The recommendations offered in this article, allowing you to master moonshine for beginners, will help you get high-quality alcoholic drinks that will not lead to poisoning.
Moonshine is obtained subject to the temperature regime at all stages of production. Many people ask themselves: "How to master moonshining, where to start its production?"
Main points can be noted:
- implementation of the selection and preparation of initial raw materials;
- fermentation process;
- distillation;
- purification;
- refinement, during which the drink is given a certain taste, aroma and color.
Moonshine for beginners can result in a low-quality drink. The output of cloudy alcohol with a bad smell is the result of a deviation from the rules of preparation. Therefore, it is necessary to highlight the main stages. So, let's talk about moonshine. Where to start?
Selecting starting raw materials
Usually, when choosing a raw material, its availability is taken as the main criterion, thenthere is money savings. Often sugar is taken as the basis. This product is valuable and nutritious. Depending on the location of the area in which the drink is made, starch, various grains, beets, potatoes can be taken instead of sugar.
What to choose - distiller or rectifier?
Moonshine for beginners involves resolving the question: "Which machine to choose?" All distillation devices that are represented by the industry can be divided into distillers and distillation columns. Many different units are presented on the website www.zasamogon.ru. Moonshine for beginners is widely covered on it.
- Distillers are classic devices, the design of which was invented several centuries ago. The basis of their functioning is to heat alcohol to a boil and further condense its vapors in a cooling coil.
- Rectifiers are devices that have appeared relatively recently. They are based on laboratory invented installations, with the help of which pure alcohol is obtained. When distilling mash using this device, very strong alcohol is obtained. This cannot be achieved by using a distiller, even with numerous distillations.
To decide which device is right for you, you must answer the question of what you want to get as a result: pure alcohol or classic drinks that preserve the natural taste of the initial raw material?
How big is the drink?
Don't forget about performance levels. Before purchasing, you must decide how many liters of drink you want to receive at the exit at a time. If you do not need large volumes, then it is advised to purchase a 13-liter moonshine still. For one distillation, it makes it possible to obtain 3 liters of distillate. However, if you want to get more moonshine, then you should pay attention to 35-liter units.
How to heat the cube for distillation?
If the house has a gas stove, the heating process will not be problematic. But if you are the owner of an electric or induction stove, then certain difficulties may arise, since in this case the distillation cube must have an absolutely flat bottom. This is necessary for maximum pairing with the heating element. And the device of the standard modification will be unsuitable.
Specially for this case, special models of devices suitable for induction cookers and electric heaters have been developed. For example, you can note the brand "Ivanych-Lux".
A separate problem is the availability of running water at the place of home brewing. Undoubtedly, the supply of cold water from the tap is carried out in almost all modern dwellings, and if you are brewing moonshine at home, then there are no problems with the flow of water.
But if you are relaxing in a country house and are going to cook mash there? In this case, the supply of running water can be problematic. To solve this problem, special models have also been invented that functionwithout running water.
Do I need a steamer or not?
What should be noted in such a process as moonshine for beginners? Sukhoparnik - an integral attribute of the process. Its other name is a dephlegmator (or a sump). It is needed in order to prevent heavy fusel oils from entering the moonshine during the distillation process. This device provides good taste and physical qualities of moonshine at the exit. The drink is obtained without impurities and does not have foreign odors.
Also, with the help of a dephlegmator, you can give the drink a pleasant aroma. For this purpose, citrus zest is placed in the container before distillation.
In sedimentation tanks with a vertical tsarga, the level of purification of moonshine is much higher. Recently, devices with double dry steamers have become very popular.
Will I need a thermometer?
Undoubtedly, like a reflux condenser, a thermometer is essential for home brewing. It is known that the boiling point of alcohol and water is in the middle between the boiling points of each of these two substances. Knowing this feature, many resort to compiling their own tables to control the temperature at which distillation proceeds. This results in a higher quality product.
However, there are supporters of traditional methods in home brewing, where the presence of a thermometer is not a prerequisite. But every day there are fewer such fans. In this case it all dependsmanufacturer's taste. He has to choose: to purchase a moonshine machine with or without a thermometer.
What do you need to make home brew?
For this you must stock up:
- fermentation tank made of food material (plastic, glass, stainless steel, aluminum milk can is also suitable);
- hydraulic shutter;
- alcohol yeast;
- water;
- sugar.
Preparation for the process
If you decide to resort to using a 30-liter fermentation tank, then it will yield about 25 liters of mash. First of all, bottled water is purchased. You can also take water from pipes, but it must be filtered. Spring or well water is also applicable. You will need 20 liters.
Water should be slightly warmed up. It should be brought up to about 40 degrees. Sugar dissolves more easily in warm water. 5 kg of granulated sugar is poured into the water in a ratio of 1: 4 and thoroughly stirred until completely dissolved.
Cooking yeast
Next, yeast is prepared for incorporation. It is better to use special ones, because compared to those used in the baking business, these have a number of advantages:
- The smell from them is much less and, as a rule, pleasant, which affects the taste of the mash.
- Much less foam is produced.
- Special yeast shows resistance to alcohol. Braga will become stronger, and the output will be more.
- Yeast for alcohol during the fermentation process releases fewer impurities.
When it comes to home brewing for beginners, the proportion of dry yeast is very important. Calculating their number is very simple. For 1 liter of wort, you will need about 3.5-4.5 g of alcohol yeast. It turns out that for 23 liters of mash you will need 80-100 g.
1 liter of warm, but not hot water, about 35 degrees, is poured into a small dish. It dissolves 50 g of sugar. Then the yeast is added. After a while, bubbles will appear on the surface. This means that the yeast has begun to ferment.
We must wait about a quarter of an hour and pour the resulting mixture into the prepared wort. The container should be hermetically sealed and a water seal installed. A small amount of water is poured into it.
Fermentation will start in about half an hour. The first two days, the mash must be mixed, as it is covered with a film on top, which prevents the flow of oxygen.
The activity of fermentation is monitored by the operation of the hydraulic shutter. If gurgling is often heard from it, then fermentation is active. The process can take up to 3 weeks. You can also determine its end by shutter activity.
Braga at the output should not be sweet, otherwise - not all sugar has been processed, and yeast will need to be added to continue fermentation. This will help a device that measures the amount of sugar. It should have an indicator of 0-2%.
When the drink is ready, put it in a cold place, but not in the cold, for clarification. If this is not possible, then just givelet it stand for a couple of days so that the fermenting yeast precipitates.
Distillation process
The settled mash is poured into a cube for distillation. This is done with a hose so as not to raise the sediment from the yeast. The tank of the moonshine still is three-quarters full. For example, 9 liters of mash are poured into a container of 12 liters. Then the distiller is installed on the cube, and the moonshine apparatus is placed on the stove, cooling water is supplied and the refrigerator is filled with it.
We wait until the thermometer rises to 80 ° C, after which the water starts. The first drops will appear at 80-83°C.
The primary product is never drunk. In the terminology of moonshiners, it is called the "head". It is based on low-boiling poisons (acetone and methanol). About 130 ml of the first drops are taken from 9 liters of mash, which should be poured out.
Next, the product is selected, for the sake of which the whole process was carried out. It's called "heart". The selection continues until the alcohol in the jet (drops from the apparatus that did not fall into the container for moonshine) has an indicator of 40%. You can determine the level of alcohol in the stream using an alcohol meter and a small flask (25-100 ml).
After that, the selection stops. The remainder of the mash, stillage, alcohol contains little, but there is a large amount of fusel oils. If you need to continue the selection of "tails" (moonshine with a strength of 40%), then change the container and continue the process until the alcohol is 20%. You should not interfere with the "tails" and "heart" of moonshine. "Tails" can be poured into a cube fornext distillation.
A classic moonshine still usually produces 1.5 liters of moonshine with a strength of 58-62% from 9 liters of mash.
What is important to consider?
- During the distillation process, the mash should not be heated above 96°C.
- Be careful when handling gas. Moonshine with a high alcohol content can easily catch fire, resulting in a fire.
- After the distillation is finished, turn off the heating element to avoid burns.
- Let the machine cool down.
- Pour out the spent vinasse.
Cleaning process
What question still arises before those who master moonshining? For beginners, cleaning, or rather its rules, are also unfamiliar. This article will describe the most common method of cleansing with activated charcoal. Used birch or coconut. Coconut charcoal is recommended as it is more porous and will provide better cleansing.
For purification, moonshine is passed through coal. The powder itself cannot be thrown into alcohol, as it begins to release aldehydes in an hour.
For filtration, they resort to using a specialized column or funnel made of glass or stainless steel. It is not recommended to use a plastic funnel or pitcher-type charcoal filters as the alcohol will interact with the plastic.
Second distillation
To improve the taste, the resulting alcohol is subjected to secondary distillation. It is preliminarily diluted to 20 or 30%. Processproceeds similarly to the previous method. The exception is that this time there are half as many "heads" taken.
Refining
The resulting product is of high quality and is used in food. If desired, the drink is given a certain taste, color and aroma.
For 1 liter of moonshine, 1 tbsp is taken. l. honey and 5 whole prunes, and 4 g of oak chips are also added. It should be insisted for 3-4 weeks. The content is then filtered.
Improve the aroma of the drink can be achieved in many ways. Many plants contribute to this. The main thing is to know which part of it is more effective.
For example, if you are using mustard, anise, cumin or dill, it is better to take seeds. If pepper, cardamom or vanilla is taken, then their fruits are used. The inflorescences of saffron and cloves give a wonderful taste. The most fragrant plants such as marjoram, laurel and tarragon are leaves. Cinnamon or oak bark is very suitable. If horseradish, ginger or galangal are used, then their roots are taken. Nuts can also change the smell and taste. Many use apricot pits.
You can also sweeten moonshine with syrups. The simplest is brewed from sugar and water in a 1: 1 ratio. The syrup is allowed to brew for 2 weeks. Honey is also used to add sweetness.
When syrup and honey are added, alcohol must be heated to release gases from it. At the end of the release of gases, the drink is ready for filtration.
In such a case as home brewing for beginners, a recipe book will come in handy. Shouldnote that there are many ways to prepare this alcoholic drink. Moonshine for beginners fb2 reveals in sufficient detail. Files with the fb2 extension are e-books in the FictionBook format. There is also a book for those who master moonshine. For beginners, the recipes are quite understandable and accessible.
How to make moonshine from jam?
How to master moonshine for beginners? From jam, the recipe is quite simple. First of all, you should put the mash, which will then turn into moonshine during distillation.
Such moonshine is made, as a rule, if a jar of jam has sour. You can even mix several types of it. The main thing is that it be as sweet as possible.
There are a number of ways to prepare such a drink, including without the use of yeast. However, it is not advised to make moonshine without their use. In particular, this method is not recommended for beginners. The jam has already begun to ferment, and sour fermentation may take over in the process. The mash will go bad and the drink will fail.
Another important detail. The jam, on the basis of which the mash will be prepared, must be cooked on sugar, and not on a substitute.
How is moonshine made from jam without sugar?
In a business like home brewing for beginners, proportions are very important. To prepare a drink according to this recipe, 6 liters of fermented jam, 300 g of yeast and 30 liters of water are taken.
The process consists of the followingstages:
- water heats up and jam dissolves in it;
- crushed yeast is poured into 0.5 liters of warm water and left until the foam starts to rise;
- water with jam is cooled to a temperature of 400C, and yeast dough is poured into it;
- everything is well mixed and covered with gauze;
- a container with mash is placed in a warm place and wrapped;
- fermentation should take place for 5 days;
- moonshine is filtered and strained.
How to make moonshine from jam with sugar?
What recipe would you recommend for people learning how to make moonshine? For beginners, the recipe for sugar moonshine is also simple. The same ingredients are taken as in the previous recipe, only 3 kg of granulated sugar is added.
The cooking process consists of the following steps:
- The water heats up and the sugar dissolves in it.
- Jam is added and everything is thoroughly mixed.
- Crushed yeast is poured into 0.5 liters of warm water and infused until the foam rises.
- Sweet solution cools to 400C. Yeast dough is poured into it.
- Everything is thoroughly mixed, and the container is closed with gauze.
- The container is wrapped up and placed in a warm place. The fermentation process takes 10 days.
- Fermentation should be controlled, as it may end earlier, and the mash will turn sour. The distillation process starts atthe moment when the mash acquires a bitter aftertaste.
- Braga is filtered and distilled.
What is often of interest to people who are mastering moonshine for beginners: how much sugar moonshine is the output? The drink will eventually come out 6 liters.
How to make moonshine based on jam without yeast?
This recipe involves replacing yeast with beer.
Should take:
- sour jam - 6 liters;
- sugar - 1.2 kg;
- beer - 1, 2 l;
- boiled water - 27 liters.
Jam is poured into the fermentation vessel. Sugar is poured into it, beer is poured in and boiled water is added, cooled to 400С.
The neck of the container is closed with gauze. The container is wrapped and placed in a warm place for 10 days. After the end of the fermentation of the mash, the drink is filtered and distilled into moonshine. The output is 8 liters of drink.
Note
For all three methods of making moonshine based on jam, it is not at all necessary to take 6 liters of jam. You can take as much as you need or as much as you have, the remaining ingredients are reduced or increased in the appropriate proportion.
Advice from experienced moonshiners
In order for home brewing for beginners to proceed without errors, you should follow a number of important recommendations from experienced professionals:
- Never overheat your mash. In addition to spoiling the drink, you run the risk of the vessel exploding. Moreover, at high ratestemperature, the mash may begin to overflow through the neck. To prevent this effect, an additional filter is placed. A three-liter jar is taken, which is twisted with a metal lid. Two small holes are pre-drilled in it. If the high temperature causes the mash to overflow, it will go into the jar and not into the drink being prepared.
- Based on raw materials, both sugar-based and starch-based products are taken. A good drink comes from sweets, fruits, tomato juice, bread, peas. But the ideal ingredient is still sugar.
- To determine the readiness of the mash, you can try it. It is ready if it has a bitter taste. If it is sweet, then the fermentation process has not yet ended.
- To prevent the starter from getting into moonshine during distillation, then before the start of the process, pour 0.5 liters of fresh milk and add 2 tablespoons of butter.
- Waste from distilled mash can be saved. The ingredients for the new starter are added there. The quality of such moonshine is always higher.
- If the starter is based on flavored water, and there are fragrant herbs in the steamer, then the moonshine at the exit will not have a sharp specific smell.
Many useful tips can be found on the site www.zasamogon.ru. Moonshine for beginners in this case will be easier.
