Moonshining is a traditional activity for the domestic amateur strong alcohol. As entertaining as the process is, it is necessary to follow some rules so that in the end harmful substances, present in the drink, were correctly separated and eliminated. Moonshine makers call this process “cutting off the heads and tails” during the second distillation. How to select them correctly in moonshine?

Regardless of the type of wort, when the liquid is heated, fungal cells begin to decompose and esters with toxic alcohols are released. All of them are included in one common concept “fusel oils”. The set contains over a dozen positions of harmful substances. It is impossible to perfectly clean moonshine from them using a conventional moonshine still, but when heated, the problem is solved quite well, which allows you to obtain alcohol of normal quality.

There are three factions in this process:

The “head” is the primary material formed when heated to 60 degrees Celsius. The harm to health from this swill is enormous. It is recommended to get rid of it with a reserve.

The “head” includes:

methyl alcohol;
acetone;
acetic acid.

Since the boiling point of these components is lower than that of ethyl alcohol, then they stand out with the first drops. The volume of the “heads” also depends on the type of mash. Most of them are in the grain variety of pervacha.

Many of us consider pervach to be the coolest and most challenging drink, trying not to cut off the “heads”. In fact, consuming such a potion is fraught with poisoning.

“Body” is the central part, for the sake of which the entire process of moonshine brewing is started. If you skillfully select the “heads” at the very beginning, you can get a fairly clean and relatively harmless product in the end.
“Tails” is the completion of the process during which the strength of moonshine drops below 35 degrees. Pour them into the next portion for re-distillation There's no point, it doesn't give anything. They contain fusel oils, which affect the cloudiness of moonshine and the appearance unpleasant odor. This does not particularly affect health, but if there is a task to achieve aromatic drink, then it is better to cut off the “tails” in time.

To completely separate moonshine into fractions, rectification will be required, which results in pure ethyl alcohol without characteristic odor. Doctors urge people not to abuse such drinks, because alcohol dependence on them is more than 10 times higher than from drinking distillates in the form of whiskey or cognac.

It is impossible to unequivocally answer the question “how many heads and tails to select?”, everything is approximate.

How are the “heads” selected?

The prepared mash is poured into, put on fire and brought to a boil in 15 minutes with a gradual increase in temperature by 5 degrees per minute.

Then, in the same way, the temperature values of the product are gradually reduced to a minimum and after that again increased strictly to 68 degrees. The output should be either cold moonshine, or slightly warmed.

Sugar cut-off

A method for beginners in moonshine brewing. The volume is calculated and the volume of the “heads” is determined.

On average, approximately 50 milliliters are cut from one kilogram of sugar, but it is advisable to divide the process into two parts: the first distillation is about 30 milliliters, the second is approximately the same amount.

By the amount of ethyl alcohol

It is not always possible to determine the sugar content of a drink before fermentation begins. Therefore, the first distillation is performed without cutting off the “heads,” but instead the amount of pure ethyl alcohol is measured.

Let's say that we get five liters of distillate with a strength of 60%. By simple calculations: 5 x 0.60 - we get the value 3, which means volume pure alcohol in liters. During the second distillation, we cut off the “head” at the rate of 15% of the amount of pure alcohol: 3 x 0.15 = 0.45.

By smell

This is a method used by experienced moonshiners. It is difficult for a beginner to catch the moment when the primary moves into the body.

From time to time you need to sniff the distillate coming out of the moonshine still, rubbing a few drops in your palms. When the pungent odor disappears, the selection of the “body” begins. In this way, you can check the accuracy of the calculations when cutting off the “heads” of sugar or alcohol.

By temperature

Not the best The best way, because some impurities have the same boiling point as ethyl alcohol, which means it will not be easy to cut them off.

“Heads” evaporate at a temperature of 65–68 degrees. During the distillation process, when 63 degrees is reached, the heating is sharply reduced. Next, the “heads” are selected while drops ooze from the unit. When the “drops” are completed, increase the intensity of the fire and bring the temperature of the liquid to 78 degrees. Selection of the “body” continues up to 85 °C. Please note that all values given here are approximate.

How to cut off the “tails”?

“Tails” appear when the strength drops to 30–45 degrees. In order not to miss the moment, it is recommended to collect the emerging moonshine in a small container at the end of the distillation. It is easy to produce (at a liquid temperature of 20 °C). If the strength is still high, then you need to pour the distillate back into the common boiler and again place the jar at the outlet.

During the first distillation, it is allowed to collect the “body” until the distillate degree drops below 30%. Even if the moonshine becomes cloudy, it’s okay, a second distillation will solve the problem.

Many moonshine producers consider everything that has a strength below 40 degrees to be “tails”. If you don’t have an alcohol meter at hand, check the strength by burning it in a spoon. Selection is stopped when the liquid stops burning.

As soon as the alcohol strength drops to a minimum, distillation is stopped. That's all, actually.

It is quite simple to imagine the process of distilling moonshine in a conventional distiller - when the mash is heated, its components turn into steam, then pass through a coil, cool and turn into condensate. The latter flows freely into a substituted container, into which the distillation product is collected. But it should be taken into account that the mash contains not only ethyl alcohol, but also impurities such as acetone, formic acid, aldehyde and wood alcohol. Some of these substances simply spoil the moonshine, while other impurities, for example, methyl alcohol, can literally kill a person. Therefore, when making homemade alcohol Each moonshiner begins to separate ethyl alcohol from other impurities, which are conventionally called “heads” and “tails.” How to separate the “heads” and “tails” in moonshine and what is needed for this?

Dividing moonshine into fractions

In fact, this task requires a responsible approach, since its safety for health depends on its quality.

What are factions?

Moonshine is a product that consists of components that evaporate when different temperatures. Most low temperature have so-called “heads” - impurities represented by methyl alcohol, acetone, acetaldehyde, etc. “Heads” (their part is 5% of 100% of the original raw material) during primary distillation due to the fact that they boil at a temperature 75 degrees, it is possible to separate them first, but the main thing is that they do not get into the product. “Heads” are also called pervach, and there was a time when pervach was considered a high-quality alcohol, having strong taste. However, eating “heads” actually leads to severe poisoning, which is accompanied not only by severe nausea, vomiting and dizziness, but also by defeat nervous system, which can lead to human death. Many distillers pour out the “heads” because they have an unbearably pungent odor.

The separation of the “body”, that is, ethyl alcohol, occurs when the heating temperature of the mash rises to 80-85 degrees. The “body” is 80% mash, and this fraction of moonshine is suitable for consumption. Correct separation of the “heads” from the raw materials allows you to obtain at a temperature of 80-85 degrees not a pure “body”, but a “body” containing fusel oils.

Fusel oils are impurities, the presence of which in small quantities in moonshine gives the drink a special taste and smell. If there is too much fusel oil, drinking such alcohol is not only harmful to health, but also unpleasant. But there is also another opinion regarding fusel oils. It turns out that when a person drinks alcohol, such impurities activate the production of liver enzymes, even before ethyl alcohol begins to act on this organ.

As for fusel oils, or “tails,” in moonshine they should be cut off at a temperature exceeding 85 degrees. Since fusel oils have the most high temperature boiling, they must be cut off at temperatures above 85 degrees.

Selection of “heads” and “tails”: how to cut off?

Before starting the procedure for selecting “heads,” it doesn’t hurt to study at what temperatures the components of moonshine boil. Thus, acetaldehyde, which is a component of toxic impurities, will begin to boil at a temperature of 20.8 degrees Celsius. For formic ethyl alcohol, the boiling point is 54 degrees, for methyl acetate - 57.1 degrees, for wood alcohol - 64 degrees, etc. At a temperature of 78.3, ethyl, also known as the “body,” evaporates. When the temperature rises above 85 degrees, fusel oils begin to turn into steam.

“Heads” and “tails” can only be selected from raw alcohol diluted to 40 degrees.

How to select the “heads” and “tails” correctly?

The fire when heating the mash must be maintained at the same intensity level as soon as the raw material is heated to 60 degrees Celsius. After this, the fire should be reduced and the mash should be brought to 75 degrees. At this temperature, the output will be represented by “heads”. How many should we select? For example, if there is 1 liter of raw alcohol, then the number of “heads” in it will be only 20 milliliters. Nevertheless, it is necessary to get rid of this faction, otherwise moonshine will be a real poison.
Selection of the “body”: the body must be removed from raw alcohol over high heat, but the temperature should not approach 90 degrees. If you break this rule, the ethyl alcohol will boil away along with the fusel oils. When distilling the “body,” you should control the moonshine’s speed. For example, if the strength drops to 40 degrees, ethyl distillation should be stopped.
Removing moonshine from the “tails” will make the taste of moonshine softer and the smell less intense. If the drink does not contain an excess of fusel oils, then after drinking it a person will not feel symptoms severe hangover. Also, an excess of fusel milk in the distillate gives the drink an unwanted turbidity, which worsens its appearance. Where to put the cut off “tails”? It's simple: this fraction can be used to increase the strength of a new batch of mash. How much to select “tails” in moonshine? Typically, the content of this fraction in raw alcohol is no more than 3-5%.

The output, cleared of unwanted impurities, requires additional purification using activated carbon or potassium permanganate. This will allow for additional purification of the product and improve its characteristics, which could not be achieved during the first distillation.

Along with water and alcohol, mash contains other substances, many of which are harmful to the body. Fortunately, their boiling point is higher or lower than that of ethyl alcohol, so using fractional distillation (separation into fractions) you can prevent most dangerous impurities from entering the finished product. We will look at methods that allow you to select the correct number of tails and heads of moonshine, which will have a positive effect on the quality of the distillate.

Attention! The information is relevant only for a conventional moonshine still, consisting of a distillation cube and a coil-shaped refrigerator; it is also possible to have a steamer. For devices with reflux condensers and other devices that simulate operation distillation column, the selection parameters for tails and heads may differ from those outlined here. I advise you to clarify this point with the circuit designers, manufacturers or equipment sellers. I do not advise on commercial models of devices.

The amount of harmful impurities depends on the raw materials, water, yeast, temperature, duration of fermentation, design of the moonshine still and distillation technology. Even in mash according to the same recipe, the concentration of harmful substances can change every time, but at home, analyzing the composition of mash is impossible, so you have to take approximate values as a basis.

"Head" of moonshine(also called “pervach” or “pervak”) - the initial fraction with a sharp unpleasant odor. Contains the most hazardous impurities: methyl alcohol (many in cereals and fruit mash), acetone, acetaldehyde and others. Due to the fact that the boiling point of harmful substances is lower than that of ethyl alcohol, during distillation they come out first, therefore, they can be prevented from getting into the main product.

In everyday life, pervach is considered the highest quality moonshine, since it is strong and quickly intoxicates. It's actually poison pure form, its consumption causes toxic poisoning, which is often confused with intoxication.

Heads are the strongest

The moonshine head should not be drunk or used for rubbing. This fraction can be used exclusively for technical needs, but due to the unpleasant odor, in most cases it is simply thrown away.

"Body"– the drinking part, the main goal of the moonshiner (the second name is “heart”). In theory, it contains only ethyl alcohol and water, but in practice there are always other impurities in the “body”, since during distillation it is physically impossible to divide the yield into clear fractions; to one degree or another, different substances with similar boiling points are always mixed, the yield is “ lubricated."

For complete decomposition into fractions, rectification is needed, thanks to which pure ethyl alcohol can be obtained. The disadvantage of this method is that, along with harmful impurities, substances responsible for the organoleptic properties of the drink are removed.

This means that after rectification, the taste and smell of moonshine made from different raw materials (sugar, grain and fruit) will be the same, since only ethyl alcohol will remain in the drink.

It should be remembered that the harm and benefits of many substances in the distillate are relative. For example, fusel oils cause the liver to become active before alcohol begins to act, this protects the body from the harmful effects of alcohol.

A study by Vladimir Pavlovich, professor of the Research Institute of Narcology of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, proved that rectified alcohol (vodka) causes alcohol addiction many times faster than distillates - whiskey, cognac, tequila, etc. About 70% of addicted people are vodka alcoholics. The purer the poison (in our case, ethyl alcohol), the faster the addiction develops.

Correct division of moonshine into fractions during distillation on a classic moonshine still allows you to remove almost all harmful substances, but leave those that are responsible for the aroma and taste of the drink, which cannot be done with rectification.

"Tail" of moonshine– the third fraction, in addition to ethyl alcohol, contains fusel oils, giving bad smell, taste and cloudy color. The boiling point of fusel milk is higher than that of ethyl alcohol, so in order to separate the tail of moonshine, it is enough to stop collecting the main product - the “body” - in time.

Although after distillation a lot of ethyl alcohol remains in the “tails” (up to 40%), the ingress of other substances with it spoils the quality of the moonshine, which is why it is so important to complete the distillation on time.

Tailings can be recycled, but it's usually not worth the energy.

Unlike the “heads,” the “tails” are recyclable; they can be added to a new batch of mash (immediately before distillation) or cleaned at distillation column. It is useless to distill the “tails” a second time in a moonshine still; it will not improve the quality!

The question of how many “heads” and “tails” to select is a compromise between the quantity and quality of moonshine. Further we will use the “golden mean” - parameters tested by more than one generation of moonshiners. You can change them at your discretion in one or the other direction. Further I will pay attention not to specific numbers, but to methods of calculation.

How to take the head of moonshine

First, the mash is brought to a boil. When the first drops appear, the power is reduced to a minimum, then the heating is gradually increased again so that the device reaches operating mode. Performance depends on the design and power of the stove; there are no average parameters here. It is considered normal when the moonshine comes out cold (the temperature is approximately equal to the temperature of the cooling water). This is what we need to strive for.

Head separation methods:

1. On sugar. The simplest, but at the same time effective method. Suitable if the sugar content of the mash or the amount of added sugar is known. In fruit or grain mash Sugar content is determined by a special device - a vinometer (hydrometer-saccharometer) before adding yeast.

For example, there are 5 liters of mash with a sugar content of 20%, this means that the total sugar content is 1 kg (5 * 0.2 = 1). The calculation assumes that 1 liter of solution is equal in weight to 1 kilogram, in practice this is not the case, but the error itself has little effect on the result, and it simplifies the calculation significantly, so I advise you not to “bother.”

From 1 kg of sugar, 60-100 ml of heads are taken. It is advisable to divide this amount into two distillations, taking 30-50 ml of the yield during the first distillation and the same amount during the second.

2. For pure alcohol. It is not always possible to determine the sugar content before fermentation begins. In this case, the first distillation is done without cutting off the “heads”, then the amount of absolute alcohol is measured. For example, if you get 6 liters of distillate with a total strength of 63%, then it contains 3.78 liters of pure alcohol (6*0.63=3.78). To simplify the calculations, we take the strength of ethyl as 100%, although absolute alcohol can only be obtained in laboratory conditions.

During the second distillation, the head fraction is cut off at the rate of 8-15% of the amount of pure alcohol. In our example, this is 0.567 liters (3.78*0.15=0.567).

One of the variations of this method is the selection of 1% of heads from the volume of mash, but for various reasons related to fermentation and sugar concentration, this method cannot be considered accurate; it is better to focus on absolute ethyl.

3. By smell. Suitable for experienced distillers who can identify moonshine heads by their unpleasant smell.

The distillate coming out of the apparatus is periodically sniffed, rubbing a couple of drops in the palms, when the pungent smell disappears, they begin to select the “body”. This is a good way to check the accuracy of calculations based on sugar or alcohol.

4. By temperature. Due to the design features of moonshine stills and different composition impurities, this method does not always work well in practice. I recommend using it only as a last resort. I bring it here for your reference.

The evaporation temperature of the “heads” is 65-68°C. During distillation, when the temperature reaches 63°C (the thermometer should be at the entrance to the refrigerator), the heating power is sharply reduced in order to smoothly reach the above temperature range. Next, the “heads” are selected while drops flow from the apparatus. When the output stops, raise the temperature to 78°C and take the “body” to a temperature of 85°C. The values are approximate and may differ depending on the device!

How to separate tails in moonshine

Evidence of the appearance of tails is a drop in strength in the stream to 30-45 degrees. In order not to miss this moment, it is advisable to collect the moonshine coming out of the still into a flask or small jar near the end of the distillation, in which you can simply take a measurement with an alcohol meter (the liquid temperature must be 20°C). If the strength is high enough, pour the distillate into a common container and place the jar again.

During the first distillation (especially fruit and grain mashes), you can collect the “body” until the distillate degree drops below 30%. At the same time, the moonshine sometimes becomes cloudy, but it’s okay; a second distillation, in which the beginning of the tails is considered to be 40% strength, will correct the problem.

Most moonshiners prefer to consider anything that has a strength below 40 degrees to be moonshine tails. If there is no alcohol meter, the moonshine is taken until it burns in the spoon.

When the yield strength drops below the minimum, distillation is stopped by stopping the heating, or tailings are continued to be collected up to 15-20%, but this wastes energy and time, which in most cases is not worth it.

Selection of the heads, bodies and tails of moonshine is the basis of distillation. Without separation into these fractions, the mash will remain mash - a “cocktail” of alcohols, ethers, other substances and water, with the addition of solid particles in the form of yeast residues and raw materials. How to select fractions and at what temperatures? Let's figure it out.

There are different types of moonshine stills. If you are lucky enough (we recommend choosing a device with a distillation column of the brand or with a steam steamer of the brand), then be sure to read the instructions and technical nuances distillations (they will be scheduled without fail). Techniques for working with classic distillers and with columns (wheat, rectification) will be different. It’s not enough to know; you also need to properly understand its work. However, the physics of the distillation process will be approximately the same for all distillers, so the sampling temperatures of the heads, bodies, and tails will be approximately the same. Depending on the type of device, only the procedure for achieving and maintaining the required temperatures will differ.

If you are planning (or have already done this), then the selection methods will also depend on the type of distiller design, but a little “grinding in” will still be required in practice. The manufacturer will not provide instructions for it.

The volumes of sampling of the heads and tails of moonshine vary. If you select them to the minimum, the quality will suffer; if to the maximum, the quantity of the final drink will suffer. Experienced way distillers are finding their parameters.

However, there is a certain “golden mean” that has already been tested by many generations of homemade alcohol connoisseurs. Let's talk about its meanings below.

It all starts with the “head”

Heads are a low-boiling fraction of esters, aldehydes, ketones (acetone) and methyl alcohol. All these substances boil at temperatures lower than ethyl alcohol and are, for the most part, extremely toxic.

They are selected as follows:

The mash is kept at maximum heat until the first drops appear at the outlet of the cooler. Next, the heating is reduced to a minimum and, slowly increasing the heating, the device is brought to operating mode.
The heads are separated slowly, drop by drop (at a rate of 1-2 drops per second).
The volume of separated “heads” can be determined according to various criteria:

by initial sugar content. It is accepted that from 60 to 100 ml of heads are taken from one kilogram of sugar. Moreover, if the first distillation is fractional, then this value is divided in half (into two distillations): 30-50 ml are taken in the first, and the same in the second distillation. How to find out the sugar content in mash? Before adding yeast to the wort, the sugar content of the mash is measured. This is done using a wine meter (sugar meter). If the mash is sugar, then it is even easier, because the amount of sugar (%) in this case can be calculated without special measurements. Let's give an example. Let us have 10 liters of mash with a sugar content of 25%. 10 * 0.25 = 2.5 (kg) - there are 2.5 kg of sugar in the mash. Here we accept conventionally that 1 liter of mash weighs 1 kg, but the error of this convention is very insignificant.
by absolute alcohol content. Heads are selected at the rate of 8-15% of the volume of “absolute alcohol”. What does it mean? After the first fractional distillation, the strength of the resulting raw alcohol and its volume are measured. Let us obtain 5 liters of raw material with a total strength of 65 degrees. 5*0.65=3.25 (l). That is, this solution of ethyl alcohol (raw) contains 3.25 liters of pure alcohol (conditionally 100% strength).
by smell. If your sense of smell has never failed you, then you can rely on smell. The heads have a sharp, unpleasant odor, and the body fraction (ethanol) has a soft, alcoholic odor. If you rub a drop of distillate between your fingers and sniff, you can determine with more or less good accuracy whether it is a head or a dead body.
according to temperature parameters. Depending on the device, the numbers may differ, which is why it is important to carefully study the instructions. The official manufacturer always applies it to their products, which sometimes cannot be said about third parties. Therefore, when choosing a distiller, first of all visit the websites of official manufacturers, it will be easier and more pleasant. However, temperature ranges for head separation can be identified. The heads begin to vaporize at temperatures between 65 and 68°C. Body (ethyl alcohol) - at a temperature of 78°C. When the vapor temperature reaches 63°C, it is necessary to reduce the heating to a minimum and gradually remove temperature regime at 65-68°C. When the selection of heads is completed (stops dripping at the outlet), the temperature is also gradually adjusted to the start of the selection of the thea fraction (78°C). The body itself is “expelled” to a temperature of about 85°C. All numbers will ultimately depend on the design of the device and the location of the thermometer on it.

What about the tails?

And the tails begin when the strength of the distillate in the stream decreases to 45-35 degrees. That is why by the end of the body selection the best solution will collect the distillate not in the main container, but in small jars or test tubes. Ideal option is a device for continuous monitoring of the “parrot” strength. If the distillation is the first, and raw material is collected, then the selection of the body can be stopped when the strength drops to 30 degrees in the stream. When re-distilling, the body usually stops being taken at 45-40 degrees.

What if you don’t have an alcohol meter? If alcohol burns in a spoon, it’s still a body. If it no longer burns, then the selection of the body is stopped.

Thus, the tailings are selected according to the residual strength from 45-40 degrees in the stream to 20-15 degrees in the stream. The tails can be used to strengthen new batches of mash. However, more often than not, “collecting tailings” does not justify the energy and time costs, so they can simply not be collected.

This is not just data that distillers take into account for one reason or another. The temperature indicator helps to create an alcoholic drink at home High Quality.

From the course of chemistry and physics it is known that alcohol boils at a temperature of 78 degrees, its boiling continues until the indicator reaches 83 degrees. Water boils at a temperature of 100 degrees.

Temperature conditions for moonshine distillation

Braga is a mixture of water and alcohol (and not only), it contains sufficient quantity impurities that boil when a certain temperature is reached. So, in order to get a high-quality product, it is worth having a certain understanding of how degrees affect the distillation process.

A little about temperature conditions

The answer to the question at what temperature moonshine begins to drip is of interest to many who like to make distillate at home. The thing is that it is difficult to answer it unequivocally. The indicator ranges from 78 to 85 degrees.

Some moonshiners claim that moonshine boils when it reaches a temperature of 82-83 degrees.

At the same time, fusel oils and harmful impurities boil at a completely different temperature. In order not to get confused in the distillation mode, it is worth equipping the distiller with a thermometer. The sensor will help monitor indicators and produce high-quality moonshine.

So here's the power of degrees:

compliance with the regime helps to produce, that is, divide the distillate into fractions (cut off the heads and tails, thereby improving the quality of the product several times);
avoid getting tails and heads into the main fraction (the so-called body), and with them harmful impurities.

Focusing on time, trying to understand the degrees, distillers pursue one single goal - to improve the quality of moonshine. Affect its taste and aroma. But it is worth remembering that the indicators depend not only on the amount of ethyl alcohol in the mash, but also on the moonshine still.

It must be borne in mind that a distiller with a steam chamber has its own characteristics; in addition, in devices of various designs, the temperature regime has different fluctuations. Everything here is quite subtle, since it is worth considering not only the main design features of the device, but also even the metal from which the distiller was made.

Difficulties may arise if the unit was made using a homemade method. The design does not provide for a thermometer, and there is nowhere to mount it.

Some craftsmen equip a distillation cube with a sensor, using it to track temperature fluctuations. But such data can hardly be called accurate. However, it's better than nothing.

Having figured out why you need to monitor indicators, it’s worth moving on to the features of fractional distillation.

In moonshine brewing there are no unimportant stages or those where you can “cheat.” Each stage requires compliance with certain technology and rules, but this is especially true for the distillation of mash into moonshine. Get quality alcohol It’s not easy at home, but we will try to explain in detail what follows and how to properly distill the mash into moonshine.

Checking the mash before distillation

Let's take sugar mash as the initial data - it has no equal in popularity among moonshiners. The principle of working with a fermented product is the same, regardless of whether you cook it with sugar, grain or fruit.

You can check the readiness of the mash different ways, but it is advisable to practice several at once so as not to make a mistake.

Loose Glove

Using a medical glove instead of a lid with a water seal is a favorite technique for distillers. With its help, you can easily determine the moment when fermentation stops. During active fermentation of fungi, a large number of carbon dioxide, which maintains the glove in a “standing” position. Once fermentation has stopped, the glove deflates completely.

To remove carbon dioxide, small holes need to be made in one or two fingers of the glove.

Clear separation of layers

Even sugar mash separates into sediment and lighter layers. The upper layers of the wort ready for distillation are quite light, which indicates its complete readiness for distillation.

Burning match

The easiest way to understand whether a mass emits carbon dioxide or not is to light a match over the mash and if it continues to burn, this is also an indicator of readiness.

At the end of fermentation, the fungi process all the sugar, so the sweetness is no longer felt. But there is a clear bitterness.

Alcohol aroma

This is not the most reliable sign, but in combination with others it can also be regarded as an indicator of the end of fermentation.

Ideally, all 5 signs coincide, but in practice, a fallen glove and a taste of the mash are enough to get started.

Degassing - removal of carbon dioxide residues

Distillation of mash into moonshine begins with the complete removal of carbon dioxide as a product of fungal metabolism. Carefully remove it from the sediment, it is best to do this with a hose so that it is not disturbed when the bottle overturns. Next, pour it into the pan and put it on gas, without closing the lid, and heat it to 50°C.

While heating, stir the liquid constantly to remove any remaining CO2.

After 5-7 minutes of maintaining the temperature at 50°C, the pan can be removed from the heat and the solution can be poured into the distillation cube.

VIDEO: Checking readiness the old fashioned way

Clarifying mash with bentonite

Let us immediately note that this step is optional, but such manipulations will allow you to further clean the mash from dissolved impurities and oils even before distillation begins.

Bentonite - natural material based on white clay, having the ability to adsorb insoluble impurities.

Prepare a solution at the rate of 1 tbsp. for 10 liters of alcohol. First, it is ground in a blender, and then mixed with water until it thickens like sour cream. Then pour it in a thin stream into the main container with mash and stir vigorously. After 24 hours, the solution can be removed from the sediment.

First distillation

We poured the mash into the distillation cube, collected all the elements, connected the water to the refrigerator and started heating. This is the most crucial moment, where it is very important to select harmful impurities and fusel oils in a timely manner.

First, let's define the terms:

Heads

The first fraction of the distillate, where a large amount of harmful impurities is concentrated, in particular methyl alcohol and acetaldehyde. The first to emerge are those chemical elements whose boiling point is lower than the boiling point of alcohol (77°C). On average, the volume of heads is 50-60 ml for each kilogram of sugar used in making mash.

The heads are cut off until the smell of acetone is felt. Taking a few drops at a time, rub them on your wrist to feel the aroma more clearly.

The middle part of the distillate, for which purpose the distillation of mash into moonshine is started. It is collected immediately after the heads and until the strength drops to 40° (the first drops of alcohol have a strength of more than 80°).

Tails

The final fraction, where heavy fusels and essential oils. If a steamer is installed on the moonshine still, there will be very few tails - most of the fusel will settle in it.

Some experts recommend collecting the tails and using them when preparing the next batch of mash. Frankly speaking, there is no point in this - neither for organoleptic properties nor for taste finished product this has no effect.

VIDEO: Sugar moonshine. Heads, bodies, tails - selection methods

So, the first distillation is to carefully separate the fractions and collect the body of the moonshine. But even if some errors were made at this stage, you can easily correct this during the second distillation of the mash.

The only alcohol that does not need to be re-distilled is the one that was obtained from a distillation column or an Istomin distiller with two steamers.

Temperature control

If you observe the temperature regime correctly, the yield of moonshine will be maximum. For convenience, we will distribute the temperature into separate stages to make it clear.

Immediately after placing the cube on the stove, increase the intensity of the flame as much as possible and bring it to 70°C for a quarter of an hour, that is, 4-5°C per minute.
Then we reduce the heat to a minimum so that the increase now occurs more smoothly (no more than 1°C per minute) and so heat up to 92-94°C. At this moment, the first drops begin to come out, which are captured in a separate container. These are the same heads that we wrote about earlier.

If you do a double distillation of moonshine, take 30 ml from each kg of sugar during the first distillation. On the second - the same amount.

After you have cut off all the heads, remove the steamer, wash it and return it to its place, put another container and collect the body. You can adjust the temperature up or down so that the speed is at least 120 drops per minute. The limit is 98.5°C.
At the same time we check the temperature of the finished product. When the water in the refrigerator is cold, the alcohol comes out almost cold. If the alcohol is hot, increase the circulation of water in the reflux condenser.

Intermediate cleaning

Since we are telling you how to distill mash into moonshine correctly, it is necessary to remind you that the product must be filtered throughout the entire cycle.

Intermediate cleaning allows you to remove a certain amount of harmful impurities. They will not all leave, but during the second stage they will separate more actively.

For cleaning, you can use the most primitive coal column. Cut off the bottom of a plastic bottle at a distance of 3 cm from the bottom of the bottle. Turn it over, insert it into another container like a funnel and fill it very tightly with small fragments of charcoal so that there are no air gaps. Pour the alcohol on top and wait for it to seep into the bowl.

Second stage

You can re-distill the mash according to exactly the same rules as the first, starting from temperature and ending with cutting off the tails. The purpose of re-distillation is to maximally purify alcohol from chemical elements. After the end of the run, the alcohol strength will be 80-85° and it will be crystal clear.

Purification after distillation

You can use the same good old carbon filter or use some other options:

potassium permanganate - 2 gr. for every liter of alcohol. Let stand for a day, strain;
vegetable oil- 20 ml per kg, leave for 24 hours, after which the film is collected on top;
freezing - express cleaning, after which the drink is ready for consumption within 2 hours.

Which one to choose is not important. Anything is possible, but we repeat once again, it is impossible to completely rid alcohol of the entire volume of impurities.

Dilution with water

Naturally, few people can overcome alcohol at 80°C, which is why it is practiced to dilute it with water to the usual 40°C.

After double distillation ki moonshine in mash and proper dilution with water you get very quality vodka without characteristic fusel smell, but 100% natural taste.

The amount of water is determined by the formula:

It's simple - you need 5 liters of spring or purified water to properly dilute moonshine.

There are also certain rules for breeding:

We dilute all the moonshine at once using the entire volume of water.
Pour the moonshine into the water in one motion.
We use only purified, ideally well or spring water.

If the drink becomes cloudy during dilution, add activated or charcoal and leave for a day so that all impurities are gone.

You can clean moonshine very quickly and not give it time to sit. To do this, pour the already diluted product into a bottle, close it in the freezer, and after 2 hours you will have a product of excellent quality.

There are no downsides to this express method. In terms of quality, taste and organoleptic properties These drinks are identical.

VIDEO: Recipe for making mash from sugar

One of the most important main stages of moonshine brewing is the distillation stage of the mash. At this stage, it is important to follow all the rules in order to obtain pure moonshine without harmful impurities and unpleasant odors. The most important condition is maintaining the desired, optimal temperature.

Braga is a mixture of alcohol and water. Distillation occurs due to the temperature difference between water, alcohol and fusel oils. The boiling point of water is 100 °C, and the boiling point of alcohol is about 78 °C. Hence the conclusion is that the boiling point of the mash is between 78 and 100 °C. The higher the alcohol concentration in the mixture, the lower the boiling point and the greater the likelihood of obtaining a high-quality distillate.

During the selection of the main fraction, it is necessary to maintain a temperature of 78-83 oC.

To control the temperature you need a thermometer. It is best to use a liquid thermometer built into the evaporator.

To get high-quality good moonshine, heating must be done in stages. There are also key distillation points that you need to pay attention to.

1. Selection of volatile fractions. Evaporation of harmful volatile fractions, such as methyl alcohol, acetaldehyde, formic ethyl ether, occurs when the mash is heated to 65-68 oC. At this stage, an alcohol smell and drops of condensed liquid appear. The moonshine obtained as a result of this stage is popularly called “pervach”. This liquid is poisonous and unsuitable for consumption. This first fraction is collected in a separate container and subsequently used for technical needs. The mash is heated at maximum heat until the temperature reaches 63 °C. After this, the fire is reduced. This point is very important and should not be missed under any circumstances. Otherwise, the mash may get into various parts of the moonshine still. The quality, taste and color of the drink in this case will noticeably deteriorate.

2. Basic distillation process. At this stage, it is necessary to change the steamer (if there is one), place a container where the moonshine will be collected, and gradually bring the liquid to 78 oC - the temperature at which distillation begins. After some time, the main product will begin to be released. We must not forget that the alcohol concentration in the liquid will decrease, which will lead to an increase in the boiling point and worsening distillation conditions. At this stage, the ideal temperature is 78-83 ° C. When the liquid reaches a temperature of 85 ° C, fusel oils begin to evaporate, which makes the moonshine cloudy and deteriorates its quality. In the absence of a thermometer, the main process is stopped in the following cases: - a piece of paper soaked in moonshine does not burn with a blue flame; -output drops to 0; - the strength of the drink is below 40 degrees

3. Selection of the last fraction. At temperatures above 85 °C, the distillate is already collected in a separate container. This faction, like the first, is called “heads”. Sometimes it is added to the main product to increase its strength. Fusel oils are also released here.

There is another method for producing moonshine - freezing. It is based on the difference between the freezing temperatures of water and alcohol. This method is labor-intensive and ineffective compared to traditional distillation.

So, the mash is ripe for distillation, clarified and removed from the sediment (see), it’s time to distill the moonshine. By this time you should already have a moonshine still. It is best to arm yourself with a factory device, such as alcohol mashine"Magarych", it has high productivity, has a steamer and a thermometer, which is very important for producing high-quality products. Moreover, this device is absolutely sealed and manufactured using seamless technology, which ensures safe distillation of mash into moonshine. Yes, and for the price - what you need, if you are not a Rockefeller.

Technology for distilling mash into moonshine

Pour mash into the distillation container, to ¾ of the capacity of the container, no more. The distillation cube must be washed well. Check all connections before you start distilling the mash and put it on the fire. Screw the neck of the distillation container tightly.
If you have one, then coat the neck with dough, for insurance, and keep a cup of dough at the ready if steam suddenly starts leaking. Place the apparatus on high heat until the mash begins to boil. As soon as the mash begins to boil (about 75 0 C, if there is a thermometer built into the device), you can determine by heating the steam exhaust hose, turn on cold water through the hose going to the cooler. Place the jar under the nipple from which moonshine should drip. As soon as the first drops begin to drip, reduce the heat to low.

Ethyl alcohol boils at a temperature of 78.8 0 C, but even earlier (65-78 0 C) light fractions and methyl alcohol begin to boil and enter the coil - poison! It needs to be poured out of the jar. If you have a thermometer, then everything that goes into the jar up to 78.8 0 C needs to be poured out. If you don’t have a thermometer, discard the first 30 grams of distillate.

The heating temperature must not be exceeded. Firstly, it is dangerous - it can explode.
Secondly, the mash will immediately begin to actively boil and will be thrown into the coil, and the emission of harmful impurities will also increase. You will see this immediately, as whitish drops with a sweetish taste will begin to drip. To prevent the mash from running into the hose leading to the coil, you can pour 0.5 liters of milk into the mash.

First, alcohol with a strength of 65-70 0 will flow into the jar, which will gradually weaken.

Monitor the distillation strength of the mash - moonshine and the temperature of the mash. As soon as the temperature of the mash has reached 85-87 0 C, and the distillation strength has decreased to 30 0, fusel oils begin to flow intensively and distillation of the mash must be stopped, and the remaining mash must be poured out.

Here is a video on how to distill mash into moonshine:

Re-distillation of moonshine

In order to clean moonshine as much as possible from fusel oils, improve the taste and get rid of the unpleasant odor, it must be re-distilled. When distilling mash into moonshine, mash and yeast participate in the reaction, so the product has some taste and a specific smell. During the re-distillation of moonshine, the main participant is alcohol and almost no yeast.

Add a little potassium permanganate (potassium permanganate) to moonshine diluted to 20 0 so that it becomes slightly pink.

Wait until the manganese settles to the bottom and remove the moonshine from the sediment (using a hose with suction), strain through cheesecloth.