Invert sugar for mash - step by step instructions. Invert sugar for mash - detailed instructions

To prepare classic domestic moonshine, you need to understand well what it is and why it is necessary to invert sugar for home brew. In terms of ease of manufacture and taste, as well as popularity among the population, sugar moonshine surpasses all other varieties of this drink. Compliance with technology, love for the process of home brewing and the desire to perfect any business started give a person a chance to get an alcoholic drink that is much superior to store-bought vodka. And most importantly, it guarantees not only quality, excellent taste and smell, but also the safety of drinking alcohol.

Unfortunately, until the state copes with the underground production of vodka, cognac, gin, rum and other strong drinks, gullible citizens will suffer from poisoning. In such conditions, increasing literacy in the field of technology for the preparation of spirits and, in particular, an understanding of how mash is brewed from invert sugar is a vital necessity.

You need to start by preparing the workplace and washing dishes. To eliminate the possibility of foreign odors or an unpleasant aftertaste of moonshine, wash all used containers clean with hot water and dry them with a clean kitchen towel.

process theory

It's all about the yeast, because it is they who must process sugars into alcohols, but they cannot do it right away. First, they need to separate sugar molecules into monosaccharides (simpler elements), that is, carry out hydrolysis, and only then, processing saccharides, isolate alcohol.

Invert sugar is the breakdown product of 1 molecule of cane or beet sugar sucrose into 2 molecules: glucose and fructose.

It is the main component of natural honey, in which it is formed under the influence of the enzyme invertase. The hydrolysis technology resembles the boiling of ordinary syrup, where citric acid acts as a catalyst for the reaction, and the process itself takes place at a high temperature, more than 80 ° C.

Such a temperature will also kill pathogenic microbes that are normally present on the surface of sugar crystals and are waiting for the right conditions for themselves to begin to multiply.

Benefits of Inversion

1. The process of mash fermentation is accelerated by two days, as a result of which it accumulates a smaller amount of yeast waste products in the form of harmful impurities. As a result, the quality of the final product after distillation will be higher.
2. The risk of must contamination with mold fungi is reduced due to the high temperature, which kills pathogens.
3. The product obtained in the hydrolysis process will be more attractive for grain and fruit brews, if we consider them from the standpoint of taste and smell, compared to simple sugar. There will be practically no smell in the apartment during fermentation on inverted sugar, which cannot be said about the mash prepared by the standard method.

Disadvantages of inversion

But like any process, hydrolysis has a downside:

1. Firstly, in order for the sugar to be inverted, you need to spend additional time, which lengthens the entire moonshine process as a whole. It is necessary to provide additional heating in order to carry out the process at a high temperature.
2. Secondly, aldehydes of the furan series, in particular, methyl furfural, may be present in the invert sugar. This is a rather toxic substance that occurs during the hydrolysis of the hemicellulose polysaccharide, which has an almond smell or the aroma of rye bread. In large quantities, furfural causes damage to human mucous membranes. However, a huge army of gardeners annually cooks jam and eats it quite often, although there is much more furfural in caramelized fruits and berries than in mash. So if you follow the technology, you can not worry about the negative consequences.
3. And the last thing: the total yield of the product with sugar inversion is literally a couple of percent less than without it.

Invert Sugar Recipe:

1. First, prepare the necessary ingredients. You will need sugar, water and citric acid, taken in the proportions: 1 kg: 0.5 l: 3–4 g. We take 1.5 l of water and 9.0 g of citric acid for 3.0 kg of sugar. Special attention should be paid to the preparation of water, since the taste of moonshine will directly depend on its quality. It is best to let the tap water settle for at least 2 days, then drain it from the sediment, if any, through a thin tube.
2. We will prepare a clean container for hydrolysis, providing that at least a third of the container will be free of syrup so that the foam has room to rise.
3. Let's heat the water in the prepared container, you can use a saucepan or a bucket, up to 70-80 ° C.
4. Now we begin to gradually, slowly, add granulated sugar, stirring the solution.
5. Slowly bring the syrup to a boil, constantly removing the emerging foam, and cook for 10 minutes. Defoaming removes foreign matter from the syrup, making it cleaner and of higher quality.
6. We reduce the heating level to a minimum and very slowly pour citric acid into the syrup. The fact is that the solution immediately reacts to the acid with a sharp increase in foam, therefore, in order to prevent the "explosion" of the syrup, add it slowly and gradually.
7. We mix everything, close the container with a lid and again increase the heat to a temperature of at least 80 ° C, it can be higher, after which we cook for another 60 minutes.
8. Now the syrup is cooled to about 30 ° C and placed in a fermentation container.

It should only be remembered that it is impossible to add yeast to uncooled syrup, since yeast dies at temperatures above 30 ° C. After the mash has “played back”, we distill it.

Recipe without furfural

To avoid the appearance of furfural, if not completely, then at least to a large extent, you can not boil the syrup, but cook it at a temperature of about 60–70 ° C. At this temperature, sucrose can already turn into invert sugar, and potentially harmful substances will not appear yet. Experts warn that furfural is considered a poison more dangerous than methyl alcohol. And to be more precise, it exceeds the harmful effects of methyl alcohol by 10 times. Although it is he who gives the mash a pleasant smell of bread crust.

Knowing that furan aldehydes appear when sugar is boiled, and inversion, that is, hydrolysis, occurs already at 80 ° C, let's try to complete the inversion before the appearance of harmful substances. For every 1 kg of sugar, take 0.4 liters of water and 3-4 g of citric acid (about half a teaspoon). We will heat the mixture on the stove in a saucepan with a refractory bottom or in a slow cooker for 2 hours, that is, rather slowly. When the temperature reaches 70 ° C, add citric acid and hold on the stove for another half hour, stirring the syrup so that it does not burn, and removing the foam. In these last half an hour, you need to raise the temperature to 80 ° C. After that, remove the pan from the stove, wrap it in a blanket or padded jacket and leave it for 40 minutes.

In this way, we will get inverted sugar with a minimum amount of harmful substances, which can be prepared at the present stage of the development of moonshine at home. Cooking in a slow cooker is also convenient because you can set the temperature in it and set the timer for the right time. This eliminates the need to constantly monitor the temperature.

There is another recipe for hydrolysis without furfural, which is also good to carry out in a slow cooker: water is heated immediately to 80 ° C, sugar is poured into it, everything is thoroughly mixed until completely dissolved and again heated to 80-85 ° C, and the foam is removed. Citric acid is stirred in a glass of warm water, added to the syrup, heated again, the foam is removed, the lid is closed, the timer is set for 2 hours and the temperature is set to 80 ° C. Further, everything happens, as in the first option. This recipe may not be very convenient for those who, having no other option, carry out hydrolysis in a conventional saucepan: you will have to reheat the container every 15 minutes to the desired temperature level.

Since the mash ferments more actively on inverted sugar and, accordingly, heats up more, it may be difficult to increase the temperature of the mash in the southern regions of the country, where the room can be about 26 ° C. After all, yeast dies when overheated. In this case, it can be recommended to either reduce the temperature, or, if this is not possible, dilute the mash with water.

It is also important to consider that distilled or boiled water is not suitable for good yeast fermentation, since it is deprived of oxygen.

Moonshine has long ceased to be a simple way to get alcohol, turning into a real art. Moonshiners are constantly improving the techniques for preparing an alcoholic drink, trying to make its taste softer and more original. One way to get high-quality alcohol is to invert sugar for mash.

The manufacture of moonshine is based on the fermentation of sugary substances under the influence of a yeast fungus. Yeast breaks down sugar into simpler saccharides, which are then converted into alcohol and carbon dioxide. In order for the fermentation of sugar to go faster, and the moonshine to turn out to be of better quality, a preliminary inversion is carried out.

Sugar inversion is a chemical process that is accompanied by the breakdown (hydrolysis) of one sucrose molecule in beet or cane sugar into two molecules of fructose and glucose. This forced chemical reaction can be carried out at home using the simplest and most affordable substances.

Important! The catalysts for the hydrolysis of sugar are citric acid and high temperatures above 80 ° C.

How to invert with citric acid?

Masters of home brewing are still entering into discussions about the advisability of inverting sugar for home brew. Whether or not you should resort to such technology, each owner decides for himself. To do this, it is enough to compare two types of moonshine - inverted and non-inverted, evaluating their softness, purity and strength.

First you need to decide on the amount of alcohol that you plan to get by moonshine. This will help measure out the right amount of sugar, water and citric acid.

Important! From 1 kg of sugar, on average, 1 liter of moonshine with a strength of 40 ° is obtained.

For every kilogram of sugar you need to take:

• 0.5 l of water;
• 3-4 g of citric acid.

The amount of citric acid affects only the inversion speed and does not affect the taste of the drink.

Since the reaction is accompanied by an active release of foam, you should choose a capacious container for the mash. After mixing all the ingredients, it should be filled no more than two-thirds.

Description of the inverting process step by step:

1. Pour all the required volume of water into the selected container and heat it to a temperature of 70-80 ° C.
2. Add all the sugar in small portions, stirring the mixture vigorously.
3. Bring the liquid to a boil, cook for 10 minutes, constantly removing the white foam that appears on the surface. The output should be a sugar syrup of a uniform golden hue.
4. Reduce the fire on the stove to a minimum. Very slowly, in several crystals, add citric acid to the composition, constantly stirring the liquid. It is impossible to add all the acid at once, otherwise the mixture will begin to foam strongly and flow out of the tank.
5. When the foam goes to a minimum, you can cover the container with a lid and leave the composition on fire to boil for 1.5-2 hours at a temperature of 95-100 ° C.
6. Cool the finished inverted syrup to room temperature and place in a fermentation container along with yeast, water and other ingredients. When laying the main ingredients, it must be remembered that part of the sugar has already been added to the composition.

In order for a drink based on inverted syrup to demonstrate excellent qualities, it is necessary to carefully prepare the water for the composition. If tap water is used, it must be allowed to stand for several days and carefully drained without affecting the sediment. You cannot boil water for moonshine. To purify the liquid, you can use a carbon filter, a household filter, pass it through a cation exchanger or sulfonated coal.

Important! Careful observance of the inverting technology will allow you to get the “correct” syrup, reminiscent of natural honey in appearance and composition.

Some moonshine masters recommend neutralizing some of the citric acid in the resulting syrup with baking soda. Thus, a moderately acidic environment favorable for the functioning of the yeast will be obtained. For one gram of citric acid, you need one teaspoon without a slide of baking soda.

But many owners prefer to leave the syrup in its original form, since citric acid gives the composition pleasant aromatic notes.

Video: how to make syrup at home

Watch a video that shows how to invert sugar for mash with your own hands:

Pros and cons of the process

The forced breakdown of sugar has its advantages and disadvantages, which can be studied before resorting to this chemical reaction.

Benefits of inverting sugar:

• Sugar undergoes heat treatment and is released from pathogenic microflora. This allows you to protect the mash from infection with microbes without spoiling the final product.
• Braga, under the influence of an inverted substance, ripens faster and accumulates less harmful compounds that are the end product of the vital activity of a yeast fungus.
• Sweet syrup helps to get rid of the sharp and not always pleasant smell of mash, to make the final product more pleasant and soft in taste.

• Fast fermentation reduces the amount of fusel oil in the mash, which allows you to collect more of the finished product, cutting off the leftovers later.
• Completely fermented mash acquires a pleasant sweetish aftertaste without losing the proper strength.

There are also opponents of additional manipulations with syrup, who believe that there is no need to invert sugar.

What are the disadvantages of the process:

• It takes extra time and physical effort to prepare the syrup, although as a result, the fermentation time is halved.
• In the process of inversion, the chemical compound furfural is formed. This substance has toxic properties and, at a high concentration in products, can irritate the mucous membranes and skin.

Important! Homemade jam and marmalade contains much more furfural than invert sugar. Therefore, the danger of syrup in moonshine for human health is exaggerated.

• In some cases, there is a lower yield of finished moonshine using inverted sugar.

Practice shows that mash prepared using invert technology has much more advantages. The method should be used by those moonshiners who prefer softer alcoholic drinks, devoid of harsh odors and aromas of yeast.

The technology will help you get the perfect alcohol on dried apples, cranberries, red and chokeberry, grapes and even bananas. And adherents of classic moonshine methods can be advised to try to prepare an inverted drink at least once in order to make their own judgment about the original recipe.

is a solution consisting of water, yeast, and sugars (including those found in grains, fruits, and some vegetables). The easiest option is sugar mash. What is simpler: I mixed warm water, sugar and yeast, overtook it in due time.

However, someone inverts sugar for mash, while others miss this operation, considering it a waste of time. Who is right - there is no clear answer. Therefore, we will tell about the facts, and you will decide for yourself whether you need it.

The crystalline sugar we are used to is a disaccharide (containing two substances in one molecule) sucrose. Yeast can only digest monosaccharides. Therefore, they first break down the sugar contained in the mash, and only then process it. That is, fermentation, albeit for a couple of days, is delayed.

But we can artificially help yeast by hydrolyzing it in our kitchen, splitting sucrose into two molecules and turning it into two monosaccharides - glucose and fructose. Hydrolysis, also known as inversion, occurs at high temperatures (80°C and above). The catalyst that starts the process is the acid.

That is, it is impossible to boil syrup and say that in this way you carried out hydrolysis. The chemical structure of this will not change. Therefore, add acid and heat for a long time (an hour or even two). It takes time for complete hydrolysis.

Advantages of hydrolysis

Converted into two simple substances, cane or beet sugar benefits the moonshiner because:

• facilitates the work of yeast, which multiply more actively, absorbing glucose with sucrose and producing alcohol and carbon dioxide;
• fermentation time is reduced by a couple of days. In this regard, the distillate is cleaner than with the addition of a crystalline substance;

Reference. The longer the fermentation lasts, the more fusel oils are fermented, which then turn into moonshine.

• during fermentation, there is no unpleasant odor, which is especially important for residents of apartment buildings;
• the flavor-aromatic set of raw materials is preserved and enhanced. Berry or grain distillate has a wonderful smell, softness and a slight honey note on the palate. Therefore, for these brags, inversion is desirable;
• prolonged exposure to temperature kills microorganisms that live in abundance on the surface of sugar crystals, which makes the mash cleaner;
• greater output of moonshine. Due to the low content of fuselage, the tails are cut off later than on ordinary sugar mash.

Flaws

Where do without them:

1. You need to spend your own efforts and some time to invert. Although it takes longer to talk about it than to do it. And the fact that the process takes an hour, or even more, because you don’t need to stand vigilantly over the syrup. At this time, for example, you can go to the Internet, read our interesting articles, learn something new and put it into practice.
2. Hydrolysis produces furfural as a by-product.

In our opinion, the harmfulness of furfural is greatly exaggerated by popular rumor. So far, its only scientifically proven harm: in a concentrated form, it corrodes the skin and mucous membranes. But the same can be said about many substances, including those that we regularly ingest.

Besides: in inverted syrup of furfural micro doses.

It is many times more in sweets from childhood - jam, confectionery, especially those that use fruits and berries.

Proportions and features of sugar inversion

Only when preparing invert syrup for the first time, you will have to check the recipe, then you will make it “on the machine”. Calculate proportions like this: for 1 kg of sugar, take half a liter of water and 5 g of citric acid. And you can easily recalculate the amount you need.

Consider a number of features when inverting sugar:

• Use only enameled or stainless utensils. Aluminum may darken the syrup.
• Fill the container in which you carry out hydrolysis, no more than 2/3 of the volume, since the addition of citric acid provokes a sharp swelling of the solution.
• Whether you need to add soda or chalk to neutralize the acidity before adding the syrup to the wort is up to you. This is also a controversial issue.

Reference. Yeast fungi develop most actively if the environment is slightly acidic (pH level is from 3.7 to 5.8). For home brewing, pH values ​​below 4.2 are considered the best. In addition, the acidity increases slightly during fermentation.

• If you decide to "extinguish" the syrup, then add a teaspoon of baking soda for 1 kg of sugar. But if you have an aluminum still, a tablespoon of chalk is better.

How to invert step by step

Prepare invert sugar according to the rules so that the resulting syrup, in terms of its chemical properties, has more in common with honey than with sugar, and is absorbed by the yeast without additional processing. Technology:

1. Heat up the right amount of water.
2. Add sugar, stir to dissolve.
3. Remove the foam, boil for 10 minutes.
4. Gradually add citric acid.

Important. Add acid little by little. Even in this case, you will see how the syrup foams. And by pouring the entire dose at once, you can cause the syrup to run away onto the stove.

1. Turn the heat down to low and cover the pot with a lid.
2. The syrup should languish, preferably without a noticeable boil, for an hour.
3. Turn off heat and leave covered until cool.

Proper preparation of mash on inverted syrup

Any kind of mash can be put on inverted sugar. How much sugar according to the recipe, so much of it should be in the syrup you cooked.

Attention. The water in the syrup does not count towards the recipe total!

When setting the mash, correctly calculate the ratio of proportions - -. If it is more or less clear with yeast: for 1 kg of sugar - 20 g of dry or 100 g of raw, then with sugar it is not so clear. The hydromodulus is important, which also depends on the yeast:

• baker's yeast ferments the wort up to 12, maximum 14 ° fortress. Therefore, the hydromodule is usually taken 1:5 (a kilo of sugar, 5 liters of water);
• for alcohol, capable of operating up to 16-18 °, a hydromodule 1: 4 is suitable;
• turbo yeast can bring the strength of the mash up to 20°. For them, a hydromodule 1: 3.5 is suitable. Some manufacturers indicate 1:3.

Braga is put according to the general rules: mix water with a temperature of 25-30 ° C with inverted syrup, add yeast. Put on a glove or install a water seal and leave in a warm room until cooked.

Most experienced and novice moonshine lovers know how to properly invert sugar. And that inverting sugar for mash is a simple process, but it requires certain knowledge and skill.

Why is inversion necessary?

Due to the splitting of one molecule of sucrose, two molecules are formed: fructose and glucose. Sugar is mixed with citric acid and, due to the high temperature, an inverted syrup is formed. By consistency and viscosity, it is very similar to honey.

The method saves valuable time and speeds up the hydrolysis process. In its natural form, yeast must independently break down sugar into simpler monosaccharides, which are then finally decomposed to the appearance of alcohol and carbon dioxide.

The cooking time of the mash depends on the raw materials used. The use of fruit sugar as a base guarantees a cooking time of two to three days. Ordinary crystalline sugar in the form of sand takes twice as long to break down.

Braga on inverted sugar has a number of advantages:

• invert sugar to a lesser extent affects the taste and aromatic qualities of the wort;
• high splitting temperature eliminates the possibility of infection of the mash with pathogenic fungi;
• due to the inversion of sugar, the nominal amount of impurities in the mash is significantly reduced, which has a positive effect on the quality of alcohol.

The process also has its downsides. You will have to spend time preparing the mash, creating and maintaining the necessary temperature conditions. Aesthetic inconvenience can cause furfural - a toxic substance that is released during the breakdown of hemicellulose and has a not very pleasant smell. The proportion of the content of this substance is extremely small, so furfural will not do harm. Even in homemade jam, the percentage of its content is higher.

Instruction

The necessary ingredients are always available and not very expensive in price:

• sugar - 1 kg;
• water - 4.5 liters;
• citric acid - 5 g;
• yeast - 100 g (pressed), 20 g (dry).

It is not difficult to obtain invert sugar at home. It is enough to strictly and consistently follow all the steps:

1. It is necessary to fill the container (metal cup, pan) with clean water (0.5 liters) and bring it to a temperature of 80 degrees. Then add sugar and stir constantly.
2. Boil the mixture brought to a boil for 10 minutes, not forgetting to remove the foam.
3. In sugar syrup, you need to very carefully and slowly add citric acid.
4. After thorough mixing, the container is tightly closed and simmered over low heat for no more than an hour. It is important to observe the temperature regime of 80 degrees.
5. Almost ready syrup is cooled to 30 degrees and moved to a container for further fermentation.
6. Then you need to add the remaining amount of water (4 liters) and yeast. It is recommended to install a water seal and ensure that the fermentation temperature is in the range of 18-31 degrees.
7. The inverted syrup is ready for further use.

Acid neutralization

It is recommended to neutralize the effect of citric acid during fermentation. The thing is that yeast fungi get the right development in an environment where the acidity is at the level of 3.7-5.8 pH. For distillation, the optimum acidity is 4.2 pH.

You need to add 1.25 g of regular baking soda to one gram of citric acid. A simple action will help protect the mash from sourness and spoilage. For moonshine stills with an aluminum cube, it is recommended to use powdered chalk instead of citric acid. Aluminum is sensitive to sodium bicarbonate contained in lemongrass.

Conclusion

Making home-inverted sugar is optional. The prescription is in the nature of a useful recommendation. It is important to observe all proportions and strictly follow the recipe. Using this method, you can not only improve the quality of the final product, but also significantly increase the volume of the alcoholic beverage.

Attention, only TODAY!

Inverting sugar for mash is the splitting of sucrose molecules into two monosaccharides (glucose and fructose). You can do it yourself at home. Now let's figure out why we need invert sugar, and how to cook it correctly.
The yeast used to make home brew is not capable of processing beet or cane sugar in its pure form. The invertase enzyme synthesized by the yeast fungus first splits the sugar molecule into fructose and glucose molecules, after which the formed monosaccharides penetrate into the fungus. This is where fermentation takes place. By inverting sugar, we thus take on some of the work of the yeast.

Advantages and disadvantages

Inverting sugar both positively and negatively affects the final product.

Advantages:

• The aroma of alcoholic beverages changes, there is no characteristic musty smell. And this is very important when adding fruits, berries, as well as components containing starch to the mash.
• The fermentation process is faster, instead of the usual 5 days - 2 or 3 days
• Moonshine made from inverted sugar has fewer yeast by-products
• Brazhka on inverted sugar is safer. Under the influence of high temperatures, the bacteria on the surface of the sugar are destroyed.

Flaws:

• Less end product is produced.
• For inverting, it is necessary to create a high temperature, and this requires additional time.
• Moonshine from syrup contains hydroxymethylfurfural, a substance related to possible or potential carcinogens. It is important to note that by observing the correct temperature regime, the appearance of furfural can be avoided.

How to cook

The recipe is quite simple. To prepare invert sugar syrup, you need to prepare sugar, water and citric acid. An important point is the correctly calculated dosage of all of the above ingredients. For 1 kg of sugar, you need to take from 400 to 550 ml of pure water and 4-5 grams of citric acid. Already empirically, each for himself will determine the exact amount of necessary products.

You need to invert sugar in several stages:

1. Prepare dishes. The container must be deep, since during the preparation process there is an abundant separation of foam and non-metallic, since the interaction of metal and acid is highly undesirable. An ordinary enamel pan will do.
2. Heat the required volume of water to a temperature of 80 ° C. To accurately measure the level of water heating, you must use a household thermometer.
3. Slowly pour in all the sugar while constantly stirring the water.
4. Boil the prepared syrup for 10 minutes until it acquires a yellowish tint and a uniform consistency.
5. Add citric acid. It is important to note that it does not participate in hydrolysis, it is a catalyst, and in its presence the process of sucrose separation proceeds faster. You can dilute it in advance in a small amount of hot water. It doesn't matter whether you pour in or pour in citric acid, it is important to do it very slowly. Adding it too quickly can cause an undesirable reaction, which manifests itself in a sharp foaming and splashing of the liquid from the container.
6. On minimum heat, bring the temperature of the invert syrup to 80 ° C, cover and cook for 1 hour. It is not necessary to adhere to time frames exactly. For example, B. A. Ustinnikov, the author of scientific papers on the production of alcohol, recommends boiling sugar syrup for 30 minutes. Some experts extend the period to 1.5-2 hours. The time during which the syrup was boiled affects its organoleptic properties (taste, color, smell). By experimenting with inversion, everyone must independently determine what he likes best and choose the optimal heating time.
7. Turn off the heat and leave to cool down to 30°C. Now the invert syrup is ready.

Acid neutralization

The optimal pH of the wort is 4.0-4.5. If you exceed the dosage of citric acid, the pH will also increase. As a result, mash on inverted sugar will ferment longer, which will lead to the appearance of more side microflora. For moonshine and other alcoholic beverages, this is undesirable. Soda will help to make more favorable conditions for the yeast to work.

Algorithm for neutralizing excess acid:

1. For 1 gram of citric acid, you need to take 1.25 soda, diluted with a small amount of water
2. Slowly pour the baking soda solution into the invert syrup

The first time after the addition of soda, the separation of the foam occurs, after which the invert sugar is considered ready. Moonshiners often have the question of whether it is possible not to reduce the level of acidity. Acid neutralization is an optional step. The fact is that not everyone has a pH meter, and it is impossible to determine pH by appearance, taste or smell. Then you need to be prepared for the fact that moonshine on inverted sugar at high acidity will take longer to cook, since fermentation will be slow.