What temperature should be when cooking moonshine. Temperature regime and technology of the mash fermentation process

At what temperature to drive moonshine at home and from what is it better to distill it? The distilled material can be absolutely anything - jam, honey, fruits, grains and berries, even potatoes. The initial wort that you choose as the starting material for the distillation of moonshine will determine the taste. Also, a good end product depends on the exposure time and temperature conditions. You can get completely different alcoholic drinks, which will differ not only in color and taste, but also in degrees. And if you need to sublimate an alcohol-containing liquid, then we must also talk about the quality of the final alcohol, and, as practice shows, it can be different. You can, of course, take fermented jam and throw a handful of yeast into it, but there are simply wonderful products that can give an amazing effect when distilled.

In the south of Russia, chacha is popular - a drink whose cultural roots come from Georgia. Nothing compares to what is made from the pomace of grapes that you have crushed with your own hands. And if you manage to find mulberry somewhere and somehow manage to grind it - either with a mortar, or again by hand, then the effect will be unimaginable. Fantastic feijoa chacha comes out, it is very easy to drink, has a delicious ethereal range and extraordinary flavor characteristics. It will be an interesting experience if you add to the recipe:

• quince;
• pear.

Armenians, for example, are distilled from mulberries and figs, which certainly adds value to the final product. Thus, the distillation process is a creative thing, limited only by your imagination.

Distillation process and required temperature

In order to get crystal clear moonshine without harmful impurities and unpleasant odors, it is not enough to purchase a high-quality moonshine still. Things like the right order of operations and maintaining the optimum temperature are very important here. These are the most important stages of home brewing. You can experiment, but without observing the distillation technology, even the best initial wort (mash) will turn out to be bad moonshine.

So, consider the procedure that is necessary for the high-quality distillation of alcohol.

First of all, to start the extraction of moonshine, you need to prepare the mash. There are countless recipes for making mash. It all depends on the taste that you want to get at the end. And the recipe itself depends on what you decide to distill moonshine from. The main thing to remember is that if you decide to use natural remedies that can ferment on their own - candied jam, honey, apples - then yeast is not needed. If you decide to go the traditional way with the use of sugar and yeast, then you must carefully observe the necessary proportions and recipes.

The choice of water is extremely important - it is not recommended to use tap liquid: neither the hydro-alkaline balance, nor its hardness, nor the presence of minerals and chemicals in it, which can adversely affect the fermentation process, is known. In no case do not boil the water - you will remove all the oxygen from it, which is so necessary for fermentation.

Tip: buy any clean, preferably spring or artesian water, as well as water from wells.

Fortunately, there are now a huge number of suppliers and you can always choose a water option for any budget in the nearest store.

The easiest mash recipe

We will need:

1. 1 kg of sugar;
2. 5 liters of water (temperature not more than 40 ° C),
3. pressed yeast 100 g or dry - 20 g

You can increase the amount of the desired product, the main thing is to keep the proportions.

Cooking process

First you need to dissolve the sugar in the water: if you do not do this, then it will settle to the bottom, not dissolve and will not stimulate the fermentation process.

In another container, mix water, yeast and 2 tbsp. l. sugar, put in a warm place for 2 hours, stirring the sourdough from time to time.

When the yeast comes to life, you should mix all the ingredients in a container in which the entire fermentation process will take place.

It is advisable to take a glass jar, since glass is the most neutral material in terms of properties.

After combining all the ingredients, put an ordinary medical glove on the jar, after piercing the tips of her fingers with a needle.

What to do next?

You need to choose a suitable warm and dark place. The distillation temperature of moonshine should be in the range between 20-35 °C.

It is important to constantly monitor the fermentation process - when overheated, there is a possibility of loss of useful substances.

After 3-10 days, the mash will be ready for further distillation into moonshine. It is very simple to determine the readiness of the mash - by the glove: if it is still inflated, then the fermentation process is underway, if it is blown away, the mash is ready.

After receiving the finished mash, we proceed to its distillation.

The distillation process is based on the difference in the boiling points of alcohol, water and fusel oils. The boiling point of water is 100°C, but alcohol boils at 78.3°C. Accordingly, the boiling point of a mixture of alcohol and water will be the average of this range, it all depends on the ratio of the components. To distill high-quality moonshine, the heating process must be carried out in stages, and it is important to follow this.

The first step is heating the mash to the boiling point of light impurities, namely 65-68 ° C. Temperature control must be done using a thermometer, but if this device is not available, you can determine it yourself: a slight smell of alcohol will appear, condensation can be detected on the walls of the refrigerator, and the first drops of moonshine will appear from the exit point. At this stage, the heating process is not limited by anything, since what we have received at this moment is the so-called pervach - the most poisonous and unsuitable product for consumption.

But do not rush to throw it away, as pervach is a great alternative to acetone, and it can be used, for example, as a kitchen degreaser.

The transition from the first stage to the second is the most important, since after the pervac is drained, an intensive release of light impurities begins. From this point on, it is necessary to heat the mixture as smoothly as possible until the second critical moment of 78 ° C, which corresponds to the boiling point of alcohol. Skillful balancing of the heating rate in a relatively small temperature range between 78-83 °C is required throughout the distillation time. Otherwise, either the ejection of the mash will occur, or the connecting tubes will become clogged with cake.

It is important to understand that as the temperature rises, the amount of alcohol will steadily decrease due to the low boiling point, respectively, there will be more water, and the whole mixture will begin to boil faster. Then we will come close to the third stage, which should be avoided altogether - at temperatures above 85 ° C, an intensive release of fusel oils begins - extremely undesirable substances in moonshine that worsen its quality in terms of taste and safety for the body.

You can find out that the moonshine is ready with the help of a piece of paper - you need to moisten it and set it on fire. If it burns with a blue flame, continue the distillation. If it stops flashing, then you can end the process.

If you did everything right - from choosing the initial raw materials to observing the temperature regime during distillation, then the moonshine is ready.

And what to do with ready-made moonshine is up to you. You can use it in its pure form - this drink is popularly called "little white". You can insist it in barrels, in which case you will have the opportunity to distill your own cognac, rum and even whiskey. And you can start the rectification process, in which you can get pure alcohol. True, this requires more complex and expensive equipment.

Distilling moonshine is an exciting and creative activity. But at the same time, it is important to take a responsible approach to its use. Remember that excessive addiction to alcohol leads to sad consequences.

At what temperature to drive moonshine at home and from what is it better to distill it? The distilled material can be absolutely anything - jam, honey, fruits, grains and berries, even potatoes. The initial wort that you choose as the starting material for the distillation of moonshine will determine the taste. Also, a good end product depends on the exposure time and temperature conditions. You can get completely different alcoholic drinks, which will differ not only in color and taste, but also in degrees. And if you need to sublimate an alcohol-containing liquid, then we must also talk about the quality of the final alcohol, and, as practice shows, it can be different. You can, of course, take fermented jam and throw a handful of yeast into it, but there are simply wonderful products that can give an amazing effect when distilled.

In the south of Russia, chacha is popular - a drink whose cultural roots come from Georgia. Nothing compares to what is made from the pomace of grapes that you crushed with your own hands. And if you manage to find mulberry somewhere and somehow manage to grind it - either with a mortar, or again by hand, then the effect will be unimaginable. Fantastic feijoa chacha comes out, it is very easy to drink, has a delicious ethereal range and extraordinary flavor characteristics. It will be an interesting experience if you add to the recipe:

• quince;
• pear.

Armenians, for example, are distilled from mulberries and figs, which certainly adds value to the final product. Thus, the distillation process is a creative thing, limited only by your imagination.

Distillation process and required temperature

In order to get crystal clear moonshine without harmful impurities and unpleasant odors, it is not enough to purchase a high-quality moonshine still. Things like the right order of operations and maintaining the optimum temperature are very important here. These are the most important stages of home brewing. You can experiment, but without observing the distillation technology, even the best initial wort (mash) will turn out to be bad moonshine.

So, consider the procedure that is necessary for the high-quality distillation of alcohol.

First of all, to start the extraction of moonshine, you need to prepare the mash. There are countless recipes for making mash. It all depends on the taste that you want to get at the end. And the recipe itself depends on what you decide from. The main thing to remember is that if you decide to use natural remedies that can ferment on their own - candied jam, honey, apples - then yeast is not needed. If you decide to go the traditional way with the use of sugar and yeast, then you must carefully observe the necessary proportions and recipes.

The choice of water is extremely important - it is not recommended to use tap liquid: neither the hydro-alkaline balance, nor its hardness, nor the presence of minerals and chemicals in it, which can adversely affect the fermentation process, is known. In no case do not boil the water - you will remove all the oxygen from it, which is so necessary for fermentation.

Tip: buy any clean, preferably spring or artesian water, as well as water from wells.

Fortunately, there are now a huge number of suppliers and you can always choose a water option for any budget in the nearest store.

The easiest mash recipe

We will need:

1. 1 kg of sugar;
2. 5 liters of water (temperature not more than 40 ° C),
3. pressed yeast 100 g or dry - 20 g

You can increase the amount of the desired product, the main thing is to keep the proportions.

Cooking process

First you need to dissolve the sugar in the water: if you do not do this, then it will settle to the bottom, not dissolve and will not stimulate the fermentation process.

In another container, mix water, yeast and 2 tbsp. l. sugar, put in a warm place for 2 hours, stirring the sourdough from time to time.

When the yeast comes to life, you should mix all the ingredients in a container in which the entire fermentation process will take place.

It is advisable to take a glass jar, since glass is the most neutral material in terms of properties.

IMPORTANT! An experienced electrician leaked the secret to the network how to pay half as much for electricity.

After combining all the ingredients, put an ordinary medical glove on the jar, after piercing the tips of her fingers with a needle.

What to do next?

You need to choose a suitable warm and dark place. The distillation temperature of moonshine should be in the range between 20-35 °C.

It is important to constantly monitor the fermentation process - when overheated, there is a possibility of loss of useful substances.

After 3-10 days, the mash will be ready for further distillation into moonshine. It is very simple to determine the readiness of the mash - by the glove: if it is still inflated, then the fermentation process is underway, if it is blown away, the mash is ready.

After receiving the finished mash, we proceed to its distillation.

The distillation process is based on the difference in the boiling points of alcohol, water and fusel oils. The boiling point of water is 100°C, but alcohol boils at 78.3°C. Accordingly, the boiling point of a mixture of alcohol and water will be the average of this range, it all depends on the ratio of the components. To distill high-quality moonshine, the heating process must be carried out in stages, and it is important to follow this.

The first step is heating the mash to the boiling point of light impurities, namely 65-68 ° C. Temperature control must be done using a thermometer, but if this device is not available, you can determine it yourself: a slight smell of alcohol will appear, condensation can be detected on the walls of the refrigerator, and the first drops of moonshine will appear from the exit point. At this stage, the heating process is not limited by anything, since what we have received at this moment is the so-called pervach - the most poisonous and unsuitable product for consumption.

But do not rush to throw it away, as pervach is a great alternative to acetone, and it can be used, for example, as a kitchen degreaser.

The transition from the first stage to the second is the most important, since after the pervac is drained, an intensive release of light impurities begins. From this point on, it is necessary to heat the mixture as smoothly as possible until the second critical moment of 78 ° C, which corresponds to the boiling point of alcohol. Skillful balancing of the heating rate in a relatively small temperature range between 78-83 °C is required throughout the distillation time. Otherwise, either the ejection of the mash will occur, or the connecting tubes will become clogged with cake.

It is important to understand that as the temperature rises, the amount of alcohol will steadily decrease due to the low boiling point, respectively, there will be more water, and the whole mixture will begin to boil faster. Then we will come close to the third stage, which should be avoided altogether - at temperatures above 85 ° C, an intensive release of fusel oils begins - extremely undesirable substances in moonshine that worsen its quality in terms of taste and safety for the body.

You can find out that the moonshine is ready with the help of a piece of paper - you need to moisten it and set it on fire. If it burns with a blue flame, continue the distillation. If it stops flashing, then you can end the process.

If you did everything right - from choosing the initial raw materials to observing the temperature regime during distillation, then the moonshine is ready.

And what to do with ready-made moonshine is up to you. You can use it in its pure form - this drink is popularly called "little white". You can insist it in barrels, in which case you will have the opportunity to distill your own cognac, rum and even whiskey. And you can start the rectification process, in which you can get pure alcohol. True, this requires more complex and expensive equipment.

Distilling moonshine is an exciting and creative activity. But at the same time, it is important to take a responsible approach to its use. Remember that excessive addiction to alcohol leads to sad consequences.

Instructions on how to clean moonshine from harmful impurities as much as possible, that is, to make fractional distillation - to separate the "heads", "body" or "heart" and "tails".

The body is the same drinking fraction, the purer you take it, the higher the quality of the final product

Heads - the lightest non-potable fraction (boiling point of acetone from 50 degrees Celsius), you can not drink it (consists mainly of acetones, methanols, ethyl acetates)

Tails - in the common people "sivukha", also not a tasty and smelly fraction, we try to prevent it from getting into our final product. In some cases, moonshiners deliberately allow tails to enter the body, this is done to increase the aromatic properties. But in order to do this, you need to understand all the processes in more depth.

How to select these fractions in practice?

Phlegm is a product of selection at a distillation unit or distiller. In moonshine - alcohol-containing liquid.

1. We put the device on the stove (it is best to use (if the device is suitable) or gas), turn on the heating at maximum power. from the outlet of the refrigerator we send it to the receiving container.

2. When the temperature on the tank reaches 75 degrees Celsius, turn on the flow of cooling water. We check that water flows through the cooling jackets of refrigerators and is freely discharged into the sewer.

IMPORTANT: The supply of coolant to any refrigerator must be carried out according to the scheme from the bottom up to avoid the effect of airing!

3. We follow the thermometer for an increase in temperature in the cube. Braga boils at a temperature of about 85 C, water-alcohol solutions - at 78-90 C, depending on their alcohol content. When the temperature approaches the boiling point, the heat must be reduced to collect the head fractions.

Distillate - here: a water-alcohol mixture, a distillation product of mash or other alcohol-containing liquid in a distillation (moonshine) apparatus. Can be distillate 1st, 2nd, etc. distillation.

4. After reflux begins to drip into the receiving container (preferably with a narrow neck to reduce the evaporation of high-alcohol reflux), the input heating power and the flow of cooling water through the refrigerator must be adjusted. It is necessary to achieve that the head fraction comes out at a low speed, approximately 1 drop per second.

5. We select the head fraction in an amount corresponding to approximately 10% of absolute alcohol from its total amount in a cube.

Absolute alcohol = 100% alcohol in reflux. (Important! It is not necessary to select the head fraction during the first distillation!)

EXAMPLE: 15 liters of mash with an alcohol content of 10% are poured into a cube, i.e. the total amount of absolute alcohol is 1.5 liters. Calculation 1500 ml / 100 X 10 = 150 ml. Although absolute alcohol cannot be achieved at home, the calculation of the selection of the head fraction is made from it. Therefore, it is important to use high-precision measuring equipment, we advise.

6. We change the receiving container and begin the selection of the middle fraction of the distillate (“body”). The power of the heater can be increased, and the flow of water through the refrigerator can be selected based on the power of the refrigerator itself, the phlegm should come out cold. The refrigerator itself should not choke, i.e. the liquid in it should not boil.

We carry out periodic measurement of the strength of the distillate using a hydrometer.

13. Next, we select the “body” according to paragraph 6. For devices with an intermediate cleaning system “dry steamer”, we keep the temperature on the thermometer at the upper point of steam evaporation during sampling in the range close to 90-96 C and monitor the strength of the selection. Below 50% selection should be stopped. Toward the end of body sampling, slowly reduce the heating power, the temperature may return to normal, in which case the sampling can still be continued. But the rate of selection will also decrease.

14. We complete the work with the selection of the body according to paragraph 8. If you have an apparatus with a dry steamer, then it is not advisable to take the body of the second distillation below 50% alcohol content in phlegm. If you have an apparatus with pre-cooling, a strengthening column, then the alcohol content of phlegm in this case will be higher than on an apparatus with a dry steamer, here you need to navigate by the lower thermometer thermometer, 96-97 degrees - this is a signal to stop. If the apparatus with pre-cooling or a strengthening column does not have a lower thermometer, then we look at the upper thermometer, it should not be more than 90-95 degrees!

Total: We received three fractions - "heads", "body", "tails".

16. DRINK READY!

OBSERVE THE TECHNOLOGY AND YOU WILL UNDERSTAND WHAT THE REAL QUALITY IS!

One of the most important main stages of home brewing is the stage of distillation of mash. At this stage, it is important to follow all the rules in order to get pure moonshine without harmful impurities and unpleasant odors. The most important condition is to maintain the desired, optimal temperature.

Braga is a mixture of alcohol and water. Distillation occurs due to the temperature difference between water, alcohol and fusel oils. The boiling point of water is 100°C and that of alcohol is about 78°C. Hence the conclusion that the boiling point of the mash is between 78 and 100 °C. The higher the concentration of alcohol in the mixture, the lower the boiling point and the more likely it is to get a high-quality distillate.

During the selection of the main fraction, it is necessary to maintain a temperature of 78-83 °C.

You need a thermometer to control the temperature. It is best to use a liquid thermometer built into the evaporator.

To get high-quality good moonshine, heating must be done in stages. There are also key distillation points to pay attention to.

1. Selection of volatile fractions. Evaporation of harmful volatile fractions, such as methyl alcohol, acetic aldehyde, formic ethyl ether, occurs when the mash is heated to 65-68 ° C. At this stage, there is an alcohol smell and drops of condensed liquid. The moonshine obtained as a result of this stage is popularly called "pervach". This liquid is poisonous and unfit for consumption. This first fraction is collected in a separate container and subsequently used for technical needs. Braga is heated at maximum heat until the temperature reaches 63 ° C. After that, the fire is reduced. This moment is very important and should never be missed. Otherwise, the mash may get into various parts of the moonshine still. The quality, taste and color of the drink will noticeably deteriorate in this case.

2. Basic distillation process. At this stage, it is necessary to change the steamer (if any), substitute a container where moonshine will be collected, and gradually bring the liquid to 78 ° C - the temperature at which distillation begins. After some time, the release of the main product will begin. We must not forget that the concentration of alcohol in the liquid will decrease, which will lead to an increase in the boiling point and deterioration of the distillation conditions. At this stage, the ideal temperature is 78-83 °C. When the liquid reaches a temperature of 85 ° C, the fusel oils begin to evaporate, which makes the moonshine cloudy and degrades its quality. In the absence of a thermometer, the main process is stopped in the following cases: - a piece of paper that is dipped in moonshine does not burn with a blue flame; -output drops to 0; - the strength of the drink is below 40 degrees

3. Selection of the last fraction. At temperatures above 85 ° C, the distillate is already collected in a separate container. This faction, like the first, is called "heads". Sometimes it is added to the main product to increase its strength. Here, too, fusel oils stand out.

There is another method of obtaining moonshine - freezing. It is based on the difference between the freezing temperatures of water and alcohol. This method is laborious and inefficient compared to traditional distillation.

In home distilling, all stages of making homemade alcohol are extremely important. But it is the distillation of moonshine that requires the maximum attention of the manufacturer, practically, uninterrupted observation. At home, getting a quality product is not easy, and for this it is worth arming yourself with theoretical knowledge and at least simple control devices - a thermometer with a scale of up to 100 ° C and an alcohol meter. It's also a good idea to have a hydrometer in your arsenal - a sugar meter.

Preparatory stage before distillation

Before you send the mash to the distillation apparatus, you need to determine whether it has really completely fermented. To do this, a hydrometer is immersed in it: the sugar readings should not be higher than 1.002, optimally - 0.99. If sugar is more than 1%, you need to send the mass for fermentation, pouring yeast into it. Otherwise, the output will not be maximum. If everything is in order, we clarify the product (we are waiting for the sediment to settle), drain and filter.

Now it's time to pour the mash into the distillation cube. We fill no more than 2/3 of the available volume so that there is no excess pressure and ejection of the wash mass into the tube through which alcohol vapors will be discharged.

It is advisable to equip the moonshine still to be used with a contact thermometer. In this case, the distillation of moonshine will be fully controlled. In addition, it is necessary to provide for the possibility of regulating the temperature of the refrigerator. Then the first stage will give the maximum yield and the least amount of harmful impurities.

A bit of theory

It's time to learn how to properly distill mash. During the heating of the mash, the evaporation of various substances that it contains, including alcohol, occurs. All of them have different boiling t and, accordingly, they are not “connected” to the evaporation process at the same time. It is on this principle that distillation is based, and that is why the distillation temperature of moonshine must be controlled.

Water evaporates at t +100°C, alcohol at normal pressure at t +78.4°C. Many harmful substances that are present in mash have a boiling point slightly above + 100 ° C. So by overheating the cube, we can “enrich” moonshine with fusel oil and other impurities, and if water starts to evaporate, then the strength of the product at the output will drop sharply. Because P distillation of moonshine should be carried out under certain temperature conditions: from + 78.4 ° С to + 98.5 ° С.

We control the temperature

Let's figure out how to overtake moonshine so that the yield is maximum and the amount of impurities is minimal. So, let's break the process into temperature phases:

1. Now you can significantly reduce the heat, so that the temperature rises by 1 degree per minute. We bring the beer masses to t + 90 ° - + 93 ° C - it is at this moment that the distillation of moonshine should begin. That is, alcohol will begin to evaporate in the cube, the gaseous substance will pass through the tube to the refrigerator, where it condenses and begins to drip into the tank.

1. Our moonshine will drip into the tank at a certain speed. It is necessary to adjust the heating temperature so that the output is approximately 120-150 drops per 1 minute.

1. We carefully control our first stage, monitor the temperature of the mash and moonshine at the exit. If the latter has an outlet temperature of more than +30°C, it is necessary to increase the cooling of the refrigerator.

1. Now we align all the indicators (t boiling mash, t moonshine at the exit) so that the droplet fall rate is maximum. We make sure that t in the cube gradually (very slowly) rises to +98.5 ° С.

1. If all the requirements for how to properly distill moonshine have been met, then at the moment when the temperature in the cube reaches + 98.7 ° C, the process can be stopped - no more than 1% alcohol remains in the mash. The approximate residue in the distillation boiler should be about 2/3 of the original.

This is not a complete instruction for the first distillation, you still need to figure out which fractions can and cannot be used.

moonshine fractions

At different heating temperatures, a different “bouquet” of substances evaporates from the mash. The very first, even before the alcohol begins to pass into a gaseous state, vapors of compounds such as acetaldehyde, formic ethyl and acetic methyl ethers, a number of aldehydes and even deadly methyl alcohol will enter the outlet tube.

Similar processes will occur at the end of the distillation of moonshine: substances with high boiling points will warm up and begin to flow into the tank along with alcohol. To reduce the concentration of poisons, it is customary to divide production into three phases:

1. Faction "body". As soon as you "cut off the heads", it is advisable to change the tube, the refrigerator, and at a minimum - the tank and the steamer. During this phase of distillation, the strength of the resulting alcohol must be constantly monitored. As soon as it falls just below 40 °, you can change the tank - we have already received everything of value.

Important: control portions of moonshine must be taken separately from the common tank. Otherwise, not the exact temperature of a small batch will be obtained, but the average for the entire distillation

1. Now the "tails" are selected. Here the fortress will be less, and the content of fusel oil and other impurities will be higher. The distillation of moonshine should be stopped as soon as the temperature reaches +98.7 ° C.

Fractions "body" and "tails" are subject to purification and re-distillation. They are not mixed as the "body" is a minimally contaminated product.

That's not all!

Now that you know how to do the first distillation correctly, you can get an exceptionally pure drink at home, and not in the laboratory. True, the product that you currently have will have to go through several more stages of processing, and ideally also re-distillation.

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News of counterfeit alcohol poisoning makes us think about the need to take over the production of these drinks in our own hands. If you know how to make moonshine correctly at home, you can forever forget about store-bought vodka of uncertain origin. Fortunately, modern legislation quite allows you to engage in distillation for your own needs.

At what temperature to drive moonshine?

The boiling point of ethanol is widely known - about 78.5 degrees. However, the raw materials used in home distillation also contain a large amount of impurities and ordinary water.

Therefore, the thermal conditions in the still are dependent on the ethanol content:

Temperature

The principle of using this table is simple. Let's say the approximate strength of the mash is 10.2%. Then, upon reaching 93 ° C, it is necessary to reduce the intensity of heating, otherwise the liquid will begin to splash into the distiller.

Failure to comply with the conditions leads not only to a deterioration in the quality of the product, but sometimes to an explosion.

The above table is only valid if the atmospheric pressure is correct. With significant deviations from 760 mm Hg. need to make adjustments: down at elevated pressure, and vice versa.

Choosing a thermometer

You can’t do without a high-quality device for measuring temperature in moonshine. It allows:

1. Calculate with a high degree of accuracy the start time of distillation. Knowing the time of water supply, you can significantly reduce its consumption;
2. Determine the strength of the mash at the very beginning of the process;
3. Find out the strength of moonshine at the outlet of the distiller. Then there is no need to measure the density of the liquid using hydrometer;
4. Observe the chronological accuracy of the distillation process: start the selection of "tails" and the product itself in time;
5. Determine the alcohol content of the residue.

For home conditions, the following types of thermometers are used:

• Electronic. They are distinguished by high accuracy, a wide range of measurements and a fairly affordable price (about 500 rubles);
• Bimetallic. Outwardly, it is a circular dial with an arrow, sealed in a metal case. Twice as expensive as electronic analogues, but much more reliable;
• Alcoholic. The main advantage is the low price (150-200 rubles).

At what temperature is moonshine driven with a steamer?

To remove heavy fractions released during the distillation process, a sump or is used. As a rule, such a container is made by hand from an ordinary glass bottle of large volume (3-5 liters).

Expensive distillation apparatuses have metal sedimentation tanks on board, which are distinguished by a long service life and reliability (glass tends to crack under high thermal loads).

The device greatly facilitates the life of moonshiners, but requires special handling:

• Bringing the mash to a boil is excluded: otherwise, part of it will be erupted into a steamer;
• It is necessary to monitor the tightness of connecting the pipes to the sump. If they are not fitted tightly, there will be a pungent smell of fusel oils in the room, and the quality of the final product will noticeably drop;
• After removing the first volatile fractions dryer to be removed. He fulfilled his role and now it is necessary to substitute a container under the tube to collect the finished alcohol.

The presence or absence of a sukhoparnik does not affect the temperature conditions for the production of alcohol. As with conventional distillation, they are 78-85 °C.

In this video, technologist Arthur Donchenko will show how you can make high-quality moonshine without special devices, using only a boiler, a plastic bucket and plastic wrap:

Home brew

Prepare alcohol must at home will not be difficult:

1. You will need a large amount of sugar (more than 5 kilograms). Each kilogram will yield approximately a liter of moonshine;
2. Store-bought sugar crystals contain microorganisms that are undesirable in the production of alcohol. To remove them, it is necessary to boil sugar together with citric acid in three liters of water for an hour;
3. In a large container (more than 20 liters), you need to mix sugar-lemon syrup with ordinary cold water. The vessel must be filled no more than 75% (to prevent the formation of foam);
4. It is not allowed to use boiled water, since it does not contain O 2, without which the liquid will not ferment;
5. Add half a kilo of pressed yeast. They can be thrown into a can in raw form, but for a greater effect, it is necessary to soften them in sugar water for 7 minutes;
6. Fermentation usually lasts a week (at room temperature);
7. After the process is completed, it is necessary to remove the sediment and heat the finished mash to 50 ° C - this will kill the remains of the mushrooms.

How to drive moonshine from mash?

Main stages of distillation of alcoholic wort look like this:

1. First, the substance is heated over high heat until the thermometer shows a value of 62 ° C. Then the gas is slightly reduced and the liquid is gradually brought to a level of 66-67 ° C;
2. Upon reaching this temperature barrier, the separation of volatile substances occurs. At this stage, the raw material is deprived of a number of toxic components: wood alcohol, methylformaldehyde, ethyl formate, acetic acid methyl ester, etc. The successful completion of this process makes it clear the specific smell of alcohol and the appearance of the first drops of moonshine;
3. After the release of toxic fractions (called “heads” among moonshiners), the distillation conditions are adjusted to 78 ° C. Now the main part of moonshine is being developed. Its intensity will begin to fall upon reaching 84 ° C;
4. If the process is continued, the output will be an opaque liquid that gives off an unpleasant odor. Therefore, the remains of the mash are left until the next time: "tails" help to increase the strength of alcohol .

Post-Processing

The liquid obtained directly after distillation will not satisfy the needs of even the undemanding alcoholic public of the deep Russian hinterland. But it takes very little to significantly improve the taste drink:

• The most common way is to add a small amount of filtered ( not boiled!) water;
• Sugar moonshine is highly valued by alcoholics throughout Mother Russia, but has a large amount of harmful impurities in the output. Get rid of them will help homemade filtermade on the basis of activated carbon;
• To adjust the taste, add sugar, glucose, fructose, honey (only fresh, in liquid form) or glycerin. When using the latter, care must be taken: it is easy to overdo it and make moonshine cloying;
• Sometimes it is required not to sweeten - but, on the contrary, to oxidize the liquid. For this purpose, ascorbic or citric acid is used in the proportion of 1 gram per liter;
• After adding all the ingredients, the bottle is put to "reach" in the refrigerator for three days.

Each moonshiner has his own idea of ​​​​how to drive moonshine correctly at home. But the general set of principles remains unchanged: quality ingredients and inventory, adherence to the thermal regime and mandatory post-processing. You will not be ashamed to pamper yourself and your friends with the resulting product.

Experienced mentors always share secrets on how to properly make moonshine at home. It is worth listening to experienced distillers to avoid common mistakes and get the optimal strength with the highest quality product.

The essence of the popular drink for adults

Recently, not only the poor segments of the population began to drive moonshine at home for the sake of economy, but also the middle class, wanting to join in obtaining noble drinks, home-made tinctures, liqueurs or liqueurs. At the same time, the distillation culture rises, the quality of the finished product and taste come to the fore, and not only obtaining high degrees.

Moonshine today is mainstream. Attracts everything - stylish devices, rich recipes, a variety of drinks based on distillate

Moonshine is called an alcoholic drink of handicraft production, in which the mass fraction of ethyl alcohol is more than 30%.

The principle of such home production is the distillation of alcohol-containing raw materials. The primary composition is obtained during the fermentation of saccharified or sugar-containing substances. The right recipe and adherence to technology lead to the desired result.

Traditional distillation consists of several basic steps:

• mash production (takes several days);
• distillation process (raw ethyl alcohol concentration);
• the use of one of the cleaning methods (removal of foreign odors);
• aromatization (optional).

One of the most important stages of obtaining moonshine at home is the production of wort. In its composition, chemicals are formed in a few days, one of which is alcohol 10-17% of the total volume. For this, an aqueous sugar solution with yeast is collected. When the latter interact with sugar, a chemical reaction of decomposition of dissolved white crystals into simpler components occurs:

• carbon dioxide (is released gradually during the infusion of the wort and exits through the water seal);
• ethyl alcohol (required to be isolated in the form of condensate using the installation);
• side compounds (remain in solution and may partially enter the finished product).

After all the reactions have taken place in the base in a couple of weeks, you can drive the distillate from this raw material. To do this, you will need the appropriate equipment - a distillation apparatus. The composition is slowly heated to vaporization, and then the vapors condense. A significant part of the water remains in the main tank, and the condensed and cooled vapors drip into the prepared tank.

Since it will not be possible to quickly drive moonshine out of the mash with the apparatus, you need to be patient for several hours. A high-quality device is equipped with a thermometer and a pressure gauge to regulate heating and control the current situation. At the end of the process, almost no alcohol remains in the initial mixture. Such a residue is called a bard.

It is not always possible to completely get rid of foreign impurities at the preliminary stages. Therefore, harmful components are removed by additional cleaning operations.

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Braga preparation

Since you need to drive moonshine at home from mash, we prepare it by the simplest and most popular method. Usually they start with small portions, for example, the calculation is carried out for 5 liters of a finished quality product. You will need the following set:

• dry yeast - 120 g, they can be replaced with a compressed analogue in the amount of 0.6 kg;
• regular sugar - 6 kg;
• drinking clean water - 18 l;
• citric acid powder - 25 g.

This composition is designed to obtain a forty-degree drink. We drive based on the proportions at which 1 kg of sugar is taken per 1.2 liters of raw alcohol, as well as 3 liters of water and 20 g of dry yeast or 0.1 kg of pressed yeast.

We accelerate fermentation by dissolving the sweetness in part of the selected water. It is advisable to do this through the manufacture of a thick syrup. It is prepared in 75-80°C heated water (3 liters of liquid for 6 kg of sweetness). Cook until dissolved and thickened for 10-12 minutes. It is necessary to mix with the rest of the components after cooling to 27-30 ° C.

Knead wet yeast until a small fraction is formed. After that, we send the gruel to the sweetened water in the prepared container, which is selected to fill 3/4.

You can use different types of yeast:

• wild;
• alcohol;
• confectionery, etc.

They are selected by experience. Dry ones must first be prepared by insisting them for about half an hour in a glass until a foam cap forms. You can feed them lightly with sugar.

Alcohol strains, as the name implies, are optimally suited - they develop with a mash strength above 15 °, the foam cap is minimal, and the finished drink has a pleasant organoleptic.

Silent or violent fermentation

To expel moonshine in the home walls, we prepare mash in containers with water seals. Such devices minimize the penetration of oxygen to the product and remove excess carbon dioxide - a by-product. The optimum temperature in the room is 24-28°C. Keeping the temperature balance will help wrap the fermentation tank.

The easiest way to maintain the desired temperature is with an aquarium heater. It is set to the desired interval and immersed in the wort.

Please note that the process lasts for 10-12 days (sometimes 7-8 days). During this interval, it is recommended to shake the container daily for a couple of minutes without removing the shutter.

You can understand that it is time to distill moonshine by the following signs:

• bitterness is felt in the taste of mash;
• gas stopped coming out of the shutter;
• most of the solid particles precipitated;
• there is no hiss.

Experienced experts also test readiness with a burning match. When it is brought to the surface of the solution, the flame does not go out.

We remove the finished composition from the sediment. Clarification of the workpiece and degassing helps to give moonshine better quality. The first operation requires white clay (bentonite). A gruel is prepared from it and, at the rate of 3 tablespoons per 20 liters, is mixed with the composition. The wait lasts for days. For degassing, the mash is slightly heated for a short time to 40-45 ° C.

Fractional distillation process

At this stage, it is important not to overheat the prepared raw materials, collecting ethyl alcohol concentrate. Since water in its composition belongs to a heavier fraction with an increased vaporization temperature, ethanol vapors are formed first of all. The first drops will appear from 66-68°C, and the main process will go in the range of 78-80°C.

Exceeding the temperature of more than 80 ° C will lead to the penetration of condensed water vapor into the finished product, which will reduce the quality of moonshine.

The whole procedure consists in dividing the outgoing liquid into three conditional varieties:

• head;
• body;
• tails.

The primary liquid is separated in a ratio of approximately 50 ml per 1 kg of sugar. It contains not ethyl alcohol, but poisonous methyl alcohol, which should absolutely not be used by a person, as it will lead not only to poisoning or blindness, but also to death. Selection is carried out in both the first and second phases.

Young distillers are interested in what degree to drive moonshine for the first time, because the “tails” still need to be separated. The final fraction is separated when the degrees fall below 40. In such a mass, large concentrations of fusel oils will already be present, spoiling the organoleptic characteristics. Selected tailings can be sent for distillation with a second portion in order to squeeze pure alcohol out of them as much as possible.

Second distillation

Two questions cause fierce disputes between moonshiners - whether a dry steamer is needed and whether the distillate should be distilled a second time. The answer to both is yes. And a steamer is needed to additionally beat off fusel oils and other impurities due to the temperature difference (it is located between the cube and the refrigerator). And the second time it is necessary to distill in order to obtain the most purified product.

Should the distillate be purified between distillations? We do not recommend, as there is no practical benefit, and time is wasted. The crude alcohol obtained after the first distillation is diluted to 20 ° and sent to the distillation cube. The heads are separated - 40 ml for each kg of sugar - and the heads when the strength drops below 40 °. At the output, we get a distillate, which remains only to be purified and then used either in its pure form or for making tinctures.

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Cleaning stage

Often, charcoal is used for cleaning. It absorbs (absorbs) negative fractions and harmful impurities. 3-4 layers of gauze are laid out at the bottom of the funnel and densely crushed pieces of coal are poured. This is a primitive coal column through which distillate is passed twice. You can use potassium permanganate cleaning. Several crystals are lowered into a bottle and insisted for a couple of days. Then filtered with cotton wool.

Cleaning with a carbon column is a prerequisite for a quality product

With equal success, they clean with milk - milk protein literally attracts all fractions, after which it precipitates in large flakes. After the precipitate thickens, the liquid is carefully removed from it and passed through the column.

VIDEO: Homemade distillate on inverted sugar

Most people have an idea of ​​​​how to overtake mash into moonshine. At least theoretical. But not everyone is familiar with the intricacies of the process. This often leads to poor product quality or low output, and in the worst case, the event can end up in a hospital. It’s better to study what the distillation of mash into moonshine is like step by step.

Before you start, you should do two things:

• choose the right moonshine;
• Familiarize yourself with safety precautions and how to overtake correctly.

And only after that you can start distilling the mash.

Wash distillation

Now most people prefer to buy a ready-made device, and not "bother" with manufacturing. When choosing a purchased device, you should pay attention to the fact that the metal from which it is made is of sufficient thickness, namely at least 1.5 mm along the walls and 2-3 mm at the bottom. In addition, to make the device easier to clean, you should choose it with a wide filler neck. For those who love a flavored drink, a device with a collapsible steamer is well suited. For beginners, a device with a built-in thermometer will be the best.

Safety engineering has stood the test of time and absorbed the experience of many people:

• Mandatory before distillation. Any large particles can get into the steam pipes and lead to an increase in pressure inside the machine. In turn, this can provoke its explosion.
• If you are heating the brew for distillation on a gas burner, it is very important that the receiving container is as far away from an open flame as possible, since alcohol is a flammable substance.
• Check the device for leaks: put on the hose and blow into it. After you release the hose, air can escape from a leaky joint. Alcohol vapors can subsequently flow from it.
• Use gloves, preferably heat resistant.
• Do not open the cube until it has cooled.
• Although many of these rules are known and obvious, they are not only worth remembering, but also writing down and hanging in a conspicuous place, since your safety depends on their implementation.

After the safety precautions have been studied, and the device is ready for use, one more thing needs to be done -. How to do it right?

• Moonshiners with experience easily determine it to taste. But for this you need to have some experience. Braga should taste unsweetened, if this is not the case, then not all sugar has yet been processed into alcohol. In this case, the distillation can still be done, but the yield will be small. Add more yeast and continue fermenting.
• With a special hydrometer device, the readiness of the mash can be checked in a more accurate way. The readings of the finished mash should not exceed 1.002. If they are higher, then you need to add a little water and yeast and send it to a warm place for fermentation.

After the mash is ready, you can make the first stage.

1. Braga is poured into a distillation cube and closed with a lid. It is very important to tighten the screws tightly for sealing. The moonshine still is installed on the stove and the heating is turned on at full power. A container is placed under the exit from the coil, where the heads will be collected. It is desirable that its volume be about three liters. It is also necessary to connect a refrigerator to the coil and fill it with water. If the cooling process is under the influence of running water, which is correct, connect to the water supply.
2. We monitor the temperature in the tank with a thermometer. When it reaches approximately 65–67 degrees, the first drops begin to drip from the coil. At this time, we reduce the heating power so that the temperature rises rather slowly - no more than two degrees per minute.
3. With further heating, the number of drops begins to increase, and the heads come out. Heads are substances that also contain alcohols, but in small quantities. Their composition includes methyl alcohol, acetone, volatile ethers and other substances harmful to the body. It is necessary to separate the heads slowly, no more than a drop per second, so as not to miss the moment when the body goes. In addition, with rapid evaporation, some of the harmful compounds may remain in the cube, and the product will be spoiled. Often experienced moonshiners do this by eye. The fact is that the first fraction has a persistent smell of acetone. If you do not have so much experience, then know that the general rule is 50 ml of the product per kg of sugar, and this is usually enough.
4. Incorrectly chosen heads can cause severe headaches the next morning. In the process of cutting off heads, the temperature rises further to approximately 80-82 degrees. In this range, raw alcohol, or the body, is already beginning to come out. It is not necessary to pour out the heads, they are a fairly strong alcohol that can be used for technical needs.
5. At the end of the selection of heads, it is necessary to increase the heating power, the product should no longer come out in drops, but in a thin stream. At this time, ethyl alcohol evaporates. The temperature of the finished moonshine that comes out of the coil should be about 19-20 degrees, which is regulated using a refrigerator. This temperature gives the smallest error in measuring the percentage of alcohol.
6. The temperature in the cube continues to rise, but at the same time it should not be higher than 100 degrees, this must be monitored. At this stage, the product is already taken into a small container for constant monitoring of the alcohol content using a hydrometer. It is best to use a glass flask for sampling. When the alcohol content in the outgoing product reaches 40%, the selection of the body is completed. With further distillation, tails will come out, less strong alcohols with a high content of fusel oils. Tailings are selected up to 20% alcohol. Some use them for re-distillation, although many do not advise doing this.
7. After the end of the process, they wait for the apparatus to cool down and dispose of the remaining mash. The distillation cube and the coil are washed.

The resulting product of the distilled mash is called raw alcohol. As a rule, its purity is still not enough, so the run is done again. Not all experienced moonshiners do this, some do the first run quickly, often without fractionation, and the heads and tails are taken off during the second run.

Second distillation

How to overtake mash for moonshine during the second distillation? When re-distilled, the product is more pure, with a high alcohol content. Before pouring raw alcohol into the moonshine, do not forget to dilute it to 20% alcohol content to avoid concentrated vapors. Then everything is done as in the first distillation, except that it is considered sufficient to select 30 ml per kilogram of sugar. You should also not forget that the cube must be filled no more than 2/3 of the volume.

Another difference from the first distillation is that in this case it is recommended to finish the selection of the product at 50% alcohol concentration, since there is a possibility that the tails may also end up in moonshine with a concentration of 40–50%.

After the second stage, we get the finished product with an alcohol content of about 70%. We dilute it to the desired concentration with clean drinking water. In order for it not to become cloudy, it is recommended to pour alcohol into water, and not vice versa.

How to determine that the mash distillation process can be completed?

• The easiest way is to taste the finished product. If alcohol is still felt in it, then we continue, if not, we finish.
• Another easy way is to wet a napkin and set it on fire. If it ignites quickly, continue the distillation process. If it doesn't light up, we're done. There is a similar way to determine the beginning of the head fraction when the product is poured into a spoon and an attempt is made to set it on fire. If it lights up, then you can take away the body further.
• If there is a thermometer in the distillation cube, the selection of heads is stopped at a temperature of 96 degrees, or 40% alcohol.

Filtration

Sometimes, before the second time, the distilled mash is filtered to get it of higher purity and quality. This is done as follows:

• 20 g of refined oil is added per liter of liquid and closed with a lid. The mixture is infused for 12 hours, after which it is drained from under the oil film using a flexible tube. It is also recommended to pass it through a cotton or gauze filter.
• Another way is to put coal on the filter, preferably stone birch or coconut. If this is not available, you can use the usual pharmacy. Next, filter the alcohol through a watering can. Some advise lowering the coal into a container with alcohol, but this is not recommended, as it can become sour there and it will be difficult to get it.

If fruits were used to obtain moonshine, then it is recommended to do another distillation instead of filtration, since otherwise it may lose some of its taste.

The use of heads and tails

After making moonshine, it is undesirable to throw away heads and tails, since they have a significant alcohol content, and therefore can be used for other needs.

• The heads are used as technical alcohol. They can be used as a solvent, stain remover, window cleaner.
• Tails are great for making infusions, but only for external use.
• Sometimes tails are added to the next batch of mash, but experienced moonshiners warn that this can affect the quality of the product.

Often, in order to purify the product, substances such as milk, egg white, rye bread and others are used. Many believe that this really helps, but this fact remains unproven, so it is recommended to rerun the product to achieve higher quality. In order for the re-distillation to make sense, it is important to carefully select the heads and tails each time, then the quality of the moonshine will be at its best without any additional purifications.

Perhaps, in order to answer all the available questions, this will not be enough, especially for those who have never done this before. To replenish your knowledge and do the job as well as possible, you must also communicate with experienced moonshiners. However, keep in mind that not all of their advice is applicable to your case. Real mastery can be achieved only after a while and thanks to the accumulated experience.

Alcohol rises in price every year, and, thank God, there are no fewer festive events in life. Therefore, today for many it becomes a more profitable and attractive business. Homemade strong drinks, subject to all cooking technologies, are distinguished by quality, purity and a variety of tastes. To master the distillation process, you can start with the classics and (we recommend choosing a brand device). Reliable ones from their owners will always be able to help in choosing the right model.

And now the apparatus is bought, the mash is ripening, and with it the question is brewing: how to drive? Let's talk about the distillation temperature of moonshine on an apparatus with a steamer.

The essence of the distillation process lies in the fact that different liquids boil at different temperatures. Thus, during the distillation of mash, the mixture of liquids is conditionally divided into three fractions: “heads”, “body” and “tails” of moonshine. “Heads” are represented mainly by ethers, aldehydes, acetone, and methanol. “Body” is our target ethyl alcohol (ethanol). In other words, the “body” is what everything is started for. Well, the “tail” fraction is the so-called “fusel oils”. Strictly speaking, these are not oils at all, but a mixture of many substances, mostly polyhydric alcohols, with an oily appearance.

The physics of the distillation process will be approximately the same for any model of the apparatus at the same atmospheric pressure (we will take 760 mm Hg as the norm). The temperature regime for the distillation of moonshine with or without a steamer will be focused on the following values:

• Heads begin to boil in the temperature range of 65-68°C;
• ethyl alcohol (body) boils at 78°C;
• "tails" boil when the temperature rises to 83-85°C;
• water - at 100°C.

Thus, when selecting the "body" it is necessary to maintain a temperature range of 78-83°C. It is best to focus on the reading of the thermometer at the top of the alembic, since it indicates the temperature of the vapors, and this value more accurately reflects the state of affairs.

Let's go through in order, indicating the temperatures of distillation of mash into moonshine on an apparatus with a dry steamer at each stage:

1. Warming up the mash at maximum heat up to 60-63°C. Then the heating decreases sharply and a smooth exit to the selection of “heads” (65-68 ° C) is carried out. If this fails to be done smoothly, then the mash may be released into the system, however, we have a dry steamer to prevent splashing and entry of mash particles into the refrigerator.
2. Selection of "heads". Temperature range 65-78°C. The selection is carried out by “heads” in ml or by smell: as soon as the unpleasant smell has been replaced by a clear alcohol, the selection of the “body” begins.
3. The selection of the body is carried out in the range from 78 to 83-85°C.
4. Upon reaching a temperature of 85°C, the yield of alcohol becomes negligible, and “heavy” fractions, fusel oils, begin to evaporate. At this temperature point, the collection of “body” stops and the selection of “tails” begins (of course, if you need tails at all).

As for the temperature of the secondary distillation of moonshine with a steamer, here the temperature values ​​\u200b\u200bremain the same. If a second distillation is planned, then the first (mash distillation) can be carried out without fraction separation at maximum heat, and the second (raw alcohol distillation) can already be carried out with a clear temperature control and division into fractions.