The classic moonshine recipe includes only 3 ingredients: water, sugar and yeast. Despite this, the question "How to put the mash on sugar and yeast correctly?" sometimes even experienced lovers of moonshine are asked. Consider the most popular sugar and yeast mash recipe, and also pay attention to alternative ways to make mash.
Making mash from sugar and yeast for moonshine is a simple, but very responsible process. After all, the quality of the future drink, and consequently the health of its tasters, depends on how you treat technology.
Particular attention should be paid to the fermentation tank. A plastic barrel or aluminum can is best. You can use glass or porcelain containers. But in no case do not take galvanized buckets, because. during the oxidation process, toxic substances will enter the wort, which is a health hazard.
All utensils must be pre-washed and dried. Failure to comply with this rule can pretty much spoil the taste and smell of future moonshine. If you follow all the steps strictly according to the instructions, the mash from sugar and yeast should turn out what you need. Braga can be made from sugar, both with the use of dry yeast and raw (pressed). The difference lies in the proportions of the products.
Braga from sugar and yeast: proportions
So, how much sugar and dry yeast do you need for mash? How much moonshine will turn out from such a mash? On average, 1 liter of moonshine is obtained from 3 liters of mash. The proportions of the mash are as follows:
Braga from sugar and dry yeast:
- 3 l. water
- 1 kg. Sahara
- 50g. dry yeast
- 10g. citric acid
Pressed sugar and yeast mash:
- 3 l. water
- 1 kg. Sahara
- 150g. fresh pressed yeast
More often, dry yeast is used to make mash. The French yeast "Saf-levure" has proven itself well in home brewing. Their purpose is not limited to baking. They are also intended for the preparation of alcoholic beverages. Also, sourdough with dry yeast is made much faster.
Sugar and yeast mash recipe
Stock up on patience. Braga for moonshine from sugar and yeast is not made in a day or two. To prepare good moonshine, you need to spend at least 3-5 days, and sometimes the whole week. But the result will exceed all expectations. Soon you will realize that making moonshine on your own at home is much more profitable than buying strong alcohol in a store.
How to make mash from sugar and yeast? Technology:
- Sugar inversion. Do not be afraid of the unknown word "invert". The term refers to the banal preparation of sugar syrup. This stage is not mandatory in the manufacture of mash, but we strongly recommend that you do it. The fermentation process will be more active, because. when heated, sugar breaks down into simpler components: fructose and glucose. Let's take some water (a couple of liters will be enough, regardless of the total volume), bring it to a low boil and dissolve all the sugar in it. Mix thoroughly until a syrup forms. Boil the sugar syrup for 10 minutes, add the lemon, and then immediately reduce the heat to the lowest possible. In this state, we cook the syrup for about an hour. You can make mash from sugar and yeast without inverting. To save time, you can simply dissolve the sugar in hot water.
- Water preparation and mixing. So that the future moonshine does not have foreign odors, you must initially take care of the quality of the water used to prepare the mash. It must be clean and not chlorinated. It is advisable to let the water stand for a couple of days so that foreign substances precipitate. But in no case do not boil water and do not use distilled water, because. this will lead to a decrease in the concentration of oxygen, which takes an active part in the fermentation process. In the fermentation tank, mix water with the sugar syrup prepared earlier. The temperature of the liquid should be in the range of 27-30 degrees. Do not fill the container to the top. During fermentation, abundant foaming will be observed.
- Starter preparation. A very important step in the preparation of mash from sugar and yeast is the activation of the latter. You can use dry and pressed yeast. We'll stick with dry ones. Activate the yeast according to the instructions on the back of the package. To do this, pour them into a deep bowl and fill with warm water (27-30 degrees). Cover with a lid and wrap well with a warm cloth to maintain the required temperature. Cool water will not activate the yeast, but too hot will kill it. Baker's yeast foams a lot. As a defoamer, you can use crackers, stale bread or cookies. Before adding activated yeast to the diluted syrup, we will take care of additional feeding of the mash. For these purposes, you can use bread, malt, wheat or barley grain, raisins, dried apricots, juices, compote or jam. Feel free to add these ingredients to the wort without fear of spoiling it. Add yeast and mix the mash.
- Fermentation. The longest stage in the manufacture of mash from sugar and yeast is fermentation. As a result of a chemical reaction, the alcohols we need, water and carbon dioxide are formed. To start this process, you need to place the fermentation container with all the ingredients in a warm room, wrap it with clothes (we use a towel, blanket, other warm clothes), providing the necessary temperature for the life of the yeast (27-30 degrees). During fermentation, carbon dioxide will be intensively released. Provide him with a tap in the form of a slightly ajar lid. As a rule, mash from sugar and yeast is not supplied with a water seal. But you can use it if the smell bothers you. If the fermentation tank is in the apartment, take the water seal tube out the window. Fermentation lasts 3-5 days. After this time, the chemical reaction will completely stop, as a result, carbon dioxide will no longer be released, and the mash will become lighter. There are several ways to determine the readiness of the mash. If you bring a burning match above the surface of the mash, it should not go out. Yeast precipitates, and the upper part becomes lighter. You can also taste it. It should not feel sugar, but alcohol. The taste is not sweet, but bitter with a slight sourness. If all these conditions are met, then the sugar and yeast mash for moonshine is almost ready. Why practically? Because it must also be drained from the sediment and, if desired, degassed and additionally clarified the mash.
- Degassing and clarification of mash. This stage is designed to improve the taste properties of the future drink. After the end of fermentation, we place the mash in a cool room and use a tube to decant it from the sediment in the form of yeast. To improve the quality of the mash, we remove carbon dioxide from its composition by heating the mash to a temperature of 50 degrees. Such a heat treatment will remove the rest of the yeast. The clarification of the mash occurs on its own for a long time. You can speed up the result by adding bentonite (white clay) or gelatin. We dilute a few tablespoons of crushed white clay in a small cup of warm water until a viscous mass is obtained, and then pour it slowly into the mash, stirring. The process of clarification with the help of betonite lasts about a day. As a result, we get the purest home brew without foreign odors. Such a mash made from sugar and yeast is usually not used for drinking. Its purpose is exclusively the distillation of moonshine. You can see the recipe for making mash for drinking in another article, where jam is used as the main ingredient.
Braga without sugar and yeast
The sugar and yeast mash recipe is the most popular among others. Moonshine obtained from such raw materials can be called classic. However, you can make mash without using these two products. There are many alternative recipes with other ingredients.
As a substitute for sugar, you can use fruit juices, missing jam, halva, honey, malt, etc. Purchased yeast can be replaced with wild yeast products used in the preparation of mash: unwashed raisins, prunes, sprouted grains, ... In these cases, you need to know the exact proportions of the components.
Braga is a product that is obtained by yeast fermentation of sugar syrup (a solution of sugar and water). You can do it at home. Yeast converts sugar into carbon dioxide and alcohol. It is customary to make moonshine by distilling fermented raw materials in a moonshine still.
In addition to sugar, cereals, starch-containing and fruit and berry raw materials are also used to produce moonshine. Ideally, the right home brew can be made from almost any ingredient that contains sugar or starch. Each recipe is individual, but in order for the moonshine to turn out to be of high quality and strong, the necessary proportions must be observed.
The ratio of ingredients
The classic calculation of ingredients: 1 measure of sugar per 0.1-0.04 parts of yeast and 4 water. However, each recipe is individual and this ratio may vary. In general, to get a homebrew with an alcohol content of 10-12%, a wort is required, consisting of 180-200 g of sugar and 800-820 g of water. Accordingly, if there is less sugar, then the finished product at the exit will be less strong, if more, then the strength will increase. Too much sugar in the wort is not good either. He will not ferment all and will remain in the raw material. So the recipe for success? it is to stick to the golden mean, since extremes are harmful.
Different types of wort raw materials produce different alcohol yields. Ratio ml/kg:
- in molasses (50%)? 320;
- birch sap? 25;
- at the grapes? 115;
- at the cherry? 57;
- at the apples? 65;
- at raspberries? 100;
- at the plum? 55;
- at starch? 710;
- at the strawberries? 58.
Depending on which recipe is being implemented and on the level of quality of the yeast, slight deviations from these values are possible.
Braga recipe
To do it right, you need high-quality raw materials and suitable dishes. The volume of containers should be chosen based on the calculation of the amount of wort. Optimal container materials: glass, food grade plastic, stainless steel, porcelain, duralumin. Galvanized analogues should not be used. Milk cans and flasks are great for wort.
Sugar is one of the most important components of moonshine home brew. They make it on alcohol or baker's yeast. The use of alcohol is the preferred option. You can use both raw and dry analogues. Water should be collected in advance so that it is separated from bleach. Boiling the water is not recommended, as this reduces the amount of oxygen, which negatively affects the quality of the fermentation. If it is too hard, then before putting the mash, it is advisable to pass the liquid through the filter.
Is it better to invert the sugar to make it easier for the yeast to work? prepare sugar syrup with the addition of citric acid. Heat treatment breaks down sugar (polysaccharide) into monosaccharides, which are glucose and fructose. It is their yeast that is processed into alcohol. Heat treatment also allows you to destroy pathogenic microflora, which can adversely affect 
fermentation quality. Inverting sugar greatly speeds up the fermentation of the wort and increases the efficiency of the yeast. Because some work has already been done for them. Inverting is not mandatory, but in order to get a better and stronger product, it is advisable to perform it.
The recipe is this. It is necessary to take water and sugar in a ratio of 1: 2. Heat the water to 70-90 ° C, pour sugar into it, mix slowly until a homogeneous consistency. The syrup should be boiled over low heat for about 10 minutes, gradually adding citric acid. For 1 kg of sugar, it will take 4-5 g. Then reduce the heat to a minimum, cover the container with a lid and simmer for another 1 hour. Doing an inversion is desirable. Braga made from invert sugar has a pleasant caramel flavor.
The cooled syrup should be poured into a fermentation container and warm water should be added in the required proportion. If the inversion was not performed, then you just need to dissolve the sugar in warm water. The temperature range of the mixture should be between 25-28°C. The fermentation container should not be filled more than 75%. During fermentation, active foaming occurs. Should the yeast be prepared before adding to the wort? pre-dissolve in a small amount of warm water (33-35°C) with sugar and leave for 1 hour in a sealed container. Foam should appear on the surface. After that, the yeast can be added to the wort.
In the course of the yeast, strong foaming can create problems. For such a case, defoamers should be prepared. For these purposes, crushed breadcrumbs or cookies are suitable. Some use vegetable oil. The addition of these ingredients does not affect the quality of the final product.
During fermentation, the temperature of the mixture should always be between 24-30°C. It is this range that is optimal for good yeast performance. Therefore, the room must be warm. The fermentation tank can also be wrapped in blankets and fur coats or insulated with building insulation. Some experts use aquarium water heaters that have a thermoregulation system. On average, fermentation lasts 4-10 days. It is advisable to shake the Braga every day in order to facilitate the removal of carbon dioxide and increase the efficiency of the yeast (do not open the lid and do not remove the water seal? There should be no oxygen access).
During fermentation, CO2 is released (about 4 cubic meters per liter of alcohol). Its accumulation can 
cause the container to explode. Therefore, it is necessary to ensure the removal of CO2, while preventing oxygen from entering the fermentation container (otherwise vinegar will be formed instead of alcohol). For these purposes, a water seal is used. Its classic version is a discharge tube lowered into the water. A hole is made in the lid of the fermentation tank, into which a tube or hose is inserted. The insertion point of the hose must be sealed. The other end of the tube is lowered into a container of water. Another popular type of shutter is the rubber glove. It is put on the neck of the fermentation container, and holes are made in the fingers with a needle.
Signs of the readiness of mash for distillation are:
- cessation of CO2 emission;
- bitter taste;
- clarification of the upper layers and sediment at the bottom;
- a pronounced smell of alcohol in a bouquet of aromas;
- a burning match near the surface of the mash does not go out.
These criteria need to be assessed comprehensively. This will eliminate errors.
Further, it is recommended to carry out degassing and clarification of the mash. The recipe is next. Should it be removed from the yeast sediment first? transfer to another container. Then the liquid should be heated to 50°C. This temperature destroys yeast residues and promotes a more complete release of CO2. Then the mash is poured back and clarified with bentonite (white clay).
It is very important that the clay was free of aromatic fillers, otherwise you can ruin everything. Clarification should be performed only after fermentation has completely stopped. For 10 liters of mash you will need 1.5-2 tbsp. l white clay. If it is not in a powdered state, then you need to grind it in a coffee grinder. Concrete must be dissolved in 0.25 liters of water and brought to the consistency of thick sour cream. Then the clay must be added to the mash, mix well and shake vigorously. Then the mixture is left alone for 15-25 hours. After that, the mash is ready for distillation.
The use of white clay can significantly reduce the percentage of third-party impurities, which has a beneficial effect on the taste of the final product. Clarified Braga 
practically loses the unpleasant yeasty aroma.
Fermentation and acceleration of fermentation
Initially, oxygen is present in the wort, which stimulates the active reproduction of yeast. However, over time, their activity decreases. Why does yeast need to be fed? minerals. Good natural top dressing are berries, fruits, cereals, black bread. An excellent option is the addition of malt.
Can you feed yeast with chemicals? ammonium nitrate and superphosphate, 2 g and 3 g per 1 kg of sugar, respectively. However, many experts do not recommend the use of chemistry. Top dressing increases the rate of fermentation and improves its quality. The speed can also be increased by adding more yeast.
I will tell you a detailed, in a simple form, step-by-step recipe for mash for sugar moonshine. You will understand the essence of cooking mash and will make it without any problems.
To prepare an alcoholic drink, we need to take alcohol somewhere. We will take alcohol using yeast. The yeast will eat the sugar and release the alcohol.
Yeast is a microorganism belonging to the family of fungi. They live in water and feed on sugar, or rather glucose, which is sugar. Eating glucose, with a lack of oxygen in the water, alcohol is formed, which they release into the water. Yeast also releases carbon dioxide.
Speaking quite simply, in order to get alcohol in mash, we take a container, pour water into it and let the yeast live in it.
We feed the yeast with sugar, and they release alcohol and carbon dioxide into the mash.
Yeast can be compared to a cow that eats grass and gives us milk.
Grass > Cow > Milk
Glucose > Yeast > Alcohol
With a lack of oxygen in the water, the yeast does not completely eat glucose, bite it, alcohol is obtained. Alcohol is uneaten glucose.
The essence of getting mash. This is to feed the yeast in the water with glucose and take care of their well-being. The better the yeast feels, the faster the fermentation will be.
A sugar molecule is two glucose molecules bonded into one.
Yeast has an enzyme, invertase, that cuts a sugar molecule into exactly two glucose molecules.
How to make braga.
- Tank preparation.
- Calculate the proportions of sugar:water:yeast.
- Pour sugar, stir.
- We add yeast.
- We mix everything.
- Cover the container with a lid or gauze.
Tank preparation.
Since yeast lives in water, we will need a container in which we will pour it.
Barrels, canisters, water bottles are suitable for containers.
It is desirable that the container be made of food-grade plastic, the container should be marked PP, food-grade plastic, or stainless steel.
The container should be with a wide neck, it is convenient to wash it later.
Calculation of the proportions of sugar and water for mash.
How much water and sugar do you need for mash.
The ratio of sugar and water for moonshiners is called the hydromodule.
Since the alcohol released into the mash by yeast affects their well-being badly.
Yeast begins to slowly eat sugar and slowly release alcohol.
The more alcohol in the mash, the slower they eat it and eventually stop using it, the uneaten sugar will remain in the mash.
It is necessary to choose such an optimal ratio of sugar and water so that the yeast eats the sugar completely and quickly.
For baker's yeast, the optimal ratio of sugar and water is 1:5, 1 kg of sugar and 5 liters of water.
If you add more sugar to the mash, then the yeast will eat it for a long time, and if less, then the concentration of alcohol in the mash will be small, then during the distillation we will heat the excess water.
Fermentation already noticeably slows down at 9% alcohol, at 11% it can completely stand up. Baker's yeast can ferment up to 14% alcohol in the wash, but this will take a long time.
It is better to make the first mash with baker's yeast, then you need to take a ratio of 1 kilogram of sugar and 5 liters of water for a container.
If you have special yeast, alcohol, then we use the hydromodule 1:4 or 1:3.5. On a pack of yeast, the manufacturer indicates the optimal ratio of sugar and water, if not, then you have baker's yeast, your hydromodule is 1:5.
Fill with water, half the capacity.
Why do we pour half the container with water, because the yeast at the beginning of fermentation emits abundant foam, and when it is full, it can overflow.
We pour water from the tap, there is no need to boil, anyway, the mash will be distilled later.
Water should be without bleach, if it is there, then let the water stand for several hours so that the chlorine evaporates.
Chlorine in water can kill our yeast.
It is desirable that the water is warm, the yeast will eat sugar faster.
The optimum water temperature for mash is 30-35 degrees; at 50 degrees and above, the yeast will die.
Pour sugar into a bowl and stir.
Add yeast to mash.
How much yeast is needed for mash?
If you are using baker's yeast to get alcohol, then add the classic dose. For 1 kg of sugar, you need 100 grams of pressed or 25-30 grams of dry yeast. Braga will ripen in 4-5 days.
We take yeast not for liters of mash, but for the amount of sugar in it, since yeast eats it, but simply lives in water.
For the first time, it is better to use pressed baker's yeast, for example "Lux", they are available in any chain store, one pack of 100 grams per 1 kilogram of sugar, or pressed yeast from other manufacturers.
Pressed yeast is stable, you will understand how the fermentation process looks like correctly.
Pressed yeast can be stored in the freezer, but should be thawed in the refrigerator to prevent bursting.
Dry yeast is ordinary pressed, just dried
Dry yeast does not spoil for a long time, but they are a little more expensive.
Good dry yeast Bekmaya.
Scatter dry yeast over the surface of the water.
By the amount of yeast, we regulate the fermentation rate, the more sugar eaters there are, the faster the mash will ripen.
The rate of fermentation is not directly proportional to the amount of yeast. If you take twice as much yeast, then the mash will not ripen twice as fast, a little longer, alcohol will interfere with the yeast.
If you have a fermentation tank of 19 liters, a bottle from a cooler, then you need 3.5 kg of sugar, which means you need pressed yeast, 3.5 times 100 we get 350 grams.
We need dry, 3.5 times 30, we get 105 grams.
For a fermentation tank of 19 liters, 350 grams of pressed or 105 grams of dry yeast are required.
We mix everything.
As soon as the dry yeast swelled and sat on the bottom, and the pressed one formed foam, mix everything.
After a while, the mash will hiss in you, carbon dioxide will intensively be released. Foam may form, depending on the yeast manufacturer.
Foam can be knocked down by interfering with the wash.
If foam interferes with you, pours out of the container, you can extinguish it with crushed cookies or by adding a few drops of a drug for bloating bought at a pharmacy, such as BOBOTIK.
Braga does not need to be specially stirred during maturation, it itself is mixed due to the upward movement of carbon dioxide.
Pour the remaining water up to the level of the container.
If you have stopped foaming, then you can add the rest of the warm water so that the total temperature of the mash in the container is 30-35 degrees.
We cover the container with the mash, loosely with a lid or gauze and remove to ferment.
We remove the container with the mash for maturation in a warm place. In a cold place, the yeast will die.
Braga from sugar in the first three days is not specially necessary to cover with a lid with a water seal.
Lids with a water seal are needed for making wine or mash from cereals so that lactic acid bacteria do not get there and it does not turn sour.
In the first days of Braga, strong fermentation takes place, carbon dioxide is released, which squeezes air out of the tank.
After the fermentation has subsided, you can close the container so that air does not get in there and oxidize our alcohol into aldehyde and bacteria also do not get in, again not dense
It’s good, of course, to close the barrel with mash with a lid into which the corrugation or hose is inserted, they will remove carbon dioxide into the hood or into the street so that the room does not smell of mash.
In summer, a barrel of mash can be put in a greenhouse, carbon dioxide will increase the yield.
The smell of mash can be dealt with with a water seal. Insert the tube into the lid and lower it into a jar of water. Add flavoring or citrus peels to the water.
Citrus peels can also be added to the mash itself.
How to know that the mash is ready.
At first, the mash will sizzle, after 4 days single bubbles will come out.
The easiest and most efficient way to determine the readiness of mash is to taste it.
We have sensors in our mouths, receptors that tell us how much sugar we have. If it doesn't taste sweet, then it's ready.
It is impossible to find out the strength of the mash with an alcohol meter, since it measures the proportion of alcohol in pure water, without impurities and yeast.
Is it possible to store fermented mash.
If you do not have time to overtake the mash from sugar, then nothing will happen to it. Close it tightly so that air does not enter the container and does not oxidize our alcohol, there will be small losses.
It is advisable not to wait, if the mash is ripe, then immediately drive, there will be less impurities, heads and tails.
Do I need to clarify the mash before distillation.
Braga is clarified to remove yeast.
This is done if you drink it or you have a poor-quality moonshine still that lets in odor vapors or moonshine smells like yeast.
If this does not bother you, then you don’t need to specially lighten the mash, it’s a waste of time.
Braga is clarified with bentonite clay, which is bought in special distillery stores or taken from cat litter.
The filler should be without flavorings, in the composition, everything should be indicated on the label.
Fillers, Pi-Pi-Bent, KatSun, WC Closet Cat, Katty.
A tablespoon of bentonite is added to a glass of warm water, this is for 10 liters of mash, stir and pour everything into the finished mash and mix again.
The yeast sticks to the clay and settles to the bottom. Add more clay to the mash, everything will settle faster.
The yeast sticks to the clay and settles to the bottom. Add more clay to the mash, everything will settle faster. Do not pour bentonite with yeast down the drain. Wet clay, like cement, will clog pipes, pour it into a bag and then into the trash.
You can lighten the mash in the winter by taking it out into the cold.
The settled yeast can be reused by adding it to the new mash.
Is it possible to drink mash.
It is not advisable to drink Braga, it is better to overtake it, since it contains a lot of harmful impurities.
Wine and beer are the same mash, but their producers use special yeast and fermentation modes, with the help of which the amount of harmful impurities is reduced.
What to do if the mash does not roam.
If your mash does not sizzle after an hour or two as you put it in, then most likely you have little yeast or they are old. Add more yeast
The second option is that your water is too cold.
If there was fermentation, but then everything stood up and a week has passed since the start of kneading, and the mash is not ready yet, then most likely you have a cold room or the mash is too sour.
The ratio of sugar and water should be 1:5, for baker's yeast.
If the room is cold, then use an aquarium heater.
If the mash tastes sour, then you need to neutralize it with soda, a teaspoon per 5-10 liters. Add soda in parts, there will be abundant foam.
Braga acidifies itself during the fermentation process, yeast tolerates acidity up to 3.5 Ph, if it is lower, then fermentation rises.
With the usual sugar kneading, the mash does not have time to sour much.
Braga is an alcohol-containing liquid obtained by fermentation of any carbohydrate-containing raw material ( we have sugar) with the addition of yeast and water, for further processing into moonshine.
Criteria for obtaining high-quality sugar mash:
- mash from sugar and yeast proportions
- quality yeast
- no impurities in water and sugar
- the ability to correctly determine the moment of maturation of mash
In home brewing, from sugar mash, we try to get - the maximum alcohol for the spent sugar!
Sugar mash proportions
*together with top dressing.
Water:Sugar:Yeast
300:100:1
Theoretical alcohol yield: 0.67 liters (0.538 kg)
Proportions may vary for yeast only. The ratio of sugar and water has been tested by theory and practice, change only at your own peril and risk.
Alcohol yield
Let us dwell on chemical calculations - we will consider this to be the ideal yield of alcohol.
Simplified formula for the fermentation of sugar into alcohol:
1 * Sugar + 1 * Water = 2 * Glucose = 4 * Alcohol + 4 * Carbon Dioxide. (molecules)
From one molecule of sugar we get four molecules of alcohol.
Substitute the atomic masses of the substance.
342 + 18 = 2 * 180 = 4 * 46 + 4 * 44. (g/mol)
With 342 g / mol of sugar, we get 184 g / mol of alcohol.
From the formulas we obtain the ratio of the yield of alcohol from sugar: 184/342 = 0.538
Alcohol is lighter than water, for calculation in liters: 0.538 divided by the density of alcohol 0.79 kg / l, we get 0.67 liters of alcohol per 1 kg of sugar.
In practice, we do not get the ideal solution. Fermentation does not occur immediately - some of the alcohol will be lost. In practice, 0.55-0.60 liters of alcohol are obtained from one kg of sugar.
Variants due to which losses of raw materials (sugar) and a lower coefficient of alcohol yield in mash for the spent raw materials are possible.
- The proportions of the composition of the must for mash are not observed.
- Too much water:
fermentation slows down, the risk of “weedy” fermentation-rotting increases.
- Too much sugar
the yeast will convert only part of the sugar into alcohol and die. As a rule, yeast dies at 9-12 degrees of alcohol. If there is a lot of sugar in the wort - 40 percent or more, there will be no fermentation at all. - Poor quality yeast.
- Yeast lacks nutrition:
slowing down fermentation or its complete absence.
– The presence of garbage yeast and impurities in raw materials:
The wort begins to ferment not according to the alcohol version - to rot, lactic fermentation. - Not following the rules for caring for the mash.
- Temperature fluctuations, incorrect mash maturation temperature.
Overexposure, underexposure of mash.
– Air access:
They did not give air at the initial stage, the yeast will not be able to begin to develop.
After the start of fermentation, the access of oxygen-air was not blocked - vinegar fermentation will develop. When the emerging alcohol will be processed into acetic acid.
Yeast for sugar mash
What yeast is better to use for mash? If you briefly answer this question then: ordinary, pressed, bakery.
Let's try to explain why.
Yeast converts sugar into alcohol. These are living organisms, and for their vital activity they require the fulfillment of a number of conditions.
In our case, this is:
- nutrient medium.
- temperature regime.
- necessary chemical elements for nutrition and reproduction.
- Everything is clear with the nutrient medium, sugar and water.
- Temperature regime.
For the initial stage of reproduction, the recommended temperature is 26-32 degrees.
When breeding begins, our mash will begin to ferment (foam, bubbles), the temperature must be lowered to 22-26. At temperatures above 28 degrees, “garbage” yeast bacteria multiply well (they will greatly harm us). Below 22 degrees, the activity of the yeast we need will slow down (fermentation will slow down). At below 10 degrees, extinction will begin - fermentation will stop, yeast will begin to die off and precipitate.
- Necessary chemical elements for nutrition and reproduction.
The above formula for converting sugar into alcohol is very simplified and in nature everything is much more complicated. We will not clog the article with all the reactions of biochemical fermentation, but we will highlight that: in order to convert sugar into alcohol, yeast requires phosphorus in nutrition reactions, and nitrogen for reproduction. Many novice alcohol makers are beginning to be tricky with top dressing, everything has already been done in pressed yeast (read the GOST). The composition of pressed baker's yeast contains the necessary trace elements.
Special yeast for sugar mash
For home brewing, special alcohol-wine yeast is sold. They are not very convenient for sugar mash: they are much more expensive - they are pressed, they require top dressing, the positive qualities of yeast in sugar mash are not realized.
Positive qualities of alcohol yeast:
- alcohol resistance - 16-18 against 9-12 bakery. Considering that we are going to distill the resulting mash, the initial strength is not very important.
- Additional tastes that give special. yeast, for fermentation on fruits or vegetables or grains are needed. But sugar, even "elite yeast" will not give special tastes or aromas.
Step by step making sugar mash
(tested by practice)
Below is a step-by-step description of how to make mash for moonshine from sugar.
1 Calculate how much moonshine we are going to get:
- 10 liters 50%.
2 Under the estimated amount of moonshine, we calculate the raw materials:
- 10 liters of 50% moonshine is 5 liters of alcohol. For 5 liters of alcohol, 8.5 kg of sugar is required. ( see the section on the yield of alcohol from sugar)
- For sugar, we calculate (according to proportions) the rest of the raw materials.
Total: 25.5 liters of water: 8.5 kg of sugar: 85 g of baker's yeast.
3 For raw materials, select containers:
- In terms of volume, we need 27l + 20% reserve for foam = 33l containers.
At home (in small houses and apartments), the most convenient containers for mash are 10-5 liter glass bottles. They are convenient to wash, they are optimal in terms of space occupied and easy to carry, they are neutral to mash - they do not give harmful impurities.
Total will need: three 10 liter and one 3 liter cans.
4 Take care of the closures on the banks
Choose from two options:
- water seal: plastic lid, insert the silicone tube into the lid, seal the entrance to the lid (you can use plasticine) the other end into a small jar of water.
- a pierced glove impaled on the throat of a jar.
(water seal is preferable)
5 We buy raw materials:
- sugar - we take refined sugar without impurities.
- yeast - bakery-pressed according to GOST, we look at storage.
- water - you need clean water, no need to boil, no bleach. An option will do: tap water, passed through a filter, stood for 4 hours - checked for smell.
6 Prepare the wort:
- We heat the water (40 degrees, to the touch like bathing water) dissolve the sugar.
Pour over (get rid of solid sediment).
- In the cooled wort (30 degrees, warm to the touch), add and stir the yeast.
7 Beginning of mash fermentation:
Preparation of mash from sugar and yeast, this stage occupies a special place.
- Pour the resulting wort into clean containers, do not forget to leave an air gap (for 10 liter cans, two liters by volume).
- Cover with gauze from above (not much air is needed, but there is no garbage and insects).
- Braga put in a warm place (optimally 26-30 degrees). Without direct sunlight and temperature fluctuations.
- We are looking after the mash (we need to achieve full-fledged intensive fermentation).
As a crust-film forms on top, mix the contents (every 2-6 hours)
- After about 16-48 hours, the wort begins to ferment intensively - carbon dioxide is released from the entire wort, and not from the crust or sediment. The ripening time depends on the purity of the yeast and the temperature regime ( the proportions are correct). Let's move on to the next step. Do not overdo the initial fermentation, if two days have passed, and there is no intensity - a reason to sound the alarm.
To determine the moment of transition to the next stage, visual observation is sufficient. You can taste it - bittersweet. Rotten taste, not a pleasant smell - they made a mistake somewhere, don't expect a good mash.
8 Fermentation of mash:
- we block the access of air to the container, put the shutters (gloves, water seal).
- lower the temperature to 22-25 degrees.
- we wait until the end of intensive fermentation - 5-10 days. Signs: foam settles, 1-2 bubbles are released in the water seal in 10 seconds (the glove falls off), sediment becomes noticeable at the bottom. Let's move on to the next step.
9 End of fermentation:
- completely, hermetically close the containers with mash and transfer to a cooler place with a temperature of 12-15 degrees.
Slow fermentation and precipitation of yeast will take place.
We are waiting for 2-3 days.
We get the answer to the question: how much sugar mash roams - a full fermentation cycle takes 6-14 days.
10 Preparation of mash for haul:
- carefully without shaking the sediment, pour into a container.
It is convenient to use silicone hoses:
We put the jar on a hill, pour it through the hose into a container. Leave the top and bottom of the mash sediment.
Braga from sugar for distillation for moonshine is ready!
Home brew recipes for moonshine made from sugar and yeast do not differ much from each other, they change: containers, the procedure for preparing the wort.
Moonshine on sugar has its own specific flavor, and you will have to fight it during distillation. It is convenient to make various drinks from sugar moonshine in the recipes of which the taste of mash is clogged, for example: tinctures, liqueurs. In its pure form, sugar moonshine loses its taste to cereals.
Braga from sugar and yeast - what could be simpler at first glance: I filled the base (fruits or berries) with water, added yeast, in some cases it is possible without yeast or without berries - just sugar and boom! - the drink is ready. Not so simple! We strongly recommend that you read about the dangers of such delicacies in our blog before preparing such a mash.
Braga is a noble cause, it came to us from the old days, when people didn’t really think about what to drink, if only it gave to the head!
Often, after preparing such a drink and using it for tomorrow, you will suffer from a headache, because the presence of processed yeast will make itself felt, fusel oils will leave the body not without an upset stomach or intestines. However, if everything is done correctly: to meet the deadlines, to make at least a small cleaning, the result will please anyone, the intoxicating substrate will, like a flower, reveal its rich taste in the mouth and delight with every glass.
By the way, the taste is what this drink is loved for, if you drink it sparkling - like alcoholic lemonade, the female sex will also like it because of the exotic taste. Many people make it without distillation and without the use of a berry or fruit base, a simple sugar syrup - mixed with water and with the addition of yeast. The drink is peculiar, quite tasty and not particularly harmful - if prepared according to all the rules and in compliance with the aging time. In a further article, we will present various options for preparing and aging mash.
In addition to sugar, the following substitutes can also be used to make mash
- Rice (0.59);
- Apples (0.06);
- Pears (0.07);
- Beets (sugar - 0.03-0.12);
- Cherry (0.05);
- Starch (0.72);
- Buckwheat (0.47);
- Wheat (0.43);
- Oats (90.36);
- Rye (0.41);
- Millet (0.41);
- Peas (0.4);
- Barley 90.34);
- Potato (0.11-0.18);
In parentheses, the specific yield of alcohol from one kilogram of the base is indicated. The yield of alcohol from sugar is 0.51. Looking at the above data, we can conclude that this is far from the highest figure.
Regarding the volume of the container, we can say that its volume should be 20-25 percent more than the volume of the workpiece. Such a safety margin of space is necessary so that in the event of excessively intense fermentation processes and, as a result, the appearance of foam, the mash could not crawl out of the container.
Today in stores and markets you can buy special barrels, the volume of which can be very diverse. Rectangular containers are ideal, as they take up much less space and are more convenient for storage. When buying a container, you should make sure in advance that it meets all the necessary requirements and that food products can be stored in it. If you plan to constantly engage in the distillation of mash, you should purchase containers for distillation and fermentation in advance. As the first, a flask made of aluminum, with a volume of about forty liters, is suitable. Such a flask is often called a cube. It is suitable for a one-time distillation of about thirty liters of mash, which is ¾ of the total volume. That is, the above-mentioned margin of space should be left here as well.
Source: alkosale.com
Criteria for obtaining high-quality sugar mash:
- mash from sugar and yeast proportions
- quality yeast
- no impurities in water and sugar
- the ability to correctly determine the moment of maturation of mash
In home brewing, from sugar mash, we try to get - the maximum alcohol for the spent sugar!
Sugar mash proportions
*together with top dressing.
Water:Sugar:Yeast
300:100:1
Theoretical alcohol yield: 0.67 liters (0.538 kg)
Proportions may vary for yeast only. The ratio of sugar and water has been tested by theory and practice, change only at your own peril and risk.
Alcohol yield
Let us dwell on chemical calculations - we will consider this to be the ideal yield of alcohol.
Simplified formula for the fermentation of sugar into alcohol:
1 * Sugar + 1 * Water = 2 * Glucose = 4 * Alcohol + 4 * Carbon Dioxide. (molecules)
From one molecule of sugar we get four molecules of alcohol.
Substitute the atomic masses of the substance.
342 + 18 = 2 * 180 = 4 * 46 + 4 * 44. (g/mol)
With 342 g / mol of sugar, we get 184 g / mol of alcohol.
From the formulas we obtain the ratio of the yield of alcohol from sugar: 184/342 = 0.538
Alcohol is lighter than water, for calculation in liters: 0.538 divided by the density of alcohol 0.79 kg / l, we get 0.67 liters of alcohol per 1 kg of sugar.
In practice, we do not get the ideal solution. Fermentation does not occur immediately - some of the alcohol will be lost. In practice, 0.55-0.60 liters of alcohol are obtained from one kg of sugar.
Variants due to which losses of raw materials (sugar) and a lower coefficient of alcohol yield in mash for the spent raw materials are possible.
- The proportions of the composition of the must for mash are not observed. - Too much water: fermentation slows down, the risk of “weedy” fermentation-rotting increases. - Too much sugar: the yeast will convert only part of the sugar into alcohol and die. As a rule, yeast dies at 9-12 degrees of alcohol. If there is a lot of sugar in the wort - 40 percent or more, there will be no fermentation at all.
- Poor quality yeast.- Yeast lacks top dressing: fermentation slowdown or its complete absence.
- Failure to follow the rules for caring for the mash.- Temperature fluctuations, incorrect ripening temperature of the mash. Overexposure, underexposure of the mash.- Air access: They didn’t give air at the initial stage, the yeast will not be able to start developing. develop acetic fermentation. When the emerging alcohol will be processed into acetic acid.
Yeast for sugar mash
What yeast is better to use for mash? If you briefly answer this question then: ordinary, pressed, bakery.
Let's try to explain why.
Yeast converts sugar into alcohol. These are living organisms, and for their vital activity they require the fulfillment of a number of conditions.
In our case, this is:
- nutrient medium.
- temperature regime.
- necessary chemical elements for nutrition and reproduction.
Everything is clear with the nutrient medium, sugar and water.
Temperature regime.
For the initial stage of reproduction, the recommended temperature is 26-32 degrees.
When breeding begins, our mash will begin to ferment (foam, bubbles), the temperature must be lowered to 22-26. At temperatures above 28 degrees, “garbage” yeast bacteria multiply well (they will greatly harm us). Below 22 degrees, the activity of the yeast we need will slow down (fermentation will slow down). At below 10 degrees, extinction will begin - fermentation will stop, yeast will begin to die off and precipitate.
Necessary chemical elements for nutrition and reproduction.
The above formula for converting sugar into alcohol is very simplified and in nature everything is much more complicated. We will not clog the article with all the reactions of biochemical fermentation, but we will highlight that: in order to convert sugar into alcohol, yeast requires phosphorus in nutrition reactions, and nitrogen for reproduction. Many novice alcohol makers are beginning to be tricky with top dressing, everything has already been done in pressed yeast (read the GOST). The composition of pressed baker's yeast contains the necessary trace elements.
What are yeast?
- bakery. Their main purpose is to help the baker when baking bakery products. It is not suitable for making moonshine, as the alcoholic product is of poor quality. Although many are content with it;
- wine yeast. The high cost makes their use in moonshine brewing unprofitable. However, some moonshiners use it to enhance the fermentation of mash;
- Brewer's yeast. Often sold as vitamin supplements. For the preparation of mash and moonshine, this product is not suitable, since the alcohol is too weak. This is due to the fact that this type of yeast can withstand only a small concentration of alcohol and the final product also comes out the same. Although some fans appreciate him for this;
- Alcohol yeast used in the industrial production of alcohol. The best option for making mash from sugar and homemade moonshine.
Benefits of alcohol yeast
Making mash based on alcohol yeast has a number of undeniable advantages. This variety of yeast was bred specifically for the production of alcoholic beverages. Over time, alcohol yeast ceased to be the property of industrial production. Once on store shelves, they became available for home-made mash and home brewing.
The standard recipe for sugar mash for a long time contained ordinary baker's yeast among its ingredients. Today, many replace them with alcohol yeast.
So, among the main advantages of this ingredient of mash are the following:
- Alcoholic yeast gives a reaction or starts its work precisely at the temperature of making homemade mash;
- They have a short fermentation period, which allows distillation after a week of infusion;
- Distinguishes alcohol yeast and a high level of vitality. They are able to live and actively react at 18% alcohol concentration;
- The output product has a larger volume and strength;
- Alcoholic yeast does not emit abundant foam during the fermentation process.
Due to these features, the sugar mash recipe, in which ordinary yeast is replaced with alcohol, is very popular today.
Special yeast for sugar mash
For home brewing, special alcohol-wine yeast is sold. They are not very convenient for sugar mash: they are much more expensive - pressed, require top dressing, the positive qualities of yeast in sugar mash are not realized.
Positive qualities of alcohol yeast:
- alcohol resistance - 16-18 against 9-12 bakery. Considering that we are going to distill the resulting mash, the initial strength is not very important.
- Additional tastes that give specials. yeast, for fermentation on fruits or vegetables or grains are needed. But sugar, even "elite yeast" will not give special tastes or aromas.
Step by step making sugar mash
Below is a step-by-step description of how to make mash for moonshine from sugar.
1 Calculate how much moonshine we are going to get:
- 10 liters 50%.
2 Under the estimated amount of moonshine, we calculate the raw materials:
- 10 liters of 50% moonshine is 5 liters of alcohol. For 5 liters of alcohol, 8.5 kg of sugar is required. ( see the section on the yield of alcohol from sugar)
- Under sugar we calculate (according to proportions) the rest of the raw materials.
Total: 25.5 liters of water: 8.5 kg of sugar: 85 g of baker's yeast.
3 For raw materials, select containers:
- In terms of volume, we need 27l + 20% reserve for foam = 33l containers.
At home (in small houses and apartments), the most convenient containers for mash are 10-5 liter glass bottles. They are convenient to wash, they are optimal in terms of space occupied and easy to carry, they are neutral to mash - they do not give harmful impurities.
Total will need: three 10 liter and one 3 liter cans.
4 Take care of the closures on the banks
Choose from two options:
- water seal: plastic lid, insert the silicone tube into the lid, seal the entrance to the lid (possibly with plasticine) the other end into a small jar of water.
- a pierced glove impaled on the throat of a jar. ( water seal is preferable)
5 We buy raw materials:
- sugar - we take refined sugar without impurities.
- yeast - bakery-pressed according to GOST, we look at storage.
- water - you need clean, no need to boil, no bleach. An option will do: tap water, passed through a filter, stood for 4 hours - checked for smell.
6 Prepare the wort:
- We heat the water (40 degrees, to the touch like bathing water) dissolve the sugar.
Pour over (get rid of solid sediment).
- In the cooled wort (30 degrees, warm to the touch), add and stir the yeast.
7 Beginning of mash fermentation:
Preparation of mash from sugar and yeast, this stage occupies a special place.
- The resulting wort is poured into clean containers, do not forget to leave an air gap (for 10 liter cans, two liters by volume).
- We cover the top with gauze (not much air is needed, but there is no garbage and insects).
- Braga put in a warm place (optimally 26-30 degrees). Without direct sunlight and temperature fluctuations.
- We look after the mash (we need to achieve full-fledged intensive fermentation).
- As a crust-film forms on top, mix the contents (every 2-6 hours)
- After about 16-48 hours, the wort begins to ferment intensively - carbon dioxide is released from the entire wort, and not from the crust or sediment. The ripening time depends on the purity of the yeast and the temperature regime ( the proportions are correct). Let's move on to the next step. Do not overexpose the initial fermentation, if two days have passed, and there is no intensity - a reason to sound the alarm.
To determine the moment of transition to the next stage, visual observation is sufficient. You can taste it - bittersweet. Rotten taste, not a pleasant smell - they made a mistake somewhere, don't expect good mash.
8 Fermentation of mash:
- we block the access of air into the container, put the shutters (gloves, water seal).
- lower the temperature to 22-25 degrees.
- we wait until the end of intensive fermentation - 5-10 days. Signs: foam settles, 1-2 bubbles are released in the water seal in 10 seconds (the glove falls off), sediment becomes noticeable at the bottom. Let's move on to the next step.
9 End of fermentation:
- completely, hermetically close the containers with mash and transfer to a cooler place with a temperature of 12-15 degrees.
Slow fermentation and precipitation of yeast will take place.
- we wait 2-3 days.
We get the answer to the question: how much sugar mash roams - a full fermentation cycle takes 6-14 days.
10 Preparation of mash for haul:
- carefully without shaking the sediment, pour into a container.
It is convenient to use silicone hoses:
We put the jar on a hill, pour it through the hose into a container. Leave the top and bottom of the mash sediment.
Braga from sugar for distillation for moonshine is ready!
Home brew recipes for moonshine made from sugar and yeast do not differ much from each other, they change: containers, the procedure for preparing the wort.
Moonshine on sugar has its own specific flavor, and you will have to fight it during distillation. It is convenient to make various drinks from sugar moonshine in recipes that clog the taste of mash, for example: tinctures, liqueurs. In its pure form, sugar moonshine loses its taste to cereals.
Source: samogonniyapparat.ru
First distillation
The first distillation will separate all insoluble impurities from our mash, including harmful ones. You can already drink it, but it is not recommended. There are two options: drive fast and hard, without crushing - this is important if you did not lighten the mash or did it poorly. If everything is done according to Feng Shui, I recommend immediately selecting the “heads” and “tails”. We put the mash on a small fire and wait until the first drops flow - these are “heads” or “pervak” and they need to be collected somewhere around 50 ml per kilogram of processed sugar (30 ml can be taken during the first distillation), in our case it is 300 ml.
After selecting the “heads”, we collect the “body”, the middle fraction, for the sake of which we started all this. We select the "body" until the strength of the moonshine drops below 40%. You can use the folk method: blot the distillate with a piece of newspaper and set it on fire - while the sam is burning, you can safely collect it. Having collected the “body”, we proceed to collect the “tails” - we drive to the last, while alcohol is felt in the distillate. The last fraction contains a lot of fusel oils, so you can’t drink it, but you can add it to the next mash to increase its strength, as well as improve the taste of the next batch of moonshine.
Intermediate cleaning
Before the second distillation, crude alcohol (CC) must be purified. This can be done in many proven ways, but the best and easiest way to do this is with oil and activated charcoal, which can be cleaned first with oil and then with charcoal.
Any moonshine requires cleaning, since, in addition to water and alcohol, it contains a number of foreign substances that degrade the quality of the drink, and can also be harmful to health. Their composition and boiling point are shown in the table below:
Various filters are used to remove harmful impurities. Cleaning moonshine with vegetable oil Fusel oils tend to dissolve in other oils. We'll take vegetable refined. We dilute the SS to 15% of the fortress (before the second distillation, the SS must be diluted to 15-20%) and pour it into a container with a tight lid.
Add 20 ml of oil for each liter of diluted CC and mix vigorously 3 times with an interval of 1-2 minutes. Then we let the SS stand for 12-24 hours and drain it through a straw to get rid of the oil layer that will collect on the surface of the container. There will still be small particles in the purified SS oil, so our mixture should be filtered a couple more times through a dense gauze or cotton filter, and then cleaned with activated carbon. Read this article and choose the most suitable method for yourself.
I recommend building a makeshift charcoal filter with BAU-A charcoal and running CC through it a couple of times. On average, coal absorbs up to 90% of esters and about 80% of fusel oils.
Second distillation
The principle is the same as in the first distillation - we separate the "heads" and "tails" from the main fraction. At the same time, we select the “heads” at the minimum temperature: first, we heat the SS to the first condensate, and then reduce the heat until the sam begins to drip at a speed of 2-3 drops per second. We select 50 ml for each processed 1 kg of sugar. We change the receiving capacity and select the "body". This time I recommend to select the "body" until its strength at 20 ° C reaches 45%. We select the tails to the victorious one and add them, it is possible with intermediate cleaning, to the next stage.
Source: suncluster.ru
Preparing and mixing ingredients
In order for the final product to have no foreign taste and smell, the dishes in which the mash is placed must be clean and chemically inert. Stainless steel, food-grade plastic or aluminum, glass are the most suitable materials.
Water
Water is prepared in advance: tap water is passed through a filter and allowed to stand for a couple of days so that it becomes softer and chlorine evaporates. Even spring water is recommended to defend and drain from the sediment through a straw.
Distilled and boiled water is not used to prepare mash - yeast does not live without oxygen.
Sugar
They take ordinary sugar, but to speed up the fermentation process, it is sometimes inverted, that is, turned into syrup. To do this, pour all the sugar into a saucepan, add the same amount of water, bring to a boil, add 5 g of citric acid and boil over low heat for 30–40 minutes.
Inverting makes it easier for the yeast to work, and the mash ripens a few days earlier. But most often, sugar is simply diluted in warm (27-30 °) water.
Yeast
You can simply crush the pressed yeast into a container with dissolved sugar, but it is better to first check their quality and "readiness for work". To do this, take about a liter of water with sugar and dissolve the yeast in it. After 10 minutes, foam appears, the yeast can be poured into a container.
Dry yeast is diluted according to the instructions on the sachet. For 1 kg of sugar and 3 liters of water, 20 g of dry yeast is required. Most reviews on the Internet recommend SAF-LEVUR, in their absence, you can take others. Only the fermentation time of the mash will change.
The mash container is not completely filled, because a lot of foam is released during fermentation. Calculate the amount of ingredients so that the container is three-quarters full. At the same time, keep ordinary cookies in stock. Crumble a couple of pieces with your fingers and pour into the mash with very active fermentation - the foam will disappear.
Yeast, although they prefer sugar to other products, they also need other nutrients (feeding) to fully ferment sugar into ethyl alcohol and in order to ferment less other impurities. And this is also necessary so that the yeast multiplies as quickly as possible until the mash overcomes 5% alcohol content, since after the mash steps over it, they stop multiplying, and their number is directly proportional to the fermentation time.
top dressing
We can add top dressing from various sources, both chemical and biological. On moonshine forums, disputes still do not subside and spears are broken on the topic of which is better, chemistry or organics, but as for me, this is more a religious question than a technical one.
As a chemical source, fertilizers are mainly added - phosphates, sulfates, carbamides (by the way, carbamide, for those who do not know, this is urea, and urea you know what it is)) in certain proportions. I will not paint in detail, since I do not use chemistry, anyone who is interested can google, there is a lot of information on this subject.
I prefer to use organic supplements - rye bread, about the amount of a loaf or half in crumbled form per 30 liters of must, freshly squeezed fruit and berry juices with or without pulp (in this case, crushed fresh grapes), in about the same quantities.
They are also rich in essential phosphates, sulfates, and acids that yeast need for rapid growth. Yes, they are easier to buy.
Combination of ingredients and fermentation
So that sleepy yeast does not partially die from an excess of sugar at the initial stage, sugar is added fractionally to the mash. 20 to 50% first, and the rest the next day. Yeast, top dressing and water are applied one-time and immediately in full.
The working temperature range for adding yeast and fermentation itself is from 22-34°C. If the temperature is lower, the yeast will begin to work slowly, increasing the fermentation time, and if the temperature is higher, then abrupt self-heating of the mash over 40 ° C is possible, which will lead to the death of the yeast and a significant increase in time or, in general, to stop fermentation and loss of mash for evil. But self-heating is possible, in my experience, in the first 48 hours of fermentation, when there is an intensive reproduction of yeast, accompanied by the release of heat, later the temperature does not jump.
So, advice, control the temperature, at least at the initial stage of fermentation.
The higher the operating temperature, the faster the yeast will ferment and the faster your mash will win back. The operating temperature can be maintained artificially using, for example, an aquarium heater. The standard fermentation time with the right combination of ingredients and room temperature is 4-6 days. With artificial maintenance of the temperature regime of 32-34 ° C, it is possible to reduce the fermentation time to 2-3 days. The shorter the fermentation time, the less other impurities that we do not need will be fermented by yeast. So for some, fermentation time is a critical value. But from my own experience, that three days, that six - after a double fractional distillation, all impurities will go into the stillage (production waste remaining in the cube after distillation) and into “heads” with “tails”. So I don’t warm up the wash any more, because, firstly, there are less chances of self-heating, and secondly, stupidly, too lazy to fool around with it. But you can try for the sake of broadening your horizons and setting a record for the speed of fermentation.)
It is not necessary to put sugar mash under a water seal, since carbon dioxide, which is intensively released during sugar fermentation, forms a cap (it is heavier than air), which prevents the mash from becoming infected with harmful bacteria from the environment. However, in any case, it is convenient as an indicator of the readiness of the mash, since when fermentation stops, it stops bubbling. Water seals are necessary for long-playing brews, from 2 weeks or more (fruit and beer brews), where fermentation is not so intense, and the likelihood of souring when in contact with air is very high.
Classic recipe
Ingredients
I will give the proportions for 1 kg of sugar. And you yourself count on the amount you need.
- 1 kg sugar
- 100 grams of pressed yeast
- 5 liters of water
- Optional but not required
- 30-50 grams of rye bread or other top dressing
A few words about yeast
Pressed yeast requires strict storage conditions and has a very short shelf life. Therefore, when you buy them, be sure to pay attention to the date of manufacture and how they were stored.
Smell them - the aroma should be pleasant, without a sour smell. The color should be a uniform light brown (or light gray) as shown in the photo.
Recipe
We take water. An ordinary tap will do. Only it must be defended for at least 3-4 hours, so that the chlorine disappears. Boiling is not necessary, I would even say undesirable.
- A couple of hours before the start of cooking, we take the yeast out of the refrigerator so that it reaches room temperature and begins to revive. You can’t get them too early, because. at room temperature, they can spoil quickly. Get a maximum of 2-3 hours.
- Heat the water a little and stir the sugar in it. We color the bread there. The fermentation tank must be filled no more than ¾, otherwise, in the process of rapid fermentation, the mash may spill out of it.
- We bring the water temperature to 28-32 ° C. We add yeast to it. They need to be stirred until completely dissolved. Leave the container open. A water seal is also not required.
- We remove the container with the mash in a dark place. Storage temperature should be within 23-32 °C. Ideal is 28-32 ° C. There should be no sudden changes in temperature. If set at 28 degrees, then it should be like that all the time. It must be stirred 1-2 times a day.
- The fermentation process usually lasts 5 to 10 days. The end will be indicated by the sediment that appears at the bottom and the cessation of carbon dioxide emission. Also, the mash will taste bitter, it should not have sugar. Moreover, all these three conditions must be met together. So, for example, sediment will begin to appear even before the end of fermentation, and the remaining gas may come out after it is completed.
- Then the mash must be clarified. This is best done with bentonite. If it is not there, then you can put the container in a cold place, for example, on a balcony, if the temperature is below zero outside the window. When the yeast and other turbidity settle to the bottom of the fermentation tank, the liquid must be carefully drained from the sediment using a straw. Braga, of course, can not be clarified, but this will worsen the taste of moonshine.
Now you can start distillation. The process of proper distillation of moonshine is described in detail in the article.
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