Moonshine distillation process. The process and rules for distilling moonshine from mash

Maintaining the optimal distillation temperature produces crystal clear moonshine without odor or harmful impurities. This is one of the most important stages of moonshine brewing, without knowing the basics of which you cannot count on a good result. Without following distillation technology, even the best mash will turn out to be bad moonshine.

Theoretical aspects

Boiling point and volatility of impurities

The most common misconception among novice moonshiners is that impurities evaporate in proportion to their boiling point. In fact, this is fundamentally not the case: the volatility of impurities, that is, their ability to leave a boiling liquid, is in no way related to the boiling temperatures of these impurities.

Consider the classic example of methanol and isoamylol. Let the cube be filled with raw materials of the following composition (see table).

Let’s bring the mixture to a boil (the temperature in the cube is about 92 °C) and take a small amount of distillate so that the composition of the boiling raw material remains virtually unchanged. What will be the composition of the selected distillate? For water and ethyl alcohol, the change in concentrations can be easily found using the equilibrium curve or tables: the alcohol concentration will increase from 12 to 59%.

Equilibrium curve of water and ethyl alcohol

To determine the change in the concentration of impurities, we will use the graph of rectification coefficients (strength as a percentage of volume - on the upper horizontal axis).

With a raw material strength of 12%, the rectification coefficient (Cr) of methyl alcohol is 0.67, and Cr of isoamylol is 2.1. This means that the methanol content in the selection will decrease, and isoamylol will double. The result is.

The second table proves the independence of the evaporation rate of impurities from their boiling point. Methanol with a boiling point of 65 °C leaves the cube more slowly than isoamylol with a boiling point of 132 degrees.

This happens because the concentration of these impurities is low. If the amount of methanol and isoamylol were comparable to alcohol and water, these substances would declare their right to evaporate in quantities corresponding to the difference in their boiling points, and would become full components of the solution.

The evaporation of impurities in a concentration of less than 2% depends entirely on the strength with which their single molecules are retained by the aqueous-alcohol solution (the predominant substances in the composition). This can be compared to how dad and mom don’t ask their child how fast to run to the bus - they hold hands and gallop.

Same with impurities. When one small methanol molecule in a solution is surrounded by a crowd of water molecules, they easily hold it close to them. Since methanol is a smaller molecule than ethanol, it is much easier for water to retain. But isoamylol, on the contrary, is poorly soluble in water, having very weak bonds with it. When boiling, isoamylol leaves the water faster than methanol, although its boiling point is 2 times higher.

Sorel devoted many of his works to the study of the evaporation or volatility coefficients of various substances and their solutions. He compiled tables and graphs from which you can find out how much the content of substances in vapor changes in relation to the original solution. However, for the purposes of distillation, it is inconvenient to use graphs and tables, so Barbet proposed a new calculation coefficient, called the rectification coefficient (R), to obtain which, at a given strength of the solution, it is necessary to divide the evaporation coefficient of the impurity by the evaporation coefficient of ethyl alcohol.

The rectification coefficient is also a purification coefficient, since it shows the actual change in the content of impurities in relation to ethyl alcohol:

• Kr=1 – impurities cannot be gotten rid of, they will be present in the same quantity in the distillate;
• Kp>1 – there will be more impurities in the selection than in the feedstock, these are the main fractions;
• Kr<1 – в полученном в результате перегонки дистилляте количество примесей будет меньше, чем в исходном сырье, произойдет очистка, это хвостовые фракции.

If impurities at high alcohol concentrations have Kp<1, а при низких Кр>1 – these are intermediate impurities. These are the absolute majority. There are also terminal impurities, which, on the contrary, have Kp>1 at high alcohol concentrations, and at low concentrations - Kp<1.

In fact, there are not so many absolutely head or tail impurities; more often distillers deal with intermediate ones. However, if we talk about the distillation of mash, then its strength changes during the process from 12% and below. At such alcohol concentrations, almost all impurities are head impurities, regardless of their boiling point: isoamylol - 132 °C, acetaldehyde - 20 °C, etc.

There are very few impurities that exhibit tail properties when distilling mash: methanol with a boiling point of 65 degrees and furfural - 162 °C. As we can see, here too the boiling temperature does not affect anything.

Main theoretical conclusion. Impurities do not line up to leave the cube in accordance with their boiling points, but evaporate as part of the alcohol vapor in quantities that depend only on their initial concentration and rectification coefficient.

Heating power and boiling point of the solution

The heating power only affects the amount of steam produced and does not in any way change the boiling point of the contents of the cube. In turn, the boiling point of the solution depends on the concentration of alcohol in the bulk bulk and atmospheric pressure (see table).

The lower the strength, the higher the boiling point of the vat bulk. The more power supplied, the more steam is produced.

Fractional distillation

If, when boiling the mixture on the way to the refrigerator, its vapors do not condense on the lid and walls of the cube, or this value is negligible, then by selecting the shoulder straps sequentially from different jars, we will get different strength and composition of the distillate in them.

This is a simple fractional distillation, which can be controlled only conditionally by changing the proportions of the selected fractions. The method does not provide for any cleaning or strengthening.

If the apparatus is ideally insulated, then regardless of the extraction speed and heating power, the output will be a distillate of the same composition and strength.

Partial condensation

If on the way from the cube to the refrigerator a noticeable part of the steam condenses, this is partial condensation.

The walls of the cube, the lid and the steam pipe continuously lose heat. These heat losses do not depend on the amount of heating or extraction, but only on the temperature difference between the bottom contents (liquid and steam) and the surrounding air.

The consequence of this process, useful for distillation, is the partial condensation of steam, when its least volatile components enter the phlegm, which then flow back into the still.

The same part of the vapor that reaches the refrigerator contains more volatile components than were in the original vapor. This makes it possible to create conditions for a more concentrated selection of “heads” and strengthen selection.

The ratio of the weight of the reflux to the weight of the selected alcohol is called the reflux number. The higher the reflux ratio, the greater the strengthening and enrichment with volatile components of the selection.

It is also important to note that the phlegm flowing into the cube warms up, causing additional condensation of steam, but does not have time to boil.

Heat and mass transfer

If the phlegm flows into the cube for so long that the steam manages to warm it to the boiling point, another process occurs - heat and mass transfer, in which molecules of difficultly volatile substances condense from the steam, and highly volatile substances evaporate from the phlegm. An equal number of molecules always evaporate and condense. This process is the basis of rectification technology.

How to distill moonshine using a regular machine

Having become familiar with some theoretical issues, we can proceed to the issue of controlling the distillation process.

Apparatuses for classical distillation are built according to the cube-refrigerator scheme. The addition of a steam trap makes it easier to select the “body” at high speeds, as it prevents splash entrainment. The cube and steam pipes are not insulated, and as we will find out later, this is no coincidence. Distillers may be different (see photo).

Fundamentally, these devices differ only in the degree of partial condensation. With a small proportion of it, the device is only suitable for distilling mash; with a large partial condensation, it is suitable for the production of noble distillates.

Distillation of mash

Braga needs to be driven quickly. The main task is to separate all evaporable components from non-evaporable ones. No power reduction is required at the beginning or end of heating. When distilling mash for the first time on an alambique, it is advisable to cover its dome with a rag.

Regular sugar mash can be selected “dry” (minimum strength in the stream). In the case of fruit mash that is planned to be aged in barrels, it is advisable to drive it to an average strength of 25%. If the process is completed early, acids and heavy alcohols will be lost, which form new esters in the barrel.

Second distillation

Bulk strength. The optimal strength of the still liquid for the second distillation is 25-30%. At this concentration of alcohol, fusel is strengthened quite well and is excreted as part of the head fraction. An acceptable small proportion of alcohol will end up in the “tails”, but when selecting the “body” it will not be possible to keep the fusel in the cube or a reflux ratio of more than 3 will be required, which will seriously delay the distillation process, and not every apparatus can operate in this mode.

A lower initial strength of the bulk will allow the fusel milk during the selection of the “heads” to come out with a concentration more than twice as high as the vat, but the selection of the “body” will begin when the strength of the bulk is too low, as a result, almost half of the alcohol will end up in the “tails” that need to be started select when the strength of the liquid in the cube is 5-10%.

If you increase the strength of the vat bulk to 35-40% or more, then the strengthening of the fusel at low reflux ratios will not occur. There will be as much fusel in the “heads” as in the still residue, and with drip selection (increasing reflux ratios), the fusel will generally remain in the still.

The selection of the “body” will take place with less loss of alcohol into the “tails”, but all the fusel remaining in the cube will end up in the “body”. Due to the fact that the volume of alcohol in the selection will decrease, the concentration of fusel milk will be even greater than in bulk.

Selection of "heads". Let's consider what happens when selecting “heads” on a classic moonshine still. For example, a vat of 25-30% strength boiled, and the distiller reduced the heating power to 600 W. In this case, the heat loss of the vapor zone is 300 W (we will neglect the heat loss in the liquid zone for simplicity of calculations). As a result, exactly half of the steam formed in the cube will condense. The amount of selection will be equal to the amount of reflux, which means the reflux number is equal to one. An increase in heating power will lead to a decrease in the reflux ratio and, conversely, a further decrease in power will increase it.

When organizing a drop-by-drop selection of “heads”, the system reaches the maximum reflux ratio, which strengthens and enriches the selection with highly volatile impurities.

During distillation, the bulk has a low strength, and almost all impurities are head impurities. Therefore, the selection of “heads” is extremely important; it is necessary to create conditions for its successful implementation:

• always leave a sufficiently large vapor zone in the cube, and do not chase the volume of the bulk;
• Do not insulate the cube with the lid and the steam pipe of the distiller.

Getting the "body". The rate of selection of the “body” during the second fractional distillation should be moderate so as not to reduce the reflux ratio to a minimum.

Most classic household devices do not have sufficient partial condensation capabilities, so they can achieve acceptable cleaning of the “body” in only two ways: removing impurities with “heads” or cutting them off with “tails”.

When to collect the tails. The widespread belief that the moment to switch to the selection of “tails” comes when the strength in the stream is 40% is well founded.

Intermediate impurities increase their rectification coefficient to values ​​exceeding unity and become an easily volatile component of steam, which means they no longer pass into reflux, but continue on their way to selection. Mainly water and typically tail impurities are condensed. Partial condensation stops purifying alcohol vapor from fusel, but on the contrary, it enriches it.

At the time of selection of the “tails” the still temperature is about 96 °C, which corresponds to a still strength of about 5%. “Tails” can be taken up to 98-99 degrees in the cube, it is not necessary to get completely dry, too many impurities and water will appear.

Distillation on mash and distillation columns

Working with mash and distillation columns is fundamentally different from the process of classical distillation, since it becomes possible, using a reflux condenser, to regulate the amount of reflux returned to the column within a very wide range. The processes are based on heat and mass transfer. In order to increase the efficiency of the process, a packing is poured into the column, which significantly increases the area of ​​interaction between steam and reflux.

The process of partial condensation, in which wild reflux is formed, becomes an undesirable phenomenon that worsens the accuracy of regulation of the reflux ratio and separation into fractions along the height of the column. Therefore, they try to minimize partial condensation by insulating the cube and column.

The behavior of impurities during rectification is subject to their rectification coefficients, but the technology has its own peculiarities, the main one of which is the repeated evaporation and condensation of steam on the way from the cube to the refrigerator.

Each such re-evaporation occurs in a certain area along the height of the column, called a theoretical plate. In the first 20-30 cm of the packed part of the column, due to repeated re-evaporation, the steam is strengthened to a value above 90%. In this case, the impurities flying out of the cube as part of the steam, when passing through each subsequent theoretical plate, will change their Kp in accordance with the strength of the phlegm or steam in which they are located.

Therefore, fusel oils, which have a Kp greater than one at the entrance to the column, as they move up the column, acquire a Kp less than one, and are evaporated in smaller quantities, and at a certain stage stop completely. The accumulation of fusel oils occurs in that part of the column where their Kp = 1. Above, fusel oil is not allowed to flow by alcohol, for which at this strength it is the “tail”, and below fusel oils exhibit head properties, and when evaporated they rise again higher. All intermediate impurities behave approximately this way.

1 - head; 2 - intermediate; 3 - tail; 4 - terminal.

Head impurities, as they move up the column, enter increasingly strengthened steam, as a result of which their Kp increases. This allows head impurities to enter the selection zone with acceleration.

Tail impurities - strictly on the contrary, once in the column, with each new theoretical plate they sharply reduce their Kp and quite quickly, together with the reflux, end up at the bottom of the column, where they accumulate.

Terminal impurities behave similarly: at a low strength of their Kr<1, но с ростом крепости Кр становится больше 1, поэтому они не застревают в колонне, а в зависимости от крепости идут вверх или вниз отбора.

Column control comes down to a simple rule: you cannot select a fraction at a rate exceeding the speed at which it enters the column. Methods for determining the moment when this speed begins to be exceeded are varied. The main thing is to understand as early as possible that the balance is disturbed, and, by reducing the selection rate, restore it.

In the simplest version, control is possible using two thermometers:

• a still, showing the moment of boiling of raw alcohol in the still, the transition to the selection of “tails” and the end of the process;
• thermometer located 20 cm from the bottom of the nozzle. In this zone, all transient processes are completed, the temperature is more or less stable and reflects the processes occurring in the column with maximum advance in relation to the extraction zone. An increase in temperature of even 0.1 degrees indicates that too much alcohol is being sampled - more than what enters the column, so the sampling rate needs to be reduced. If the selection is not reduced, the separation into fractions in the column will worsen, and impurities from the equilibrium position established for them will move higher in the column, closer to the selection.

During rectification, due to forced reflux and precise control of the reflux ratio, the most volatile fractions are obtained at the output, which can be selected sequentially. In addition, competent control of the column allows you to stop the movement of unnecessary impurities into the selection zone, accumulate them in the column for a certain time, or even return them to the cube.

A distillation column is not so much an accurate, but rather a powerful tool for the total purification of alcohol from impurities. It is poorly applicable for the production of noble distillates, since it requires special technologies and methods. The grouping of impurities by volatility and the high concentration of alcohol in the column create azeotropes from them indiscriminately into necessary and unnecessary; it will no longer be possible to separate them.

When obtaining noble distillates, the goal is not to completely purify the alcohol from all impurities, but to balance their concentrations with partial removal of some of the most unnecessary ones. An apparatus with partial condensation is required, in which the distiller separates the distillate into parts, and then assembles a masterpiece from this mosaic.

Despite all the external differences, the control of distillation and rectification is based on the most important properties of impurities - their volatility and the associated rectification coefficients. By controlling the reflux ratio in a very limited (during distillation) or, conversely, very wide (during rectification) range, one can obtain a very different product: from a distillate balanced in terms of impurities to pure alcohol. The main thing is to understand the principles of management and use the appropriate tool in each case.

In creating homemade alcohol, all stages are very important. But it is the distillation of moonshine at home that requires the maximum attention of the creator, almost continuous observation. It’s not easy to get a really high-quality product at home, and this requires first paying attention to what is required to create moonshine, how to get the first brew, and on its basis a high-quality distillate.

What is the transfer procedure and how to prepare for it?

Before proceeding to the practical side of the procedure, you should master a little theory. So, distilling moonshine involves the process of heating the mash, during which the evaporation of various substances contained in it, including alcohol, occurs. All these substances have different boiling points, which is why each of them is “activated” for the evaporation process at different times. It is on this principle that distillation is based, which explains the strict requirement to control the temperature of moonshine distillation.

Water will begin to evaporate when the temperature reaches 100°C, and alcohol at +78.4°C. A considerable number of harmful components of the mash begin to boil when the temperature exceeds 100°C. Thus, when the cube is overheated, you can get moonshine enriched with fusel and other impurities, and if the amount of water is reduced, the strength of the resulting product also drops sharply. Therefore, it is imperative that moonshine is distilled under certain temperature conditions - within the range of 78.4–98.5 ° C.

Before proceeding directly to the process of distilling the mash, you need to make sure whether it has had time to ferment.

At this stage, a hydrometer will help, which should be immersed in the mash. The sugar content should not exceed 1.002, and better - 0.99. If the sugar content is more than 1%, it is better to leave the mass to ferment by adding more yeast. Otherwise, less moonshine will come out, the distillation of which will not give the maximum result. If the indicators are all normal, then the product should be clarified, wait until the sediment settles, drain, then strain.

Now you need to pour the mash into the distillation cube. What pressure should be maintained at this stage? It is necessary to fill up to 2/3 of the available volume so that during distillation there is no excess pressure in the moonshine still and the release of the mash mixture into the tube through which the alcohol vapor will be discharged.

At the same time, it is important to gain access to regulating the temperature of the refrigerator in order to fully obtain moonshine after the first distillation with the least amount of harmful impurities.

Instructions for distilling the first

To carry out the process of primary distillation of moonshine, you will need a distillation cube, which has a steam chamber, a coil for concentrating alcohol vapor, and a thermometer. All these elements must be involved in the process, otherwise esters and aldehydes will get into the distilled product.

When the mash is infused, it should be poured into a distillation cube so that the sediment from the bottom of the container does not rise to the surface. To do this, you will need to apply the law of communicating vessels and a nylon tube. With their help, it will be possible to drain the mash without raising the sediment due to the remaining liquid of about 1 cm.

Afterwards, the distillation process requires heating the cube, and the temperature should be kept at 65–70°C. You will still need to wait until approximately 5% of the total mass of the future product separates. The specific smell of the escaping liquid will help you understand when this happens. In this way, we get rid of aldehydes, ether and methanol, which, in comparison with ethylene, boil under such temperature conditions. The rectification performed will make it possible to obtain 5% of the product, which can only be used for technical purposes.

Now the temperature can be increased to 85°C, which will facilitate the distillation of moonshine itself due to the active evaporation of ethanol. It is worth emphasizing that at this temperature, water and fusel oils, which have a higher boiling point, will not actively evaporate.

If the distillation of moonshine will be repeated or the apparatus has a steam chamber, it is recommended to increase the temperature to 95°C, which will significantly increase the distillation speed. The remaining product is often used for repeated runs by adding them to the mash.

To check what strength moonshine has after distillation, you should use a regular household alcohol meter. Another popular method for these purposes is to set the resulting product on fire. The appearance of an even blue flame will indicate a moonshine strength of more than 40°C.

If the process shows only flashes without combustion, the selection process can be completed by starting to separate the remaining product (the so-called tails). As a result of the first distillation, the product should have a strength of 50–55°C. Is it possible to drink moonshine after the first distillation? It’s not that it’s forbidden to consume it, it’s just that the first one is too strong and not particularly pleasant to the taste, which is why it is recommended to distill the moonshine again at least in order to reach a strength of 40°C.

What does re-distilling a product do?

Double distillation of the product, with proper organization, allows you to obtain moonshine with excellent taste, and you can consume it without the risk of getting a hangover in the morning. Thanks to purification, the fractional method and the dry steamer, it is possible to eliminate fusel oils and aldehydes remaining after the first distillation. Thus, the question why moonshine is distilled twice can be answered as follows:

• allows you to improve the taste of the product;
• improves smell;
• reduces harm to health;
• The secondary distillation product can be used to create various drinks.

In addition, there are situations that require moonshine to be distilled a second time. These include:

• use of mash based on fruits and berries;
• cleaning process using sodium hydroxide, soda and other chemical compounds;
• so as not to get rid of the first product, as it may become cloudy, acquire a pungent odor or not have a pleasant taste at all.

Thus, if you spend a little time and repeat the process of distilling moonshine a second time, you can get a high-quality distillate that you will enjoy drinking yourself and will not be ashamed to treat to guests.

Since secondary distillation is an almost necessary process, you need to know how to do it correctly at home. The technology for cooking the product of both the first and second cycles is based on different boiling point parameters for the chemicals that are included in the composition, and dividing them into fractions to separate them from each other. To distill pervak, you need to use only its central fraction. The so-called body contains significantly fewer impurities that are difficult to remove. It happens that for secondary distillation a third fraction is used - “tails”, but in order to obtain a product that is good in all respects, the “body” is still recommended for these purposes.

Secondary distillation technology

Before you begin re-distilling moonshine, it must first be prepared. Initially, you need to dilute the fractions with water to a suitable strength:

• “body” - up to 20°C;
• “tails” - up to 10°C.

Achieving the required strength will make the process of pre-purification and distillation more efficient. After all, a high degree complicates the process of separating harmful impurities. In this case, heating a strong mixture can lead to its ignition.

Regardless of how many times the product is distilled, you should always use high-quality water for such procedures:

• the best option is spring or melt water;
• from the tap, but if it has settled;
• temperatures within 10–20°C;

Very often, moonshine becomes cloudy if unboiled and unpurified water is used for distillation. You can also avoid cloudiness if you pour moonshine into a container of water, no matter how you dilute the drink.

Before re-distilling moonshine, it is required to thoroughly clean it using food additives and chemical compounds. The best and easiest way to remove impurities is charcoal, and the charcoal that is suitable is not for barbecuing, but made with your own hands.

How to distill moonshine again and what rules should be followed is described below in the form of heating stages. In general, the procedure resembles the primary distillation. So, the procedure involves actions in the following sequence:

1. Initially, the cube with raw materials should be heated to 60°C.
2. After reaching the desired temperature, the heat must be reduced and the cube brought to 85°C.
3. Now you need to drain the “head” - the primary fraction. This is approximately 45–50 ml for every liter of pure alcohol or 5% of a diluted drink.
4. Then it is necessary to reach a temperature of 96°C.
5. We select the middle fraction - the “body”. This fraction ends when the strength of moonshine begins to exceed 40°C.
6. The process should be completed at high temperature, reaching almost 100°C. At the end, “tails” will come out, which can later be cleaned and re-distilled the required number of times to achieve the desired taste.

The distillation speed the second time is no different, only in this case a smaller amount of raw material is used.

Even before the first distillation, the mash needs to be properly prepare. The processes described below have a positive effect on the quality of the final product, so they should not be neglected.

Degassing

When the fermentation process is completed, there remains in the mash some carbon dioxide. During distillation, additional pressure may arise, which will lead to spitting out of the mash along with the distillate. This may cause the drink to become cloudy.

In addition, many harmful compounds from the initial fraction will enter the distillate. Therefore, before distillation you should get rid of carbon dioxide.

If you simply leave the fermentation tank open, the mash may turn sour, because oxygen will get in. This will lead to a deterioration in quality and a decrease in the yield of moonshine.

There are several proven methods of degassing:

• Mechanical. This method involves intensive stirring of the mash for several minutes. The easiest way to do this is with a drill with a special attachment for building mixtures.
• Temperature. You need to pour the mash into a metal container and quickly heat it to a temperature of 50º. When heated, gas bubbles will rise to form foam. When the foam disappears, the process must be completed.

Important! Before degassing, be sure to drain the mash from the sediment. Using a tube, you need to pour it into another container. This must be done regardless of the degassing method.

Lightening

This is one of the most effective methods for cleaning wort. After degassing it is added bentonite, which, as it settles, makes the mash more transparent.

Along with bentonite, many harmful compounds settle at the bottom, which adversely affect the smell and taste of moonshine.

Bentonite is powdered white clay. Sold in pharmacies as a cosmetic skin care product. The powder is used to make face masks.

You can use bentonite-based cat litter.

It is worth choosing a filler without adding any kind of dyes or flavors. First you need to grind the filler granules to a powder state.

White clay powder is added at the rate 1 tablespoon per 10 liters of mash. Before adding bentonite, it must be thoroughly mixed in 0.5 liters of water.

After adding, the fermentation container is tightly closed and left to settle for a day. If after 24 hours the mash has not cleared, it is recommended to heat it to a temperature of 50º, then stand it again. When the composition becomes transparent, you need to carefully drain it from the sediment using a hose. Then pass through a paper filter. After this, you can begin distillation.

Mash temperature

Even if all the rules and purification of the wort have been followed, moonshine can be spoiled by violating the distillation temperature regime.

Braga consists from water, alcohol and other compounds. The boiling point of water is 100º. Ethyl alcohol boils at 78.3º. It turns out that the mash will boil in the temperature range from 73º to 100ºС. The useful part is selected at 78-83º.

In addition to alcohol and water, the composition contains various impurities, etc. They begin to evaporate at 65º. At this temperature, the selection of the first fraction begins. It consists of compounds not intended for internal consumption. This faction is worth select until the temperature reaches 78º. After which the selection of raw alcohol begins.

When the temperature rises above 83º, we need to stop selecting the main part. Next comes the final fraction, which, like the first, contains many harmful compounds. It is collected in a separate container and can be used in subsequent distillations of the mash.

Temperature conditions in moonshine brewing are very important. But what if, including with, is not equipped with a thermometer? There are methods in which the need to use this measuring device practically disappears. However, it should maintain the required mash distillation temperature.

How to properly remove moonshine from mash: first distillation

On the issue of the first distillation, moonshiners are divided into two camps. Some believe that during the first distillation the resulting alcohol it makes no sense to split into factions. Others, on the contrary, advise separate the beginning and end parts from the main part. Let's look at both methods:

Fast distillation

The mash is quickly brought to a boil. Selection begins immediately, without separating the initial fraction, and continues up to 5º in the stream. In this case, the process proceeds at maximum power.

note. The strength should be measured in a small container (preferably in a glass test tube) with a special device - alcohol meter.

When measuring the strength of a distillate, its temperature should not exceed 30ºC, otherwise the readings will be inaccurate.

By faction

With this method, the mash is brought to a temperature of 65º over high heat.

The initial fraction is approximately 10% of the total distillate obtained. She has strong unpleasant odor and low strength.

It must be removed until the smell disappears completely. The following is the useful part ( body). You can check the strength using the old reliable method.

Take a few drops of distillate into a spoon and set fire to.

If the liquid lights up with a blue flame, this means that the selection of the useful part can begin. When the strength drops below 30º, body selection should be stopped.

Carefully! It must be remembered that alcohol is a flammable liquid. Careless handling can lead to a fire and sometimes an explosion.

Be careful! Do not leave containers with alcohol near fire or hot objects.

How to properly distill mash into moonshine: second distillation

Regardless of the distillation method, after the first distillation it is necessary dilute the resulting alcohol is up to 20-30º and thoroughly filter.

Filtration

Best used for cleansing coal. Activated carbon tablets are usually used, but charcoal is also suitable if it does not contain additional impurities.

To make a filter, just cut off the top of the bottle with the neck, place a cotton pad in the neck and pour in charcoal.

Household filters are ideal for distillate filtration. carbon filter for water purification. It does not require additional manipulations and is easy to use.

Another effective assistant when cleaning moonshine is baking soda. For 3 liters of diluted distillate with a strength of 25º, one teaspoon of soda is enough. The solution is thoroughly mixed and then left for a day.

The mixture is then carefully drained. The bulk of the soda should remain at the bottom. The distillate is then passed through a paper filter and sent for a second distillation.

Second distillation

During secondary distillation, crushing into fractions is mandatory procedure. The process is almost no different from the above. The only thing that distinguishes the second distillation from the first is strength in the stream, at which it is necessary to stop selecting the useful part. The selection of the main fraction during the second distillation should be stopped when the strength drops below 40º.

Purification after distillation

Here the opinions of manufacturers also differ. Many moonshiners believe that it is not advisable to clean the moonshine after the second distillation. It is enough to carefully separate harmful fractions from useful ones.

The fact is that at a high strength, fusel oils and other harmful impurities are separated quite problematically, and the distillate can be diluted at the final stage no lower than 40º.

But there are also supporters of repeated cleaning. In this case, it is recommended to use cleaning methods that do not affect the color and transparency of the drink.

Instead of cleaning at this stage, it is more advisable to use endurance. But before this, it is necessary to properly dilute the distillate with water.

Dilution with water

The optimal strength of moonshine is 40-45º. After distillation, its strength is more than 70º. Drinking such a drink is not very pleasant; it needs to be diluted. For this they usually use household alcohol meter.

When diluting alcohol, it is better to follow a special Fertman table. It helps determine the right amount of water to accurately dilute the alcohol.

In addition, it is worth mentioning water quality. It is best to dilute alcohol with distilled water. It is neutral and does not have any effect on the taste. You can also use spring or well water. If it is not possible to obtain such water, then it is permissible to use settled and boiled tap water.

Application of heads and tails

As already mentioned, tails and heads contain many compounds harmful to human health. Ingesting them is very dangerous. However, they can be used on the farm.

Tails are often used for preparing various types of infusions for rubbing. They can also be added to the mash during the next distillation. This slightly increases the volume of alcohol produced.

However, there are moonshiners who advise not to use tails when distilling. They believe that with the constant use of final fractions, a large amount of fusel oils gets into moonshine.

Heads apply for technical purposes only, for example for removing stains or as a solvent. The initial fractions are also good for lighting fires.

Raw alcohol is a full-fledged moonshine obtained after the first distillation of the mash without isolating the “head”, “body” and “tail” fractions. Many people call it unrefined, as it contains a large amount of “fusel” and other harmful impurities. We do not recommend drinking it directly after distillation, but it is important to know the technology of its preparation, since it is on its basis that our final product, which we will put on the table, will be made.

We will look at step-by-step instructions for distilling mash into raw alcohol, and also consider several options for what we can do with it next to get a quality product. There are only two alternatives: carry out a second fractional distillation with fractions or purify the raw alcohol from harmful impurities.

Interesting fact: the yield of raw alcohol per 1 kg of sugar is no more than 1.1 liters

Recipe and proportions

We use classic sugar mash with a hydromodule of 1 to 4. For 20 liters of wort we take the following proportions:

The taste of the final product greatly depends on the quality of water, so take spring or purchased water.

• Sugar - 5 kg.
• Water - 20 liters.
• Dry alcoholic yeast - 100 grams.

The mash ripening period is from 5 to 10 days in a dark place at a temperature of 20–30 degrees. It is very important to maintain the correct temperature conditions and not expose the wort to sunlight too much, otherwise you may disrupt the chemical process in the mash.

Sometimes a situation arises in which fermentation does not occur. And the reasons and solutions to this problem are described in the publication -.

Checking readiness

It is convenient to use a special plastic barrel with a water seal as a fermentation tank.

If the bubbling in the mash has stopped, sediment has formed and it tastes bitter, then you can move on to the next stage.

If for some reason it remains sweet or begins to sour, then try to revive it by adding new yeast and water.

If in general everything looks very bad, then at least distill what you have.

Clarifying the mash using filtration

To avoid yeast getting into the distillation cube (they burn to the walls), it is recommended to clarify the mash. This is done in most cases using bentonite, but we recommend using conventional filtration through cotton wool or gauze.

This is quite enough for a good cleansing of our wort.

The cloudy mixture becomes transparent after filtration

Step-by-step technology for distilling mash into raw alcohol

In the instructions I will indicate the temperature conditions at which certain chemical reactions occur. If you have an ordinary “old-fashioned” moonshine still without a thermometer, then focus on jet speed(it shouldn't flow too quickly) and alcohol strength(collecting below 30 degrees is highly not recommended).

Use a probe thermometer to measure temperature

1. We begin to heat the mash quite intensively.
2. When the temperature reaches 63 degrees, the heat must be reduced slightly.
3. Starting at 73 degrees, the distillate will begin to drip. At first it will be very strong, but as the temperature rises, its strength will fall.
4. We need to collect all the alcohol before the strength in the stream drops to 30 degrees. To do this, it will be convenient to use a narrow, tall flask and an alcohol meter.
5. When the strength drops below 30 degrees, it will be necessary to stop distillation and still draw intermediate results.

All the moonshine that we get will be called raw alcohol - the product of the first distillation of the mash. It contains many harmful impurities, so we recommend that you do not stop at this result, but continue to improve the quality of your product.

Options for using raw alcohol (re-distill, purify or drink)

In general, there are three options, one of which we strongly advise you not to do.

Raw alcohol and ready-to-drink moonshine

1. Drink up. A terrible solution that is chosen by a large number of moonshiners, knowing or not knowing about the high harmfulness of raw alcohol.
2. Clear. You can use one of the options for purifying alcohol, which will remove most of the harmful substances from the liquid. This alcohol can be drunk, although it is still not ideal.
3. Distill again, separating the fractions. This option is the best, although the most costly (in terms of time and effort). We definitely insist that you choose it, because with its help you will get the best moonshine from the options presented.

Repeated distillation with separation of fractions

The best way to bring raw alcohol to perfect readiness. By dividing it into fractions “head”, “body” and “tails”, we will clean the moonshine as much as possible from harmful impurities and that very “fusel”, which has an unpleasant taste and smell.

Moonshine fractions

1. Dilute the raw alcohol with clean water to a strength of 20 degrees.
2. Pour the liquid into the distillation cube and start heating.
3. We collect the first 50 ml of moonshine for every kg of sugar (according to our recipe it turns out to be 250 ml) in a separate container and do not use it for drinking. This is the harmful “head” fraction, which has the highest concentration of harmful substances. This alcohol can be used for technical purposes.
4. We collect the rest of the distillate until the strength in the stream drops to 40 degrees. This fraction is called “body”, which has the best indicators of purity and quality.
5. Anything that will drip below 40 degrees is called “tails.” They can be collected to be added to raw spirit for re-distillation, but many do not recommend this. This is due to the unpleasant odor and the saturation of harmful impurities. It’s up to you to decide whether to collect “tails” or not. We recommend that you do not do this.

The resulting distillate has a neutral taste and excellent quality. It is almost impossible to prepare moonshine better than using double distillation.

Purification of raw alcohol

A simpler option is to remove harmful substances from moonshine. It is not as effective as fractional distillation, but many still practice it.

Before cleaning, you need to decide which method is best to use? We have collected complete information about which methods work and which do not. From best to worst, this ranking is as follows:

Which cleaner is better to choose?

1. Activated carbon BAU and KAU.
2. Egg white.
3. Sunflower, refined, deodorized oil.
4. Milk.
5. Black rye bread.
6. Soda, salt.
7. Freezing by cold.
8. Potassium permanganate (the method does not work at all).

Using the link above, you will receive instructions for cleaning using each of the presented methods. If you decide to use this method to prepare moonshine for the table, then be sure to study the rating presented to you, since this information is very interesting even for self-development.

Despite the fundamental nature of the issue, opinions regarding distillation differ. We will try to express our point of view in simple words so that the average moonshiner receives a high-quality and tasty distillate. The instructions are suitable for any devices, the main thing is to keep your equipment clean and follow our recommendations.

Conventionally, the entire process can be divided into three stages: preparation, first distillation and second distillation. We will give recommendations for each stage and also show photographs to illustrate the process. If you haven’t started yet, we recommend starting with, which is considered the least difficult for a moonshiner.

The quality of moonshine is seriously affected by modern equipment and its cleanliness, so carry out intensive cleaning before distillation.

Checking the readiness of the mash

It doesn't matter what raw materials you used for fermentation. The finished mash has the following characteristics:

A silent water seal will hint to you that it’s time to check the readiness of the wort.

1. Carbon dioxide is not released, the mash is silent.
2. The liquid tastes bitter (if it is sweet, then fermentation is not complete).
3. A precipitate fell.
4. The upper part of the liquid became lighter.
5. There is a strong smell of alcohol.

All seven ways to check the readiness of mash for distillation can be studied in this publication -.

If you miss this point, you can reduce the amount of alcohol produced or even worsen its quality.

Filtration and removal from sediment

Take the time to remove the mash from the sediment and filter it through a layer of cotton wool or gauze. You will clear the liquid from yeast, which during the distillation process will burn to the drains of the apparatus and spoil your equipment.

To carry out the operation, you only need a tube and a filter.

Degassing of mash

Ideally, it is necessary to degas the finished liquid, that is, remove excess carbon dioxide, which will create excess pressure during the distillation process. There are two simple ways:

1. Shake the mash vigorously until it stops hissing. Beat it for two to three minutes and everything will be ready.
2. Pour the liquid into a saucepan and heat to 50 degrees. The gas will come out in the form of foam much faster.

Clarifying mash

We perform this procedure at will. The filtering you recently did will be sufficient. But if you want to do everything straight 100% reliably, then lighten it.

Precipitation after clarification

First distillation

We assume that your mash is completely ready and poured into the distillation cube. To improve quality, we will use double distillation, which is recognized as the most effective among moonshiners.

Try to heat the contents of the cube slowly to avoid oversaturation with vapors

1. We begin the first distillation without separating fractions (we will do it during the second distillation).
2. We collect the maximum amount of moonshine until the moment when the strength in the stream drops to 30 degrees. After this, distillation must be stopped.
3. We dilute the resulting product with clean water to a strength of 20 degrees and send it for the second distillation.

Any comments here are unnecessary. Tighten all connections tightly for good sealing and do not miss the moment when the strength begins to fall below 30 degrees. An alcohol meter will help you.

Second distillation

The second time we distill the moonshine with the separation of the “head”, “body” and “tails” fractions. This topic is discussed in more detail in another publication, but we will still note the main points so that your moonshine turns out good.

1. When the temperature reaches about 67 degrees, the “head” of our distillate will begin to drip. This is a strong moonshine with a high content of harmful impurities, which causes severe headaches in the morning. We need to separate 50 ml for each kilogram of sugar in the mash, and then use it for technical needs. This moonshine is not suitable for drinking.
2. After the separation of the first fraction, the “body” begins. This is good quality moonshine, which we select until the strength in the stream drops to 40 degrees. Everything that comes out up to this point will be our distillate, which we will put on the table.
3. From 40 to 20 degrees, “tails” are selected, a liquid with a low alcohol content and a high concentration of fusel oils. We do not recommend taking it away at all, so as not to spoil your product.
4. It is recommended to let the moonshine steep for at least a day in a dark place, but usually everyone immediately moves on to tasting, this is normal :)

Second video from Sanych's moonshine. Step-by-step instructions for the second distillation, which Konstantin carries out quickly and professionally.

Purification and filtration (optional)

If for some reason the moonshine after double distillation does not have sufficient quality, then it is necessary to purify it. Usually it is done after a single distillation, but just in case, we will arm you with this knowledge.

We recently compiled a book that described in detail how to carry out this procedure with various substances. Their list is as follows:

Appearance of BAU and KAU coal

1. Activated carbon BAU and KAU.
2. Egg white.
3. Sunflower, refined, deodorized oil.
4. Milk.
5. Black rye bread.
6. Soda, salt.
7. Freezing by cold.
8. Potassium permanganate (the method does not work at all).