How to make high-quality moonshine at home. To get excellent moonshine you need to know all the subtleties of moonshine

If there is a truly popular alcoholic drink in Russia, then, without a doubt, it is homemade moonshine. Such alcohol has several obvious advantages. First, the availability and cheapness of its ingredients. Secondly, complete security. When you make moonshine with your own hands, you can be completely sure of the quality of the final product.

Agree, it is rather strange to talk abstractly about the manufacture of moonshine. This process can and should be analyzed only from the practical side using the example of a specific recipe. With your permission, this article will discuss in detail the home technology for distilling moonshine from sugar and yeast. Moreover, this moonshine recipe is considered the most popular and even classic.

However, before talking about specific actions, let's briefly touch on two important points, without which it will not be possible to cook high-quality moonshine.

1. A good product can only be obtained from quality components. You don't need to save money on them.

2. All containers (pots, jars, bottles) that will be used in the production of moonshine must be really clean. First, they must be thoroughly washed with hot water and wiped with a clean piece of cloth.

Action plan

The entire technology for making good moonshine can be divided into two large successive stages:

• obtaining high-quality mash;
• the preparation of the drink itself.

Remember, only with strict adherence to this technology will you be fully satisfied with the result of your work. In this case, the resulting moonshine will be much tastier and better than the overwhelming number of store-bought vodka brands.

Getting mash

1. Preparation of ingredients.

We will need:

• granulated sugar - 4 kg;
• clean water - 12 liters;
• dry yeast - 80 grams;
• citric acid - 15-18 grams.

Particular attention should be paid to water. It is she who is the key to the good taste of moonshine. If you have the opportunity, type well or spring water for our recipe. If there is only tap water, then type it into a bucket and let it stand for 2 days.

Remember, water must not be distilled or boiled, as this will result in the loss of oxygen, and without it full fermentation is impossible.

Instead of 80 grams of dry yeast for making moonshine, you can take 400 grams of pressed. It's not too important.

The final yield of moonshine from such a quantity of initial ingredients will be 4-4.5 liters. If you want to expel a larger or smaller volume of alcohol, you need to follow the proportions given above and change the amount of raw materials used accordingly.

2. Invert sugar.

Such a tricky, at first glance, name implies the usual preparation of sugar syrup using only citric acid. This process has specific objectives.

No matter how carefully you select granulated sugar, a variety of bacteria can be found on the surface of the crystals. When we make brew for moonshine, these microorganisms will begin to multiply in a comfortable, warm and humid environment. This is not dangerous to health, since in the process of distillation (distillation) they will all die. However, these bacteria will have a bad effect on the organoleptic properties (smell and taste) of moonshine.

In addition, inverting sugar can significantly speed up the fermentation process of the mash.

To prepare sugar syrup with citric acid, follow these steps. Pour 2 liters of water into a suitable size enameled pan, put on a slow fire and heat to a temperature of 75-80 degrees Celsius.

Then carefully pour out all the prepared granulated sugar. Stir constantly. All crystals must completely dissolve and form a homogeneous mass with water. Bring the liquid to a boil and keep it on the burner for 9-10 minutes. Do not forget to remove white foam from the surface.

Very slowly add citric acid, reduce the heat to a minimum, cover the syrup with a lid and boil for an hour. After this time, remove the pan from the stove and let cool to a temperature of 28-30 degrees Celsius.

3. We connect the components.

Pour the cooled sugar syrup into a clean fermentation container. Pay attention to an important detail. The container should not be filled more than 75% or three quarters of the volume. For proper full fermentation, free space is needed. Otherwise, when foam forms, the fermenting mash may overflow through the neck.

Now it's time to add yeast. Do not just pour them into a fermentation container. Dry and pressed yeast have their own addition procedure. Follow the directions exactly. This will allow you to put the brew correctly, which in the end will have the best effect on the prepared moonshine.

If you are using pressed yeast, it must first be completely dissolved with 200 ml of sugar syrup. To do this, pour the liquid into an enameled bowl. Add yeast to it and cover with another bowl. Wait for the formation of characteristic foam. As a rule, 10-11 minutes is enough.

If you are using dry yeast, then follow the instructions on the package. Most often, it is enough to add them to a saucepan with a little warm water at a temperature of about 35 degrees Celsius. Then you need to wrap the container with a towel or a blanket and put it on the battery for 25-35 minutes. The signal for the readiness of the yeast will be the same foamy cap.

Now we just have to pour the active yeast into sugar syrup.

4. Fermentation.

For the proper organization of the process, we should use a water seal. You can buy it at any specialized store or make it yourself at home. If, when preparing moonshine, you used to put a similar mash without the use of sugar syrup, then in this case you will be amazed by the pleasant aroma with caramel notes.

The fermentation tank must be placed in a room with a constant temperature of 25-32 degrees Celsius. Additionally, it should be wrapped in blankets.

The duration of this stage can vary greatly and take from 3 to 9 days. Twice a day, you need to shake our container intensively for a minute. Thus, we will contribute to the removal of excess carbon dioxide, which inhibits fermentation.

There are several clear signs that make it clear that we can start brewing moonshine. These include:

• a bitter taste indicates that the yeast has completely converted sugar into alcohol;
• carbon dioxide ceased to be emitted and the gurgling of water from the water seal disappeared;
• sediment has accumulated at the bottom of the fermentation tank, and the mash has noticeably brightened closer to the surface;
• a pronounced alcoholic aroma appeared.

Remember, before you start driving moonshine, there should be 2, and preferably 3 of the listed signs.

5. Degassing.

Using a thin plastic straw, drain the mash from the sediment into a pan of a suitable size. Put it on the stove and bring it to a temperature of 48-52 degrees Celsius. In this way, we destroy the last living yeast and eliminate excess carbon dioxide.

6. Lightening.

For the clarification procedure, we need high-quality bentonite. This is the scientific name for natural white clay. Make sure that there are no foreign impurities in the composition of bentonite. Otherwise, the taste and aroma of moonshine will be completely spoiled.

To lighten the resulting mash, it is enough to take 1.5-2 tablespoons of white clay crushed to a powdery state. Fill it with a full glass of heated water, stir thoroughly. After 12-15 minutes, bentonite will become like thick sour cream.

After that, add white clay to the mash and actively shake the container for 2-3 minutes. Then leave it for a day and proceed to distillation or distillation of moonshine.

This stage not only allows you to lighten the brew, but also acts as an important first step in cleaning the future moonshine. In this way we eliminate most of the harmful substances formed during the fermentation process.

Please note that the remaining sediment must not be discharged into the sewer system. This can lead to clogging, which is then difficult to remove.

Distillation (distillation) process

7. The first distillation of moonshine.

We merge the mash, cleaned of impurities, into the moonshine still (alembic). The task of this stage is to isolate ethyl alcohol from the mash. Some lovers of home-brewing are accustomed to completing the production of moonshine on this. It should be noted that the raw alcohol obtained as a result of the first distillation can really be drunk. However, the taste and aroma of such moonshine leaves much to be desired.

It is necessary to drive moonshine on a small fire. Get used to doing fractional distillation, that is, immediately dividing the resulting product into three fractions: heads (pervak), body (raw alcohol) and tails.

In our case, the heads will be the first 200 ml of output, that is, 50 ml for each kilogram of granulated sugar used to make the mash. Pervak ​​is an extremely harmful liquid that contains a huge amount of harmful impurities in its composition. Drinking it is strictly prohibited. It's best to just pour out the heads.

Our goal is precisely the second fraction, which is usually called the body. In the process of distillation, you need to carefully monitor the strength of the resulting alcohol. This is extremely important. The selection of this fraction should be stopped when the strength of alcohol in the stream becomes less than 40-41 degrees. For accurate measurements, it is best to use an alcohol meter.

The last faction is the tails. It also cannot be drunk. Tails contain large quantities of fusel oils. However, they do not need to be thrown out. It is permissible to use the tails to increase the strength of the next portion of the mash.

8. Cleaning.

You are free to choose any of them for this purpose. In my opinion, the highest quality result is achieved by cleaning the raw material with coal.

Regardless of the method you choose, before starting the cleaning process, it is necessary to dilute the resulting raw alcohol with clean water to a strength of 16-20 degrees. This is an indispensable condition for obtaining excellent results.

9. Second distillation.

The cleaned raw must be poured into the moonshine again. Immediately put it on the lowest possible fire. Let's break up the factions again. We select 200 ml of pervak.

After that, we begin to select the actual home-made moonshine of double distillation. The collection should be completed after the fall of the alcohol fortress is less than 40-41 degrees.

10. Dilution.

This stage is obligatory only for those who want to get moonshine with an ethyl alcohol content of 40-42%, which is usual for most strong alcoholic drinks. Alcohol should be diluted with clean water.

11. Settling.

Before the long-awaited finale, it remains to take the last step. It should not be ignored. It is upholding that allows you to balance the taste of moonshine as much as possible. Simply pour the alcohol into clean, pre-prepared glass jars or bottles. Seal them tightly and stand in a dark room for 3-5 days.

Now you know exactly how to properly overtake moonshine at home.

I've seen a lot of things

And he managed to discover one law:

If fate pressed a man,

That trouble will be corrected by moonshine.

Moonshine in Rus' was known long before its baptism, and even today it has not lost its relevance. The algorithm for preparing strong alcoholic beverages has been perfected for centuries, but, despite all its complexity, the process is creative, which does not tolerate any strict rules or restrictions.

Nevertheless, throughout all stages of the production of moonshine, certain guidelines should be followed so that the final product is tasty and invigorating, and most importantly, does not cause regret about the previous evening.

The process of making moonshine does not tolerate haste and is clearly divided into separate stages. In chronological order, they are arranged as follows:

• Selection and preparation of raw materials from which moonshine is to be made
• Drying of raw materials
• Fermentation
• Distillation
• Clear sorting
• Refinement of sorting to the state of high-quality alcohol

Of course, you can also ignore the order proposed here for all procedures. But the price of that very “personal experience” will be a cloudy liquid with a not very pleasant smell and dubious taste.

Without special equipment for the production of moonshine anywhere!

Stirlitz got into the car and shouted:

- Drive!

Soon, fresh moonshine smelled from the back seat of the car.

Home brewing equipment includes a wide variety of devices, each of which has its own advantages:

• And etc.

Of course, for the manufacture of strong drinks, you can always try to build something of your own, but such an undertaking will require serious time costs, and in the absence of proper engineering experience, it also has a considerable chance of ending in a total failure.

Ingredients for making moonshine

Well, what about a servant? Do you like our moonshine? Still would! There is a lot of iron in our water" -

Hans Christian Andersen, The Steadfast Tin Soldier

Depending on the geography of your residence, the time of year, and other criteria, the raw materials for home brewing can be: beets, potatoes or other starchy crops, fruit and berry crops, cereals, etc. For us, the main criterion in the selection of raw material components is its availability, which allows us to minimize the cost of acquiring the necessary components. But do not forget that the final yield of alcohol depends not only on the mass of the harvested raw materials.

Elimination of moisture from harvested raw materials

Perhaps the drying of raw materials is the most underestimated step in all moonshine. It is traditionally left to chance, which results in the presence of an unpleasant aftertaste in the finished product, or even the appearance of harmful substances in it.

We will approach this issue in more detail. Today, quite a few types of dryers have been developed, but in the process of removing moisture from raw materials for alcohol, the following approaches are most in demand:

Air shadow drying. This procedure is used mainly in the processing of flowers, herbs and leaves. Direct sunlight removes active substances from them, after which the plants fade. One of the most important factors during this operation is ventilation - with insufficient air circulation, the raw material begins to turn brown and the accumulation of harmful substances can begin in it. Ideally, such drying should take place outdoors, provided shade from a canopy or similar device.

Dry outdoors in direct sunlight. Here, the target group are juicy fruits, as well as the roots of plants containing alkaloid substances. The thickness of the layer of raw materials plays a key role - it must be uniform and not exceed 3 centimeters.

Drying in the oven. Perhaps this is not only the fastest, but also the most convenient method, because. the use of equipment allows you to work with any type of raw material. However, it is required to set an individual temperature regime: root crops - 55 ... 65 C, seeds and fruits - 75 ... 95 C, products containing ether - 25 ... 45 C. In any case, the oven should not be too hot - you can check this with paper: if it does not turn yellow, then the temperature is quite acceptable. When using the stove, do not close the chimney for the first two hours, placing a damper on two bricks, which will provide the necessary fresh air flow and eliminate the risk of foreign odors. Similarly, they operate when using gas and electric ovens, but in this case the air flow is provided by an ajar door.

Features of drying various products:

• The kidneys require a lot of exposure, as well as a cool, well-ventilated area.
• The bark is dried by thermal exposure, however, it is necessary to monitor the position of individual pieces of wood - they should not be wrapped into each other.
• The leaves dry unevenly, but the degree of their readiness can be determined by the petioles - if they break easily, then the process can be completed.
• Roots can be dried in thermal dryers, after crushing them. It is necessary to dry with a variable regime - start at a temperature of 35-40 C, and finish at 50-60 C.
• Fruits and berries can be dried both in artificial dryers and in the open air in warm sunny weather. The readiness of the berries is determined by the appearance of an adhesive film on them, and the fruits are considered dried after they stop releasing juice when squeezing them in a fist.

Fermentation

Professor, do you make moonshine?
- For what? So I drink...

After drying the raw materials, you can proceed to fermentation. This is the main stage of home brewing, and it is here that both the quality and quantity of the finished product are largely determined. During fermentation, very complex chemical reactions occur, the result of which is described by the following equation:

C6H12O6=>2C2H5OH + 2CO2 + heat

The productivity of fermentation directly depends on the constant maintenance of the temperature in the range of 19-25 C. Deviation downward from this interval slows down, if not completely stops fermentation, as a result of which not all sugar reacts. To correct the situation, it is enough to raise the temperature to the upper limit and mix the mash from time to time.

High temperature is much more dangerous, because. there is a real risk of irrevocably spoiling the workpiece. In borderline situations, the fermentation process can be normalized by removing the wort and adding fresh yeast to the mash, and then shifting the temperature to the lower threshold.

Distillation (distillation)

Of course, you can also drink mash, but our goal is somewhat different. Alcohol is obtained from mash by distillation, which is carried out using special equipment. In general, the process is carried out in the following order:

• Heating a working container with mash in order to separate alcohol vapors from the main fraction.
• Cooling of the collected alcohol vapours.
• Removal of impurities from the intermediate.
• Collection of the resulting liquid in special containers.

High-quality moonshine is easier to get if you heat the mash in several stages. Initially, the liquid should be heated, for which the temperature is set at 75-85 C. After reaching the mark of 85 C, the heating should be stopped and the temperature should be kept within the specified interval - at this temperature, the optimal alcohol content in the produced workpiece is achieved.

Attention! Distillation is not only difficult, but also a dangerous process. The use of improvised units and / or failure to follow basic safety precautions can lead to serious injury.

Purification of moonshine from by-products

- Well, you have a strong moonshine!

What are you adding to it?

- Cement.

Moonshine in real conditions is very far from laboratory experiments. In addition to water and ethyl alcohol itself, side impurities invariably get into the intermediate, and some of them can have a rather strong negative effect. Depending on the raw material, the conditions of its preparation and drying, as well as the technological features of the preparation of moonshine, up to 30 harmful substances can be found in the final product. These are rather harmless carcinogens, and such dangerous poisons as isopropyl alcohol or furfural.

Complete cleaning of moonshine is a complex operation. It consists of several equally important stages:

• Chemical neutralization.
• Filtration.
• Additional distillation.
• Infusion.

All procedures must be carried out after cooling the moonshine, because. at high temperatures, the removal of impurities from alcohol becomes extremely difficult. Potassium permanganate and charcoal are traditionally used as chemical neutralizers - these two reagents, even at home, make it possible to obtain completely safe alcohol. And after that, physical filtration is carried out, which allows you to get the legendary “tears of a pioneer”.

Refinement of moonshine

People are greeted by their clothes, and spirits are greeted by their color, taste and smell. You can change these parameters within the widest limits, since countless recipes have been invented. As useful additives, both specially synthesized artificial dyes and their natural counterparts can be used. We are supporters of a natural product, therefore, we will give the corresponding recipes:

Aroma. A pleasant smell of moonshine can be given with nutmeg, pepper, cinnamon or other strong spices. But do not overdo it - with one extra pinch, you can cross out many hours of your work.

Taste. Traditionally, sugar syrup and liquid honey are added to moonshine, but the number of options is much wider. For example, just add a pinch of cumin or cinnamon, and a miracle happens: a bitter drink becomes soft and pleasant to the taste. In general, the range of useful seasonings is as follows:

Additive	Hue	Dosage, g/l
Black pepper	burning	no more than 25
Carnation	burning	no more than 4
Ginger	acceptable stinging	no more than 12
Allspice	acceptable stinging	no more than 8
Nutmeg	spicy	no more than 8
Cardamom	spicy	no more than 25
Bay leaf	bitter	no more than 2.5
Vanilla	bitter	no more than 2.5
Cinnamon	acceptably bitter	no more than 18
star anise	acceptably bitter	no more than 25
Saffron	spicy-bitter	no more than 0.7
Rosemary	spicy-bitter	no more than 1.6
orange zest	bitterish	no more than 55
Lemon zest	bitterish	no more than 260
orange zest	bitterish	no more than 120

Color. The color change is always done last. after experiments with taste and aroma, alcohol will no longer have the same transparency. This should be understood in further experiments with the palette. However, here, too, there is where to show your imagination:

• Saffron, juicy blueberries or blueberries, and orange peels will give the alcohol an orange or golden color.
• Yellow tones are achieved using the same ingredients, but in comparison with the previous case, their number is reduced.
• Blueberry flowers will give moonshine a red color, but before using them as such, do not forget to scald them with boiling water and rinse thoroughly to remove harmful substances.
• Violet color can be obtained by tinting with carmine and then straining with yarrow flowers.
• Infusion on the flowers of cornflowers will allow you to get a rich blue color.

Legality of home brewing

Litigation in the case of

illegal sale of vodka. Advocate,

addressing his speech to the jury:

Lord, just look at my

client! If he really

there was moonshine, did he give it to anyone

sold?

The production of moonshine without the purpose of marketing, only for one's own needs, at home has not been prohibited by the legislation of the Russian Federation since 1997. In Belarus and Ukraine, moonshine is an administrative offense that entails penalties. You can read more detailed information here.

How to make moonshine? This question can be attributed to a domestic tradition that has existed for centuries. Many recipes for this strong drink have become a real folk art. Moonshine is driven everywhere, and almost everything that grows and can give at least a little sugar or glucose is used in its preparation. Human imagination is inexhaustible, and therefore the technology of moonshine is constantly being improved.

1

For many Russians, the question of how to make moonshine with their own hands becomes not only a tribute to tradition, but also a kind of competition for the quality of the drink. After all, the preparation of moonshine at home does not cause any particular difficulties, and the degree of purification and taste comes first.

At its core, moonshine is an artisanal alcoholic beverage in which the ethyl alcohol content exceeds 30%. The principle of home brewing is based on the production of an alcoholic beverage by distillation of an alcohol-containing composition obtained from the fermentation of substances containing sugar or saccharified components.

Making moonshine with your own hands

The problem of how to make moonshine is solved in stages with the passage of the following mandatory stages: the manufacture of mash, its distillation and purification of the product. The most important stage is getting the mash, i.e. liquids containing ethyl alcohol of the order of 10-18%. The mechanism of formation of such a composition is based on the yeast fermentation of the wort (an aqueous solution of sugar). It is during the interaction of yeast with sugar that a chemical reaction occurs, as a result of which ethyl alcohol, carbon dioxide and a certain amount of side compounds are formed.

The task of how to expel moonshine with your own hands at home is solved at the second stage, when the alcohol is separated from the water as much as possible. This process is provided by distillation or distillation of mash. The principle of the process is based on heating the raw material to the state of steam and its abrupt cooling, during which it condenses. Most of the water remains in the initial tank, and the condensate has a high alcohol content. To ensure distillation, special apparatus or devices are used, which must contain an initial container with mash, dishes for collecting condensate (moonshine) and a cooling surface. After the procedure is completed, the remainder of the mash (bard) should collect in the initial container, in which there is practically no alcohol, and in the second - a strong alcoholic drink.

Distillation of moonshine at home

During the fermentation of mash, various by-products are formed that affect the taste and smell of the final product. In this regard, the question of how to overtake moonshine correctly is solved by including one more necessary step - cleaning the resulting composition from harmful impurities.

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2

The wort for making mash can have a different composition, but for example, we can consider the most common option for making mash from sugar. To obtain moonshine in the amount of 5 liters, the following classic recipe is recommended: sugar - 6 kg, dry yeast - 120 g (if pressed yeast is used, then 600 g), citric acid - 25 g, water - 18 l. In general, the proportion of the composition is calculated based on the receipt of the final product (with an alcohol content of about 40%) 1.2 liters per 1 kg of sugar according to the following rule - 3 liters of water and 20 g of dry yeast (pressed - 100 g) are needed for 1 kg of sugar.

Making marriages at home

3

Sugar can be immediately dissolved with water, but to speed up fermentation and improve quality, it is recommended to pre-invert sugar - prepare syrup. It can be prepared as follows: sugar (6 kg) is slowly poured into water heated to 75-80 ° C (3 l); the mixture is brought to a boil and boiled for 10 minutes; citric acid (25 g) is introduced, and then everything is simmered for 1 hour.

Sugar syrup (or just sugar) is mixed with water (18 l) in a large container; at the same time, the filling of this container should be no more than 3/4 of the volume, which is necessary for the fermentation process. The optimum temperature for mixing the components is 28-30°C. Tap water before the manufacture of the wort should be defended for 2 days.

Making sugar syrup

For moonshine, you can use baker's, wine, wild and other yeast. Pressed yeast is kneaded by hand and loaded directly into the container.

Dry yeast requires preliminary preparation: they are infused in warm water at a temperature of 31-35 ° C until a foamy layer forms (usually 25-35 minutes).

4

Fermentation of the mash is best carried out in a glass bottle with a water seal (a cork with a gas outlet pipe, the end of which is placed in a vessel with water to prevent air from entering the fermentation zone from the outside) at a room temperature of about 24-28 ° C. To keep warm, the container can be covered with a blanket. The fermentation process lasts for 4-10 (most often 5-6) days. It is recommended to shake the bottle 1-2 times a day for 0.5-1 minute without removing the shutter.

moonshine fermentation process

The main signs of mash ready for distillation are: bitter aftertaste, cessation of gas evolution, sedimentation at the bottom with a clarified upper layer, cessation of hissing sounds, a sense of the smell of alcohol, when a lit match is brought to the surface of the liquid, the fire does not die out.

Ready mash is carefully poured through a tube to get rid of sediment. To resolve the issue of how to prepare a delicious drink, it is recommended to degas and clarify the mash. The first is produced by short-term heating of the liquid to a temperature of 45-50°C. Clarification can be done by adding bentonite (white clay). It is preliminarily diluted in warm water to the consistency of gruel, and then introduced into the mash (3 tablespoons per 20 liters of raw materials). Clarification time - 18-26 hours.

5

How to cook or how to make moonshine with your own hands is decided at the most important stage - the distillation of mash. The task of this stage is to ensure the optimal temperature for heating the raw materials and collecting suitable condensate (with a maximum alcohol content). Alcohol is a light fraction and therefore begins to evaporate before water, which is the basis of the process. The quality of moonshine depends on the temperature at which moonshine is brewed.

The desired evaporation of alcohol begins at 65-66°C, and the real distillation is carried out when heated to about 78-80°C. At temperatures above 85°C, water vapor rises, which devalues ​​the process. Thus, the manufacture of moonshine should be carried out at a temperature of 78-82 ° C.

Do-it-yourself distillation of moonshine

The production of moonshine is carried out on a slow fire with the separation of 3 main fractions of the drink. The initial collection ("head") in the amount of 40-50 ml per 1 kg of sugar has a lot of harmful impurities and its use is dangerous for humans. Then the main collection of condensate ("body") begins, for the sake of which the whole procedure is carried out. It is collected until the alcohol content drops below 40%. After that, the third fraction (“tail”) begins to flow with a low strength and a high content of fusel oils, it is usually used to add to the next mash.

6 Distillation apparatus

It is best to drive moonshine at home using special devices with a refrigerator, coils, etc. However, their absence can be compensated for by simple devices. How to make moonshine in the absence of an apparatus? To do this, prepare 2 pans of different sizes and a bowl. A stand is placed in a large saucepan, and a small saucepan or bowl is placed on it. Braga is poured into the first. A bowl of cold water is placed on top, and the installation site is sealed with a damp towel. This whole structure is set on fire, the fumes of the mash rise up and condense on the bottom of the basin, and the drops flow into the inner container.

7

The resulting drink is raw alcohol, and to make a full-fledged drink, it must be cleaned of harmful impurities. Primary cleaning can be achieved by passing the liquid through a layer of activated carbon. Good results are obtained by the introduction of potassium permanganate with baking soda. The main purification is carried out by a second distillation.

Activated carbon for purification of moonshine

To do this, the drink is diluted with clean water to a strength of 20-25 °. After that, distillation is carried out according to the described technology. It is recommended to weed out the “head” again, and select only the “body”. The resulting moonshine can be bottled - it is ready for use, but it is better to insist it for 4-5 days in a dark place.

Homemade moonshine- This is a strong alcoholic drink that is produced at home by distilling mash through a moonshine still. In order to make moonshine in your kitchen or garage, you do not need special equipment or special skills or abilities.

How to make moonshine at home.

Make moonshine at home- can be done in several ways. Let's first take a look at what you need to make homemade moonshine. First of all, you will need a container for the production of mash. A glass container or glass bottle is best. Through the glass, you can observe how the fermentation process proceeds, the transparency of the must, and the precipitation. The optimal volume of the container is 20-30 liters.

For production of homemade moonshine You will also need a home-made or factory-made moonshine still.

In addition to the container and the moonshine still, you will also need an alcoholmeter. Next we move on to the process itself. how to make homemade moonshine.

Braga for moonshine at home.

Braga for moonshine- this is an alcohol-containing mass, which is obtained as a result of the fermentation of sugar and yeast, saccharified grains, potatoes, beets, fruits or other products that contain sugar or saccharified starch substances. To prepare the mash, we need to choose a specific moonshine recipe, and then proceed to the preparation of the mash.

The easiest way to make mash:

• sugar - 5 kg;
• water - 22 liters;
• pressed yeast - 200 grams (or 70 grams of dry inactive).

Water for the preparation of mash should be settled, but not boiled or distilled, the wort in the bottle will occupy about 1/3, because during fermentation foam will be actively released.

For making moonshine brew You need to dilute sugar in 0.5 liters. warm (+ 25 ° - + 30 ° С) water until completely dissolved, after which we grind the yeast and place them in the solution. After that, the container with the wort should be placed in a warm place (+30°C, but no more) for about 30-60 minutes. During this time, the yeast will come to life and active foaming will begin.

The water that remained and did not participate in the preparation of the wort must also be heated to + 25 ° C, pour the resulting mixture into it. All contents are well mixed and placed in a warm place (+25°-+27°C). It is necessary to put on a rubber glove with several punctures on the neck of the bottle - carbon dioxide will leak through them, which will be released during the fermentation process. The fermentation process itself will take about a week.

The end of fermentation is defined as follows:

• foaming has stopped;
• the emission of carbon dioxide has ceased - the glove has opal;
• There is no sugar in the taste of Braga, alcohol is felt.

This is the process of processing an alcohol-containing fermented mass into a strong alcoholic drink by evaporating alcohol with water and then distilling it. After the mash for moonshine is prepared, pour it into the distillation cube and start heating. According to the recipe, there will be no sediment (if you still have a sediment, it must be drained through cotton pads). The distillate output rate should be approximately 350-400 ml/h.

As a rule, the distillation product is usually divided into three parts:

• head
• tail

1. Head- the product primarily obtained by distillation. It has a strength of 75 ° or more and contains a large amount of fusel oils in its composition. They are difficult to remove, so we “cut off” this portion. It will be 50 ml for every 1 kg. sugar that we put in the mash. In our case - 250 ml.
2. Body- secondary product obtained during distillation. It is this part that is used for further processing (you can also immediately use it). The minimum strength should be 40°. We check with an alcohol meter or see if the expelled liquid burns or not (less than 40 ° does not burn).
3. Tail- this part also contains many harmful impurities. However, the "tails" can be used to prepare the next batch of mash.

How to clean moonshine at home.

Cleaning moonshine at home- this is the filtration of the resulting product through activated or ordinary carbon, the precipitation of the precipitate with the help of potassium permanganate, the addition of milk, settling and removal of flakes through the filter. Unfortunately, even with high-quality equipment, during the primary distillation of mash, it will not be possible to get rid of components harmful to health by 100%. Therefore, home-made moonshine must be cleaned of impurities.

Ways to clean moonshine at home:

• Filtration of moonshine through activated or regular carbon. Coal can be placed in a container with moonshine, wait a while until the chemical reaction takes place and strain everything. You can also install a carbon filter at the outlet of the moonshine still. Homemade filter: (cotton wool, a layer of coal, again cotton wool)
• Planting the sediment of moonshine with potassium permanganate. The maximum amount is 2 grams of potassium permanganate per 3 liters. moonshine. After a couple of days of settling, it is necessary to filter the liquid, add baking soda, stand and clean again. Old-timers of home brewing recommend distilling again after this method of cleaning moonshine.
• Adding milk, settling and removing flakes through a filter.

After purification of moonshine you will receive a sufficiently high-quality product that will contain a low amount of harmful substances.

The moonshine recipe from sugar and yeast is the easiest way to make mash for subsequent distillation at home. Moonshine is made from an alcohol-containing mass - mash, which is the result of fermentation of products containing sucrose or starchy compounds.

Moonshine includes the following steps:

1. Braga preparation.
2. Braga distillation. In fact, this is the distillation of alcohol from an alcohol-containing mass using a home-made or factory-made moonshine still.
3. Cleansing. In the production of ethyl alcohol on an industrial scale, instead of distillation, a rectification method is used to separate ethanol from fusel oils and aldehyde fractions; at home, even moonshine from sugar and yeast will have to be further cleaned of harmful components.

Braga, or mash, can be made from any starchy vegetables (potatoes, beets, peas), sugar-rich fruits and berries, cereals, ready-made jam or starch. The classic moonshine recipe involves the use of pure sugar. No less important components are yeast and water.

From each kilogram of sugar, you can get 1.1-1.2 liters of the finished drink. The yield of the final product is affected by compliance with the rules of distillation, in particular the temperature regime and the quality of the components used. For 1 kg of sugar, you need to take 3.5 liters of water and 100 g of pressed or 20 g of dry yeast.

On average, to get 5 liters of finished 400 moonshine you will need:

• 6 kg of sugar;
• 120 g dry or 600 g pressed yeast;
• 21 liters of water (3 liters will be spent on making syrup);
• 25 g citric acid.

Prepare clean dishes. It must first be poured over with boiling water and wiped dry. Thus, all the dishes necessary for creating and storing the finished drink are prepared. This will protect the final product from foreign smell and taste.

Various mash recipes differ in the way sugar is prepared for the fermentation process. It can simply be dissolved in hot water or the inversion process can be carried out - the splitting of sucrose molecules into separate molecules of fructose and glucose. The splitting reaction is carried out at a high temperature (not lower than 80 ° C) in the presence of a catalyst - citric acid. Inverted syrup is similar in consistency and carbohydrate composition to natural honey.

Brazhka from inverted sugar syrup, despite the additional costs of its preparation, has a number of advantages.

The fermentation process in it proceeds faster, which contributes to the accumulation in the final product of a smaller amount of undesirable impurities - by-products of the vital activity of yeast. The use of inverted syrup for saccharification of cereals or other products for wort improves the taste and other organoleptic qualities of moonshine obtained from them. The preparation of syrup at a high temperature helps to cleanse the raw materials from pathogenic microorganisms and fungi.

If mash recipes involve the use of chopped vegetables or fruits rich in polysaccharides, sugar inversion is carried out separately to avoid the formation of a toxic substance from hemicellulose - furfural, which irritates the skin and mucous membranes.

Prepare the syrup as follows:

1. 3 liters of water must be heated to a temperature of 80 ° C (it is advisable to use a thermometer for control).
2. Sugar must be added gradually, stirring constantly.
3. After the sugar is completely dissolved, the syrup is brought to a boil and boiled for 10 minutes.
4. Citric acid is added to the syrup. Cook over low heat for another 1 hour.

Water treatment

Water quality is of great importance for the organoleptic properties of the finished drink. It is best to use filtered water. The tap liquid must be allowed to preliminarily settle for 1-2 days to free it from residual chlorine and reduce the hardness index. Spring, well or melt water is well suited for home brewing.

Boiling water is strictly prohibited.. The fermentation process is caused by special cultures of fungi, unicellular organisms consume glucose and emit carbon dioxide, ethyl alcohol. Boiling destroys the oxygen in the water and the yeast cannot thrive in it.

Water is poured into the pan through a thin tube so as not to disturb the sediment.

Yeast preparation

Before adding to the mash, the yeast must be prepared. The pressed product is pre-kneaded by hand. It can be immediately placed in the finished liquid or first dissolved in a small amount of warm diluted syrup.

Dry yeast is activated by dissolving in a diluted syrup heated to a temperature of +33…+37°C. The container is wrapped and left in a warm room for 25-30 minutes until a uniform dense foam appears. After that, the mixture can be used.

The process of making sugar mash

Ready for moonshine has ° characteristic features, including:

1. The specific smell of alcohol.
2. Clarification due to precipitation.
3. Disappearance of signs of fermentation (gas bubbles no longer appear in the water seal).
4. Bitter taste (the process of converting sugar into alcohol is fully completed).
5. A burning match over an open mash does not die out.
6. The hydrometer index should not exceed 2.5%. Otherwise, it is necessary to continue fermentation, for which yeast is again added to the mixture.

The finished mash is drained through a tube so as not to disturb the sediment. Then heated to 50°C, then poured into a clean glass container. For additional clarification, you can use bentonite (clay mineral). For every 10 liters of finished mash, add 1-1.5 tbsp. l. bentonite. Clay must first be diluted in a glass of warm water and allowed to swell until a creamy mass is formed. Bentonite is poured into a container with mash, shaken vigorously and left for a day. After this procedure, moonshine can be carried out.

Some mash recipes provide for the addition of spices, herbs and other components to it before distillation to improve the taste and aroma of the finished drink. In addition, for additional cleaning, whole milk can be poured into the mash: 1 liter for every 5 liters of alcohol-containing mass. In this case, after the first distillation, the raw material may have a whitish tint.

Distillation

The classic recipe for moonshine involves double distillation.

First run

During the heating of the alcohol-containing mixture, the liquid evaporates. The various components of the mash have different boiling points, and therefore do not evaporate at the same time. Water and most harmful impurities are evaporated at temperatures of 100°C and above, while the distillation of alcohol begins already at 78.3°C. That is why it is so important to control the distillation temperature. The solution temperature must not exceed 98°C.

During distillation, the mixture is separated into fractions. The first and last portions contain such toxic substances as acetic and other aldehydes, formic ethyl and acetic methyl esters, methyl alcohol. In this regard, the first distillation is divided into 3 stages:

1. 1 fraction - "cutting off heads". The volume of the fraction is determined at the rate of 50 g per kilogram of sugar. In this case, it is 300 ml. This is the so-called industrial alcohol, it is dangerous to use it inside.
2. 2 fraction - "body". After collecting the first portion of moonshine, it is advisable to change the outlet tube, as well as the cooler and reservoir. At this stage of the process, it is important to strictly control the strength of the product. Immediately after the decrease in strength below 40% vol. you need to change the tank.
3. 3rd fraction - "tail". This portion of moonshine contains little alcohol, but many undesirable impurities, including fusel oil.

Cleaning procedure

After the first distillation, moonshine made from sugar and yeast, like any other, needs to be cleaned.

The most popular method. To do this, add potassium permanganate to moonshine until a slightly pink solution is obtained and leave it for several days until a black precipitate forms. The drink purified in this way must be filtered through several layers of cotton wool.

Another simple way to clean moonshine is to use activated carbon in the distillation process, for which it is placed in a funnel.

Prepare your funnel ahead of time:

1. Cover the drain hole with a layer of gauze, on which pour crushed activated carbon and place it under dripping moonshine.
2. After distillation, the drink can be filtered again through a layer of gauze with a sorbent.
3. Coal can be placed in a container with moonshine for several days at the rate of 50 g per 1 liter of drink and mixed daily, strain before use.

You can clean moonshine with milk. Many people like this method because of its simplicity and absolute naturalness. Any milk can be used: homemade, store-bought, even dry. The fat content of the product is more important, it should be minimal, otherwise the output will be the same cloudy moonshine that appears in jokes. Although if you plan to re-distill the drink, then this does not play a role, in the end it will be transparent. The cleaning is based on the ability of casein and albumin protein molecules to establish strong compounds with molecules of fusel oils and other impurities harmful to humans and precipitate.

For 10 liters of raw materials, 150-250 ml of milk will be required, the liquids are combined, mixed, the container is covered. Moonshine should settle for 7 days, the first five of which must be stirred or shaken daily. After the end of the cleaning period, the moonshine is carefully drained so as not to stir up the flakes at the bottom, and the remaining liquid is filtered through a layer of cotton

Second stage

Re-distillation allows you to get high-quality moonshine, cleaning it from fusel oils and harmful impurities. It turns out crystal clear and does not have an unpleasant smell characteristic of raw. It can be consumed neat or used to make homemade liqueurs, tinctures and other alcoholic "goodies".

Before the second distillation, the raw material is diluted with pure water to a strength of 20% by volume, placed in a cube and distilled in exactly the same way as for the first time.

It is necessary to dilute raw:

• Firstly, if you skip this step or pour little water, you can get an explosion and a fire in the room caused by the ignition of vapors.
• Secondly, the high strength of the liquid makes the molecular bond of ethyl alcohol and fusel oils more stable, and it is impossible to get a pure product at the output, the meaning of the whole procedure is lost.

For the second distillation, the order in which the liquids are combined is relevant. First, water should be poured into the container, and then alcohol, otherwise the final product will turn out to be cloudy. In fact, the process of secondary distillation is identical to the first, the difference is only in the amount of output, it will be significantly higher. There are three fractions in re-distilled moonshine:

1. Head. Saturated with methanol and vinegar, it is categorically not suitable for internal use, as it causes not intoxication, but poisoning. It can be used to light a fire or technical needs. It takes about 7-12% of the total output. It is easy to determine the head by smell, a drop of liquid is rubbed on the hands, if there is no more smell of acetone, you can collect what is suitable for drinking.
2. moonshine body, then for the sake of which everything happens, about 80% of the volume. It is verified by arson, the second fraction burns with a blue flame.
3. Tails. At this stage, the strength of alcohol decreases, and the content of fusel oils increases. It is undesirable to drink them, but you should not pour them out either. The third fraction can be added to Braga to increase the fortress. Cut off the tails at a strength of 45-40 ° and below.

Further distillations

There is no clear opinion about whether it is worth distilling moonshine for the third time. It is believed that if, after the second procedure, alcohol was purified with charcoal, then this is quite enough. But if vegetable oil or milk was used to remove harmful components, then the third cleaning will help get rid of impurities. The process repeats the sequence of the second distillation.

Here the heads will be about 3-4%, and the strength of the main fraction is 60-75 °, it should then be diluted to the desired alcohol content with water. In principle, the distillation procedure can be repeated an unlimited number of times, but after the third, little changes in the composition of the drink, it turns out to be quite clean and all the following times are almost meaningless.

Moonshine from sugar and yeast is sometimes mixed with whole milk instead of the second distillation at the rate of 100 g per 5 liters of raw milk. After the milk curdles, the drink is filtered and considered ready to drink. Nevertheless, the second distillation more reliably cleans moonshine from unwanted impurities and fusel oils than milk.

Distillate from grains or fruits does not need to be further purified, this will remove a pleasant aroma from them. But if you put herbs or citrus peels in a steamer, then on the contrary, it will ennoble the smell. Aromatization should be done only after the selection of the head is over and the main fraction goes.

Moonshine is completed by diluting the finished product with water to the desired strength. To improve the taste, it is recommended to infuse ready-made moonshine for 3 days in a dark, cool room before use.