Creating high-quality moonshine based on raw materials containing starch is a rather troublesome, costly and difficult task for an inexperienced moonshiner. And the thing is that with this option, saccharification will be mandatory. It should be noted here that beginners in moonshining simply bypass this moment, and this is logical, because today there are several dozen or even hundreds of understandable and simple recipes for creating sugar mash. However, those who want to try something new can try making their own grain moonshine. All you have to do is learn the process, the recipe, and the easy-to-follow instructions, and then you can start creating your own masterpiece.
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In various grain-type foods, the carbohydrates that will be converted into alcohol by the action of the yeast are starch. Just this polysaccharide is a chain of ordinary, classic types of sugar, which include sucrose, glucose, and sucrose.
In order for the yeast to start producing ethanol, it is necessary to divide the starch into ordinary types of sugar. And this can be done just through the process of saccharification.
Cold saccharification technique
Carrying out the hydrolysis of various types of polysaccharides will proceed noticeably faster through a process such as the addition of enzymes contained in the malt. Also, these same enzymes can be purchased at specialty stores.
It should be noted that enzymes begin to work gradually, and not immediately, so substances such as monosaccharides. They will also be obtained gradually, being converted into alcohol. And this suggests that saccharification will be carried out at the same time as fermentation.
Benefits of saccharification
- When creating such a recipe, you can save a significant amount of time and your own effort to put the mash;
- This recipe does not require specialized equipment;
- Braga is much less susceptible to such a process as sour fermentation at the very beginning of the fermentation procedure;
- There is no need to maintain the same temperature;
- Moonshine can be distilled by direct heating.
Cons of saccharification
There are two such cons:
- Fermentation duration. Braga, based on enzymes by cold saccharification, will be fully prepared for consumption in 14-21 days, but during this time the mash does not require any special attention;
- There is a very high probability that the mash will simply throw off at the stage of fermentation. This minus can be leveled by adding antibiotics to the mash.
This technology and its meaning lies in accelerating the process of hydrolysis of starch into monosaccharides through the excrement of a certain temperature for a long time. When using the hot saccharification process, splitting will occur in the same way - due to enzymes that are obtained by processing malt. You can also add artificial enzymes.
Advantages of hot saccharification
- Increased speed of saccharification;
- Fast fermentation process.
Cons of hot saccharification
- Components will be boiled only at elevated temperatures;
- The raw materials must be mixed, otherwise there is a possibility of burning the mash. At the same time, it is impossible to remove the smell of burning from the drink;
- It is mandatory to maintain a pause in the temperature regime. This is the period during which the moonshiner needs to keep the temperature in the region of 60-65 degrees. In production conditions, this is done by equipment, however, when creating a drink at home, the container with the drink must be wrapped in several blankets;
- During the saccharification period, there is an increased likelihood of the drink souring;
- Before distillation, you need to filter the drink.
If mash is prepared at home based on enzymes, then the cold saccharification process is more preferable, and this is due to the fact that here the production technology will be simpler and more convenient for humans. However, this is not a rule, but a recommendation, because if desired, hot saccharification can also be used.
The cooking process is simple, so even a beginner can handle it. Braga based on enzymes and flour on the basis of the cold method is prepared according to only one basic recipe, where a kilogram of raw materials is taken as the basis. The following components are needed:
- A kilogram of raw materials, which can be starch, corn and flour;
- 3.5 liters of water;
- 3 grams of enzyme G and A;
- 20 grams of dry yeast (or, alternatively, you can take 100 grams of pressed yeast);
- 1 amoxiclav tablet for every 20 liters; 2 grams of citric acid.
It is important to consider that the amount of malt should be 150 grams per kilogram of raw materials. If there is less malt, then the deficiency should be filled with the help of enzymes.
Is it worth mixing the components and how to do it
In case of mixing components, the following steps must be taken:
- Disperse the shivers in slightly sweetish warm water until foamy. If fermentation has not started after an hour, do not use yeast;
- If antibiotics are needed, the tablet should be soaked in water to dissolve it;
- Prepare the necessary container for fermentation;
- Pour warm water into a container, add enzymes, antifoam, antibiotics, and citric acid;
- Pour cereal or grain, mix it all with a spatula with elongated handles. If in the process of the recipe mash based on flour on enzymes is used, then a construction mixer can be used;
- Add yeast starter, and then mix the composition until smooth.
- A water seal is a mandatory component, but a glove is also suitable for the first time;
- Braga should be stirred every day;
- Normal temperature is 26-28 degrees;
- Serving the drink during fermentation takes 1-3 weeks. It all depends on how granular raw materials will be used;
- It should be checked two or three times a day exactly how the mash looks visually. If there is a film, this is a sign of souring and a signal for a new stage;
- After the fermentation is completed, you need to transfer the mash to the cold so that it becomes lighter.
Grain mash based on enzymes during hot saccharification
One of the classic methods to help reduce fermentation time. However, the process is quite labor intensive.
Components:
- A kilogram of raw materials containing starch;
- 4.5 liters of clean water;
- 150 grams of malt;
- 5 dry yeast (alternatively, you can take 20 grams of pressed yeast).
How to cook
- Pour raw materials and, constantly stirring, add water (55 degrees);
- Warm the mixture to a temperature of 60 degrees;
- Boil 15 minutes;
- Bring to a boil and cook for 1-2 hours until smooth;
- Cool the mass to 65 degrees and add malt;
- Cover with a lid and leave to ferment for 3 hours;
- 50 minutes before the end of fermentation, you need to dissolve the yeast;
- Quickly cool the wort to a temperature of 30 degrees;
- Pour yeast into bowl and stir.
In this case, the same tips apply as with other recipes.
Purpose of the saccharification process
The liquefaction and saccharification of starch by enzymatic hydrolysis is well researched and studied. Its purpose is to convert the starch contained in the boiled mass into sugars (maltose + dextrins) under the influence of green malt amylase or moldy mushrooms in preparing it (starch) for fermentation.
In 1811, an associate of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Konstantin Kirchhoff, discovered the transformation of starch into sugar when boiled with sulfuric acid. For this discovery, he was elected an extraordinary academician and awarded a pension. In 1814, Kirchhoff discovered another equally important catalytic reaction - the action of malt diastase on starch.
In the article “On the preparation of sugar from starch,” Kirchhoff pointed out that “the high price of Arabic gum prompted me to look for a cheap surrogate for the latter. I, then it (starch) should have looked like Arabic gummi". Indeed, today it is well known that sulfuric, nitric and oxalic acids destroy the gelatinous state of starch and under their influence, with prolonged heating, starch is converted into glucose.
To study the evolution of ideas about the process of hydrolysis, a special case of which is the saccharification of starch, the views of Professor A.N. Khodnev.
In 1852, Professor Khodnev suggested that a catalyst is a chemically active substance that gives intermediate products. Professor Khodnev explained the catalytic effect of acids on starch and its conversion into glucose by the preliminary formation of "pair compounds", for example, sulfuric acid is attached to starch, and this compound easily decomposes when heated with water into sulfuric acid and carbohydrate, which absorbs water and turns into grape sugar.
The action of green soda diastase on starch, according to Professor Khodnev, also consists in the gradual formation and decomposition of "paired compounds".
Recently, the nature and composition of enzymes have become known. It has been established that the enzyme consists of a protein part (apoenzyme) and a protein-free part (prosthetic), called the coenzyme.
The coenzyme can be separated from the apoenzyme by dialysis, and in the free state, the coenzymes are thermostable. When a coenzyme is combined with an apoenzyme, the activity inherent in the enzyme molecule is restored.
The apoenzyme molecule apparently has the functions of activating polar groups and binding the enzyme to the substrate.
The connection of the enzyme with the substrate can be inhibited by substances that form stable compounds with the enzyme.
The assumption about the formation of intermediate compounds between the enzyme and the substrate was previously based mainly on the study of the kinetics of reactions under various conditions. At present, the formation of complexes with the substrate by peroxidase and catalase has been proven by spectrophotometric analysis.
In close contact of the reactive group of the enzyme with the reactive group of the substrate, an enzyme-substrate complex is formed.
In the enzyme-substrate complex, there is a bond between the polar groups of the enzyme and the substrate.
The binding mechanism of the enzyme-substrate complex has also been proven using glucose phosphates specially labeled with C 14 atoms.
The connection of the enzyme with the substrate depends on the spatial arrangement of the reacting groups of the enzyme and substrate and their configuration.
Many details of the mechanism of formation of the enzyme-substrate complex have not yet been sufficiently studied, but it can be said with certainty that several reaction groups of the substrate and the enzyme are involved in its formation. This position is confirmed by the specificity of enzymatic reactions, and the shape of the surfaces of the reacting groups of the enzyme and substrate plays an important role in this.
As is known, the enzymatic hydrolysis of starch under the conditions of alcohol production produces maltose and a mixture of intermediate products called dextrins.
Maltose is easily fermented by yeast to form alcohol (and fermentation by-products) and carbon dioxide, while dextrins are converted to sugars and fermented during the post-fermentation period under the action of thinning amylolytic enzymes.
The process of starch saccharification proceeds in two stages: in the first there is a decrease in the viscosity of the starch solution (liquefaction) and in the second - the actual saccharification (conversion into sugars and dextrins).
Liquefaction and saccharification of starch proceed under the influence of amylase.
The composition of malt amylase includes a-amylase and b-amylase as the main enzymes.
a-amylase forms dextrins and a small amount of glucose, and b-amylase cleaves two glucose residues from the non-reducing ends of the amylopectin and amylose molecules, to which one water molecule is attached, resulting in the formation of maltose.
Recent studies have shown that b-amylase acts only from the non-aldehyde end of the chain, and therefore its activity does not decrease in the case of oxidation of the aldehyde groups of the sugar.
In the process of liquefying starch with malt amylase containing a- and b-amylase, large molecules are first cleaved by a-amylase, which breaks the chains of amylose and amylopectin at the 1-4 bond, mainly in the middle of large chains, forming particles with a large molecular weight - dextrins, as well as a small amount of glucose. Under the influence of b-amylase, dextrins continue to break down, eventually forming products that do not stain with iodine solution.
The end products of the enzymatic hydrolysis of starch are mainly represented by maltose, but also include some glucose and, in addition, up to 6-8% of low molecular weight non-saccharifiable dextrins, formed mainly at the branch points of the amylopectin molecule.
The action of b-amylase does not cause a noticeable change in the viscosity of the starch solution.
It should be noted that b-amylase cleaves amylose completely, while amylopectin, which has a branched structure, is cleaved only by 50%.
Saccharification of amylopectin begins at the ends of the side chains and stops when it reaches branching. As a result of saccharification of amylopectin with b-amylase, the stem of the molecule, devoid of branches, remains.
Undegraded amylopectin, amylodextrin, is an amylopectin with shorter side chains.
The rate of enmentative hydrolysis of starch
The rate constants of the saccharification reaction are calculated using the monomolecular reaction equation.
The mathematical dependence of the rate constant on temperature satisfies the Arrhenius equation
An enzyme or other catalyst changes the reaction so that it is possible at a lower activation energy. Thus, the inversion of sucrose requires an expenditure of 26,000 cal/mol, and under the action of the enzyme only 13000 cal/mol. Due to the decrease in the activation energy, the reactions proceed at a faster rate, since most of the molecules become sufficiently active.
The activation mechanism can be seen as a result of the collision of reacting molecules or an increase in collisions within molecules.
As a result of the chemical and adsorption interaction of the enzyme with the substrate, an intermediate complex is formed, the rate of decomposition of which determines the rate of this reaction. For instance:
The reaction rate can be determined by the number of active molecules, i.e. molecules that have sufficient activation energy and react per unit time.
During enzymatic processes, the equilibrium constant does not change, only the rate of the reaction in one direction increases.
The transition of malt amylase into solution can be accelerated by creating conditions that favor the osmotic penetration of water into the germinated malt, followed by diffusion of the amylase through the walls of the malted grain.
A decrease in amylase activity under the action of certain additives is associated with the adsorption of certain substances at the site of their active groups. Amylase, which has active groups, is capable of adsorbing inorganic and organic substances.
Blocking the active groups of amylase of metals, such as iron, aluminum, lead, when the salts of the corresponding metals are dissolved, leads to the fact that the polar groups cannot exercise their functions, i.e., actively interact with the polar groups of starch.
Zabrodsky and Vitkovskaya showed that melanondin substances have an inactivating effect on the amylolytic enzymes of malt, and established their negative role in the process of saccharification of boiled mass starch.
Method for saccharification of dispersed starch-containing raw materials
A portion of the dispersed raw material (50 or 100 g) was transferred into a liter flask and water was added in a ratio of 1:2.5.
The mixture was thoroughly stirred with a stirrer (from an electric motor) at room temperature for 30-40 minutes, after which it was heated to 55° and saccharified for 30 minutes with a malt extract. A 20% malt extract was prepared from equal parts of barley and millet malts.
The extract was added to the saccharified dispersed grain raw material at the rate of 16% malted grain (barley and millet) in relation to raw starch.
Influence of the amount of malt for saccharification of dispersed starch-containing raw materials
Under the action of a-amylase and b-amylase on amylopectin, an unsplit residue containing phosphodextrins remains. Breaking bonds with phosphoric acid is achieved by the action of a dextrinolitic enzyme - dextrinophosphase, abbreviated as dextrinase. Therefore, for the complete breakdown of the starch molecule, the presence of dextrinase.
The increase in a-amylase activity has a slightly different character. In resting barley grains, a-amylase activity is zero, and only after long-term storage in the grain can traces of it be detected. When grain is germinated on the third or fourth day, a jump in the increase in the content of a-amylase is observed, after which a-amylase activity gradually increases. At a temperature of 12-14 C, the limit is reached in 11-14 days, at a temperature of 18-20 C on the seventh day, and at a temperature of 27-28 C on the fifth day.
Dextrinase, like amylase, accumulates as the grain germinates. At the beginning of germination, the accumulation of dextrinase, like all grain enzymes, occurs slowly, then, after four days, faster, and at the end (on the tenth day) it almost stops. The figure shows a graphical representation of the dynamics of accumulation of amylase and dextrinase under the conditions of current malting for barley, oats and millet.
The duration of germination is closely related to temperature, the lower the temperature, the longer it takes to germinate the grain.
The malt of different cereals contains different amounts of these enzymes. Thus, four groups of cereals are distinguished:
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Cereal crops |
Enzymes |
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|
alphaamylase |
betaamylase |
dextrinase |
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Barley group (rye, wheat, triticale) |
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Millet group (sorghum, kaoliang) |
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Oat group |
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Corn group |
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One grain crop is not enough to grow for malt. Take 2.3 malt to get a high content of all enzymes. Most often they take barley and rye malt (sources of alpha and beta-amylase) and millet malt (dextrinase). Or the sum of three malts: barley, millet and oat.
At domestic distilleries, undried malt is used for saccharification. It cannot be stored for a long time, so every alcohol. the plant prepares it in the amount necessary for the current work.
| Degree of saccharification in %...
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The end products of starch saccharification under the action of malt amylase are maltose and dextrins. The ratio between the amount of these products and the malt amylase acting on the starch is not constant and depends on many factors, mainly on the saccharification temperature.
Pronin showed that with an increase in the amount of malt amylase, the final ratio between maltose and dextrins changes to a very large extent towards maltose. The question arises about the optimal amount of malt required for saccharification.
Malchenko and Krishtul, studying the saccharification of starch with different amounts of malt, showed that for saccharification it is possible to use a smaller amount of malt compared to that accepted in industry - up to 5% by weight of the processed raw materials.
They established the optimal amounts of malt required for saccharification of boiled starch-containing raw materials. To study the process of saccharification of dispersed raw materials and determine the optimal amount of malt, we studied the kinetics of saccharification of dispersed raw materials with malt amylase.
For these studies, we took 50 G dispersed oats and 150 ml water. The suspension of dispersed oatmeal was stirred with a stirrer at room temperature for 30 minutes, after which the flask was heated to 57° and kept in a water bath at 59°.
The given data show that the optimal amount of malt required for the saccharification of dispersed starch-containing raw materials lies in the range of 6-8% by weight of the raw materials to be saccharified, which was also confirmed by the fermentation of dispersed oats.
We conducted all factory studies on saccharification and fermentation of dispersed starch-containing raw materials with 8% malt (barley and millet) by weight of dispersed raw materials.
They found that an increase in the activity of malt amiasis by 1.5 - 5% can be achieved by passing an alternating current with a power of 0.013 - 0.015 amperes through the solution. As the current increases, the activity of amylase decreases.
Zabrodsky points out that malted milk, prepared with saccharified mass, improves the saccharification process and the solubility of malt starch.
Table. Extraction of malt amylase.
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Experience number |
Saccharifying capacity (in ml) of malted milk, prepared |
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On the boiled mass |
On the saccharified mass from the second stage saccharifier |
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The study of the duration of saccharification on pure starch solutions showed that changing the duration of saccharification from 5 minutes to 2 hours does not affect the performance of fermented solutions. When saccharifying the boiled mass from grain for 5–45 minutes, a slightly increased content of undissolved starch in mash was observed during rapid saccharification, the amount of unfermented sugars and dextrins was the same. Saccharification of the boiled mass at 55 - 58 ° C for 15 - 120 minutes almost does not cause an increase in the content of fermentable substances in the solution, but with longer saccharification, the concentration of the saccharified mass noticeably increases. So, if after 15 minutes of saccharification the concentration of the saccharified mass was 13.8% (according to the saccharometer), then after 120 minutes it increased to 14.8%.
Thus, when choosing a saccharification mode under production conditions, one should take into account not only the temperature, but also the duration of its exposure, as well as the way the malted milk is processed.
Studies carried out at the Ukrainian Research Institute of General Use (Raev, Ashkinuzi) showed that when saccharification by a two-stage method, the activity of malt amylolytic enzymes is better preserved, and saccharification in the first stage for 10 minutes and in the second stage for 2 minutes gives a saccharified mass with better indicators than with 10 minutes of saccharification in each stage. From the point of view of increasing the yields of alcohol, two-stage saccharification is more profitable than one-stage.
The studies of Raev, Ashkinuzi, Drazhner and Bazilevich revealed the dependence of the saccharifying and dextrinolitic ability on the method of saccharification.
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Indicators |
Saccharification method |
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single stage |
two-stage |
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Saccharifying ability |
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Dextrinolytic ability |
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The same authors found that filtration analysis (determination of filtration rate) can serve as a criterion for assessing the saccharification regime. The table shows the dependence of the filtration rate of the saccharified mass on the duration of saccharification (at a saccharification temperature of 63-64°C).
Table. The rate of filtration of congestion after the 1st stage of saccharification.
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Amount of filtrate in ml |
The amount of filtrate in % of the weight of the filtered mass at the duration of saccharification in minutes |
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The filterability of the saccharified mass is due both to the breakdown of starch into maltose and dextrins, and the accumulation of maltose, which reduces the viscosity of the solution.
The quality of the saccharified mass depends on the mode of digestion adopted.
Zabrodsky and Polozhishnik showed that filtration, spectrophotometric analysis and potentiometric titration can be used for the production characteristics of boiled and saccharified mass.
The table shows the filtration performance of the saccharified mass at a vacuum of 800 mm of water.
Table. Dependence of the filtration of the saccharified mass on the boiling temperature.
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Cooking temperature in degrees |
Volume of filtrate after 10 minutes of filtration in ml |
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normal corn |
defective corn |
Corn starch |
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Pure starch, devoid of proteins and other colloidal impurities, has a greater ability to filter. Saccharified mass is filtered more slowly from normal corn and even more slowly from defective corn, which can be explained by the formation of colloidal substances with greater hydrophilicity (the ability to absorb and retain water).
According to Zabrodsky, in defective grain at high temperature, along with the dissolution and decomposition of protein compounds, there is a synthesis of water-insoluble humus-like substances.
Klimovsky, Konovalov and Zalesskaya found that during the saccharification of boiled mass, the amount of soluble nitrogen increases due to the action of malt proteolytic enzymes, depending on the accepted temperature regime for boiling grain raw materials.
The largest amount of soluble nitrogen (75% of the total nitrogen of the raw material) is formed at a boiling temperature of 150°C and the smallest (32.8%) - at a temperature of - 100°C. With an increase in the boiling temperature to 120 - 140 ° C, the amount of soluble nitrogen is 40 - 41.9%.
Thus, the native proteins of starchy raw materials are better broken down by malt enzymes than the proteins of heated raw materials.
The hydrolytic splitting of some of the proteins and fats of the grain, the breakdown of carbohydrates, the release of phosphoric acid from organic and inorganic compounds contributes to the formation of substances with acidic properties.
The acidity of the saccharified mass from defective grain is 1.5-2 times higher than the acidity of the saccharified mass from normal grain. The change in acidity depending on the conditions of raw material digestion is graphically shown in the figure.
The color of the saccharified mass can serve as a certain criterion for the processes that occur when the grain is heated. With an increase in the boiling temperature, the mass acquires a straw-yellow and brown color of varying intensity. by color it is possible to a certain extent to judge the quality of the boiled mass. The figure shows a graph showing the dependence of the color of the saccharified mass on the boiling temperature.
For saccharification of starch of grain-potato raw materials, a mixture of barley, millet and oat malts is used, and the sum of millet and oat malts must be at least 30%. It is allowed to use a mixture of two malts: barley and oat or millet. Barley malt can be replaced with rye (or wheat) in whole or in part, and millet malt with chumiza malt. It is forbidden to use malt from one crop in the production of alcohol from grain of the same crop (Smirnov V.A., 1981)....
Even beginners understand that carbohydrates are needed to get alcohol at home. Ideally, simple sugars: sucrose, glucose or fructose. In grain crops, carbohydrates are present in sufficient quantities, but in the form of starch. Each starch molecule in turn consists of glucose fragments. When grain is taken as a raw material, before preparing the mash, the starch in it is saccharified: it is divided into glucose molecules, only then the fermentation process becomes possible. Saccharification of starch in cereals can be done by germinating a portion of the grains to produce malt. Sprouting produces enzymes that break down starch into simple sugars.
The use of grain (malt) for the preparation of mash significantly ennobles the final drink. Grain moonshine is more soft than regular sugar moonshine.
Malt can be replaced with enzymes - Amylosubtilin and Glukavamorin. The role of the first is to break down starch molecules into smaller fragments, and the second is responsible for processing these fragments into simple sugars.
The recipe for cold mash on enzymes is much simpler than malt technology and this method is cheaper.
It is necessary to prepare:
- 3 kg of any raw material (any cereals, starch, flour, etc.);
- 10 liters of water at room temperature;
- 12 g of Amilosubtilin and Glukavamorin;
- 75 g fresh yeast.
The capacity for fermentation must be taken large, given the possible foaming. At least a third must remain empty.
Enzyme mash recipe
Braga preparation:
- Bring the water to a boil, with constant stirring, add flour (cereals) in small portions and turn off the heat.
- When the mash has cooled to a temperature of 80°C, add enzyme A to it and mix thoroughly.
- Leave to cool to a temperature of 65 degrees.
- At a mash temperature of 65°C, add enzyme G and mix thoroughly.
- Cover the pan with a lid and leave for 3-4 hours to saccharify the starch.
- Then pour the room temperature mash into a fermentation container, add activated yeast, close the lid, install a water seal and put the container in a warm, dark place.
- Estimated fermentation time is 7-10 days.
Enzymes provoke a rapid onset of fermentation, literally after 1-2 hours bubbles will already be noticeable. The entire duration of fermentation depends on the selected raw materials. It can vary from 1 to 3 weeks. When using the mash recipe on enzymes at home, it is important to track the readiness of the mash in time so that there is no souring. If a thin film appears on the mash, visible to the naked eye, it is urgent to start distillation. It is best to distill the mash twice.
It is desirable to clarify the mash before distillation. This can be done with bentonite or simply put it in the cold for a day.
Enzymes came to home distilling from industry. Their use in industry is due to a reduction in complexity, an increase in the stability of technological processes, an acceleration of the production process and an increase in the yield of alcohol compared to using traditional methods. The use of a full range of enzyme preparations makes it possible to obtain the maximum amount of alcohol from raw materials, as well as to reduce the content of foreign components in the wort, which has a positive effect on the organoleptic distillation product. Modern industry uses enzyme preparations to liquefy and saccharify raw materials:- Amylosubtilin GZx (AmiloLux, "A") - to liquefy raw materials and prepare them for the action of other enzymes
- Glukavamorin GZh (GlukaLyuks-A, "G") - for starch saccharification
- CelloLux-A ("C") - for saccharification of non-starchy polysaccharides (xylans, β-glucan, cellulose, pectins) or preparing them for the action of the above enzymes.
- Protosubtilin ("P") - for the breakdown of plant proteins, which leads to more active yeast
Dosage of various enzymes
Many questions are raised by the calculation of the dosage of enzyme preparations. Typically, the manufacturer or retailer lists the activity of dry enzymes in active units per gram of enzyme. There are also recommendations from the manufacturer on the dosage of enzyme active units per gram of the substance being processed. And depending on those. process, the number of enzymes can vary from minimum to maximum. Using this number, as well as using tables for starch, protein and NPS (non-starch polysaccharides), you can calculate the reference dose of each enzyme per kilogram of raw materials. The formula for calculating the amount of enzymes per kilogram of raw materials is as follows:Dose of Enzyme (grams) = (P*R*10)/A
- P is the percentage of the substance being processed (for example, starch)
- R - recommended dosage of active units
- A is the activity of the drug in units per gram
| Raw material | Starch | Protein | Cellulose | A-1500 units/g | G-3000 units/g | C-2000 units/g | P-120 units/g |
| Wheat | 56 | 16 | 6 | 0,75 | 1,16 | 0,90 | 4,38 |
| Barley (husked) | 49 | 13 | 7 | 0,65 | 1,01 | 1,05 | 3,79 |
| Corn | 68 | 7 | 3 | 0,91 | 1,41 | 0,45 | 2,04 |
| Rye | 50 | 15 | 2 | 0,67 | 1,03 | 0,30 | 4,38 |
| Triticale | 53 | 13 | 2 | 0,71 | 1,10 | 0,30 | 3,79 |
| Millet | 51 | 13 | 8 | 0,68 | 1,05 | 1,20 | 3,79 |
| Oats (husked) | 37 | 13 | 10 | 0,49 | 0,76 | 1,50 | 3,79 |
| Potato | 18 | 2 | 2 | 0,24 | 0,37 | 0,30 | 0,58 |
| Rice | 73 | 8 | n/a | 0,97 | 1,51 | - | 2,33 |
| Buckwheat | 64 | 12 | n/a | 0,85 | 1,32 | - | 3,50 |
| Peas | 59 | 29 | n/a | 0,79 | 1,22 | - | 8,46 |
- 1 gram - Amylosubtilin GZh 1500
- 1.5-2 grams - Glukavamorin GZx 3000
- 1 gram - CelloLux-A 2000
- 4-5 grams - Protosubtilin 120
Types of saccharification, their advantages and disadvantages
Now in home distillation, two different saccharification technologies are popular - hot and cold, so named because of the different temperatures at which starch hydrolysis occurs. During hot saccharification, the raw material is heated to temperatures of 50-70°C and in this state is exposed to enzymes for 10-20 hours. At the same time, the risk of contamination of the wort is minimal, enzymes are most effective, but this method requires a lot of effort. During cold saccharification using enzymes, the process proceeds at temperatures close to 30 ° C and with simultaneous fermentation. This method is less labor-intensive, but longer, and has a greater risk of souring the mash. The graphs show the dependence of enzyme activity on temperature over time:
The range of effective action of the Amylosubtilin enzyme corresponds to the pH range of 5.0-8.0 and the temperature of 50-75°C. For the enzyme Glucavamorin, the effective action lies within the following limits: pH 3.0-6.5 and temperatures 30-60 ° C. It should be added that there are many intermediate methods between hot and cold saccharification, the use of which in many cases can be justified by specific conditions , availability of components, time spent and other factors.
Hot saccharification (HSS)
The recipe for home brew using starch-containing raw materials and enzymes A and G: - It is desirable to crush the raw materials and be sure to clear the chaff, if any.
- Prepare hot (boiling) water at the rate of ~ 6.5 liters of water per 1 kg of starch in the raw material (for cereals or crushed grains).
- Raw materials are added to hot water with constant stirring. For mixing, it is convenient to use a screwdriver or a low-speed drill with a nozzle for mixing building mixtures - a “mixer”. At the same time, in order to avoid lumps, it is best to pour directly onto the nozzle rotating in the water.
- When the mixture cools down to 75°C, half the dose of Amylosubtilin enzyme is added. Before making it can be dissolved with warm drinking water in a ratio of 1/10.
- Next, the wort is mixed from a mushy to a liquid state or for about 30 minutes.
- The wort is allowed to cool to 56-58°C and the rest of the Amylosubtilin enzyme and the Glukavamorin enzyme are added, then thoroughly mixed with a “mixer”. The time of the enzymes at this stage will be about 1.5-2 hours.
- After the end of the saccharification process, the wort must be allowed to cool to a temperature of about 30 ° C. In order to prevent the wort from “infecting” during cooling, it is advisable to hermetically close the container with it.
- The wort is poured into a fermentation tank (previously disinfected), and yeast is added to it at a dosage of 2-3 grams of dry or 10-15 grams of pressed per kilogram of raw materials. Fermentation takes place under a water seal.
Cold saccharification (COS)
The recipe for home brew using starch-containing raw materials and enzymes A and G without brewing:- It is desirable to crush the raw materials and be sure to clean them; from the chaff, if any.
- Prepare water at a temperature of about 35 ° C at the rate of ~ 6.5 liters of water per 1 kilogram of starch in the raw material (for cereals or crushed grains). It is worth considering that it is undesirable to fill the fermentation tank with mash more than 7/10 of the volume.
- Half of the prepared water is poured into the fermentation tank.
- To reduce the likelihood of contamination of the wort, it is definitely recommended to add an antibiotic to the water - doxycycline (1 capsule per 20 liters of mash).
- Acidity is regulated within 5-5.5 pH by orthophosphoric, sulfuric or citric acids.
- Next, the enzymes Amylosubtilin and Glukavamorin are introduced into the container, according to the dosage per kilogram of starch in the raw material.
- If there is, then you can add the antifoam sofaxil - 1 ml per 20 liters of mash
- Raw materials are brought in, then everything is mixed
- Yeast is added in accordance with the manufacturer's recommendations (10 grams of dry yeast per 4-5 liters of mash).
- The rest of the water is added.
- Fermentation takes place under a water seal with periodic stirring - shake (without breaking the tightness). The fermentation process takes from one and a half to three weeks. Readiness for distillation is controlled by the appearance of a film on the surface of the mash. The appearance of a film is a sign that the mash is starting to turn sour and must be distilled immediately. Ideally, the mash should be distilled shortly before the appearance of the film.
Wheat moonshine can be made without malt, without temperature pauses thanks to the enzymes alpha amylase and gluco amylase. From experience I will say that the moonshine product in this way has excellent organoleptic characteristics. In this article, I will outline the detailed technology for making moonshine from wheat flour using enzymes using a cold saccharification method.
Wheat moonshine from flour
Ingredients:- Wheat flour, premium - 3 kg.,
- Water - 12 liters.,
- Enzymes A and G - a tablespoon,
- Pressed baker's yeast - 100 g
Recipe for grain mash on enzymes, cold method
For cooking grain mash on enzymes first of all, you need to heat the water to the state of “warm tea”, add a tablespoon of enzymes A and G, mix well. Next, gradually add the flour, while stirring it so that lumps do not form. It is convenient to stir the flour with a construction mixer. After we fall asleep yeast, mix again. Braga can be put without a water seal, the main thing is that it would be in a warm place. During fermentation, which lasts from 4-5 days to a week, I mixed the mash several times a day with a whisk.
For the cold method of saccharification, I used dry enzymes; with liquid ones, this technology showed a lower yield of the finished product per kilogram of flour. For liquid enzymes, you need to use the method of steaming flour or cereals.
Distillation of grain mash
When the mash wins back, it must be carefully drained from the sediment, if desired, it can be clarified with bentonite or simply cooled to 3-5 degrees. Distillation of grain mash begins with the selection of raw alcohol, as usual, without separation into fractions, it is necessary to select up to 2-4%, almost to zero. As a result, I came out of 3 kg. flour - 3.3 liters of 31% raw alcohol, which is not very bad for cold saccharification.
The second distillation is fractional, the head fractions for cereals I select about 7-10% of absolute alcohol, about 90 ml. I got "heads". I usually select the middle fraction (drinking) up to 80-60% in the stream, depending on the purpose of using the distillate. Wheat moonshine is diluted to 40-45%, if necessary, it can be cleaned with activated charcoal.
Purification of moonshine with coal
To clean moonshine with coal, you need 1 tbsp. l. per 1 liter of moonshine already diluted to a strength of 40-45%. Pour coal into moonshine, mix well for 5-10 minutes, leave it alone for 6-12 hours, filter first through 4 layers of gauze, then through a dense cotton filter. Before tasting, moonshine should rest for several days. Wheat moonshine has a neutral aroma and with a slight shade of grain, it is easy to drink, after carbonization it has a slight vodka sharpness. An excellent product for tinctures, refining with oak chips. Separately, I recommend that you familiarize yourself with
