Double distillation of moonshine. Pros and cons. How to perform the second distillation of moonshine - step by step instructions

First-class moonshine cannot be achieved only with the use of high-quality raw materials and the correct execution of all stages of primary distillation. In the resulting drink, foreign aftertastes and an unpleasant odor will remain due to the content of yeast and harmful impurities in it in small quantities.

Why is a second distillation of moonshine necessary?

Double distillation with proper implementation will achieve excellent taste of the drink and reduce the hangover syndrome as a result of its use. With the help of purification, the fractional method and the steamer, you will remove the aldehydes remaining after the first distillation and causing significant harm to the body.

Thus, the advantages of this method of making moonshine include:

• Significant improvement in taste.
• No unpleasant odor.
• Reducing harm to health.
• The possibility of making noble drinks based on the resulting moonshine.
• In some cases, an increase in the degree.

There are situations in which a re-run is required. These include:

• The use of mash based on berries and fruits.
• Cleaning with sodium hydroxide, soda and other chemical compounds.
• In order not to pour out if the first time it turned out badly.

Spending time on another cycle, you will get a wonderful distillate that will be a pleasure to drink yourself and treat your neighbors.

The second distillation of moonshine: the right technology

Having decided on the need to improve quality, many distillers ask themselves:

The technology of brewing the drink for both the first and second cycles is based on different boiling point parameters for the chemicals that make up the composition, and their separation into fractions to separate from each other.

An important factor in the question of how to distill moonshine a second time at home is the use of only the central fraction from the primary distillation. The so-called body contains an order of magnitude less hard-to-remove impurities. Sometimes a third fraction is used - "tails", but to obtain a quality product, it is necessary to use the "body".

First stage. Dilution

The first step on the way to the secondary stage is diluting the moonshine with water.

Moonshine for secondary processing should be a fortress from 35 to 45 degrees. Use an alcohol meter to accurately determine the strength of the drink. The concentration of alcohol required after dilution depends on the fraction used and on the desired strength as a result of:

• About 20 ° - if you took the "body".
• About 10 ° - if you use "tails".

It is extremely important not to exceed the indicated concentration of alcohol for two equally important reasons:

1. Ignition of alcohol vapors can cause detonation of the equipment.
2. Harmful impurities at elevated concentrations form a stable chemical bond and are difficult to remove.

The water used must be clean, preferably melted or spring water. It is not recommended to use distilled or boiled. Water from the tap must be passed through a carbon filter and allowed to settle.

The water temperature can be at room temperature, but it would be nice to cool it to 10 degrees by putting it in the refrigerator for a while.

Second phase. cleaning

An equally important step in how to properly overtake moonshine a second time is cleaning. The most environmentally friendly way is cleaning with charcoal, made by yourself. Barbecue charcoal bought at the supermarket contains its own harmful impurities, and in the future it will be necessary to get rid of them as well.

For manufacturing it is better to use soft woods. They need to be cut into small briquettes or rounds and remove the bark. It is undesirable to use a freshly cut tree, it is better to let the wood dry for a couple of weeks. After drying, the briquettes are tightly packed into a metal barrel with a sealed lid and a hole for a fitting. A fire is made, ready-made coal is periodically removed, and fresh briquettes are placed.

More often at the cleaning stage, activated carbon is used as a less labor-intensive method.

It is also possible to clean with potassium permanganate. This is done as follows:

1. Dissolve potassium permanganate in hot water in the proportion of 1 gram of manganese per 100 ml of liquid.
2. Pour the solution into the moonshine and stir.
3. Let stand for an hour until a precipitate appears.
4. Add one tablespoon each of baking soda and salt.
5. After two hours, strain through a filter made of gauze or thin cotton cloth.

It is important to remember that you should not rush. The quality of cleaning using this method depends on the slow pouring of moonshine through the manufactured filter.

Third stage. Secondary haul

There is nothing complicated or radically different from the first distillation in how moonshine can be distilled a second time. The resulting product is also divided into fractions:

• The head fraction, or pervach, is the first 10-12% of the liquid, which contains acetone and
• The main fraction, or body, is the next 80-90% liquid, consisting mostly of ethyl alcohol.
• The tail fraction is the last 5-10% of the liquid.

Pervach, despite the great love for him in Soviet times, should never be drunk. It has an unpleasant odor and can cause great harm to the body, but you should not pour it out. Such moonshine can be used to ignite coal or wipe the contacts of the board. The volume of the fraction, according to general estimates, is 50 ml per liter of pure alcohol.

Double distillation of moonshine at home aims to obtain precisely the main fraction. It is collected until the strength of the outgoing product drops to 45%. The fortress of the total volume of moonshine obtained is estimated at 60-70%.

Many lovers of homemade alcohol add the tail fraction to the next portion of the mash to increase its strength.

Do I need a dry steamer for secondary distillation?

The presence of a dry steamer or a reflux condenser is optional, but desirable during the primary distillation. Many distillers replace them with re-distillation of moonshine. After all, it also cleans the product from fusel oils without additional waste of time.

But a dry steamer cannot provide full-fledged cleaning during the primary distillation. For people who strive for perfection in everything, using it in the first and second distillations will achieve an almost perfect product.

Use of distillation column

In how to properly distill moonshine a second time, additional cleaning with a rectifier can help. It separates liquids according to the difference in evaporation. In the process of rectification from moonshine, albeit first-class, the purest ethyl alcohol is obtained.

The use of mash leads to clogging of the rectifier. That is why it is desirable to use moonshine of double distillation in the distillation column.

The output is an absolute neutral pure product without impurities for the manufacture of tinctures or use in its pure form.

How to overtake moonshine a second time? You will find tips below.

For secondary distillation, the quality of the water for the first stage is a very important factor.

Do not interchange dilution and purification steps. Water partially destroys the structure of impurities, and cleaning with potassium permanganate or coal frees moonshine from the remnants of these compounds.

To determine the fractions during the distillation, constantly monitor the "turns" with an alcohol meter.

The approach of the main faction can be determined using the sense of smell. If the sharp unpleasant smell is gone, then the “body” has gone.

Don't be greedy. Drain pervach - health is more expensive.

You can determine the strength of moonshine by the combustion method. Paper moistened with moonshine will burn without a match only if the strength is over 40 degrees.

The addition of oak bark or wood chips after secondary distillation removes residues of harmful substances and makes the moonshine look like cognac.

Using these tips, you can understand how to properly distill moonshine a second time. And remember that the result is worth the effort. The second distillation of moonshine is an important step in obtaining a quality product.

Double distillation recipes

The absence of unnecessary odors and flavors in double-distilled moonshine leaves room for the distiller's creativity. The easiest way is to buy and use flavoring additives in the preparation of tinctures. You can also use natural ingredients that are on hand.

Most often, lovers of home-brewing imitate noble French cognac. There are many recipes for such "cognac". Most often, pepper, tea and bay leaf are used in the composition, the infusion process is required either in an oak barrel or on oak chips.

The recipe for Christmas moonshine will never be superfluous. Of course, you need to do it in advance:

1. Fill with chopped apples and top with moonshine.
2. Leave to infuse for six months.
3. Strain through a cloth or fine sieve.
4. Add sugar to taste.
5. Heat to a boil three times, paying close attention to fire safety.
6. Put in a cool place for a week.
7. Strain again.
8. Dilute with water in proportion to 10 liters of liquid a quarter of the water.
9. Distill and filter.
10. Christmas vodka is ready.

There are a lot of moonshine-based recipes, and everyone can choose the one that suits their taste.

Before many people who are engaged in the production of moonshine, sooner or later the question arises of how to improve the quality of their product, so that it would be pleasant to drink it yourself and not be ashamed to treat friends. The most common solution to this problem is to re-distill through the moonshine, the resulting product is often called double moonshine, it will be much cleaner and stronger than the original product. So, we highly recommend that you spend a few hours more time, but at the end you will get a really high-quality drink, without third-party impurities and odors.

It is worth canceling that the second distillation can be carried out with any type of moonshine, while neither the mash recipe, nor the raw materials it was prepared from, have absolutely no meaning. You can even distill old moonshine, which you have been storing for a long time.

Distilling moonshine a second time is not difficult, now we will step by step consider how to do it correctly.

Step by step technology for obtaining double moonshine

Dilute

The first thing we need to do is before re-running. This should be done by pouring moonshine into cool water until the strength of the drink is 20-35%.

Many do not understand why we need to dilute the moonshine, why it is impossible to drive it as it is? Well, there are several reasons:

1. Firstly, you should think about safety, if you distill a strong drink, the vapors will be with a high concentration of alcohol, which will significantly increase the risk of fire in the moonshine still.
2. Secondly, the stronger the moonshine, the stronger its molecular bond with fusel oils and repeated distillation will be less effective and will not give the result we need.

Clear

Before the second distillation, it is advisable to clean the moonshine with activated carbon, potassium permanganate, or in any other way convenient for you. I prefer to use soda. To do this, I add a tablespoon of table salt and baking soda, mix, and leave for two hours. As soon as the drink has settled, it must be filtered, an ordinary water filter can serve as an ideal option for this, but if this is not possible, then it can be done in the old fashioned way through a cotton-gauze filter.

Overtake

And so, the time has come for the third final stage in the preparation of double moonshine, this is directly the distillation itself. Everything is as usual here, this process is absolutely no different from the primary distillation from mash, we use the same moonshine still. The only thing to remember is that distilling a strong drink is dangerous and less effective. So before overtaking, check the fortress again. If you drive moonshine for consumption without further processing, such as rectification or another distillation, then it is very important to divide it into fractions: heads, body and tails.

The first 10% of the yield, the so-called heads, should never be drunk, it can only be used for technical purposes. They are easily identified by their unpleasant smell. Approximately, as soon as you managed to overtake a tenth, drop a little output on your finger, if the unpleasant smell has disappeared, you can substitute a container to collect the main part.

The last about 10% are tails, they are determined by the yield strength, as soon as it falls below 45%, then the tails have already gone. They are usually poured into mash to increase its strength. If you plan to overtake several, then the tails need to be collected only on the last stage.

The remaining 80% of double moonshine does not need additional processing or purification. The only thing we can still do is to dilute a little to the fortress we need.

According to reviews on the Internet, some people do not advise diluting moonshine with water before distillation, explaining that in this case we will not be able to get rid of the unpleasant smell. And this is a well-founded statement, but in this case, before distilling a strong drink, make sure that there is no open source of fire nearby.

There can be as many runs as you like, but as a rule, it is enough to make three runs.

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Hi all! We continue the theme of moonshine. Today we will talk about how to properly drive moonshine at home. As you remember, I wrote about the full one in this article. Now it is time to dwell in more detail on the process of distillation (or simply distillation).

For the distillation of mash, I use fractional double distillation with intermediate purification. The moonshine obtained by this method is very different from the usual one for the better.

First distillation

So, we got raw alcohol (SS). This is the same middle fraction, it is also the “body”. Of course, you can drink it, but the quality of such moonshine is still very low. Now the SS should be cleaned.

Update from 04/10/17: Now I have slightly changed the technology of the first distillation. I drive almost to the water (temperature 98-99 degrees cubed) without selecting heads and tails. Sometimes I still select a few heads if they come with a pungent smell, but this is extremely rare.

Intermediate cleaning

I call it intermediate only because it is carried out between the first and second distillation. And so this is a complete way to clean moonshine. More precisely, even two methods that I use together.

• First we clean the raw alcohol with oil.

As a result, we get raw alcohol, purified from a large amount of fusel oils, which have dissolved in vegetable oil. Alcohol itself does not dissolve in oil due to its low concentration. To do this, we diluted it.

But still, small drops of unfiltered oil with harmful impurities are still present in the moonshine. To get rid of them, go to the next cleaning method.

• Activated carbon cleaning

For this method, birch (BAU-A) or coconut (KAU) activated carbon is used. It is able to absorb up to 80% fusel oils and 90% esters.

You can add coal to a container with raw alcohol and shake vigorously again. But it is better to make a flow filter.

The simplest design of the filter is a plastic bottle with a cut off bottom and filled with coal. Several holes are made in the cork and a piece of cotton wool is placed. Before use, it is better to rinse the coal, thereby removing coal dust from it, which clogs the cotton filter.

Coal consumption is approximately 5-15 grams per liter of moonshine.

Also, a household filter jug ​​from the store is perfect for filtering.

Now we have a well-purified moonshine, ready for the second distillation, during which we will increase its strength and try to get rid of the remaining impurities as much as possible.

Read more in the article - Purification of moonshine with coal

Second distillation

The principle of the second fractional distillation is the same as the first. Only the heating modes are different.

1. We heat up the brew. As soon as the first drop appears from the refrigerator, we reduce the heating temperature so that the moonshine comes out at a maximum speed of 1-2 drops per second. The slower the better.
2. At this speed, we select “heads” at the rate of 50 ml per kilogram of sugar in Braga.
3. We change the receiving capacity and begin the selection of the “body”. Heating can be set to the maximum possible, which the refrigerator will allow. But I still recommend limiting yourself to medium speed so that the moonshine flows in a thin stream.
4. “Body” is selected up to 45%. Once again, I remind you that we measure alcohol content at 20 degrees Celsius. If there is no alcohol meter, then moonshine must be set on fire in a spoon. The temperature should also be 20 degrees. The selection must be stopped when the liquid ceases to burn.
5. We change the capacity and select the tails at the highest possible heating.

1. To improve the taste of the final product, raw alcohol diluted after the first distillation can be infused on dark raisins. Raisins need 20 g for every liter of SS. The taste will noticeably improve.
2. If the final product is too strong for you, then dilute it with water. Read about it in the article.
3. I keep writing about the fact that it is necessary to measure the concentration of alcohol at 20 degrees, but it rarely happens that moonshine flows from the refrigerator at such a temperature. It is either warmer or colder. In this case, the hydrometer readings can be corrected using this plate.

1. It is better not to carry out intermediate cleaning of moonshine from fruit and berry mash, otherwise we risk losing its flavors.
2. Cleaning moonshine with oil and activated carbon are two separate, independent methods. You can use only one of them, whichever you like best. But in both cases, the SS must be diluted up to 15%, so it will be better cleaned.
3. If you still decide to apply both cleaning methods at once, then the sequence should be as follows - first oil, and then coal.
4. I clean the “tails” collected during the second distillation with oil and the coal used in the intermediate cleaning and pour it into a cube during the distillation of the next mash.

That's all. The process is not very difficult and if you follow it, then your efforts will be rewarded according to merit. You will get excellent moonshine, a cut above what is obtained with ordinary distillation.

Try it and share your results in the comments. Also subscribe to updates. I hope the article was helpful.

Good luck!

Sincerely, Dorofeev Pavel.

A lot of people don't really want to depend on expensive store-bought alcohol, especially since buying it in a supermarket does not guarantee that you will end up with a good quality drink that matches its high price. Therefore, sometimes people resort to home methods of producing alcohol. It is after the distillation of mash into moonshine that you get a high-quality, home-made drink!

Technology is of great importance in this case. Choosing the right technology is the key to getting a good and not very expensive drink at home. Otherwise, you will find another confirmation of the widespread stories about the disgusting taste and severe hangover of homemade moonshine. Therefore, it is necessary to pay careful attention to all stages of home brewing, starting with the choice of apparatus, raw materials, and ending with compliance with all the rules of this process.

Getting mash

Alcohol is a by-product of the vital activity of yeast, i.e. they eat sugar, in the aquatic environment (minerals), while releasing alcohol and carbon dioxide. Therefore, in order to quickly obtain high-quality mash, it is necessary to monitor the condition (well-being) of the yeast.

• Optimum mash temperature 24°-40°.
• With a decrease in the lower temperature threshold, yeast (bread) fall asleep, and with an increase in the upper perish.
• When falling asleep the latter, the solution can be heated (put in a warm place), and if 40 ° is exceeded, yeast can be added to a cooler place.
• fermentation process(yeast propagation) can be accelerated by periodically stirring the mash, as is done in the production of beer.

They say that you can cook in an old-style washing machine mash for moonshine in a few hours. You can also speed up the fermentation process by adding catalysts: potatoes, peas, tomato paste, hop decoction.

The fermentation scheme looks like this:

SUGAR (C 6 H 12 O 6) + YEAST + WATER (H 2 O) → ETHYL ALCOHOL (2C 2 H 5 OH) + WATER (H 2 O) + CARBON DIOXIDE (2CO 2)

Fermentation rate depends on the concentration of sugar in the solution, the more it is, the better, but when the strength of the mash is reached, the higher 15°, yeast begins to die from alcohol and fermentation process slows down. Therefore, the excessive sugar content in mash (if we use it later for distillation) leads to its loss and an increase in the cost of the final product. After finishing fermentation just try mash, it should be bitter and without a sweet taste.

If we do not distill the mash in the future, but drink it like mead, then I would advise using less yeast so that there is no yeasty taste, and more sugar, anyway, above 15 ° mead will not work.

How to domash for moonshine right

Braga is the basis of moonshine. Therefore, the final result will depend on the quality of the feedstock.

If we make mash from sugar, then I recommend the following optimal ratio of products in solution: 1 kg of sugar: 100 g of yeast: 3 liters of water (10: 1: 30). When calculating, keep in mind that during the fermentation process, you will release carbon dioxide, which will form foam and it can flow over the edge of the vessel with the mash.

Braga from jam is also made, only instead of sugar we take 1 liter of jam, the rest is warm water. But it is better to make mead out of jam. For 3 lira of mead we take 1 liter of jam, the rest is warm water and 2 teaspoons of dry yeast.

During fermentation, the resulting ethyl alcohol is simultaneously oxidized (combined with oxygen) to form oxidation products: acetic acid, dangerous to health, acetaldehyde. It follows that oxygen is the enemy of the mash and other products obtained from it, and therefore it is necessary to limit the access of air to the container with the mash.

Air access can be limited by putting a rubber medical glove on the neck of the jar with a pierced pin in the area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe fingers. Excess carbon dioxide will escape through the holes, and the glove will not fly off from high pressure. The glove is also an indicator of the fermentation process. If carbon dioxide is released from it, then during normal fermentation it will rise before our eyes. When the glove itself falls, this will mean that the fermentation is over and it's time to move on to distillation using a moonshine still. The glove can be freely bought at the pharmacy.

Another way to restrict air access to Brahe, this use water seal.

• Excess carbon dioxide from a container with mash (for example, a 19l bottle of drinking water) enters a jar of water through a tube.
• By the intensity of the exit of the bubbles, we determine the state of the fermentation process.
• This method is good for fermenting wine.

Braga can be obtained from any organic products containing sugar or starch. The main criterion is the availability of raw materials, its price. The essence of the process is the same as when preparing mash from sugars, only for the conversion of starch into sugar, an enzyme (malt) is needed, which is located in seeds, for example, in grain. When the grain begins to germinate, the enzyme in the grain is activated and penetrates the starch deposits, converting it into sugar that feeds the germ.

We need to get the enzyme (malt). To do this, we germinate, for example, wheat, before that we soak it for several days in water. Then we dry, separating the sprouts from the grains, which we grind into powder.

Braga recipes at home

There are many recipes for cooking mash

And from grain

Grain, at the rate of 1 kg, crushed to flour, add 3 liters of water (1:3), yeast 50 g, 200 g sugar, malt 200 g

Stirred in a container and kept for 10-14 days in a warm place, until the release of carbon dioxide ceases.

Potato based

20 kg potatoes, 400 g yeast, 1 kg of rye or wheat flour and a handful of chopped wheat straw

1. Peel potatoes and grate.
2. Add it to 10 liters of water with a temperature of about 60°.
3. Add flour and straw to the solution, mix.
4. After 6 hours, drain the water into some container and fill in a new one (with a temperature of about 50 °).
5. After another 12 hours, this water is also drained into a container.
6. Now it remains to add yeast to the solution and leave for 2 weeks. Then overtake.

And from jam

6 kg of any jam, 30 liters of water, 200 g of yeast.

If the jam is made from large fruits, then it is advisable to grind it in a meat grinder or any other crusher.

1. Dissolve jam in water, add yeast and ferment.
2. After 4-5 days the substrate is ready.
3. The yield of the finished product during distillation is 6 liters.
4. You can increase the yield by adding 3 kg of sugar to the jam.
5. In this case, the output will be 9 liters.

Based on candy

5 kg of caramel sweets, 200 g of yeast, 20 liters of water.

Grind sweets, and then dissolve in hot water. Dissolve the yeast separately, and then mix everything. Leave to roam for 4-5 days Yield 5 l.

From honey

yeast 300 g, sugar syrup 2 l, honey 3 kg, water 25 l

• Dissolve honey and syrup in water.
• Add in advance diluted yeast.
• Roam 7-8 days.

And from juice

10 liters of any sweet juice, 300 g of yeast

Dissolve yeast in warm juice. Insist two weeks. Output - 3 l.

Sugar Based

10 kg sugar, 200 g yeast, 10 l water

Dissolve everything in warm water. Roams 7-10 days

And from apricots

10 kg apricots, 10 kg sugar, 100 g yeast, 3 l water

After removing the pits from the apricots, pass them through a meat grinder. Dissolve sugar in 3 liters of warm water (temperature 60-70 °). Then the solution is cooled to a temperature of 25 °. Mix apricot mass and sugar solution in a large container and add yeast. Put in a warm place. When the mixture ferment, overtake using a moonshine still. Output - 2.5 liters.

Based on grapes

10 kg grape pomace, 5 kg sugar, 100 g yeast, 30 l water

1. Pour the grape cake with sugar, mix, put the yeast and pour water.
2. Roam for a week.
3. Distill twice to get a strong moonshine.

And from cherries

20 kg cherries, 2 kg sugar, 200 g yeast

1. Peel the cherries from the bones, mash the pulp, add sugar and yeast diluted in a small amount of warm water.
2. Roams in a warm place for 4-5 days.
3. Stir for the first two days. For example: every six hours.
4. Grind cherry pits in a mortar.
5. After the end of fermentation, mix them with the substrate and overtake.
6. During distillation, you should watch carefully. Ready cherry moonshine is colorless.
7. If the turbidity goes, it must be collected in a separate bowl, and then distilled again.

Yield about 8 liters. Dried cherries can also be used in place of fresh cherries. Just soak it in water first. One drawback - fermentation will last a day or two longer.

And from peas

3 kg of peas, 3 cups of ground malt, 200 g of yeast. Grind the peas into flour and pour into the water, stirring constantly. When the pea flour dissolves, cook it over low heat until a thick homogeneous mass is obtained. Then cool, add malt, mix thoroughly and let stand for 2-3 hours. Then pour into a bowl, add yeast and leave in a warm place for 5 days. The output is usually 3 liters.

Pear based

10 kg of rotten pears, 400 g of sugar, 40-50 g of yeast

• Boil pears.
• As soon as the broth has cooled, add sugar, yeast and 1-1.5 liters of water.
• Insist one week in a warm place.
• Overtake 2 times.

from cranberries

2 kg cranberries, 8 l water, 800 g sugar, 1 pack of yeast

1. Chop cranberries.
2. Drain the juice into a container, and pour the squeeze with water and boil for 15 minutes.
3. Then add sugar, stir and boil for another 15 minutes.
4. Cool the sweetened broth to room temperature and pour cranberry juice into it.
5. Mix everything, add yeast to the liquid, mix again and leave to roam.
6. Then overtake.

rice based

3 kg of rice, 10 liters of water, 3 cups of ground malt, 200 g yeast

1. Boil rice in water and cool to room temperature.
2. Add malt to the mass, mix and incubate for 10-12 hours.
3. Then mix again and add yeast, diluted in water.
4. fermentation process will take 5-6 days. Then strain the finished substrate and overtake. Yield - about 4 liters.

From wheat

4 kg wheat, 1 kg sugar, 3 l water, 5 kg sugar, 18 l water, 5 kg sugar, 8 l warm water

1. Grind wheat into flour, pour 0.5 kg of sugar into it, pour 4 liters of water and insist in a warm place for 5 days.
2. Then pour in the remaining sugar and pour in the rest of the water.
3. Hold on for another week.
4. When the substrate acquires a bitter taste, strain and distill twice.
5. Do not throw out the “production waste”, but cover it again with sugar, pour warm water and leave to ferment for 8-10 days.
6. Strain, overtake the remains of the substrate 2 more times.

homwine.com

Home brewing is a multi-stage process that requires a thorough and reasonable approach. The distillation of mash into moonshine is perhaps the most responsible and painstaking stage, which requires constant attention and at least minimal theoretical knowledge.

The correct distillation determines the taste and quality of the drink, and non-compliance with the technology can lead to serious consequences for repairs in the kitchen and your health.

Preparatory phase: the little things matter

It is worth making sure that all the subtleties are observed even before lighting the stove. Otherwise, all errors will be detected empirically, which is not the best way when working with high temperatures and flammable liquids.

Braga readiness

Before distilling the mash into moonshine, you should make sure that it is ready for distillation. Experienced moonshiners can easily determine this by appearance and taste, but for reliable results, use proven methods:

• The density of the mash measured with a hydrometer should not exceed 1.002. If the readings are higher, add a little water and yeast to the container with the mash and send it to ferment in a warm place.

• If you don't have a hydrometer, taste the mash. The sweetness of the liquid indicates that not all sugar has been converted into alcohol yet and fermentation must be continued.

The question of whether it is possible to distill unfermented mash is often heard from beginners in home brewing. Of course you can, but why? It did not contain processed sugar, which would be wasted in vain, and due to the fact that the maximum strength was not reached, the output of moonshine will also be modest.

How to choose a moonshine still

Due to the rising cost and falling quality of store-bought liquor, home-brewing is gaining popularity.

The first thing that is required for this is a moonshine still. For various reasons, not everyone can make a distiller; most novice distillers buy devices.

Separately, we will consider methods for checking sellers before buying.

Functional purpose

The first and most important criterion. On sale you can find the following types of moonshine stills:

It consists of two interconnected parts: a distillation cube and a refrigerator (coil). For most ordinary people, it is this design that is associated with moonshine, because due to the ease of manufacture it has become widespread, especially in rural areas.

Principle of operation: first, the mash in a cube is heated to the boiling point of alcohol, then the steam is cooled (condensed) in a coil. It turns out a distillate - moonshine with a maximum strength of 75-80 degrees at the outlet (in the stream). But even theoretically, distillation cannot produce pure alcohol; there will always be other impurities in the drink. On the one hand, this is good for preserving aroma and taste, on the other hand, along with the “necessary” impurities, harmful substances also enter moonshine: methyl alcohol, acetone, acetaldehyde, fusel oils, etc.

Advantages of the distiller: low cost, ease of assembly, distillation and maintenance. The classic moonshine still preserves the aroma and taste of the raw materials better than other designs: grains, fruits, berries. Suitable for the preparation of analogues of such drinks as whiskey, cognac, calvados, rum.

Disadvantages: to obtain normal quality, moonshine must be distilled 2-3 times with the division of the output into fractions - the so-called "heads", "body" and "tails". Grain and sugar distillates are preferably further refined between distillations, for example with charcoal. All this requires time and energy (for heating and cooling).

An ordinary distiller, in which another module is installed between the distillation cube and the coil - a dry steamer (aka a sump). This is an empty container of a certain volume, connected from above by tubes to a coil and a cube.

The principle of operation of the steamer is based on the fact that the boiling point of ethyl alcohol is higher than that of many dangerous substances. Theoretically, getting into the steamer, harmful impurities condense there, but do not boil again, since the thermal energy is spent on the evaporation of ethyl alcohol. The role of the sukhoparnik in the apparatus is exaggerated.

beer column

This is a moonshine still, in which the alcohol vapor cooling module is made in the form of a vertical pipe with a reflux condenser installed on top, which separates the liquid into fractions during distillation. It can be used to prepare any drinks: both ordinary sugar moonshine, and for "noble" distillates (cognac, whiskey, chacha), while retaining the aroma.

Brazhnaya column - a new word in moonshine

Advantages: versatility of use, good purification from harmful impurities while preserving the aroma of raw materials, average price, relative ease of operation.

Disadvantages: it is impossible to get all the alcohol contained in the mash without degrading the quality, the losses are 45-70% of the total volume, that is, from 2 liters of absolute alcohol in the mash, an average of 1 liter of high-quality distillate will come out. The design turns out to be overall (in height), it is not always possible to install it in an apartment.

Distillation column

This is a vertical cylindrical vessel equipped inside with heat and mass transfer devices (trays or nozzles) for separating a liquid into fractions that have a close boiling point. If necessary, it can be used as a conventional distiller or beer column.

Rectification separates harmful impurities much better than distillation, theoretically you can get pure alcohol (without foreign smell and taste) up to 96% of the fortress, but the result on home distillation columns is usually more modest. Rectification - suitable for those who need pure alcohol

Advantages of distillation column:

1. The only way to qualitatively separate impurities, getting almost pure alcohol from any mash
2. Does not require double or triple distillation
3. In the course of work there is no specific smell.

Disadvantages: during rectification, the aroma and taste of the feedstock are lost, the column is more difficult to maintain and operate than a conventional apparatus. Due to the large height dimensions, there may be problems with a suitable installation location. The cost of distillation equipment (in addition to the column itself, at least temperature sensors are also needed) is usually higher than that of classical distillers (except for alambicas).

Cube volume, power, dimensions

These parameters depend on how often you plan to drive moonshine. General rule: other things being equal, the more productive the moonshine is, the more expensive, heavier and larger it is.

First of all, you need to decide on the volume of the cube. During distillation, any apparatus is allowed to fill up to 80% of the volume. For example, if the cube is 15 liters, then for safety reasons no more than 12 liters of mash are distilled at a time. This is not as little as it might seem, because dividing the mash into two distillations is much more practical than purchasing one large apparatus, especially if you drive moonshine no more than 1-2 times a week.

The capacity of the cooler should correspond to the volume of the cube - be equivalent or higher with a margin in case you plan to connect a larger cube in the future. You need to find out the performance of the device from the manufacturer, being interested not only in the number of liters per hour, but also in the maximum possible volume of the cube to be connected, the degrees of heating and the recommended cooling intensity.

When buying a beer or distillation column, you should remember that their height usually exceeds 1 meter. Taking into account the fact that the device has to be installed on a stove, there may not be enough free height to the ceiling or to the hood.

Material

Craftsmen made moonshine from aluminum, but this is not the most suitable material, because it affects the taste and releases harmful substances into the drink. Modern manufacturers use two inert (not reacting with alcohol) metals - stainless steel and copper.

The advantage of stainless steel is its low cost, long service life and reliability of the apparatus, which requires almost no maintenance (only rinsing and cleaning).

The main thing is that the stainless steel must comply with GOST for the food industry. This document must be shown by the seller or manufacturer. The thickness is not less than 2 mm, otherwise, with strong heating, the mash may burn.

The only material (other than glass) that does not affect the organoleptic properties of the distillate in any way is copper. In addition, due to its high thermal conductivity, copper quickly heats up and cools down, which reduces the time spent on distillation. The disadvantage is that copper moonshine stills are more expensive and are used to produce elite alcohol: whiskey, cognac, tequila, calvados.

Any turbidity of moonshine and third-party tastes in copper devices appear only due to poor maintenance of the device and have nothing to do with the material itself. According to GOST, copper is allowed to be used in the production of alcohol.

Design features

Depending on the situation, both simplify and complicate the process of moonshine brewing. For example, if all the modules of the device are collapsible, they are easier to clean. The presence of drain taps on the cube and on the steamer also simplifies maintenance. The neck of the distillation cube should be wide enough so that you can easily put your hand inside, otherwise it will be problematic to remove the scale.

If the device does not fit into the height dimensions, you can buy a cube with built-in heating elements and not put it on the stove, saving space. But during distillation, the heating element must be immersed in the mash, otherwise it will burn out. As a moonshine still for summer cottages, where there are problems with water supply, devices that do not require running water are better suited, such are on sale.

Each modern model must necessarily be equipped with at least one thermometer, which can be used to navigate when separating distillate into fractions.

The presence of automation, on the one hand, simplifies the process, on the other hand, complicates maintenance, because even if one controller fails, often the entire device ceases to function.

How to buy moonshine still

Choosing a suitable model is only half the battle, it is much more important to find a normal seller and check the product documentation. This is very important when buying a moonshine still over the Internet, where there are many businessmen who want to profit from inexperienced moonshiners.

Unfortunately, cases of fraud and the sale of unsuitable devices of dubious design have become commonplace. Reviews on the forums and the advice of the "specialists" living there are paid for in 90% of cases, you should not be guided by them.

Verification of documents

If possible, purchase a moonshine in your locality in a stationary store so that in case of problems you can consult or return the goods. But often a distiller or distillation column is chosen on the Internet. In this case, I advise you to pay attention to the following aspects:

1. Check seller registration. The methodology varies by country. For example, in Russia, you can check the OGRN (Main State Registration Number) and OGRNIP (Main State Registration Number) on the website of the Federal Tax Service (FTS). If there is no data or they do not match those on the seller's website, you have a scammer in front of you.
2. It is desirable that the seller has a real physical address where it can be found. A direct landline phone number (not 8800), complete data on the site and the availability of a support service that responds quickly at the stated time are an indirect confirmation of honesty.
3. The description of the moonshine still must be complete: all parts and assemblies are listed, the materials from which they are made are named, all technical characteristics are indicated in numbers or ranges under specific operating conditions. At the first request, the seller must name the manufacturer of the equipment, its physical address and contact details.
4. Familiarize yourself with the instructions and certificates for the goods. The document itself should contain not only complete information about the configuration and assembly, but also descriptions of various modes of operation, including safety precautions and rules for caring for equipment. The more detailed everything is, the better. A separate chapter is the terms of warranty service. The provided quality certificates also need to be checked; in Russia, for this, it is enough to enter the number on the website of the Unified Register of Certificates of Conformity. Only if all the documents are in order, you can make a purchase.

alcofan.com

Basic requirements before distillation

• We use only high quality raw materials. Water should not have side tastes and odors. It is best to take settled running water and in no case should you take distilled or boiled water. Fermentation requires oxygen. It is better to make sugar inverted (cook syrup). This improves the fermentation process and prevents the activation of harmful microorganisms. This may affect the smell. We take high-quality pressed or dry yeast.
• We observe the correct proportions (for 1 kg of sugar + 100 g of pressed yeast or 20 g of dry + 4 liters of water). Perhaps you have your own proven recipes.
• We try to adhere to sanitary standards. Vessels for the distillation of mash and dishes for finished products must be sterile and dry. Otherwise, this can also lead to an undesirable taste and smell.
• Before starting the distillation, we correctly install the equipment, check the tightness so as not to disturb the distillation process.

varimspirt.ru

Safety

The times of homemade devices from cans and pots are a thing of the past, and if you plan to make homemade alcohol regularly, buying a normal device will pay off with interest.

Good device - high-quality moonshine

When choosing a moonshine, pay attention to the thickness of the metal - it should be at least 1.5 mm on the walls, and 2-3 mm at the bottom. A wide filler neck will facilitate washing the distillation cube, and a collapsible steamer will allow you to flavor the drink during the second distillation. It is also advisable to choose an apparatus with a thermometer that will allow you to control the distillation process.

Note!

Safety precautions at work have been developed by more than a dozen burnt hands and exploding devices, so study this section carefully:

• Braga must be filtered through cheesecloth before distillation. Particles of wort or top dressing can get into the steam pipes, which threatens to explode from overpressure.

• Set the receiving jar away from the gas burner, and insure against spillage by substituting another container under it. Alcohol is a flammable liquid and is unforgiving.

• Check the tightness of the device. To do this, put the hose on the outlet, blow into it and hold for a few seconds. After you release the hose, the air will hiss out of the sealed space. Alcohol vapors escaping from leaky joints will not only reduce output, but may also ignite.

• Keep gloves handy as the metal parts get very hot during handling. Hand protection is useful when changing the steamer.

• Do not open the still until it has cooled down to avoid steam burns.

These rules are well known to experienced moonshiners, but they were worth writing, even if they help just one beginner.

Temperature conditions for the distillation of mash

The principle of distillation is based on the fact that the composition of the mash includes substances with different boiling points. Due to the successive change in the heating of the distillation cube, these substances alternately pass into the gaseous state. This allows you to divide the moonshine into fractions that differ in the content of impurities:

• Evaporation of aldehydes, ethers, methanol and other harmful impurities begins at 65⁰С. This temperature during the distillation of mash into moonshine is maintained until the separation of the first fraction - the heads. The volume of this fraction is calculated as 30-60 ml per kilogram of sugar used for mash.

• After that, the heating is increased to a level when the distillation temperature of the mash into moonshine is reached in the distillation cube. Ethyl alcohol evaporates at 78⁰, and the result is the second, purest fraction of moonshine - the body. At this stage, the temperature in the cube slowly rises, but should not reach 85⁰С.

• The separation of the third fraction is the last mark that the temperature of the mash must reach during distillation. Fusel oils begin to evaporate at a temperature of 85⁰С, at which point the tails are cut off.

When the mash distillation temperature reaches 98.5⁰С, distillation can be stopped, since the condensed liquid contains no more than 1% ethanol. Although only the most patient reach this stage of distillation.

Instruments for measuring the parameters of wort and solutions

With the help of liquid thermometers with a scale of 150 ºС, you can measure the temperature. And to measure the relative weight of the wort, a hydrometer with limits of 1.000-1.080 is required, for alcohol solutions - a set of hydrometers with limits of 0.820-0.880; 0.880-0.940; 0.940-1.000. The acidity of the mash and wort is determined by taste. Strong acidity is not desirable, so the taste of mash and wort should be slightly acidic.

fermash.com.ua

Distillation of mash into moonshine step by step

Regarding the need for a double distillation, moonshiners are of the same opinion. This allows you to get an unusually soft, clean product, devoid of impurities that are responsible for the organoleptic qualities of the drink and morning well-being. The most meticulous manage to distill moonshine three, and even four times. But most agree on the sufficiency of double distillation.

How to properly expel moonshine from mash: first distillation

The technology for conducting the first distillation does not have such an unambiguous point of view. On this issue, moonshiners are divided into two camps, and each of them has its own arguments. We will not figure out whose method is more correct, since even many years of disputes did not lead to the birth of truth.

Fast distillation of mash

The essence of the technique is that the yeast and impurities remaining in the mash are not subjected to prolonged heat treatment, which increases the amount of impurities. Distillation is carried out at maximum power, without maintaining a separate temperature regime and the selection of fractions:

1. Put the alembic on the fire and bring water to the serpentine.
2. Heat as quickly as possible until the mash boils.
3. Continue distillation at maximum speed up to 3-5⁰C in the jet.

Remember that you need to measure the strength in a small amount of distillate, at a temperature of 20⁰С. If the temperature is higher, then special tables with correction factors are used. However, the moonshine in the stream should not heat up above 30⁰ with a normally working cooler, so you won’t have to wait until it cools down.

Proponents of this technique believe that there is no need to separate the heads and tails during the first distillation, since filtration through coal and dropwise selection of fractions during the second distillation give a sufficiently high-quality product.

Charcoal filters should not be used in the preparation of fruit and grain moonshine, since a powerful absorbent reduces the severity of the aroma of the feedstock. In this case, cutting off the heads and tails is carried out both during the first and the second distillation.

• Heat the cube to 65⁰C and turn the heat down as soon as the first drops appear.
• During the first distillation, the volume of heads is 30 ml per kg of sugar, but experienced moonshiners can easily distinguish them by the pungent smell of acetone.

• Change the container for collecting moonshine and increase the heat so that you get something between frequent drops and a thin stream.

• Continue sampling the body until you reach 30⁰ ABV in the jet. Some moonshiners practice cutting off tails already at 45⁰, but this is superfluous with double or triple distillation.

• Change the container again and increase the heat to maximum. Collect tailings up to 5% ethanol content.

The heads obtained during the first distillation are the same pervach that the people's fame awarded with a stunning reputation. Of course, it knocks you off your feet and intoxication sets in quickly, but the concentration of toxic impurities in it goes off scale, and your well-being will not fail to remind those who dare to try this hellish drink.

The resulting second fraction (body) is raw alcohol. Of course, you can drink it, but the quality will be average. Since you have already taken up the preparation of homemade alcohol, then bring the matter to the end and prepare a drink that will outdo any famous brand of vodka.

Second distillation

Raw alcohol has a natural light turbidity typical of rustic moonshine, and a moderate amount of impurities if the heads and tails have already been selected.

Filtration

Before driving the moonshine out of the mash with the apparatus, it is recommended to dilute the raw alcohol to 25-30⁰ of the fortress, and filter it from fusel oils in one of the following ways:

• Add 20 g of refined vegetable oil per liter of liquid, close the lid and shake well. After 12 hours, drain the liquid from under the oil film with a flexible tube. Pass through a gauze or cotton filter.

• Put a cotton filter in the watering can, and pour birch, stone or coconut activated charcoal on top. In the absence of suitable raw materials, feel free to use ordinary pharmaceutical activated carbon. Filter the alcohol through a watering can.

You can filter moonshine on sugar or starch-containing raw materials, but fruit distillate, together with fusel oils, will lose some of the flavor and aroma, so it is better to use a triple distillation of mash for it. If there is time and inspiration, these two cleaning methods are used in succession.

Second distillation

Actually, the technology practically does not differ from the fractional first distillation, with the exception of some subtleties:

• The slower the cutting off of the heads, the better the product will be. The optimal rate of fluid intake is 1-3 drops per minute.

• If the first time you did not select the heads, then now select 50-60 ml for each kilogram of sugar used. When re-selecting, it will be enough to cut off 30 ml of heads.

• Change the container and heat the cube to 78⁰С, distill the second fraction at medium speed.

• When the strength in the jet drops to 45⁰C, change the tank again and continue distilling the tails at maximum power.

If the distillation of mash into moonshine is carried out correctly, you will get a drink of 50-60⁰ strength. This degree of alcohol does not suit everyone, and you can bring it to the desired fortress by diluting it with water. Distilled, bottled, or jug-filtered water will do.

Cleaning the finished moonshine

The question is rather ambiguous, and moonshiners have not come to a common denominator in solving it. Undoubtedly, the most effective way of cleaning is the correct distillation with a thorough, and preferably with a margin, separation of tails and heads.

Purification is required only for a low-quality drink in order to remove at least some of the impurities from it. For this purpose, the following are used:

• potassium permanganate;
• milk;
• egg white;
• Rye bread;
• freezing in a metal container.

But all these methods cannot be called effective, so it’s better to gather your strength and distill low-quality moonshine again, diligently dividing it into three fractions.

Heads and tails: usefulness from waste

Drinking the first and last fraction is not worth it, but this does not mean that it cannot be used. The alcohol content in them is quite significant, and the economic person will find where to use it:

1. The heads are used as technical alcohol. They can serve as a solvent, stain remover, anti-freeze glass washer fluid, etc.
2. Tail fractions are perfect for the preparation of medicinal infusions, only for external use.
3. Very often, tails are recommended to be added to the next portion of mash, but users of specialized forums say that with repeated re-distillation, the quality of moonshine drops.

Now you know exactly how to properly distill the mash from start to finish. The description of the process may seem voluminous, but after doing it two or three times, you will remember all the subtleties by heart, and after a while you will develop your tricks for obtaining high-quality home-made moonshine!

nalivay-ka.ru

You can determine the strength of moonshine using an alcohol meter, periodically selecting the product into a small container. And in order not to bother with selection during the distillation process, there is a very simple way to approximately determine the strength of moonshine without a device.

• We take a strip of paper (you can tear it off the newspaper) 10 cm long and 1-2 cm wide.
• Bend in half lengthwise so that it does not bend.
• We wet one end under the coil and try to set it on fire.
• Moonshine with a strength of more than 40 degrees will burn even if you remove the match.
• When the fortress is less than 40 degrees, it will also burn, but with a bang and immediately go out if you remove the match.

At this stage, the selection of good moonshine is stopped.

I would like to warn against the temptation to "squeeze out" as much as possible from one stage. Never do this. Cut off the tails in a timely manner. It is better to sacrifice quantity, but win in quality. Otherwise, you may end up with moonshine exactly the same as in ALL of our movies. Cloudy and no doubt smelly.

The mash used to make moonshine contains a large amount of substances hazardous to human health. Methanol, aldehydes and fusel oils - these substances formed in the brew during fermentation can lead to severe poisoning and even death.

To clean the mash from dangerous impurities and improve its taste, the mash began to be distilled into moonshine. The distillation process is scientifically called distillation. There are many ways and options for distillation, one of the simplest is used in moonshine - heating the liquid to the vaporization temperature, followed by cooling the vapor to a liquid state.

The first distillation of moonshine

After the first distillation, moonshine (raw alcohol) is obtained from the mash, which is more or less already usable. Of course, it all depends on the quality of the mash itself and the technology of the distillation process. Here, probably, it’s up to everyone personally to take care of their health and the health of their loved ones or not, because, as we remember, in ancient times, mash was not distilled at all. And the taste and aroma of such moonshine will be far from ideal.
To obtain the purest moonshine during the first distillation, moonshine can be separated into fractions. The fact is that in the process of distilling the mash, the outgoing moonshine is divided into three fractions:

• heads. The first formed part of moonshine. It also contains the main part of all harmful impurities and substances. It takes about 10-15% of the total volume. Drinking this fraction is extremely dangerous.
• Then the second fraction begins to stand out - the body. This can be understood when the sharp smell of acetone disappears. The body is the purest part of moonshine, for the sake of which the process of separating moonshine into fractions is carried out.
• Tails. A decrease in the strength of the outgoing moonshine below 43-42 ° means that the third fraction begins to come out - tails. This fraction also cannot be consumed - it contains fusel oils. It can be added to the mash before distillation to increase its degree.

The resulting product will, after all, be raw alcohol, which, although you can drink it, it would be better to carry out another distillation.

The second distillation of moonshine

In general, the re-distillation technology is no different from the first, but with one extremely important point. Moonshine before the second distillation must be diluted with water to 15-20 °, thus we:

• We exclude the possibility of ignition of moonshine. High-strength moonshine can easily catch fire when heated.
• We will reduce the strength of the bond between ethyl alcohol and harmful impurities in order to improve the quality of moonshine purification.

In fact, you can distill not only mash or moonshine of the first distillation, but almost all strong alcohol. After distillation, a product of higher quality will be obtained.

There is no limit to perfection, therefore, after the first distillation, moonshine can be subjected to additional purification in order to try to clean the moonshine from impurities as much as possible. There are several ways:

• Pass through the filter. You can assemble a simple but effective filter - pour charcoal on a thick layer of gauze. You can go even further by putting thin paper first, then gauze with cotton wool, and charcoal on top.
• Cleaning with milk or egg white.
• Cleaning with a solution of potassium permanganate.

As a result

There are many opinions and the choice of each person is whether or not to double distillate. Yes, with one distillation you will save a lot of time and effort, but is it worth your health? Yes, you can clean it or let the moonshine settle, but in terms of the time and effort spent, this option will not differ much from re-distillation.

The only worthy alternative would be the use of moonshine stills along with a dry steamer and a bubbler, such are in our store. They make it possible to eliminate the second distillation due to the fact that all impurities and hazardous substances settle in the steamer and bubbler. It turns out a two-level system for cleaning moonshine.