Wheat mash tastes sour. What to do with sour mash and how to fix sour moonshine

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.

Making mash based on wheat is very popular. Moonshine obtained from such raw materials has a mild bready taste and is easy to drink. Another plus in favor of choosing wheat for alcoholic fermentation is the presence of natural yeast in the cereal grains themselves. The most important thing for obtaining quality raw materials is the choice of good grain. It is believed that in fermentation technology it is necessary to try to get a sour mixture, however, beginners encounter this regularly, and even experienced distillers experience such cases. Why does it turn sour and can it be saved?

To understand why this happens, you need to know the course of fermentation itself.

Fermentation is the process of breaking down starch and sugar into alcohol and carbon dioxide. The main actor in this is the yeast, and the presence of oxygen is not required. If oxygen in large quantities enters the container, then fermentation stops, and alcohol begins to split into vinegar and water. And as a result, instead of alcohol, the output is vinegar.

The souring process begins immediately after the completion of the fermentation process, so it is important to keep track of the moment when bubbling in the container stops. In the early stages, the process can still be resumed.

The reasons for the souring of the mash are as follows:

1. The first of them - an increase in oxygen in a container with a solution - can also have several reasons:
   • lack of a water seal (an ordinary rubber glove is often used instead) or a violation of its operation;
   • frequent stirring of the mixture also contributes to an increase in oxygen in the tank with mash.

1. The second reason for the souring of the mash is a decrease in temperature or its constant fluctuations. Ideally, if the fermentation process takes place at 24-28 degrees. Sharp jumps in it or too cool conditions will lead to a violation of the fermentation conditions and contribute to the souring of the product.
2. The third reason for the souring of the mash is the large number of lactic or other bacteria, as well as the presence of fungi. This situation may arise in the absence of sterility when choosing a container for making mash. Dirty water, hands, as well as the raw material itself, on the basis of which the tincture is placed.

What to do if the mash is sour? This is evidenced by the appearance of a sour smell and taste. Is it possible to save sour mash?

Experienced distillers advise to neutralize the acid formed due to the violation of the fermentation process with alkaline products. For these purposes, soda or chalk is suitable. The mixture is then distilled at least two or three times.

Another tip to neutralize the sour taste is to add sugar to the resulting liquid. However, this method is only effective if fermentation suddenly stops, which is a guarantee of subsequent souring of the product. In this case, such a measure allows you to resume the fermentation process and prevent the mixture from souring at the initial level.

As practice shows, in the event that the mash is sour, and in fact, this is already vinegar, it is impossible to revive it. Vinegar can be used for its intended purpose, especially if fruits or berries were used for its production. They say that on its basis excellent marinades for meat and barbecue are obtained. Wheat vinegar most likely does not taste great, and if you do not plan to use it, you will have to get rid of it.

A very unpleasant moment that occurs during the fermentation process is the appearance of mold. This situation is even worse than the souring of the product, since the appearance of mold indicates infection of the mixture with fungi, which will be extremely difficult to get rid of. And their presence is a guarantee of spoiled mash, turbidity and changes in taste.

Most often, molds are susceptible to starter cultures based on fruits and berries. However, wheat-based mash can also be affected by pathogenic fungi that create a film on the surface. However, if the defeat is small and noticed in time, then there is a chance to influence the situation and correct it. If the mold layer is large, darkened, has acquired a rather dense structure, and the film has wrinkled, then there is nothing to save, the pathogenic process has been launched and is in full swing.

What can be done with a slight penetration of moldy fungus?

1. Pour the mixture into a clean container. In the process of transfusion, the main thing is to prevent mold from entering the new container. To do this, you can use a rubber flexible hose, which is placed in a container with mash through a space cleared of a moldy film. The mixture is then drawn into the mouth, and as soon as it begins to rise through the hose, its end is placed in a clean, prepared container.
2. Sterilize the strained mixture. Sterilization of the purified mixture occurs at a temperature of 70–75 degrees for two to three minutes, after which the mash is covered with a lid, allowed to cool to a working temperature of 25–30 degrees and yeast is added.

Souring prevention

So, the process of souring the mash is easier to prevent than to correct its consequences. What can be done to eliminate an unpleasant situation in the fermentation process?

1. The basic rule in the production of mash is the use of a water seal. The latter can be purchased at the store, or you can make it yourself with a flexible hose and a glass of water. And also replace it with an ordinary rubber glove. Just don't forget to pierce one of the fingers of the product to remove excess carbon dioxide with a needle: you don't need a big bang!
2. Another rule is strict observance of the temperature regime. It must not be allowed to drop sharply. The room for the preparation of mash should have a constant temperature in the range of 24-28 degrees.
3. The distillation of the mash must be carried out immediately after fermentation is completed. Even if you think it's still early.

To protect the mash from damage by bacteria and fungi, you can add some types of antibiotics:

1. Doxycycline (tetracycline series) is widely used in the process of moonshine and winemaking. Its taste is neutral and will not affect the quality of the mash.
2. Lowlands. Refers to a number of food additives used in the production of mash and wine. This drug helps prevent a number of diseases that occur during the fermentation process. Getting it is quite problematic.
3. Penicillin. It tends to provoke allergic reactions, therefore it is not recommended for allergy sufferers and people with a reaction to drugs of this group.

Technology for making the right mash

It is important in the preparation of a quality product as a result of fermentation to acquire quality ingredients. For wheat mash, it is important that the cereal is no more than three years old, ideally a year old. You should not buy wheat intended for planting. The best grain is winter wheat.

Clean dishes, a water seal and adherence to the recipe guarantee high quality mash. Wheat mash does not need additional yeast, so many people make it from the appropriate grain. The recipe for wheat mash contains wheat, sugar and water.

1. Wheat grains are cleaned of debris by sifting. Rinsing is not recommended, as this process washes away the natural yeast that will be the basis for fermentation.
2. Pour the grains with a small amount of unboiled clean water at room temperature and mix with the required amount of sugar. Let the grains germinate.
3. After germination, the grains are placed in a fermentation tank, adding more sugar (according to some recipes, 6.5 kg of granulated sugar is recommended for five kg of wheat grains). And they add water.

The readiness of the mash comes in 1.5 weeks. She is racing. The resulting alcoholic solution is optionally purified with activated charcoal. To do this, at the rate of 50 grams per liter, it is poured into a container with moonshine and kept for a week.

Of course, it is better to follow the cooking technology and not bring the raw materials to souring to get moonshine. But if this happened, then the sooner measures are taken, the more likely it is to save the mash.

First of all, such a problem as sour mash is faced mainly by beginners who try to put the mash without a water seal (covering the container is not airtight). If you do not pull for a long time and take action in time, you can save the mash. We will also consider the causes and methods for eliminating the possible souring of the mash.

By itself, the finished mash should be a little sour, since during the fermentation period, the yeast releases organic acids. When the mash turns sour, it turns into vinegar and this can be easily determined by taste and smell. Spoiled mash has a strong vinegar smell, and it tastes scalding and sour, like apple cider vinegar.

What can cause sour mash?

Usually, the mash turns sour at the end of fermentation when the yeast eats up all the sugar and stops emitting carbon dioxide, which displaces oxygen from the mash jar. When such a mash comes into contact with oxygen, acetic bacteria wake up, they process the alcohol formed during the life of the yeast into acetic acid.

Can mash turn sour due to non-sterile dishes?

The answer is no if the dishes for the wash are washed. No need to sterilize dishes for mash, just wash the bottle. Sterilization is practiced in winemaking and brewing, as these drinks are stored after fermentation in their original, low-alcohol state, and the mash is distilled. The main thing is not to wait 2-3 months to overtake the finished mash, especially if you removed the water seal (glove) after the mash has won back.

How to avoid souring mash?

Everything is quite simple, you need to put the brew under a water seal, since nowadays there are many specialized stores for home brewing or online stores where you can buy it, you can do it yourself in the region by looking on the Internet how, now a lot has been written about this and a video has been shot. If you use a glove with a hole from a needle or a bag wrapped with tape around your throat, you need to make sure that the glove sits tightly and does not let air through. After fermentation and sagging of the glove, you need to cook moonshine in the first three days (maximum week). If, when the glove fell off and you took it off, then it is better to cook immediately, otherwise even a slight souring will be felt in the moonshine.

What to do if the mash is sour?

It all depends on how long it stood after the end of fermentation. The more the mash was in contact with air, the more acetic bacteria ate alcohol from the mash and the less we get when distilling such mash. If she stood for too long, then there will be no alcohol left in her at all and such a mash MUST be poured out.

How to cook sour mash so that moonshine is not sour?

If, nevertheless, you decide that your mash still has enough alcohol not only for acetic bacteria, but also for you, then we distill it and dilute it with water up to 20%. We insist the result for a couple of days with baking soda, I made a tablespoon of 5 liters and distill it again. If the quality does not suit you a little, then the resulting distillate can be used for various tinctures, preferably citrus fruits, or let the distillate stand for another week on birch or coconut activated charcoal.

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 in 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.

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.