Causes of souring mash and methods for solving this problem. How much mash should roam and how to influence the process? What to add for better fermentation

Novice moonshiners face one problem: they spoil the alcohol-containing mass. Moreover, it disappears because the acidity of the mash changes. But what is this index anyway?

Consider it, as well as the factors on which it depends, and actions to save the wort. Knowing how to proceed, you will be able to prepare high-quality alcohol and protect the drink at the stage of infusion.

This is the pH level of the alcohol-containing mass, that is, a measure of the activity of hydrogen ions in it. Simply put, this is the degree of concentration of acid in the raw material. And this indicator can increase or decrease depending on internal or external indicators (we will consider below which ones).

From chemistry it is known: if the pH level is below 6.0, the medium is considered acidic, if it is above 8.0, it is alkaline. But what about the indicators for wort?

The optimum acidity of marriages before distillation is from 3.5 to 4.2 pH. If it is less than the specified level, the yeast will slow down its activity or even “fall asleep”, if more, lactic and acetic bacteria are activated, which spoil the raw materials.

Understand that in the process of infusion, acidity has changed, possible by the following signs:

• fermentation slowed down significantly or stopped completely, and quickly or even suddenly;
• the alcohol-containing mass began to smell unpleasant - sharply, with a noticeable aroma of vinegar;
• the mash became sour in taste (although it was bitter) - so much so that it reduces the cheekbones.

As soon as one of these signs appears, it's time to sound the alarm and try to save the raw material. Although, ideally, of course, one should not lead to such situations, and for this it is necessary to understand when risks arise and develop.

What does acidity depend on?

The key negative factors that can increase or decrease the pH level of an alcohol-containing mass are as follows:

• Excess oxygen, which in the vast majority of cases is formed due to too frequent opening of the container for infusion and mixing of the wort. Consequences: oxidation, death of yeast, the appearance of acetic bacteria, a decrease in the concentration of ethanol along with a simultaneous increase in acidity.
• A sharp change in the temperature regime of infusion. It is simply unacceptable to keep a container with “playing” raw materials in a drafty room or in close proximity to a heater or battery. A rapid and significant warming will lead to the death of the yeast, and a cold snap will lead to hibernation of the strain, the cessation of carbon dioxide production, and a drop in pH below the optimal level.
• Activation of lactic acid bacteria falling into the tank as a result of insufficiently good disinfection of either the walls of the tank itself or the instruments that come into contact with the mass. These microorganisms begin to take food from the yeast, produce vinegar and thus increase the acidity.
• Missing or defective water seal. This device (an alternative to it is a stretched medical glove with several punctures) does not allow oxygen to enter the fermentation tank, and also removes carbon dioxide, that is, it ensures the normal course of the “game” process.

Important! The listed reasons are typical for any alcohol-containing mass, even if you have it on tomato paste or another equally original ingredient. Failure to comply with the infusion technology inevitably entails a change in the pH level.

What to do if the mash is sour

Naturally, you need to try to save her, not to pour out a couple of tens of liters of raw materials. Although a lot depends on when exactly you noticed the disappearance and to what stage it has reached. The souring process can take from 4-5 days to 2-3 weeks. Therefore, it is important to periodically check the wort (not allowing it to freely contact with air), smell and taste.

Finally and irrevocably, the mass will deteriorate when the concentration of vinegar in it reaches 7-10%. By this point, its aroma and taste will become pronouncedly sharp and unpleasant, and then it really has to be poured. But you will notice something is wrong in time if you regularly use a pH meter or at least litmus paper.

Well, let's say that you didn't keep track, and your mash turned a little sour - let's consider what to do in such a situation. It's simple: you need to make a compensation, that is, add a neutralizing agent to the container. There are two options - alkali or sugar, and each of the components is able to effectively normalize the pH level, and therefore deserves detailed consideration.

We reduce the acidity of mash with baking soda

The convenience of the method is that one of the most accessible and even cheap alkalis is used. The method is extremely simple to implement - all you need to do is:

• add (attention, before distillation!) baking soda to the "played" wort - in a proportion of 20 mg / l;
• overtake, carefully draining the heads and finishing taking the body as soon as the strength of the jet drops to 45 degrees;
• dilute to 25% and repeat the previous step 2 more times.

At the output, after such a triple distillation, there will be relatively little finished product, but still more than nothing. But when soda is added, even a little “sneaky”, in which the sourness is felt immediately and quite strongly, can be effectively used. Plus, the distillate will be quite strong (closer to 70 degrees), so it can be generously diluted.

We restore the acidity of the mash with sugar

This method is applicable when the fermentation process has stopped. It is also extremely simple to implement it - you just need:

• pour sugar into the alcohol-containing mass at the rate of 2 tbsp. l. /1 l;
• wait a couple of hours and check the wort for yeast activation;
• if fermentation has not resumed, add raw rice to the container in the proportion of 0.5 cups / 10 l;
• wait 3-4 days - during this time the pH level of future alcohol should normalize.

A full-fledged alternative would be berry, fruit or even grain sourdough. It is especially good if you have it infused or made from jam. Take it in the same proportions as sugar, and in case of successful recovery, do not change the organoleptic properties of the distillate in any way.

How to fix sour moonshine

Rarely, but it happens that the raw materials are almost normal in taste and aroma, and it is impossible to drink the finished product from it, it reduces the cheekbones so much. Why does this happen, where does such a powerful acid taste come from? There are only two possible reasons:

• During the distillation, the “tails” were taken too long, until the jet ceased to be strong (“to the water” in jargon). As a result, the product turned out to be supersaturated with organic acids.
• The alembic is made from material that has come into contact with the raw material during the heating process. Physico-chemical reactions lead to the formation of undesirable compounds that change the organoleptic properties of alcohol.

Important! To avoid such problems, you just need not to be greedy during distillation and finish taking the “body” on time, as well as use a high-quality apparatus made of stainless steel, copper, glass and other materials that are inert to alcohol.

If the mash has stood still, is it possible to drive moonshine out of it? Theoretically, yes, but if the concentration of vinegar in it is above 10%, from a practical point of view, such an exercise is pointless, since the finished product will turn out to be tasteless, and you can’t fix it. When you want to make really good alcohol, do not use raw materials that smell strongly, because the unpleasant aroma will not disappear.

But only slightly sour moonshine can still be corrected - with the help of alkali. We have already considered the option with soda, therefore, to broaden our horizons, let's turn our attention to another - with the addition of chalk.

The acidity compensation method is reduced to the following actions:

• send the moonshine for re-distillation and finish selecting the “body” immediately when the jet is weakened to 45 degrees;
• dilute the resulting distillate to a strength of 20 ° and pour chalk into it - in a proportion of 25 mg / l;
• mix, carefully and carefully, seal tightly, let it brew for 3-4 hours;
• perform another distillation (in total, already the third). At the same time, you select the heads with particular captiousness, in the amount of 15% of the total volume of the product, and start draining the “tails” as soon as the output strength becomes weaker than 45 degrees;
• dilute it again, already to the state of consumption, close it hermetically and let it stand for another 3-4 days - so that the taste stabilizes.

Prevention is indispensable

It is important not only to know why moonshine turns out sour, but also to prevent risks. For this purpose, it is necessary to install a water seal on the neck of the container for infusion or, in extreme cases, put on a glove.

It is also necessary to maintain a constant temperature in the room in which the reservoir with the “playing” mass is located, at around 25-28 ° C. And, finally, it is worth distilling immediately after the fermentation process is completed. Don't delay, this will help reduce the chance of raw materials coming into contact with oxygen.

Maintain technology, pay attention to prevention, correct acidity changes in a timely manner, and cereal or fruit mash will fully reveal its original properties in moonshine. Just remember that even the cleanest and smoothest drink is still strong alcohol, and do not get carried away with excessive consumption.

Beginning moonshiners often face the problem of souring mash. Among colleagues in the "workshop" there are whole legends about how to prevent this and even about how to "revive" the product. I would like to dispel the myths and give some useful tips:

How to determine that the mash is sour?

1. Sour taste and smell. But you need to take into account the slight sour taste is always there. Its severity depends on the raw materials used for the preparation of alcoholic beverages. There is usually more acid in corn brew. Less sugar.

2. Stop fermentation. The main criterion is the absence of carbon dioxide emission.

Why is vinegar used instead of alcohol?

1. Contact of raw materials with oxygen or lack of a water seal. If, while stirring the mash, you suddenly forgot to put a water seal, then at best the fermentation will slow down, and most likely the mash will turn sour. As such, you can use a simple medical glove pierced with a needle. It is not recommended to tightly close the composition with a lid. Since forcing pressure is fraught with a small explosion. Once upon a time, at the beginning of my practice, tightly closed, the mineral water eggplant became very swollen due to the accumulation of carbon dioxide. When I tried to open the lid, I heard a loud pop of gas, felt a strong push (rather even a blow) of the lid in the hand, and almost all the liquid poured out of the 5-liter container under pressure like a fountain.

2. Infection with lactic acid bacteria. Possible when using contaminated water or insufficiently clean dishes.

3. It's cold in the room. At temperatures below 24°C, fermentation often stops, yeast dies, and sourness begins.

Is it possible to stop the "work" of acetic bacteria and start fermentation again?

In my practice, I came across “valuable” tips that supposedly allow you to start fermentation again. Some of them even tried. Didn't notice any benefit. And it couldn't be. For from vinegar alcohol will not work. In any case, such methods are unknown to modern science, just as ways to make a raw egg from a boiled egg are unknown.

To improve the quality of the final product, and free the mash from acidic impurities, and they are always present in small quantities, you can use tetracycline antibiotics, as well as penicillin and nisin. In industrial production, mash protection products are necessarily used. You should not be afraid of the presence of antibiotics in the distillate. This is completely out of the question.

It is not necessary to pour sour mash into the toilet. Usually, acid fermentation does not begin on day 1, but somewhat later, when the intensity of alcohol decreases. The carbon dioxide barrier that prevents the liquid from contacting oxygen almost disappears, and the acetic bacteria begin to do their dirty work. The output is vinegar or alcohol mixed with vinegar. In the latter case, distillation is possible, but the quality of the distillate will be low.

If, as a result of fermentation, pure vinegar is obtained, i.e. the fortress does not taste at all, it should not be poured out either. Such a composition can be used for its intended purpose, for example, for marinating meat.

Moonshine is a creative process that requires time and quality resources. Simple (we recommend choosing a device with a distillation column of the brand or with a dry steamer of the brand) - this is half the battle, it is important to properly prepare the mash so that there is something to distill on this device. And there is nothing worse than wasted effort and ruined raw materials. You can understand that the mash has turned sour almost immediately: usually even a day is enough for signs of souring to appear. There may be several reasons for this, but the main one is the access of oxygen to the surface of the mash. That is why tightness and a properly installed water seal are important.

Determining sour mash is quite simple:

• the most striking sign is the pungent smell of vinegar. Even in small concentrations, it is felt quite clearly;
• the taste of mash is very sour, it can even reduce cheekbones;
• suddenly stopped fermentation may also indicate souring;
• the absence of a water seal or its incorrect installation will also most likely lead to the fact that the mash will turn sour.

Attention! The light sourness of the mash is a variant of the norm, since various organic acids are released during the fermentation process. Plus, the raw material itself may contain acids (especially acidic fruits and berries). Do not panic if the above signs of souring are absent, and a slight sourness is present.

And if there are several of the above signs and a white coating (film) appears on the surface of the mash, then it is completely infected with bacteria. It would be better to just pour such a mash.

But what to do after they found out that the mash turned sour? Everything will depend on the degree of souring: if you managed to “catch” this process at the initial stage, then the mash must be clarified and distilled into raw alcohol, after which the strength and content of “absolute alcohol” should be determined, the raw alcohol should be diluted to a strength of 20 degrees, and baking soda at the rate of 25 grams for each liter of "absolute alcohol". Leave for 2-4 hours under the lid, then overtake again.

If you are planning, then make sure that all materials used (except copper) are inert to alcohol and will not oxidize at high temperatures: this will also lead to acidification of the final product and an unpleasant "metallic" taste and smell.

It will be easier to pour out the sour mash of medium degree, since there is already little alcohol in it (bacteria have processed alcohol into acetic acid), and it will be much more difficult to get rid of the sour taste and smell.

Sour moonshine is a problem that novice distillers often face, who make mash using the peasant method - without a water seal. If you take action in time, you can try to save the drink using improvised means. Separately, we will consider the causes and measures to prevent souring of the mash.

During fermentation, the yeast produces organic acids, so do not panic ahead of time - there should be a slight sourness in the mash (the intensity depends on the raw materials). The main thing is to prevent acetic souring, which is easy to recognize by the characteristic features indicated below. In turn, the finished moonshine should not be sour, this indicates a violation of the technology.

Signs of sour mash:

• missing or incorrectly installed water seal;
• sudden cessation of fermentation;
• sharp, "beating in the nose", vinegar smell;
• burning sour taste, sometimes even reduces the cheekbones.

Why sour mash. It's all about acetic bacteria, which, when air enters the wash and a temperature of 6-45 ° C, begin to process the resulting alcohol into acid and water. At the beginning of fermentation, carbon dioxide pushes oxygen out of the tank, preventing souring. But when the rate of fermentation drops, there is not enough carbon dioxide, resulting in free oxygen contact with the surface. That is why the mash without a water seal turns sour only at the end or after the cessation of fermentation.

Depending on the raw material and temperature, complete souring takes from 3-4 days to several weeks. When the fortress falls below 0.2%, acetic bacteria fall into suspended animation. But even a slight souring (less than 24 hours) is enough for the distillate to have a sour taste, which will have to be eliminated, and not always successfully.

Prevention of sour moonshine. After laying the ingredients and yeast, it is enough to install a water seal of any design on the fermentation tank, for example, a medical glove with a hole in the finger (pierce with a needle).

Then be sure to check the tightness - blow in through the outlet pipe, with proper installation, the gas should not leave the tank.

The water seal releases carbon dioxide, releasing excess pressure, but prevents oxygen from entering the tank. Thanks to this, the mash does not sour even a couple of weeks after the complete stop of fermentation.

Two more rare reasons for the appearance of a sour taste in moonshine are the selection of distillate during distillation almost to water (minimum strength in the stream) and the wrong choice of moonshine still materials.

In the first case, a lot of organic acids released during the fermentation process get into the moonshine, which have a high boiling point (more typical for grain or fruit mash). In the second, the material is in contact with alcohol, as a result of these chemical reactions, various acids can appear.

Prevention - do not be greedy, finishing the distillation on time, and choose moonshine stills (including containers and connecting tubes) from materials inert to alcohol: copper, stainless steel, glass, etc.

How to fix sour moonshine

The effectiveness of the proposed method depends on the degree of souring of the mash. If there is too much acetic acid (a pungent smell, a burning taste and strength are not felt), it is easier to pour out the mash, since the yield of moonshine will be minimal - the bacteria have processed almost all the alcohol into acid and water. In other cases, you can try to improve the taste, but you will definitely need to re-distill.

Acid quenching technology:

1. Overtake the wash for the first time, finish the selection when the strength in the jet drops below 45%. Measure the total strength of moonshine, determine the amount of pure alcohol. For example, 2 liters of 55% contains 1.1 liters of pure alcohol (2 * 0.55 = 1.1).

2. Dilute the distillate with water up to 20%.

3. Add baking soda or chalk to the moonshine at the rate of 25 grams of the substance per 1 liter of pure alcohol.

3. Stir. Close hermetically. Leave for at least 3-4 hours.

4. Overtake again. During distillation, collect the first 15% of the yield from the amount of pure alcohol separately, pour it out or use it for technical needs. Stop product selection when yield drops below 45%.

5. Dilute moonshine with water to the desired strength, seal tightly and leave for 3 days to stabilize the taste.

It happens that moonshine becomes sour. This is the problem most often faced by beginners in home brewing, who do not take timely measures to prevent oxygen from entering the homebrew. But, as it turns out, there are other reasons why it might be.

Can mash, in general, be sour? If you check the taste of mash obtained from any grain under normal conditions, you will notice that there is a bitter aftertaste with the aroma of the raw material and never gives off sour. This means that the souring of the mash is still a phenomenon that should not occur under normal conditions. What to do to prevent this from happening?

Why does the mash turn sour?

Quality products should be chosen as raw materials. In addition, observe their ratio and perform the processes described in the recipe as accurately as possible.

What could be the reasons for the souring of the mash?

In addition to the fermentation of alcohol, other processes and reactions occur in the mash, which may not be related to moonshine. Bacteria and microorganisms live in raw materials, on dishes or in the air. All of them are involved in reactions under certain conditions. Such reactions can cause souring, odor, cessation of fermentation.

The main reasons why the mash turns sour:

• Excess oxygen. Fermentation is anaerobic, which means that the yeast does not need oxygen to convert sugar into alcohol. If you do not install a water seal or constantly remove it, for example, for mixing, the amount of oxygen increases. Although it does not prevent fermentation, it contributes to the start of another process - the synthesis of acetic acid. As a result of this, the mash acquires a sour taste, and the concentration of ethyl alcohol is significantly reduced.
• Another cause may be lactic acid bacteria. When infected with them, fermentation will stop and the mash will deteriorate. It is useless to reanimate such a product, you just have to pour it out.
• Another reason may be a violation of the temperature regime. To avoid souring of the mash, it is necessary to maintain a stable temperature in the room. For fermentation, it should be 25-28 degrees.
• The reason, as already mentioned, may be the lack of a water seal. A water seal is necessary for the release of carbon dioxide, it also prevents the access of oxygen. An alternative to it can be a glove with a hole in one finger. In some recipes, a water seal is not installed on purpose, and you need to carefully monitor the level of acidity.

Separately, it must be said about infection with bacteria and fungi. Often, instead of the usual, wild yeast is used, or they get into the wort from natural raw materials. The products of the vital activity of such yeast are compounds of alcohols. But not all types of microorganisms are suitable for this. In some cases, the mash may be infected with other pathogenic fungi, and it will not be possible to obtain a quality product. The concentration of harmful impurities in the mash will be too high, so much so that there will be no point in distilling it into moonshine.

Some other bacteria can form dimethyl sulfide if ingested. In this case, a sign of infection is the smell of corn. It also happens that the smell of rotten eggs comes from the mash. In this case, a lot of hydrogen sulfide was formed. At the same time, acidity, oddly enough, can be within acceptable limits. But also not recommended, because moonshine will have the same aftertaste.

Thus, sour mash can be not only of poor quality and give a small output, but also dangerous. Therefore, it is necessary to know the signs that the mash is sour. This is usually indicated by the following:

• improperly installed water seal, for example, with warping;
• sudden cessation of fermentation;
• sharp vinegar smell;
• burning sour taste.

Prevention is the correct selection of ingredients, the installation of a water seal of any design, the tightness of the fermentation tank and its neutrality. In addition, you can protect the mash with some drugs, for example, antibiotics:

• In winemaking and home brewing, tetracycline antibiotics are used to prevent the mash from souring. For the preparation of wine, for example, most often it can be Doxycycline. It is freely available, inexpensive, stable in an acidic environment, does not affect the taste of wine and moonshine.
• Another safe food supplement is nisin. It is used in the production of food and beverages. It dissolves well in liquids, works normally in an acidic environment, and is inexpensive. At the same time, it is quite difficult to get it, and some types of bacteria are immune to it.
• Antibiotics of the penicillin group are also often used in the preparation of moonshine. Among them, the most widely used is Amoxicillin. This is a very effective antibiotic, but it has a significant drawback - its components often cause allergic reactions. Therefore, it can only be used for mash, which will undergo distillation, since it completely decomposes during heat treatment.

Antibiotics are most often used in combination, because bacteria have the ability to develop resistance to any particular species. Therefore, most often they require several. They are introduced before yeast is added, and if acid appears, the procedure is repeated after 3-5 days.

How to fix sour moonshine?

One way is to add soda and chalk. The effectiveness of this method depends on how much acetic acid appeared in the wash. If it has only a pungent odor, while the taste of alcohol is not felt at all, then the easiest way is to simply pour out the mash, because the yield of moonshine will be low. If alcohol is still present in the mash, you can try to save it. The technology looks like this:

• First we distill the mash, we finish the selection at a fortress below 45%.
• We measure the total strength and determine the amount of alcohol.
• We dilute to 20% and add soda and chalk, at the rate of 25 g of the substance per liter of pure alcohol.
• Mix and seal tightly. We leave for 3-4 hours.
• Then we distill again, collect 15% separately and pour it out. We finish the selection when the strength is below 45%. At the end, we dilute the moonshine to the desired strength and leave it for 3 days until stabilization.

There is another way to save sour mash. When fermentation stops, add sugar in the amount of 2 tablespoons per liter of substance. After 2-3 hours, signs of fermentation appear. In addition, you can add sourdough from fruits, berries or grains. If fermentation has not started, you can pour rice at the rate of 0.5 cups per 10 liters of wort. After two days, the taste becomes normal.

How to cook mash so that it does not turn sour?

To begin with, when cooking, do not forget that the grain does not contain sugar. It contains starch, which is a polysaccharide, therefore, in order for sugar to ferment into alcohol, it must be prepared - broken down.

For this, enzymes or malt are used. Malt contains natural enzymes. For cooking, its grain is germinated. If you are not confident in your abilities, then it is better to use ready-made malt or artificial enzymes. Because if the cooking technology is violated, the product may be damaged.

Wild yeast does not require preparation, but it may not be enough if the grain is handled incorrectly. For beginners, it is recommended to use artificial yeast. But they need preparation. To do this, dissolve a little sugar in warm water, then add the right amount of yeast in the correct proportion. The yeast solution is infused for about an hour and a half. After the appearance of abundant foam, they are transferred to Braga.

When setting the mash for fermentation, it is necessary to remember the complete tightness and compliance with the temperature regime. It is also very important not to stir the mash, especially to speed up the process, as this can lead to souring. Depending on the feedstock, fermentation takes up to 2 weeks, after which distillation is carried out.

Sour mash is considered an emergency situation. This is not the norm. When souring the mash, you must try to save it or just pour it out, but you should not drink, as well as distill in this form, although the very presence of acetic acid is not harmful. If the mash has become sour due to other bacteria, that is, an infection has occurred, it is not recommended to use it further. Even under the condition that the mash was saved, it is still not worth drinking it, just distill it.