How much coal to add to purify moonshine. Getting rid of impurities with cedar

In order to properly carry out the carbonation of moonshine, it is necessary to strictly observe the proportions of the introduction of the substance and try not to violate the mode of keeping the liquid together with the absorbent. Then you can achieve the desired result.

Effective cleaning of moonshine with coal at home

From fusel components and other impurities, they began to clean moonshine with coal in our country for a long time. The most accessible types of absorbent were usually used for filtration. Their absorbency is better at eliminating the problem than other methods, since they collect heavy unsaturated organic compounds in the pores as much as possible.

Purification of moonshine from fusel oils is allowed by different types of adsorbent:

• special black granules for winemakers are in demand;
• moonshine is cleaned with charcoal of various types;
• moonshine is cleaned with activated charcoal;
• coals for cleaning moonshine are often taken from gas mask filters;
• purification of moonshine with coconut adsorbent is allowed;
• some experts recommend using substances from water filters to clean moonshine.

Coconut firebrands can be used as an absorbent - they are champions in absorbing speed

Filtration of moonshine with coal consists in the accumulation of foreign chemical compounds in the space between the pores of the main absorbent. For maximum efficiency, the pore size must be larger than the format of the accepted molecules in order to be able to retain excess oils and impurities.

In most cases, pharmacy black tablets are industrially made from various types of materials, including wood, BAU, coke absorbent, or animal bone meal (the most common method). The micropores in such a product are small enough to accept large molecules of impurities, so it is unlikely that it will be possible to effectively clean the moonshine with an activated absorbent.

If you want to take substances from a gas mask, you should know that they are additionally designed for deactivation using "chemistry". It is able to enter into a chemical reaction with ethanol, not always positively affecting the final taste.

More experienced professionals suggest using natural remedies, such as birch charcoal. A natural product, which is almost any charcoal, will cope with the task as constructively as possible, subject to technology.

VIDEO: Bau coal and how to work with it

Independent production of material

To prepare coal for cleaning moonshine yourself is a rather painstaking and costly undertaking. For such a process, it is necessary to provide certain oxygen-free conditions for the combustion of certain types of wood - pyrolysis.

The step-by-step algorithm includes the following actions:

• prepare birch firewood and let it burn out in an open flame;
• when receiving smoldering firebrands at the finish, move them to a closed metal sealed container;
• wait until the process of their combustion is completed and the prepared mass has cooled down.

There are many cooking videos on the net that demonstrate this process. Subject to the parameters, the final product will correspond to store products.

Correct regulations

To achieve results quickly and with a high degree of efficiency, you need to know how much coal is needed for cleaning. In different sources, there is a flow or bulk cleaning method. In the first case, raw alcohol is slowly shed through the absorbent layers. In the second, a certain amount of coal is poured per liter of liquid.

Proportions are selected empirically. It depends on the freshness of the filtrate and its quality. Usually, the calculation is based on the fact that about 50 grams are added per liter of moonshine. prepared product. It is not worth reducing this level, but it is possible to increase it, since no matter how much coal you add, it will not hurt.

The proportions of the absorbent are chosen by eye - usually at the rate of 50 grams per liter of distillate

There is a limit to the performance of the absorbent medium. For each type of absorbent, it is personal, so a certain volume is able to hold a finite number of molecules. The volume of removed contaminants depends on what kind of coal is used, and in what quantity.

Various factors influence the flow rate of the filtrate. Primary purification forces you to change the substance with each new portion of the liquid.

In order not to spoil the moonshine, you need to try to meet the deadlines for the process. With a minimum operating time of absorbent substances, not all oil molecules can get into the pores. When you overexpose the cleaner in the liquid, then it will begin to break down and return everything back. The optimal period for small granules is an interval of five to seven days.

How to clean moonshine with charcoal

When insisting, the following algorithm of actions is used:

• the strength of the processed drink should be in the range of 40-55 °;
• in a prepared container with a wide mouth of chemically neutral materials, pour the liquid and pour the granules at the rate of 50-60 g per 1 liter;
• mix the composition thoroughly, close it hermetically and put it in a dark place;
• after 5-7 days we take out the container and filter the suspended particles through cotton wool, repeat the process if necessary.

Another correct cleaning of moonshine by the flow method is carried out in a slightly different way. A special case with a filter is being prepared for it. It is often made from a 2 liter plastic bottle with a cut bottom.

The neck part of the container is closed with cotton wool wrapped in gauze. The volume of granules, which depends on the type of absorbent, is poured into the body of an inverted plastic bottle. For the usual one, 50 g is enough, and for the special material of the BAU-A type, it is recommended to do with reduced portions of 12-15 g per 1 dm3 of the liquid being cleaned.

It will be possible to improve the quality of the final product by regularly changing the filter with each new portion.

Resuscitation of black granules

There are options for restoring an activated or wood filter on the net. However, it is better not to attempt such attempts, as it is unsafe for health. Malicious elements accumulate inside the pores, which are problematic to remove from there. The correct solution is to simply throw out the used material and replace it with a fresher one.

There is no need to save on health, since impurities from moonshine remaining in the absorbent are not washed out with water. When reused, they can penetrate back into the liquid.

You should definitely not listen to the advice on processing black granules with aggressive acids, followed by high-temperature calcination. The risk of penetration into the liquid of such substances increases.

Application of coconut adsorbents

Thinking about how to properly remove harmful oils from homemade alcohol, you can turn to coconut porous absorbent. He absorbs these well. Only the KAU-A brand is suitable for the procedure. Distillers should not experiment with coconut hookah tablets. They can ruin the whole taste of the drink.

Fusel oils are removed with coals in the following proportion: a couple of spoons of black granules are poured into 1 liter of liquid, which is approximately 10 g. This is a more economical expense in comparison with other means.

After falling asleep particles in a bottle, we remove the container for 3-4 days in a closet. Stir the dissolved substances two or three times a day. At the end of settling, we filter through gauze and cotton wool.

VIDEO: How to make the simplest column

In the manufacture of a filter for professional cleaning, a different base is used. It can be bones from berries, walnut shells, coconut, wood. One of the best options is coconut peel.

The result is a high-quality absorbent with large pores that are able to absorb harmful components of different sizes from moonshine. If 1 kg of product has an active surface area of ​​more than 500 square meters, then the ingredient belongs to the active category.

The advantage of a professional product is a large porous surface

For home use, you can use ordinary charcoal, the active surface of which also allows you to adsorb up to 90% of the harmful components of the distillate.

How to make an adsorbent

A homemade filter can be used to filter the distillate between distillations and at the end.

To get a quality product as a result, follow the steps:

• prepare a dried birch log, remove the bark from it and divide it into small chips 30 mm in size;
• fire the material in a container with a minimum supply of oxygen.

For these purposes, you can use a tin can with small holes, put a handful of birch chips in it. After that, the jar is hermetically sealed and placed in the fire.

You can get birch firebrands in two ways - on the street on a fire or at home in a tin

Due to such heating, the wood chips will be burned without air intake, but at the same time, various organic gases will be able to come out of it. After the contents are burned, the container is taken out of the fire and cooled completely. The finished absorbent is not yet considered activated; to activate it, it is required to expose it to water vapor.

The burnt firebrands themselves are ineffective, they must be activated correctly - doused with hot steam until the pores open - in this case, you get a kind of sponge that absorbs all unnecessary fuselage

To expand the pores of the product, do the following:

• fill the pot with water to the brim and place on the stove;
• wrap chopped firebrands in cheesecloth and place it over the pan in a suspended state;

It is very important that the absorbent does not touch the water, otherwise the desired effect will not work - the product will simply dissolve in the liquid.

• when steam is released by boiling water, the pores will begin to open and cleanse, after which the material is placed in a tin, closed and sent to the fire to dry;
• further, when steam stops emitting from the holes made, the jar must be removed from the flame and cooled.

Activated carbon for cleaning moonshine is ready. For storage, the product must be placed in a hermetically sealed container.

VIDEO: How the adsorbent works

Filtering methods

Time costs primarily depend on the strength of the alcoholic beverage. The ideal option would be alcohol with a concentration of not more than 45 °, in this case, all types of purification of moonshine are suitable. If the fortress exceeds 50 °, it is diluted with water to the desired concentration. This is done so that the fusel oils stop dissolving and begin to accumulate on the surface of the “sponge”.

There are 2 main methods for purifying distillate:

• long insisting upholding;
• instant cleaning by means of a filter column.

Prior to use, the material is crushed to increase the area of ​​contact with alcohol. This significantly increases the efficiency of the absorbent.

Before cleaning the moonshine with activated charcoal tablets, the crushed product must be thoroughly blown out of excess dust and small particles, and then rinsed under running water. Otherwise, the finished product will be an indistinct gray color.

Infusion

Infusion is a simple but long method in which the adsorbent works with distillate for several days

Place crushed firebrands in a glass jar. The volume of the material depends entirely on its type. So, for example, for 1 liter of an alcoholic drink you will need:

• coconut shell charcoal - 10 gr.;
• pharmaceutical preparation - 100-150 tablets;
• wood adsorbent - 50 gr.

We determine how much cleaning ingredient is needed and mix it with distillate, after which we remove it for 3-4 hours. At the same time, the contents are shaken regularly, every 30 minutes, to improve efficiency.

After cleaning, alcohol should be filtered several times through a coffee or cotton-gauze filter. Thus, coal particles are eliminated from the liquid.

This method is suitable for raw, made on the basis of sugar or grain mash, even if it was not the most successful. The coal product will eliminate not only harmful impurities, but also partially neutralize the unpleasant odor.

Flow Filtration

This is a faster and less time consuming method. Here you need to make a funnel. This will require a plastic bottle. The bottom is cut off in the container, and the neck is laid with cotton wool, after which a fine fraction is poured and covered with cotton pads.

The coal column is a favorite tool of experienced moonshiners, working efficiently and very accurately.

The resulting funnel is placed in a glass or ceramic jar with the neck down. Alcohol is filtered through it 2-3 times in a row, but with the content of the filter updated. To reduce time costs, such a structure can be installed on a collection container for moonshine coming out during the distillation process.

In order to get a quality product as a result, experts recommend using several different cleaning methods for moonshine at once.

We give a second life to the adsorbent

The activated carbon used to clean moonshine can be restored after use. This will require:

• treat the component with a solution of hydrochloric acid 2%;
• rinse thoroughly under running water;
• dry;
• place in a tin can for reheating on fire.

Due to this method, the adsorbent can be used to clean moonshine several times, but moonshiners do not recommend such manipulations.

Making the right choice

As you know, coal is able to adsorb (accumulate) molecules of certain sizes. That is why you should choose the right type of product. For example, burned animal bones have too small pores, so the product can only absorb molecules of the smallest size. But since fusel oils act as large components, this variety is not suitable for cleaning moonshine.

BAU-A is the best adsorbent for cleaning moonshine

The best options for filtering homemade alcoholic beverages:

• birch;
• activated pharmaceutical preparation;
• coconut.

As for the wood product, it does an excellent job of filtering moonshine, but you should be as careful as possible with it. The fact is that the composition of this product may contain many impurities that undergo rapid dissolution when exposed to alcohol.

If there are doubts when calculating the required amount relative to the volume of distillate, then in this case the formula works - the more the better. This will not spoil the quality of moonshine, and purification will take place with maximum efficiency. The only drawback of an excessive amount is a decrease in the volume of finished products, since not only harmful impurities are absorbed, but also moonshine itself.

VIDEO: How to make a column

The process of cleaning moonshine is the final stage in the preparation of distillate. You need to clean the drink, even if you used the fractional distillation technique, and especially if the mash was originally made on sugar. Therefore, the question of how to clean moonshine with activated carbon in tablets or other substances is already asked at the final stages by almost all distillers.

Activated carbon

Cleaning with activated carbon may not be necessary if the raw materials for the preparation of mash are fruits, berries, and sometimes sprouted grains. Since the cleaning of moonshine is able to level not only harmful substances, but also the taste of the drink. But for a drink made with sugar, starch or flour, the method will come in handy.

The choice of substance for filtration

By itself, activated carbon is a porous substance that has a large specific surface area per unit mass. This structure makes the substance absorbent. The pores of the charcoal absorb or soak up particles of a certain size, so it is important to choose the right charcoal to clean. And you need to absorb from substances such as:

• fusel oils;
• amyl alcohol;
• propyl alcohol;
• isopropyl alcohol;
• ethers.

The molecules of these substances are large. But earlier, for example, coal was made from the bones of cattle. It had small pores, so the purification was not carried out in full, not all harmful substances were removed from the distillate.

Purifying moonshine with activated charcoal tablets can be unproductive. Tableted forms of coal for humans continue to be made from animal bones, so to really clean moonshine, you will have to increase the dose of coal, and also crumble it into small pieces. It is best to use birch charcoal for cleaning.

Another disadvantage of pharmaceutical coal is impurities in the preparation - talc or starch is added to the composition. For moonshine, this can result in the acquisition of a bitter aftertaste, which is regarded as an undesirable effect.

In order not to spoil the organoleptic qualities of alcohol, you can use the following types of coal:

• from filters for water purification;
• from gas masks;
• from gas analyzer tubes;
• special coal for distillers, sold in the store.

They often use their own charcoal. The main thing is that there are no foreign impurities in the substance. For example, in filters, in addition to coal, there may also be resins that soften water. Gas masks can also contain poisonous substances or other foreign components.

The best choice for filtering is wood charcoal, the so-called BAU-A, made in accordance with GOST. For the substance, birch is used as a raw material. And the pores are formed in the process of pyrolysis, that is, combustion at high temperatures without oxygen supply. It is these pores that are necessary for the purposes of cleaning moonshine.

You can buy such coal in stores, even supermarkets. It is found in the barbecue department, usually in packaged form and costs about 200 rubles per kilogram. Craftsmen or those who have access to raw materials can kindle charcoal on their own. The product in the process burns out with the access of oxygen, so there will be fewer pores, which means that the adsorbing capacity will drop.

How to properly clean a drink with charcoal?

The technique has a second name - carbonization. The cleaning process itself takes place in two ways:

• passing liquid through a filter with coal;
• lowering the substance directly into the bottle.

Both methods are easy. For the first technique, you need to make a filter. This is done using a bottle in which the bottom is cut off, and several holes are made in the neck. Then the neck is closed with cotton wool with a pre-crushed angle. Cotton wool can be additionally wrapped in gauze and put a layer of activated carbon on it.

Coal filter for moonshine

The next question is: “How much activated carbon is needed in order to filter moonshine?”. The proportions are as follows: 50 grams of charcoal per liter of moonshine. Or take 12 grams of BAU-A per liter of drink. If you still use coal from a pharmacy in tablets, then you must first crush them and take them at the rate of 100 grams per liter of alcohol.

You cannot use the filter more than once. Activated charcoal for cleaning is best changed after each procedure. With each successive time, the substance has less and less adsorbing capacity. And before filtering, the coal itself should be washed under water to get rid of dust.

Sometimes distillers use the usual filter jug ​​for water. But you need to know exactly the contents of the filter. Moonshine should be passed through such a barrier at least five times or until the drink is completely cleared. In some cases, distillers who are actively involved in brewing moonshine make a design using an aquarium pump. But the technique is laborious, especially for beginners.

The easiest way to clean is to use the method of immersing coal in a container. To do this, the activated substance is crushed and placed in a vessel at the rate of 50 grams per liter of moonshine. Then the coal is poured with moonshine. The mixture is infused for two weeks, and the drink needs to be shaken or stirred periodically. Then for another seven days, moonshine just stands - a precipitate is formed from coal, after which the drink is filtered through cotton wool.

But this method also has disadvantages. In addition to the fact that a large amount of time is lost, long contact with activated carbon is harmful to alcohol. Under the influence of the substance in the drink, the level of aldehydes rises, from which the distiller has already got rid of during distillation. The result depends on the type of activated carbon, and there is no universal way.

Some distillers mix methods with each other and derive a third method. For example, coal is placed in a solution with the same proportions, but not for a week, but for two hours. During the first 30 minutes, the solution is stirred, and for another hour and a half it is simply defended. After that, filtration is carried out through cotton wool or gauze. This procedure is repeated several times until the taste of the drink is close to ideal.

Can be used multiple times for filtering. After cleaning, it can be treated with a solution of hydrochloric acid at a concentration of 2%. Coal is washed and dried, and then the substance is calcined on fire. It is impossible to predict exactly how much the adsorbing capacity will change. Therefore, if possible, then at this stage it is not necessary to save.

This method is another opportunity to get rid of fuselage in a drink. The quality of the finished product will improve significantly. But getting rid of an unpleasant aftertaste or smell will not work. To change the organoleptic properties, you need to rectify the product or refine the drink by infusing herbs.

In order to get a high-quality alcoholic drink, moonshine must be cleaned of impurities and fusel oils. Cleaning moonshine with activated carbon is one of the most effective methods.

1

The ability of this substance to extract and retain molecules of impurities and gases is due to the high adsorption coefficient of coal. It differs depending on the raw material from which the coal is produced.

Activated carbon is produced industrially:

• from stone coke;
• from the bone tissue of animals;
• from wood (usually birch).

Activated carbon, which can be purchased at a pharmacy as a pharmaceutical product, is very conditionally suitable for filtering moonshine. The raw materials for the drug are the bones of animals. The surface of such coal is perforated with micropores having a low throughput. Fusel oils consist of large molecules that are not absorbed by micropores, and pharmaceutical activated carbon is characterized by a low level of adsorption.

Activated charcoal from animal bones

Against its use is the fact that each tablet of pharmaceutical coal contains excipients: talc and starch. Getting into the finished drink, these substances can spoil its organoleptic characteristics. It is best to purchase special coal for winemakers for this purpose (for example, BAU-A - from birch wood, BAU-LV - from coconut).

If for some reason it is not possible to purchase it, you can remove the filler from a drinking water filter, aquarium, gas mask or gas analyzer tube. The adsorbent obtained in the process of pyrolysis of wood raw materials has a surface with macro- and mesopores. Accordingly, its ability to purify the liquid is significantly higher.

It is not recommended to use used filters and gas masks. In this case, the coal particles may contain impurities that are harmful to the body. Filters, where coal from stone coke is used as an adsorbent, are distinguished by high cleaning efficiency.

It is important to know!

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2

In industrial conditions, activated carbon is obtained by annealing birch firewood in a special oven with air access to a minimum. Activated charcoal for harmful substances can be prepared at home from wood raw materials. It is recommended to carry out this procedure in the open air, best of all - during your stay outside the city, in the country.

To prepare raw materials, you need to clean the birch log from the bark and chop it finely. Roasting chips to carry out with a minimum access of oxygen. To implement this task, 15-20 holes need to be made in the bottom of a flat tin can (for example, from under canned food). Place the prepared raw materials in a jar, close it tightly and put on fire. During the heating process, the wood will lose organic gases.

Coals from birch logs

After all the gases have burned out, the jar is removed from the fire. The adsorbent obtained in it is not yet activated. To complete the process, it is necessary to expand the pores in it as follows. Place the coals wrapped in cheesecloth in a large saucepan half filled with water. The water must be brought to a boil. Steam from water helps to clean the pores of coal and increase its activity. Then the coals are again placed in a tin can and dried on fire. When the steam stops coming out of the holes in the jar, the adsorbent is ready. It must be taken out of the jar and cooled.

It is recommended to store homemade charcoal in a tightly closed container, because, due to its high absorption, activated charcoal easily absorbs moisture and odors from the environment. You can also prepare homemade activated charcoal in the apartment. You will need a large saucepan. A hole is perforated in the lid for a pipe segment with a recommended diameter of 8-10 cm. A suitable rubber hose is put on the pipe, the second end of which is lowered into a container of water. This is where filtered smoke comes in.

Wood raw materials (shredded branches of willow, alder, birch) are laid out in a saucepan. The lid is tightly connected to the pan: to increase the tightness, you can coat the edges with raw clay. The pan is put on the fire, and the chips are calcined. Cool the resulting coals and place them in water for 3 weeks, into which smoke entered during calcination. At this time, the jar should be vigorously shaken three times a day. After this time, the jar is left immobile for another 1 week, after which the finished activated carbon is removed and dried. Store in a tightly closed container.

Charcoal - this is the name of the process of cleaning homemade alcohol with coal. This method of getting rid of the remnants of fusel oils is very simple and affordable, therefore it is popular not only among beginners, but also among experienced meters of home brewing.

Activated carbon is a substance that has a large specific surface, and as a result, its adsorption properties are great, that is, it serves as a catalyst for the concentration of a substance at the interfaces of aggregate states. In other words, activated concentrates most of the fusel oils and esters.

In addition, activated carbon eliminates unpleasant odors from alcoholic beverages and softens them. It is not recommended to clean moonshine from berry mash with activated carbon, since coal adsorbs berry aromas along with fusel oils. Charcoal is a cleaning method only for sugar mash. To give your homemade alcohol flavors, professionals recommend making tinctures on an already finished product.

In industry, activated carbon is obtained from organic materials: in fact, charcoal, coal coke and petroleum coke.

At home, to get a filter for a future alcoholic drink, it is quite possible to use charcoal for barbecue - this is sold in any supermarket, activated charcoal in tablets.

An excellent adsorbing filter can be obtained from the seeds of cherries, sweet cherries and bird cherry, coke peel.

To make charcoal at home, we need a well-dried birch log, peeled from the bark.

Using an ax, the log must be split into chips 3 cm thick. After crushing, the chips must be burned with minimal air access, for this you can use a metal pan with small holes. The chips are placed in a saucepan, covered with a lid, and placed on a gas or electric stove. In the process of heating without sufficient access of oxygen, moisture and gases will be removed from the chips, and the chips themselves will not turn into ash. Naturally, it is better to do this on the balcony or on the street. After burning all the loaded wood chips, it must be removed and cooled. By themselves, coals are of little use for filtering alcoholic products of our own production from fusel oils. For use in home brewing, coals must be activated. Charcoal must be activated by exposure to water vapor.