength of 40 °, 10 grams (2-3 tablespoons) of coal will be required. They put more, but it will not give a better result.

Crushed coal must be separated from dust and washed. This will allow not to color the moonshine so much. Then the prepared coal is placed in a container with moonshine and mixed thoroughly.

Regarding the duration of infusion, there are several points of view. It is recommended to insist from one day to a week. Practical experiments show that two to three hours is quite enough. Increasing this period most often does not change the result. Some sources claim that with prolonged aging, moonshine not only does not improve, but, on the contrary, worsens. After some time, the coal pores open and release all the collected compounds back. One way or another, it is better not to exceed the threshold of 3 hours. Every 20-30 minutes the container must be stirred.

After this time, the second stage begins - filtration. First, using a cotton pad or gauze folded into several layers. This will separate large particles and dust suspension. At the exit, we have moonshine with a slight charcoal tint. From the point of view of the presence of impurities, it is certainly pure. But drinking such moonshine is not entirely pleasant. It needs to be brightened up. For this purpose, a filter for a coffee maker, a filter for water purification, an ashless filter are suitable. It is better to feed moonshine into the filter in a thin stream or drops. This is easily accomplished with a conventional variable flow dripper.

Filtration

The second cleaning method is a simplified version of the previous one. In this case, moonshine must be cleaned immediately through the filter. It can be designed in different ways.

You can make a kind of coal column. This will require two containers, usually a bottle and a can. Since plastic is not recommended for operations with alcohol, it is better to take glass or ceramics. At the bottle, you need to cut off the bottom (for example, with a glass cutter) and install the jar upside down in the neck. Pour coconut charcoal into the bottle to clean moonshine at the rate of 12-15 grams per liter. The neck of the bottle is lined with cotton pads to prevent coal from spilling into the jar. Moonshine through the filter should be spilled at low speed.

In a lightweight version, it is proposed to make a filter in the funnel itself, alternating layers of cotton pads or gauze and coal. For the best performance of such cleaning, it is worth repeating it several times, while changing the coal.

Benefits of Coconut Charcoal

The main advantages of coconut charcoal over wood, medical and other cleaning methods are as follows:

• economical use of coal (10 grams of coconut versus 40-50 grams of wood per liter);
• high efficiency - small multiple pores allow you to capture and hold both large and small particles;
• the natural properties of coconut make it possible to enrich filtered moonshine with iodine and iron;
• naturalness and environmental friendliness - unlike other types of coal, it does not contain additives or impurities.

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