The temperature of distillation of mash into moonshine - we learn to divide the product into fractions. Optimal temperature for each stage of distillation of moonshine and mash

Temperature indicators at all stages of creating moonshine are extremely important for creating pure homemade alcohol without a disgusting fusel smell.

Let's start with how the temperature of the mash affects the maturation and fermentation of fusel oils. Then we will focus on proper distillation using various devices. Let’s conclude with answers to frequently asked questions among moonshiners regarding temperature aspects.

To obtain tasty moonshine with a minimum content of fusel oils, it is necessary to maintain the correct temperature.

Attention. The most important indicator is a constant fermentation temperature, with deviations of no more than 2 degrees.

It is then that there are no spurts and dips in fermentation, fewer by-products arise, higher quality, and therefore better taste.

How many degrees should it be maintained?

Yeast multiplies and works at temperatures from 18°C ​​to 29-30°C. If the room is 15-18°C, then the yeast will not die yet, but will be sluggish. Such parameters are suitable for or wine, but for moonshine this is too little.

After reaching 30°C, the yeast gets hot and begins to slowly die off. At 40°C they die catastrophically.

Optimal temperature for the active work of yeast to convert wort sugars into alcohol 23-28°С. In this temperature regime, the most moonshine is fermented, and if the mash is exactly like this, fermentation will take place actively and quickly - all the sugars will turn into alcohol, and there will be less fusel than in cool conditions.

How to measure?

Every modern distiller must have in his arsenal thermometer. Its possible options:

• Alcoholic. Its serious drawback is fragility, because the device is made of glass.
• Bimetallic. These are the ones most often equipped with industrially produced moonshine stills in the budget segment. And housewives use these in the kitchen: a round scale and a probe. Disadvantages - a slight time lag and the possibility of inaccurate readings within +/- 1°C.
• Electronic. Perfect for the moonshiner. The readings are accurate and react instantly to changes in the amount of heat.

In addition, it is important to have a regular room thermometer that shows the ambient temperature. If the room is 18°C, then even insulating the container with mash will not help retain heat without special devices.

How to maintain the correct temperature?

It is useful for everyone to purchase an inexpensive device (around 500 rubles) - thermostat for mash. With its help, the wort will have the same temperature you set throughout the fermentation. The thermostat maintains the set parameters from 20 to 32°C. Its power starts from 75W, the body is glass, waterproof.

Once you try it, you won’t want to work with mash any other way.

Advice. To facilitate the operation of the thermostat, and therefore increase its service life, additionally wrap the mash container with something warm or sew a cover made of construction insulation on it.

How to distill moonshine using a regular machine?

For some, an ordinary device is a direct-flow device from the last century. It contains a container adapted for a distillation cube (most often a milk flask) and a trough or pan in which the coil is placed. But we don’t need such archaism.

A modern conventional moonshine still-distiller is equipped with one or more steamers and a refrigerator under running water. This is what you need to work with.

Distillation of mash

Mash ripened at the right temperature must be clarified and removed from the sediment.

This is necessary so that the remaining suspensions of yeast and small particles of products used in the wort do not burn and spoil the raw alcohol.

Will help with this:

• bentonite(cat litter) or white clay. First grind the substance in a coffee grinder or at least finely beat it with a hammer, wrapping it in a piece of unnecessary durable cloth. Pour in warm water, stirring thoroughly (you can use a mixer) until the mass becomes homogeneous, the consistency of kefir. Mix with mash and let sit, placing the container on a raised surface. Usually a couple of hours is enough, but it is better to leave it overnight so that a dense sediment of dead yeast and a large amount of substances related to fusel forms at the bottom. For 10 liters of mash you need 1-2 tablespoons of ground bentonite;

Important. Cleaning with bentonite is not the best way to clean mash prepared from fruit or grain. Bentonite takes away the aroma!

• the method is suitable for all types of mash clarification with milk. The disadvantage is the formation of a large number of loose flakes that do not form a dense sediment. You will have to strain, then filter. For 10 liters of mash, take a liter of milk (fat content is not important to clarify the mash). Stir, let stand for 8-12 hours.

Lightening with the following products is also practiced:

• hibiscus tea;
• soda;
• potassium permanganate;
• gelatin;
• activated carbon.

When exposed to cold (above zero, but less than 12°C), the mash quickly clears itself: the yeast dies and sinks to the bottom, taking part of the fusel with it.

After clarification and removal from the sediment (filtration), pour the clean mash into the distillation cube and proceed to the first distillation. It is most often made straight, without dividing the alcohol into fractions until the strength in the stream drops to 30°, or when the thermometer installed in the cube reaches 97°C.

Attention. Many moonshiners consider it very desirable to select heads in the amount of 50% of the calculated quantity already during the first distillation.

Braga is a low-proof product; the bonds between the molecules of ethyl alcohol and fusel oils are weak, so it is easier to select them.

Second distillation

To achieve better purity of moonshine, the raw alcohol (what is obtained during the first distillation) is first purified and then distilled. To purify raw alcohol use:

• activated charcoal followed by filtering: 1 spoon per liter of alcohol;
• refined oil odorless (corn is considered the best among distillers) perfectly purifies raw alcohol, binding and retaining fusel oils, which are also an oily liquid. Per liter of alcohol - 10 ml of oil. Unlike other methods, impurities float to the surface rather than settle. Therefore, remove the sediment from the sediment by lowering the tube down the jar and pour it so that it does not touch the oil film;

Reference. Even if a little oil gets into the liquid for the second distillation, it’s not a big deal, it won’t be in the moonshine.

• potassium permanganate(1 g per liter);
• pasteurized milk low fat content in an amount of no more than 100 ml per 10 liters of raw alcohol will also bind the fusel and lower it to the bottom in the form of flakes.

Prepare carefully for the second stage. Wash all parts of the apparatus and the raw material until the strength does not exceed 30°. This way it will release impurities better and will not provoke a local explosion in your kitchen. Technology:

1. Heat the diluted first distillation to 63°C as usual, then sharply reduce the heat and wait for the first drops of distillate to appear. These are tails, they need to be taken away, drop by drop. To calculate the quantity, you need to know how much was in the mash. Each kilogram of sugar theoretically produces from 60 to 100 ml of heads. If your first distillation was direct, take this amount in full. With half already selected, your resource will be 30-50 ml.

Important. After selecting the heads, open the steam valve and remove the smelly stillage. For a canned steamer, replace the can with a new one.

1. When the cube reaches 78°C (the boiling point of ethyl alcohol), add heat and substitute another jar. This fraction is called the body of moonshine, the part that should be consumed. It is taken until the heating temperature reaches 95-96°C, which corresponds to a 40-degree strength in the stream.
2. The tailings, also rich in impurities, are selected to 98°, that is, up to 20° strength.

Distillation on mash and distillation columns

If your moonshine still is equipped with a mash or distillation column, then there is no need for double distillation; the moonshine is of excellent purity the first time, since almost all fusel oils are retained in special plates and nozzles provided structurally.

But does this mean that you can simply pour it in and distill it? No, moonshine in mash or distillation columns is also divided into heads, body and tails, but this is done at one time. Your actions:

1. Place the apparatus with a mash or distillation column prepared for distillation on the fire and heat it to maximum. The selection valve is closed.
2. When the temperature begins to rise sharply and air hisses through the atmospheric tube, reduce the heating and increase the cooling. Let the column work “on itself” in this mode - in it the alcohol vapor rises, cools, flows down, thereby being purified. The sea lion is collected in special plates and “stuck” in Panchenkov’s nozzles.
3. After 15-20 minutes, quietly open the selection tap and allow the head fractions to slowly drip. As a rule, when selecting heads, they are guided by their own sense of smell.
4. When the moonshine stops smelling strongly and you are sure that the estimated number of heads has come out, substitute another dish. Add heating, and with it – cooling. Keep an eye on the thermometer, the readings of which hover around 77°C, deviating slightly in one direction or another. Select the entire body of moonshine at exactly this temperature.
5. When the readings begin to rise sharply, this indicates that the tails have gone and the jar needs to be changed again.

Reference. For grain and fruit mashes, distillation, and not rectification, is needed so that they fully retain the unique organoleptic properties corresponding to the product from which the mash is made.

Is it possible to do without a thermometer?

The presence of a thermometer in the distillation cube of any model of moonshine still is a requirement not only for personal convenience (take a look and you know whether the heads of the green serpent will soon appear), but also guarantee of correct fractionation.

And the purity of the resulting distillate greatly depends on this. As a last resort, you can navigate by the strength of the distillate:

• seeing the first drops still in the tube coming out of the refrigerator, sharply reduce the heating, let the head fractions drip in the required volume;
• add heat and drive to a strength of 40°. You can check this either with a parrot (adjusted for the temperature of the distillate) or by setting fire to a piece of newspaper placed under the stream. At 40° moonshine burns with a red glow and does not last long. At 30° it only flares up and goes out when you remove the match.

But this is such a hassle! It’s easier and more comfortable to navigate using a thermometer. Yes, and it is also needed to measure the temperature of the mash. Therefore, invest in this small device, it will come in handy hundreds of times.

What to do if the mash temperature is low?

Having discovered that the mash has a low temperature, and fermentation is sluggish, if it has not stopped at all, immediate resuscitation actions are necessary:

1. Place the container closer to the heat source (battery, stove, fireplace, etc.) on a warm substrate. Remove the insulation from it while heating.
2. Turn on the thermostat for the mash, although if you have one, you don’t need to turn it off.
3. If you don’t have a thermostat, urgently buy an aquarium heater from a pet store - it will do the job.

What to do if the temperature is high?

This option is also possible: the room is warm, plus you have wrapped the mash, and the heat generated during fermentation accumulates, and now the temperature in the wort has risen above 30°C. Something needs to be done urgently:

1. Remove the insulation and place the container in the bathtub with cold water.

Today on store shelves you can find a wide selection of alcoholic drinks: vodka, beer, wine, whiskey, cognac and others. But because of this, the tradition of making moonshine at home has not become a thing of the past, because even today many people prefer to drink homemade alcohol. In addition, anyone can purchase a mini-factory for making home-made moonshine at a relatively low price. But no matter what equipment is chosen, distillation of moonshine is always carried out according to the same algorithm, and the basic raw material in the production of this drink is mash. This product, prepared from sugar, water, yeast, and sometimes citric acid, is subject to several stages of distillation. allows you to obtain raw alcohol - raw materials that are subject to further distillation, which makes it possible to produce high-quality moonshine from it.

First distillation of sugar mash

Each stage of moonshine distillation must be carried out correctly, since at each of them the drink is purified from harmful impurities.

How to get mash?

Any moonshine cannot be obtained without mash - a product obtained as a result of the fermentation process of sugar and yeast in purified water, and all ingredients must be taken in fixed proportions. Brazhka several centuries ago, namely during the existence of Rus', was the most revered fortified drink. Not a single solemn event was complete without mash, but in those days no one knew about the colossal harm of mash to the body. During the fermentation process, the mash is enriched not only with ethyl alcohol, but also with formic acid, acetone, wood alcohol and fusel oils. All these components, when entering the human body, lead to severe poisoning, which can be fatal. Because of this, the mash is subject to careful distillation, which allows you to remove toxic components from it and obtain high-quality moonshine.

Moonshine distillation always consists of several stages, but the first stage of alcohol production always begins with the preparation of mash. Making mash consists of several stages:

1. On the Internet and special manuals you can find a large number of different recipes for making mash. But whatever recipe is chosen, first of all the distiller should plan how much moonshine he wants to get. If you follow all the technology for making mash from sugar, then one liter of moonshine can be obtained from a kilogram of granulated sugar, four liters of water and twenty grams of yeast. In this case, the strength of the drink will be 40 degrees.
2. Any granulated sugar, like all food products, contains a small amount of bacteria. If sugar is used in the production of moonshine, then all pathogenic bacteria in it should be destroyed. If you ignore this, the resulting moonshine will have an unpleasant odor and taste. The process of sugar purification is called inversion and it begins by heating water with sugar dissolved in it to a temperature of 80 degrees. As soon as the solution begins to boil, you should begin stirring it thoroughly. As soon as 10 minutes have passed since the syrup boiled, the heat should be reduced to a minimum, and the syrup should be simmered on it for an hour.
3. To prepare mash you will need perfectly clean water. It is optimal if it is spring water, but, unfortunately, it is not available to many distillers, especially those who live in big cities. But spring water can be replaced with high-quality drinking water, but not the kind collected from the tap. Distilled and boiled water is not suitable for making moonshine, since there is no oxygen in such a liquid, and it is simply necessary for the distillation process, otherwise the moonshine will be of poor quality.
4. After preparing the syrup, pour it into the fermentation container and dilute it with the amount of chilled water indicated in the mash recipe. It is important to ensure that the container is filled to a maximum of three quarters, because during the fermentation process the mash will foam a lot. In turn, the resulting foam, if there is not enough space in the fermentation container, will pour out of the container. After mixing water and syrup, yeast should be introduced into the raw material, but only after its preliminary activation. To start the process of activating the yeast, they should be thoroughly kneaded and mixed with a small amount of water and sugar. As soon as the surface of the yeast is covered with white foam, it can be added to the mixture of sugar and water.
5. After mixing all the ingredients, you should put a water seal on the container with the blank for making mash, the role of which can be played by an ordinary rubber glove. After this, the container with the fermenting mixture should be placed for several days in a room with a temperature of 29-36 degrees (no more, no less). If the temperature is too low, the yeast will not be able to fully ferment and the mash will not work. If the temperature is too high, the structure of the yeast will be disrupted and it will also not be able to perform its function. Therefore, it is recommended that the distiller purchase a small device - a mash heater equipped with a temperature regulator. This small and inexpensive device will allow you to maintain the required temperature, without wrapping the hawk moths or other techniques.
6. Fermentation will last 4-5 days. During all these days, the mash should be shaken thoroughly, twice a day. This technique will allow you to get rid of excess carbon dioxide released during the fermentation process.

The finished mash, suitable for distillation, will have the following characteristics:

• the process of carbon dioxide release will completely stop;
• the mash will smell like alcohol;
• the mash will look as if it has been stratified: sediment will be visible at the bottom, and the top layer of the mash will be light;
• the mash will taste bitter;
• If you bring a burning match to the mash, its flame will continue to burn.

If two or three signs are present, the mash can be considered ready, which means that it can be distilled. , if properly organized, will make it possible to obtain raw alcohol, from which pure and tasty moonshine is usually made.

Preparing the mash for the first distillation involves its degassing and clarification. To degas the mash, it should be poured through a straw into a large saucepan - this will clear the raw materials from sediment. Afterwards, the dishes with mash should be heated to 50 degrees, which will allow carbon dioxide to be released. You will need white clay.

If you need to lighten 10 liters of mash, then you should take 1-2 tablespoons of white clay powder and dilute them in half a glass of warm water. After 10-15 minutes, the creamy slurry of white clay should be poured into the bowl, close it tightly, and then shake vigorously. After 30 minutes, the mash will be ready for distillation.

Distillation

Raw alcohol obtained from mash is often called pervach, and many people consider it the highest quality alcohol. In fact, this is not the case, because the raw material is enriched with fusel oils and other components, the use of which can become deadly. Therefore, raw alcohol must be distilled, and it is better if this is done, that is, it is divided into fractions.

You can distill sugar mash into raw alcohol in a simple moonshine still, without the rectification function. The principle of converting mash into raw alcohol is based on the fact that all components of the raw alcohol have different boiling points, so each of them gradually evaporates in the form of condensate. If the pressure level reaches 760 mm Hg. Art., then ethyl alcohol will boil at a temperature of 73 degrees, water - at 100 degrees. Since mash consists of water and alcohol, its boiling point will be in the range of 73-100 degrees Celsius.

If there is a lot of alcohol in the mash, it will tend to the minimum value (73 degrees) and vice versa. Most models of moonshine stills separate raw materials into fractions at temperatures in the range of 73-83 degrees Celsius. If the device is equipped with an accurate thermometer, then the process of controlling the temperature will be significantly simplified.

Distillation of mash into raw alcohol includes 3 stages:

1. When the mash is heated to 63-68 degrees, harmful fractions evaporate, for example, aldehyde, methyl alcohol and others. These impurities are called "tailings" and are considered toxic to the human body. Condensate in the form of “heads” settles in the steam chamber of the apparatus - a separate container. In order for the heads to evaporate from the raw alcohol, it should be brought to a temperature of 63 degrees, and then the heat should be reduced to a minimum.
2. When the distillation of harmful fractions (“heads”) is completed, you should change the steamer and place a clean container to collect raw alcohol. After heating the mash, the temperature should be brought to 78 degrees, because after this the release of raw alcohol will begin. Once the temperature reaches 85 degrees, the collection of moonshine can be completed, because with a further increase in temperature, fusel oils will condense - impurities that worsen the smell, taste and appearance of moonshine. However, the collected fusel oils can be used as an auxiliary raw material for preparing a new batch of mash.

The raw materials obtained after the first distillation should be distilled again, which will reduce the strength of the moonshine and remove from it the remains of harmful impurities that could not be removed during the first distillation. If, then you can perform all stages of moonshine distillation in it. In the absence of such an element in the moonshine still, people distilling alcohol should do a second distillation of moonshine, which is performed according to a different algorithm.

A person born and living in Russia for a long time could not help but hear about such a miracle of the national food industry as moonshine. For the “Russian” drinker, it is a truly sacred drink. This is due not only to its high strength, which is most preferable for colorful feasts, but also to its status as a kind of national treasure. How good this is for the people’s mentality is not so important; what is more important is what it is, how moonshine is brewed, and how distillation with a steamer compares favorably with other methods of its implementation.

People often don't think about how this or that thing functions. It works - and “Thank God.” The same fate often befalls moonshine. It’s delicious, it will go down your throat, and that’s good - “thanks to the one who cooked it.” It’s a rare participant in the feast who approaches the manufacturer to learn about the intricacies of the technological process of preparation, and even less often does it come up to think about distilling moonshine on his own.

Perhaps, sometimes this is tied to the stereotype that moonshine is brewed by old women in villages, poor pensioners, or not the most honest people with a not so bright past. If the thought has crept into your head to destroy the stereotype, and that it’s time to start brewing moonshine for your own use, then this article will answer all the questions, may arise during preparation for work:

• what is moonshine made from?
• what is a steamer;
• what the process itself looks like from the inside;
• and what recommendations exist regarding its technology.

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What is moonshine and what is it eaten with?

This article will not talk about what or with whom to drink moonshine. This is a personal matter for everyone. But there will be plenty of information about what it is brewed from and what real moonshine is.

To put it simply, moonshine is the result of ideal fermentation of yeast and sugar, i.e. properly made mash. Moonshine differs from vodka in that it is prepared naturally and contains a concentration of chemically correct ethyl alcohol.

Yeast is needed in production precisely so that, as a result of fermentation of sugar and yeast, the necessary correct ethyl molecules are formed. The base from which the mash will be made can be very different - it is important that the product contains a large amount of starch or sugar. Most often these are fruits, vegetables, potatoes and various grains. The quality of the main raw materials in the preparation of good moonshine is of exactly the same importance as the technology of its production.

No need to rush - let off steam and buy a steamer

Most people who have some idea of ​​what moonshine is and how to brew it are not even aware of such a useful element of a moonshine still as a steamer. The use of a steamer in production is not at all necessary, but it greatly improves the final quality of the moonshine.

A steamer is necessary in order to filter the mash, which contains, in addition to ethyl alcohol, unnecessary components - fusel oils. The temperature at which they begin to boil is slightly higher than that of alcohol - 78.4 C, but, nevertheless, their decomposition products penetrate into the final product and somewhat spoil the taste. A steamer will help fix this. Of course, even when using a dry steamer, primary distillation will not help to completely get rid of fusel oils. But there is no doubt about the reduction in their quantitative content in moonshine.

The steam tank itself is a sealed container placed between the distillation tank and the cooler, and connected to them using tubes through which steam flows. The use of a steam trap ensures that fusel oils are retained in it. And they are certainly formed as a result of condensation of vapors during the boiling of the mash. The steamer also prevents the mash from splashing and getting into the moonshine.

Therefore, distilling moonshine with a steamer has significantly better results than distilling without it. In addition, installing a steamer is not difficult at all. Despite its apparent simplicity, do not forget about the rules for its safe use. The design of the steam tank is as follows:

• Main capacity. All the extra elements from the mash get into it.
• Two sealed tubes located 5-10 cm below the main one, intended for steam release.
• Small connecting parts. They ensure the tightness of the steam chamber.

Everything you need to know about the preparation process for double distillation of moonshine

The technology of both primary and secondary distillation of moonshine would be impossible to implement without the presence of its most important element - a moonshine still. You don't need to buy anything if you want. Assembling it with your own hands (the same applies to the steamer) will not be difficult. It consists of the following elements:

• lid
• thermometer
• connecting tube
• fridge
• drain pipe
• receiving flask

Double distillation of mash into moonshine is divided into two main stages - the first and second. The division of double distillation into two stages is due to two different processes occurring during their implementation. Primary distillation is the process of separating various volatile substances from the mash. This waste is as harmful as possible, and it is precisely to reduce its quantity as much as possible that a dry steamer is used. It is not recommended to use these residues in any way other than filling the trash can. Still, human health is much more vulnerable than dry steam.

The technology for preparing moonshine requires the process of double distillation of the mash also because after the first stage, methyl still remains in its composition. We don’t even have to talk about the irreparable harm it can cause to health. This is why secondary distillation is so important.

The second stage of double distillation is the extraction of moonshine itself. During cooking, the mash should be heated to a temperature of no more than 95 C. This temperature will prevent unnecessary substances from getting into the moonshine.

Double distillation proceeds in such a way that the sequence of actions performed in the first and stage is no different. Including the amount of time spent. The difference between the ongoing processes will be only in how much moonshine is required to be obtained. Accordingly, the more finished product you need, the more mash you need to spend. So, during the direct distillation process it is necessary:

1. Heat the raw materials to 60 degrees.
2. Turn off the heat and gently heat it to 83-85C.
3. Drain the "head". This is approximately 50 ml per 1 liter of pure alcohol.
4. Increase the heat and raise the temperature to 96-97C.
5. Take the "body" faction. Its limits will be indicated when moonshine with a strength greater than 40C stops flowing into the tank.
6. Maintain the temperature just under 100C. Thus, “tails” will appear. They can later be allowed to be distilled again. This point is sometimes presented as a separate stage of technology.

Everything written above is a complete practical guide to double distillation of mash into moonshine. The use of a steamer no longer seems to be something mysterious and finds a well-deserved place in the design of a moonshine still. The technology of moonshine brewing turns out to be not so complicated and requires a minimum amount of effort. All that is required is to understand what processes it is guided by and remember a few constants. Minimal diligence, concentration on details, and you will have delicious moonshine in your hands, which can both put you on your feet and fall off them.

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The process of distilling mash is not that complicated. It consists of successive stages, during which a number of technological requirements must be observed. The most important factor is maintaining a certain temperature regime during each production cycle of moonshine production.

Having information about what the boiling point of the distilled mash should be, you will be able to obtain high-quality moonshine. Braga is a solution of alcohol and water. This means that the boiling point of the liquid and its transformation into steam will be in the range of 78–100°. The mash solution, with a higher alcohol content, will boil and begin to turn into steam at the lowest temperature. This will make it easier to obtain a good distillate.

Temperature readings for each distillation stage

There are 3 stages of mash distillation:

Removing products of the first fraction

When the temperature of the mash rises to 65–68°, the process of boiling of the liquid begins, which is accompanied by the evaporation of light fractions mixed with harmful substances. At this time, a specific smell of ethyl alcohol appears, and the first liquid begins to drip.

People call this moonshine “pervak”. The first faction is also called the “head”.
This product should not be consumed; it is too dangerous for health, since it contains a high alcohol content along with harmful substances. This part of the moonshine is collected in a separate container and later used for technical purposes or simply poured out.

An important point: as soon as the temperature of the mash rises to 63°, you need to sharply reduce the boiling speed and continue to heat the liquid to 68° gradually, over low heat.

This is done so that the mash does not get on the cooling coil. Otherwise, the quality of the moonshine will deteriorate significantly, and a second distillation will be required..

Collection of the main product

After the distillation of the first fraction, the main stage of moonshine production begins. To do this, place a new container in which the main product of mash distillation, i.e. moonshine, will be collected.

At this stage, the boiling point of the liquid gradually increases until it reaches 78°. At this moment, the output of the main product - moonshine, suitable for consumption - begins.

During the distillation of mash, the temperature of the liquid increases, while the intensity of the moonshine output decreases. And at the moment when the temperature reaches 85°, the collection of moonshine should be stopped, as active evaporation of fusel oils and other impurities harmful to health begins.

Thus, the optimal temperature regime for distilling mash into moonshine is set within 78–84°.

Selection of the third faction

The main distillation stage is completed at 85°, but a small amount of alcohol is still present in the mash. To extract it, you need to maintain the boiling temperature at a given level or increase it to 90°. During this period, active evaporation of liquid with a high content of fusel oils and impurities will begin. If desired, these substances can be removed by re-distilling or using another method of purifying moonshine.

Important: just like the heads, the tails are collected in a separate bowl.

What devices will be needed to control the moonshine brewing process?

Distilling mash to obtain high-quality moonshine requires the fulfillment of certain conditions, which means that constant monitoring of their compliance is necessary. Devices that can help with this are an alcohol meter and a thermometer. An alcohol meter determines not only the strength of the finished drink, but also its fractions. With its help, the moment of the end of moonshine collection and the transition to the selection of tails is identified.

You can measure the temperature of the liquid undergoing distillation with a special thermometer. It is optimal if the thermometer is built into the distillation cube.

Moonshine brewing is divided into several stages, each of which requires a reasonable approach. Distilling mash is the most important process that requires special attention and diligence. Properly carried out distillation has a positive effect on the taste and quality of the produced strong drink. Violation of the methodology can lead to dire consequences, which most often affect the health of the moonshine manufacturer and the appearance of the premises.

Determining the readiness of the wort for distillation and safety precautions when making moonshine

Before distilling the product, you need to make sure that the semi-finished product is ready for further processing. Experienced moonshine makers are able to determine the quality of the wort by its appearance and taste. To obtain accurate results, it is necessary to use proven methods.

1. The density of the mash can be measured with a hydrometer, a device that determines the density of a liquid. For good mash it is no more than 1.002 g/cm3. In the case when the readings of the measuring instrument are higher, a small amount of yeast and water must be added to the wort and left for further fermentation.
2. Without a hydrometer, the mash is tasted; a sweet taste means that the product is not ready. This semi-finished product is left in a warm place to ferment for several days.

Sometimes moonshine makers, especially inexperienced people, have a question: can unripe wort be processed into a strong drink? Experts say it’s possible, but is there any point in doing it? The yield of the final product will be less, because unprocessed sugar will remain in sediment.

Homemade moonshine stills are rarely used nowadays; those people who often prepare strong drinks purchase equipment in a specialized store.

When planning to distill mash, it is worth purchasing the necessary apparatus. At the same time, it is important to pay attention to the thickness of the metal from which the distiller is made. The optimal wall thickness can be 2 mm, the bottom of the container should not be less than 3 mm. The size of the filler neck also matters; the wider it is, the easier it is to rinse the container after use. A collapsible steamer is convenient for aromatizing the product during secondary distillation.

Before distilling the wort, it is filtered through cheesecloth, which is folded in two or three layers. Not the slightest part of the wort should be allowed into the filtered liquid, because... the entry of these particles into the tubes can create excess pressure in the system, which in turn results in an explosion.

The receiving container should be located away from the heater (stove). To avoid spillage, it is worth installing an additional container under the jar of moonshine.

The process of distilling mash can only begin when the tightness of the moonshine still has been checked. To do this, put a hose on the inlet tube, then you need to blow into the hose and quickly clamp the hole for a short time. If, when releasing the hose, air comes out with a hiss, then the system is working.

To protect your hands from hot vapors and objects, to change the dry steamer, you need to stock up on cotton gloves. When distilling mash with steam, do not open the containers until they have cooled. These basic safety precautions need to be observed not only by beginners, but also by experienced moonshiners.

Distillation of wort into moonshine

The process of wort distillation is based on the fact that its components have different boiling points. Successive heating of the distillation cube with mash allows the substances to gradually transform into a gaseous state. Thus, a strong homemade drink can be divided into separate fractions, each of which will contain a different amount of impurities.

The first fraction is usually called “heads”; this part is calculated at the rate of 30–60 ml per 1 kg of granulated sugar used.

The first fraction contains a large number of harmful impurities, including methanol, aldehydes and ethers.

They begin to evaporate at a temperature of 65ºC.

Experienced moonshiners are able to distinguish “heads” by the specific smell of acetone.

It is necessary to heat the liquid to 78 degrees, the second fraction is called “body”. The heating temperature should rise gradually and not exceed 85ºС. The second fraction is considered the purest, it consists of ethyl alcohol, but after the first distillation this part of the strong liquid is called raw alcohol.

At the last, third stage, the distilled composition is saturated with fusel oils, they evaporate and enter the strong drink at the moment when the mash heats up to 85 degrees and above. This part of the drink is called “tails”; they are cut off and used only for preparing various infusions. Medicinal alcohol liquids prepared from the “tails” are suitable for external use.

The first distillation of the mash begins by heating the liquid in the cube to 65 degrees. When the mentioned temperature is reached and the first drops appear, the heating of the product must be reduced. After receiving the “heads”, the container for moonshine is changed. The production of the second fraction continues when the composition present in the cube is heated.

The output of the strong drink should appear as a thin stream or clean drops.

This part of pure moonshine, as a rule, continues until the escaping liquid in the stream has a temperature of 30 degrees.

After receiving the “body”, the distilled composition is heated to maximum, and the “tails” are collected in a separate vessel. It is worth understanding that the first fraction is the most harmful, despite the fact that it is the strongest part of the drink. The second part is the “body”, after the first distillation it is suitable for use, but the quality of this product can be considered average.

In order to get a good strong drink, it is necessary to carry out a second distillation. Not everyone knows how to do this correctly. Before re-distillation, the raw material is diluted with water to 30 degrees strength, the liquid is filtered in a convenient way, then the distillation procedure described above is repeated.

Where can I use the first and third parts of the distillate?

The first part of distillation is most often used for technical purposes. This alcohol can be used to remove stains, as a non-freezing liquid for washing car windows, etc. Many moonshine producers use “tails” during re-distillation, adding them to the prepared fresh mash. There are other people who are sure that with repeated use of leftovers, the quality of the strong drink deteriorates.