Fractional distillation of sugar mash with intermediate purification. Distillation of mash into moonshine

First stage. Obtaining raw alcohol

The sequence of actions for the first distillation of sugar mash into raw alcohol

1. Pour the sugar mash into the distillation cube. It is necessary to fill no more than 75% of the volume of the cube.

If you have a 20-liter distillation cube, then it is recommended to fill no more than 15 liters.Volume of mash for pouring into the distillation cube = 0.75 x 20 liters = 15 liters of mash

2. Connect the hoses to cold water and start heating. Heat up gradually reducing power. At the beginning, the heating is maximum, then we gradually reduce it so that by the first drops of distillate the heating is minimal.

3. Fractional distillation, I use it starting from the first distillation. Because of this, the final output homemade moonshine decreases, but it turns out more pure product at the exit.

4. Fractional distillation:

4.1. Selection of goals.

At minimum power, I select 1% of the mash poured into the distillation cube.

If the cube contains 15 liters sugar mash, That

Selection of heads = 15 liters x 1-2% = 150-300 ml.

It is strictly not recommended to use the heads either internally or externally. Only for technical needs or pour into the sewer. I dilute it and pour it into the car washer reservoir.

4.2. Selection of raw alcohol body.

After selecting the heads, I add power so that the moonshine comes out in a thin stream. I select until the raw alcohol strength is 35%, after which I turn off the stove

4.3. Tailings selection.

I often read on forums that the tails should be collected separately from the body, and then added to the next mash. I don’t select tails, since I do it only for myself, I don’t chase quantity. For me, the purity of moonshine is more important than quantity.

5. The first stage is completed!

Support optimal temperature distillation produces crystal clear moonshine without odor or harmful impurities. This is one of the most important stages of moonshine brewing, without knowing the basics of which you cannot count on a good result. Without following distillation technology even from the most the best mash It will turn out to be bad moonshine.

Theoretical aspects

Boiling point and volatility of impurities

The most common misconception among novice moonshiners is that impurities evaporate in proportion to their boiling point. In fact, this is fundamentally not the case: the volatility of impurities, that is, their ability to leave a boiling liquid, is in no way related to the boiling temperatures of these impurities.

Consider the classic example of methanol and isoamylol. Let the cube be filled with raw materials next line-up(see table).

Bring the mixture to a boil (temperature in the cube is about 92 °C) and take a small amount of distillate so that the composition of the boiling raw material remains virtually unchanged. What will be the composition of the selected distillate? For water and ethyl alcohol the change in concentrations can be easily found from the equilibrium curve or tables: the alcohol concentration will increase from 12 to 59%.

Equilibrium curve of water and ethyl alcohol

To determine the change in the concentration of impurities, we will use the graph of rectification coefficients (strength as a percentage of volume - on the upper horizontal axis).

With a raw material strength of 12%, the rectification coefficient (Kr) methyl alcohol is equal to 0.67, and Kp of isoamylol is 2.1. This means that the methanol content in the selection will decrease, and isoamylol will double. The result is.

The second table proves the independence of the evaporation rate of impurities from their boiling point. Methanol with a boiling point of 65 °C leaves the cube more slowly than isoamylol with a boiling point of 132 degrees.

This happens because the concentration of these impurities is low. If the amount of methanol and isoamylol were comparable to alcohol and water, these substances would declare their right to evaporate in quantities corresponding to the difference in their boiling points, and would become full components of the solution.

The evaporation of impurities in a concentration of less than 2% depends entirely on the strength with which their single molecules are retained by the aqueous-alcohol solution (the predominant substances in the composition). This can be compared to how dad and mom don’t ask their child how fast to run to the bus - they hold hands and gallop.

Same with impurities. When one small methanol molecule in a solution is surrounded by a crowd of water molecules, they easily hold it close to them. Since methanol is a smaller molecule than ethanol, it is much easier for water to retain. But isoamylol, on the contrary, is poorly soluble in water, having very weak bonds with it. When boiling, isoamylol leaves the water faster than methanol, although its boiling point is 2 times higher.

Sorel devoted many of his works to the study of the evaporation or volatility coefficients of various substances and their solutions. He compiled tables and graphs from which you can find out how much the content of substances in vapor changes in relation to the original solution. However, for the purposes of distillation, it is inconvenient to use graphs and tables, so Barbet proposed a new calculation coefficient, called the rectification coefficient (R), to obtain which, at a given strength of the solution, it is necessary to divide the evaporation coefficient of the impurity by the evaporation coefficient of ethyl alcohol.

The rectification coefficient is also a purification coefficient, since it shows the actual change in the content of impurities in relation to ethyl alcohol:

Kr=1 – impurities cannot be gotten rid of, they will be present in the same quantity in the distillate;
Kp>1 – there will be more impurities in the selection than in the feedstock, these are the main fractions;
Kr<1 – в полученном в результате перегонки дистилляте количество примесей будет меньше, чем в исходном сырье, произойдет очистка, это хвостовые фракции.

If impurities at high alcohol concentrations have Kp<1, а при низких Кр>1 – these are intermediate impurities. These are the absolute majority. There are also terminal impurities, which, on the contrary, have Kp>1 at high alcohol concentrations, and at low concentrations - Kp<1.

In fact, there are not so many absolutely head or tail impurities; more often distillers deal with intermediate ones. However, if we talk about the distillation of mash, then its strength changes during the process from 12% and below. At such alcohol concentrations, almost all impurities are head impurities, regardless of their boiling point: isoamylol - 132 °C, acetaldehyde - 20 °C, etc.

There are very few impurities that exhibit tail properties when distilling mash: methanol with a boiling point of 65 degrees and furfural - 162 °C. As we can see, here too the boiling temperature does not affect anything.

Main theoretical conclusion. Impurities do not line up to leave the cube in accordance with their boiling points, but evaporate as part of the alcohol vapor in quantities that depend only on their initial concentration and rectification coefficient.

Heating power and boiling point of the solution

The heating power only affects the amount of steam produced and does not in any way change the boiling point of the contents of the cube. In turn, the boiling point of the solution depends on the concentration of alcohol in the bulk bulk and atmospheric pressure (see table).

The lower the strength, the higher the boiling point of the vat bulk. The more power supplied, the more steam is produced.

Fractional distillation

If, when boiling the mixture on the way to the refrigerator, its vapors do not condense on the lid and walls of the cube, or this value is negligible, then by selecting the shoulder straps sequentially from different jars, we will get different strength and composition of the distillate in them.

This is a simple fractional distillation, which can be controlled only conditionally by changing the proportions of the selected fractions. The method does not provide for any cleaning or strengthening.

If the apparatus is ideally insulated, then regardless of the extraction speed and heating power, the output will be a distillate of the same composition and strength.

Partial condensation

If on the way from the cube to the refrigerator a noticeable part of the steam condenses, this is partial condensation.

The walls of the cube, the lid and the steam pipe continuously lose heat. These heat losses do not depend on the amount of heating or extraction, but only on the temperature difference between the bottom contents (liquid and steam) and the surrounding air.

The consequence of this process, useful for distillation, is the partial condensation of steam, when its least volatile components enter the phlegm, which then flow back into the still.

The same part of the vapor that reaches the refrigerator contains more volatile components than were in the original vapor. This makes it possible to create conditions for a more concentrated selection of “heads” and strengthen selection.

The ratio of the weight of the reflux to the weight of the selected alcohol is called the reflux number. The higher the reflux ratio, the greater the strengthening and enrichment with volatile components of the selection.

It is also important to note that the phlegm flowing into the cube warms up, causing additional condensation of steam, but does not have time to boil.

Heat and mass transfer

If the phlegm flows into the cube for so long that the steam manages to warm it to the boiling point, another process occurs - heat and mass transfer, in which molecules of difficultly volatile substances condense from the steam, and highly volatile substances evaporate from the phlegm. An equal number of molecules always evaporate and condense. This process is the basis of rectification technology.

How to distill moonshine using a regular machine

Having become familiar with some theoretical issues, we can proceed to the issue of controlling the distillation process.

Apparatuses for classical distillation are built according to the cube-refrigerator scheme. The addition of a steam trap makes it easier to select the “body” at high speeds, as it prevents splash entrainment. The cube and steam pipes are not insulated, and as we will find out later, this is no coincidence. Distillers may be different (see photo).

Fundamentally, these devices differ only in the degree of partial condensation. With a small proportion of it, the device is only suitable for distilling mash; with a large partial condensation, it is suitable for the production of noble distillates.

Distillation of mash

Braga needs to be driven quickly. The main task is to separate all evaporable components from non-evaporable ones. No power reduction is required at the beginning or end of heating. When distilling mash for the first time on an alambique, it is advisable to cover its dome with a rag.

Regular sugar mash can be selected “dry” (minimum strength in the stream). In the case of fruit mash that is planned to be aged in barrels, it is advisable to drive it to an average strength of 25%. If the process is completed early, acids and heavy alcohols will be lost, which form new esters in the barrel.

Second distillation

Bulk strength. The optimal strength of the still liquid for the second distillation is 25-30%. At this concentration of alcohol, fusel is strengthened quite well and is excreted as part of the head fraction. An acceptable small proportion of alcohol will end up in the “tails”, but when selecting the “body” it will not be possible to keep the fusel in the cube or a reflux ratio of more than 3 will be required, which will seriously delay the distillation process, and not every apparatus can operate in this mode.

A lower initial strength of the bulk will allow the fusel milk during the selection of the “heads” to come out with a concentration more than twice as high as the vat, but the selection of the “body” will begin when the strength of the bulk is too low, as a result, almost half of the alcohol will end up in the “tails” that need to be started select when the strength of the liquid in the cube is 5-10%.

If you increase the strength of the vat bulk to 35-40% or more, then the strengthening of the fusel at low reflux ratios will not occur. There will be as much fusel in the “heads” as in the still residue, and with drip selection (increasing reflux ratios), the fusel will generally remain in the still.

The selection of the “body” will take place with less loss of alcohol into the “tails”, but all the fusel remaining in the cube will end up in the “body”. Due to the fact that the volume of alcohol in the selection will decrease, the concentration of fusel milk will be even greater than in bulk.

Selection of "heads". Let's consider what happens when selecting “heads” on a classic moonshine still. For example, a vat of 25-30% strength boiled, and the distiller reduced the heating power to 600 W. In this case, the heat loss of the vapor zone is 300 W (we will neglect the heat loss in the liquid zone for simplicity of calculations). As a result, exactly half of the steam formed in the cube will condense. The amount of selection will be equal to the amount of reflux, which means the reflux number is equal to one. An increase in heating power will lead to a decrease in the reflux ratio and, conversely, a further decrease in power will increase it.

When organizing a drop-by-drop selection of “heads”, the system reaches the maximum reflux ratio, which strengthens and enriches the selection with highly volatile impurities.

During distillation, the bulk has a low strength, and almost all impurities are head impurities. Therefore, the selection of “heads” is extremely important; it is necessary to create conditions for its successful implementation:

always leave a sufficiently large vapor zone in the cube, and do not chase the volume of the bulk;
Do not insulate the cube with the lid and the steam pipe of the distiller.

Getting the "body". The rate of selection of the “body” during the second fractional distillation should be moderate so as not to reduce the reflux ratio to a minimum.

Most classic household devices do not have sufficient partial condensation capabilities, so they can achieve acceptable cleaning of the “body” in only two ways: removing impurities with “heads” or cutting them off with “tails”.

When to collect the tails. The widespread belief that the moment to switch to the selection of “tails” comes when the strength in the stream is 40% is well founded.

Intermediate impurities increase their rectification coefficient to values exceeding unity and become an easily volatile component of steam, which means they no longer pass into reflux, but continue on their way to selection. Mainly water and typically tail impurities are condensed. Partial condensation stops purifying alcohol vapor from fusel, but on the contrary, it enriches it.

At the time of selection of the “tails” the still temperature is about 96 °C, which corresponds to a still strength of about 5%. “Tails” can be taken up to 98-99 degrees in the cube, it is not necessary to get completely dry, too many impurities and water will appear.

Distillation on mash and distillation columns

Working with mash and distillation columns is fundamentally different from the process of classical distillation, since it becomes possible, using a reflux condenser, to regulate the amount of reflux returned to the column within a very wide range. The processes are based on heat and mass transfer. In order to increase the efficiency of the process, a packing is poured into the column, which significantly increases the area of interaction between steam and reflux.

The process of partial condensation, in which wild reflux is formed, becomes an undesirable phenomenon that worsens the accuracy of regulation of the reflux ratio and separation into fractions along the height of the column. Therefore, they try to minimize partial condensation by insulating the cube and column.

The behavior of impurities during rectification is subject to their rectification coefficients, but the technology has its own peculiarities, the main one of which is the repeated evaporation and condensation of steam on the way from the cube to the refrigerator.

Each such re-evaporation occurs in a certain area along the height of the column, called a theoretical plate. In the first 20-30 cm of the packed part of the column, due to repeated re-evaporation, the steam is strengthened to a value above 90%. In this case, the impurities flying out of the cube as part of the steam, when passing through each subsequent theoretical plate, will change their Kp in accordance with the strength of the phlegm or steam in which they are located.

Therefore, fusel oils, which have a Kp greater than one at the entrance to the column, as they move up the column, acquire a Kp less than one, and are evaporated in smaller quantities, and at a certain stage stop completely. The accumulation of fusel oils occurs in that part of the column where their Kp = 1. Above, fusel oil is not allowed to flow by alcohol, for which at this strength it is the “tail”, and below fusel oils exhibit head properties, and when evaporated they rise again higher. All intermediate impurities behave approximately this way.

1 - head; 2 - intermediate; 3 - tail; 4 - terminal.

Head impurities, as they move up the column, enter increasingly strengthened steam, as a result of which their Kp increases. This allows head impurities to enter the selection zone with acceleration.

Tail impurities - strictly on the contrary, once in the column, with each new theoretical plate they sharply reduce their Kp and quite quickly, together with the reflux, end up at the bottom of the column, where they accumulate.

Terminal impurities behave similarly: at a low strength of their Kr<1, но с ростом крепости Кр становится больше 1, поэтому они не застревают в колонне, а в зависимости от крепости идут вверх или вниз отбора.

Column control comes down to a simple rule: you cannot select a fraction at a rate exceeding the speed at which it enters the column. Methods for determining the moment when this speed begins to be exceeded are varied. The main thing is to understand as early as possible that the balance is disturbed, and, by reducing the selection rate, restore it.

In the simplest version, control is possible using two thermometers:

a still, showing the moment of boiling of raw alcohol in the still, the transition to the selection of “tails” and the end of the process;
thermometer located 20 cm from the bottom of the nozzle. In this zone, all transient processes are completed, the temperature is more or less stable and reflects the processes occurring in the column with maximum advance in relation to the extraction zone. An increase in temperature of even 0.1 degrees indicates that too much alcohol is being sampled - more than what enters the column, so the sampling rate needs to be reduced. If the selection is not reduced, the separation into fractions in the column will worsen, and impurities from the equilibrium position established for them will move higher in the column, closer to the selection.

During rectification, due to forced reflux and precise control of the reflux ratio, the most volatile fractions are obtained at the output, which can be selected sequentially. In addition, competent control of the column allows you to stop the movement of unnecessary impurities into the selection zone, accumulate them in the column for a certain time, or even return them to the cube.

A distillation column is not so much an accurate, but rather a powerful tool for the total purification of alcohol from impurities. It is poorly applicable for the production of noble distillates, since it requires special technologies and methods. The grouping of impurities by volatility and the high concentration of alcohol in the column create azeotropes from them indiscriminately into necessary and unnecessary; it will no longer be possible to separate them.

When obtaining noble distillates, the goal is not to completely purify the alcohol from all impurities, but to balance their concentrations with partial removal of some of the most unnecessary ones. An apparatus with partial condensation is required, in which the distiller separates the distillate into parts, and then assembles a masterpiece from this mosaic.

Despite all the external differences, the control of distillation and rectification is based on the most important properties of impurities - their volatility and the associated rectification coefficients. By controlling the reflux ratio in a very limited (during distillation) or, conversely, very wide (during rectification) range, one can obtain a very different product: from a distillate balanced in terms of impurities to pure alcohol. The main thing is to understand the principles of management and use the appropriate tool in each case.

It is impossible to make moonshine at home without one of the most critical stages, namely distillation. It should be carried out only after the mash is ready and at this stage the appropriate equipment should already be prepared. Whether it will be a convenient and practical industrially produced moonshine still or one assembled at home is up to everyone to decide for themselves, but the benefits of the first option remain obvious.

Distilling mash through equipment assembled yourself may be unsuccessful, and for beginners even inconvenient, since the process requires that the temperature be maintained. In addition, the moonshine itself may turn out to be of dubious quality, for example, with a large number of impurities. In ready-made distillation systems, manufacturers take into account all the nuances; often the units are already equipped with a thermometer, a reflux condenser and other attributes necessary to obtain high-quality alcohol.

If the mash is ripe and the equipment is prepared, then you can begin the process of distillation or distillation. This event can be represented as follows:

Heating the mash. The distillation cube is filled to 2/3 of the volume, and the heating itself is under strict control and quite intense. It is important that you can observe what the temperature of the mash is, since it is this indicator that characterizes the structure of the process. If the parameter 65-68 °C is reached, then alcohol compounds begin to partially evaporate into the mash, but impurities, oils, and acids are also intensely released. Alcohol or “pervach” condenses, but it is better to drain it, since such moonshine has concentrated many harmful substances. Usually it is enough to drain 50-100 ml, sometimes more, depending on the total volume of the mash;
Reduce and stabilize heating. This stage is characterized by a temperature of 68-79 °C. At home, it is better to focus on the installed thermometer. A typical alcohol smell can also indicate that heating should be moderated. There is no need to try to speed up the process by increasing the heating intensity, since boiling the mash will cause it to enter the coil, and not change the productivity and strength of the solution;
Maintains constant heating. As distillation proceeds, the alcohol content decreases, the moonshine comes out with a lower strength, and the boiling point already increases. It is important to monitor this process, since when the readings rise above 84 °C, a large number of various chemical compounds harmful to health are released along with alcohol vapors;
End of the process. As soon as the temperature begins to rise above 85 °C, the procedure should be stopped. It is not recommended to boil the mash further in order to extract the maximum alcohol, since it will then take more time to clear this moonshine.

A feature of distillation is a constant change in the concentration of alcohol, namely its decrease.

After the “first step”, the strongest solution will go, and then a weaker one. Some mix the entire resulting product and bring it to a single strength, while others designate each container separately. In any case, after distillation, it is necessary to carry out procedures for additional purification of moonshine, which, in addition to the use of adsorbents and filters, may include re-distillation.

Rules for successful distillation

Those who have already become a true professional in moonshine distillation carry out distillation almost intuitively, feeling even by smell when to stop the process or change the temperature. For novice chefs or people who are demanding about the rules and established technologies, it is better to initially take care of high-quality equipment. The process and its control will depend on the distillation system, the convenience of its design, and technical features. There is no need to immediately save on the unit, since it will not only pay for itself quickly enough, but will also allow you to experiment with alcoholic beverages and save some of the money that could be spent on purchasing alcohol.

In order to obtain a good product yield during the distillation of mash, moonshine meets the priority characteristics, it is important to follow the following rules:

The mash must be ripe, prepared according to the recipe from the recommended raw materials. Weak yeast activity and insufficient readiness of the mash will affect the final yield of the product, namely it will be low;
Temperature. One of the important indicators that needs to be monitored when the mash is ripening and during its distillation. Measuring instruments built into the distillation cube can help in regulating distillation. If you purchase ready-made units, then when choosing, you need to focus on the presence of thermometers;
Excerpt. Good moonshine is obtained gradually. This applies to the preparation of wort, mash, and the method of producing alcohol. There is no need to speed up the process; the optimal speed is 1 drop per second at the main operating stage, that is, when a temperature of about 79 ° C is reached, the heating is moderate.

There are other rules and technological features, including those regarding the equipment used. Ready-to-use systems have different models, functionality and costs. The principle of operation may also differ, which lies in the classification according to which there are distillation cubes of classical operation and those based on a distillation column. The latter option allows you to distill the mash in such a way that the output is a product with a strength of at least 93%, with a minimum amount of impurities and fusel oils. This is achieved through cyclic or repeated distillation, when the resulting alcohol again enters the distillation complex. Such devices are slightly more expensive than their simpler analogues, but this is compensated by high productivity and exceptional characteristics of the final solution.

You can get moonshine of a high degree of purity and exceptional quality if you have a classic type moonshine still. To do this, it is enough to do several distillations to start the mash, and then the resulting product. Preliminary cleaning will not be superfluous; it can be carried out in various ways, including activated carbon, manganese, soda, freezing, and so on. We must not forget that the removal of impurities is better with a diluted solution, with a strength not exceeding 50%; if repeated distillation is planned, then the moonshine can be diluted up to 20%. This will allow you to extract more compounds that spoil the taste and smell of alcohol and are harmful to health.

The tradition of home brewing has a long history. Due to the fact that even in stores there are often counterfeits that are dangerous to health and life, home distillation of mash is gaining more popularity. By the way, many consider moonshine to be a plebeian drink, but its derivatives are in no way inferior to the most elite liqueurs and tinctures.

Various medications are made from this raw material. We'll talk about this later. Now about distilling mash into moonshine. For these processes, there are both home-made devices and professional equipment, which greatly simplifies the procedure and improves the quality of the resulting product.

Basic requirements before distillation begins

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

How to check the readiness of mash for distillation

A very important factor is checking the mash before distillation. If you don’t want to lose the taste of moonshine or get less of it.

How to check the readiness of the mash for distillation? First of all, there is a calendar method: for different types of raw materials there are different deadlines. Then you need to taste the mash. There should be no sweet notes. The finished mash should taste bitter.

Let's listen. If the hissing stops, this means the fermentation process is complete. We look at the foam; if the solution does not foam, it’s time to start distilling the mash. You can also bring a burning match to the surface. If the match goes out, it means it’s not time yet. Or if the match burns, then you can start distilling the mash into moonshine, since alcohol vapors collect on the surface and stimulate combustion.

Many experienced “cooks” nowadays, before starting to distill the mash into moonshine, also carry out such manipulations with the mash as degassing and clarification. These measures are not mandatory, but recommended.

Degassing is simple. The finished mash is poured into a pan through a thin tube and heated to 50 degrees. This destroys the remaining yeast and releases carbon dioxide. Then pour the degassed mash back.

Lightening is carried out by adding white clay - bentonite. It is sold as part of cat litter. When purchasing, make sure that it is not flavored. It is very important!

Take a few tablespoons of bentonite and dissolve it in a glass of warm water. Leave for 15 minutes. Then add the clay to the mash and stir vigorously. Let's start distilling the clarified finished mash. White clay is an excellent coagulant. It kills many harmful compounds.

Let's start distilling the mash

What equipment you use to perform the distillation process is your personal choice. Professional equipment is good because it contains a reflux condenser, thermometer and other auxiliary tools for monitoring at all stages of distillation. Moreover, if you are trying to do this for the first time on a homemade apparatus, you risk violating the distillation temperature regime and getting a product of dubious quality.

The distillation tank must not be filled more than 3/4 full. To prevent the mash from splashing out of the system when heated. Then close the lid of the container tightly and be sure to check the tightness. To do this, just blow into the tube that is connected to the tank and find out if air comes out.

We begin to intensively heat the container with mash. We bring it to 70 degrees and begin to reduce the heat so as not to provoke rapid boiling and the release of mash into the coil.

We pour water for the cooling unit only when the mixture is heated, and begin to monitor the measuring cup. Carbon dioxide comes out first. The first products of evaporation are popularly called “pervach”. They contain a lot of harmful oils, technical impurities, etc. Therefore, you need to get rid of this product or use it only for technical needs. Then wash the dishes thoroughly and avoid contact with exposed areas of the body. The approximate amount of this “pervach” is 4-8% of the main amount of the expected product or 50-100 ml.

Then the steam from the boiling mash enters the coil and, cooling, turns into moonshine. We monitor the temperature in the container. It should not exceed 79 degrees. Optimal intensity of moonshine release: 1 drop per second.

Add water to the coil in a small stream so as not to damage the system in the process. While we cool the system. We monitor the temperature of the moonshine. The lower it is, the better the quality of the product we will get. In addition, we use an alcohol meter. It should not show below 40 degrees.

When the temperature rises above 85 degrees and the alcohol meter begins to show a decrease. The process should be stopped, or you may still get the “tail” part of the product. It is advisable to do this in a separate bowl. This is a lower quality moonshine containing fusel oils. It is also harmful to health.

Some “cooks” combine the “first”, moonshine and the “tail” part and carry out repeated distillation, obtaining a higher quality product and in larger quantities. If you have a little experience and a homemade apparatus, it is quite difficult to separate these parts yourself. It is much easier to do this with the help of modern special equipment. Only experienced moonshiners know how to do this intuitively, based on olfactory sensations or time. It is worth noting that even if you separated these three types of product, it would still not hurt to carry out additional cleaning measures, namely, freezing, filtration, and the use of activated carbon.

Even if you have done some cleaning methods, it will not be superfluous to distill the moonshine again. We repeat the procedure according to the same scheme, only we start distillation on minimal heat. We also remove 50 ml of “pervach”, if the equipment provides it, it is advisable to replace the steamer. We collect the moonshine again until the alcohol meter shows below 40 degrees.

Successful distillation of mash into moonshine depends not only on your professionalism, but also on the quality of the equipment. Thanks to the convenient design and the presence of monitoring systems, you can greatly simplify your troubles during the distillation process and get a high-quality product.

Special equipment may differ in functionality and, accordingly, price. In addition, ready-made devices also differ in their operating principle, namely, they are of the classical type (the distillation of mash is carried out through a distillation cube) or through a distillation column. In this case, repeated distillation occurs, which contributes to the yield of alcohol of at least 93 degrees.

Accordingly, such devices are more expensive than classic ones, but they increase productivity and provide a product of exceptional quality. You can rest assured that the finished equipment will justify its price in a short period of time and will save you money and time in the future and give you the opportunity to conduct experiments with alcoholic beverages.

The purified and double-distilled raw material must be further diluted with water to a strength of 40-45 degrees, tightly closed with a lid and allowed to stand for 3-4 days in a dark, cool place for better buffering with water. Only then can you use moonshine, both in finished form and create many infusions from it. Don't be afraid to try proven recipes and eat in moderation!

The alchemical process of obtaining moonshine is divided into several stages. Each is important in its own way and requires a painstaking approach and attention to detail from the moonshiner. The last, final stage of distilling the elixir from the mash is the most important. Any, even the most insignificant mistake, will lead to a decrease in the taste of the final product, or even harm your health.

Moonshining is an art and a science rolled into one. Each discipline has its own rules and formulas that must be followed to get excellent results. By strictly following the postulates described below, the distiller will receive nectar that looks and tastes worthy.

A brew that has had a good time according to all the rules is not yet an indicator of its readiness for distillation. Preparatory activities for distillation must be carried out with special care. Color and taste are important, as well as the content of impurities in the finished wort. Below we will give special recommendations that will have a positive impact on the quality of the final fiery product.

Degassing, removing the acidity of the mash before starting the process

When components such as grain, fruit or sugar are used as a leaf base for mash, an increased content of carbon dioxide is formed in the infusion. Degassing is a set of actions aimed at eliminating effervescence. The fact is that yeast bacteria are involved in the molecular breakdown of glucose. As a result of this splitting, gas and ethyl alcohol are obtained.

To remove gas during the fermentation stage, potion masters install a water seal with an outlet or a medical glove on the fermentation tank. Thus, excess CO2 comes out, but not all. They are stored in large quantities in the wort itself in the form of effervescent bubbles.

The moonshiner’s task is to get rid of the “gassed” state of his mash.

Reference! If distillation is started without ridding the liquid of excess gas, the apparatus may begin to “choke” and spit out some of the mash into the distillate. Such “spitting” will make the nectar cloudy and will qualitatively reduce its taste.

Some winemakers leave the fermentation tank open for some time, but in this case, souring begins. If your task is to obtain a high-quality drink, then “acidification” will negate all the work.

The practice of home brewing distinguishes two ways to remove excess carbon dioxide: thermal and manual (mechanical).

According to the laws of physics, most gases rush upward when heated. You can pour the mash into a large container and heat it over low heat to a temperature of 45-55 degrees. At the same time, do not forget to constantly stir the liquid. When the hissing and rising of bubbles from the bottom stops, you can remove it from the stove. This method will save time and prevent the onset of “acidification.”

The manual method requires the “expulsion” of gases by prolonged stirring of the wort. Having a hammer drill with a clean mixing attachment will speed up the work. Five minutes of drilling and you're done!

Reference! With degassed leaf liquid, you can fill the distillation cube to 80% of the volume without fear of spitting into the distillate!

Lighting at home

Another important process before distilling moonshine is removing impurities from the mash and making it transparent. There are several ways to clarify wort. Over many years of practice, moonshiners have chosen the following products:

tea rose (hibiscus)
citric acid (lemon)
food-grade cleanser designed for moonshiners (betonite)
filter paper
gelatin

All of the above methods are good for removing turbidity. Filter paper or gelatin will leave the aroma intact and will not affect the taste of the final product. Although hibiscus will cleanse the mash of impurities, it will take away all the aroma. Betonite is best suited for clarifying your wort. It is made from white clay and is an environmentally friendly product. Natural clarifier should be used at the rate of 1.5 tablespoons per 10-12 liters of mash.

First sublimation into raw alcohol

There is no clear method for carrying out the first distillation of moonshine. Each alchemist follows his own method depending on the raw materials and the desired quality of the final elixir. The purpose of the first distillation is to separate the alcohol from the insoluble components of the mash. Distillers were divided into two opposing camps. Some claim that the separation of the “tops” and tails during the first distillation is not necessary, while others insist on a factional division.

Important! The cleaner your product is from various impurities, the higher the taste it will have. If you want to get a high-quality distillate, then take the trouble to strictly follow the rules of “division into fractions” from the first distillation.

Rapid distillation without collecting heads and tails

With prolonged temperature exposure to yeast and impurities in the wort, the quality of the product falls like a snowball from a mountain. Therefore, it is recommended to carry out the first distillation at maximum power in a short period of time. During rapid distillation, the division into the three main components of moonshine (heads, body, tails) is not carried out.

Technology:

Place the distillation container on the fire and add water. The heating power should be maximum and not drop. After the mash boils, remove the distillate until it drops to 7-10 degrees in a stream.

Important! The degree of moonshine is measured at a temperature not exceeding 23 degrees. If the cooling system is working properly, then the distillate released in the stream will not exceed the threshold value of 25-30 Celsius.

By faction

This method will help you get higher quality moonshine.

Step by step

Pour the clarified and filtered mash into a distillation container, close it and supply water to the coil.
Heat the mash to 60 degrees and immediately reduce the power when the first stream appears.
Separate the “heads” fraction.

For every kilogram of sugar, select 35 grams of “tops” (heads). If 4 kilos of sugar were used in the process of making the mash, then the selection of the first fraction is: 140 grams (4 kg x 35 = 140). These grams contain unusable and harmful substances. Continue collecting the “golden mean” until the drop reaches 40 degrees. Everything below is the “ends” (tails).

Reference! The popular name for the “tops” is “Pervak” or “Pervach”. Although the drink, hellish in its composition, is glorified in legends, it cannot be consumed. The content of fusel oils will make the hangover unbearable.

The body obtained after collecting the “tops” is raw alcohol. Has a cloudy tint. You can use it, but the quality will be low. If you set out to obtain nectar, you should not be content with a surrogate.

How to properly perform the second distillation

The degree of the “golden ratio” (the collected body of moonshine) will be high. Therefore, you should dilute it with clean filtered or spring water to 25-35 strength. A necessary condition is also purification of the distillate.

Filtration

First oil cleansing

For each liter of raw alcohol, add 25 - 35 ml. refined oil. Shake well and leave to rest for 10-15 hours. After the specified time has passed, pass the liquid through a cotton or gauze filter.

Coal

Take a watering can and place a cosmetic cotton pad at the bottom. Pour a sufficient amount of any coal on top and pass the alcohol base through it.

If free time allows, you can alternately carry out oil and carbon filtration.

Experienced craftsmen suggest cleaning mash using baking soda. The process is incredibly simple and allows you to preserve the taste of the nectar. For 5 liters of distillate diluted to 30 degrees, you will need only 2 teaspoons without a slide of soda. After 10 hours of settling, the primary elixir is driven through a cotton pad and distillation begins.

Instructions: The instructions are practically no different from the initial distillation, with the exception of some features.

Steps:

“The slower you drive, the tastier you’ll get.” The rate of displacement of the primary “tops” should be as low as possible. With this approach, the elixir will taste mild.
For the second distillation, increase the volume of collected “heads” to 50 ml. for 1 kilo sugar.
Replace the container and bring the heating temperature to 73-76 degrees.
The “body” is selected up to a threshold strength of 43-46. The lower tails also contain a high concentration of toxic oils and should not be used for drinking.

At the exit, the nectar will delight you with a strength of 52-63. You can dilute it with well or spring water, or you can leave it as is.

Cleaning after distillation

The last stage of preparing an alchemical masterpiece. Moonshiners have not developed a unified methodology and there is room for imagination to run wild. By the way, mostly only low-quality moonshine is purified. If you were unable to obtain a decent looking and tasting drink even after repeated distillation, then the best recommendation would be to distill it a third time.

The 11th century Chinese alchemist became famous for his nine-fold method of repeated distillation. The result was a drink that people endowed with exceptional healing properties.

Important! If you distill with a steamer, you will have to spend much less effort on cleaning.

We also have a separate article where it is described in detail!
To rid the drink of excess impurities and unselected oils, current distillers use:

egg white
potassium permanganate (aka potassium permanganate)
rye flour bread
low temperature method. Freezing in a metal tank

Dilution with water

The process of adding water and bringing the drink to the desired degree should be approached very responsibly.

There are several most important rules to follow:

Moonshine is diluted only with clean, spring or well water. In extreme cases, bottled water will do. Under no circumstances should you use tap water or boiled water. In the first case, it is too contaminated, and the drink will become cloudy, and in the second, it is practically “dead”. A good solution would be to use liquid from a well drilled on your site.

Reference! If it is not possible to use any of the above liquids, then dilute it with tap water, but then be sure to pass it through a carbon filter.

Reduce the degree only once. Do not add water “a little bit at a time.”
Temperature matters. Too warm, as well as too cold, can spoil your nectar. 18-20 Celsius is considered optimal.

Important! There is a law of physics that says: Moonshine into water, and not vice versa! By observing it, the quality and taste of the product will be preserved.

By pouring the distillate into water, the mixing process occurs without thermal reaction and the formation of third-party formations. This results in a high-quality product. And if you pour water into alcohol, then H2O is destroyed by the molecular composition of ethanol, releasing a large amount of heat. At the same time, the remaining remains of essential oils find their way out, which ruins all the work done previously.

It is necessary to give the drink a “vacation”. Freshly diluted distillate should not be consumed.
The process of stirring and combining lasts from 4 to 7 days.
Nectar is kept exclusively in glass.
Plastic, even food grade, even with assurances from experts about safety, is toxic and will distort the bouquet of the distillate, adding several harmful chemical compounds to it.
The drink should rest in a warm and dry room.

To avoid the formation of formic and acetic acid, nectar is poured “to the brim”. You cannot leave even a few millimeters of free space.

You can embellish the distillate you have learned by flavoring it with notes or aroma of rum. To do this, you can infuse it with aloe or add a pinch of spices at your discretion.

Application of heads and tails

The use of the initial and final fractions is contraindicated. But the ethyl alcohol content in them is very high and a real owner will be able to find use for them in everyday life.

The top can be used as an “anti-freeze agent” in car glass cleaning fluid. “Heads” perform well as solvents. Stubborn stains can now be easily removed without purchasing stain removers. The first fraction is perfect for lighting a fire or barbecue coals.

“Ends” or “tails” are suitable for various homemade tinctures for rubbing into the skin and all kinds of compresses. Many potion masters use the final fraction for re-distillation, adding it to a new brew. However, the quality of the product decreases, the taste becomes “cheaper”, and the color requires purification.

Now you know all the subtleties and nuances of moonshine brewing. Each skill requires regular repetition from the master. Only after doing the described procedure several times will you be able to “get your teeth into” and incorporate your own developments into the process. After all, the alchemy of moonshine also requires imagination.

You should not be limited by the rigidity of rules and dogmas in this science, because the basic alchemical law says: “Dilute and mix.”

Video: rectification step by step

Look at the instructions for proper distillation of mash: