Most - double with separation of harmful fractions. It involves the first distillation of the mash in, and then the second distillation with the selection of heads, bodies and tails. It is necessary for the maximum purification of your product from harmful impurities (fusel oil) in order to obtain a quality drink at the output.
We will look in more detail second distillation, since moonshiners often have questions: is it needed at all, is it necessary to dilute moonshine with water, at what temperature everything happens, and so on. As a moonshine still, we will use the usual distiller with dryer. Distillation on a distillation column looks a little different.
The more budgetary your moonshine is, the better you need to transfer the mash into moonshine.
#1 We dilute raw alcohol to a strength of 15–20%
After the first distillation of the mash, you get raw alcohol. Usually, at this stage, harmful fractions are not separated, but distilled at maximum power in order to less boiled yeast and the minimum amount of harmful substances was released.
Before the second distillation, you need dilute raw alcohol to a strength of 15–20%. This can be done in the following ways:
- Use moonshiner calculator. It will be necessary to measure the strength of the product before dilution, then substitute all the values and add the required volume of water. This is the most accurate and correct approach to business.
- "Approximately". Since jewelry accuracy does not matter, you can simply estimate the required volume of water and pour it into a cube. A small spread of the fortress is quite acceptable.
Why are we doing this? After dilution the connection between moonshine and fusel oils is weakening(an unpleasant odor appears), so it is easier for us to separate harmful fractions. From a security point of view, this is also correct.
What is the best water to use? Clean and drinkable. It can be from a tap.
A moonshine still with a steamer significantly reduces the content of harmful substances in moonshine.
#2 Purification of moonshine before the second distillation
This step is optional, since a good distillation cleans the product well enough from fuselage. But there won't be too much cleaning.
There are many approaches, and all of them have the right to exist. We recommend the most simple and fast cleaning method with activated carbon.
- Pour the diluted raw alcohol into one container.
- Add activated charcoal to it at the rate of 1 tablespoon per 1 liter of moonshine (can be used in tablets or from a store).
- We insist from 10 hours to 10 days (optional).
- We make a dense filter from gauze or cotton pads, after which we filter the liquid.
At the exit, the smell becomes more pleasant, and the taste is softer. I don't practice it myself., as I consider it inappropriate to waste my time on such operations.
The consistency of professional coal for cleaning (BAU).
#3 Separate harmful fractions during the second stage
After you have poured diluted raw alcohol into the distillation cube, you can proceed directly to distillation.
- Turn on the stove at full power.
- When the temperature reaches 60 degrees, the refrigerator should already be working.
- At 78 degrees, the first drops of moonshine will go. It is necessary to reduce the power to a speed of 1-2 drops per second and select. Aim for 50 ml heads for every 1 kg of sugar in the mash. This liquid should not be drunk.
- After selecting the heads, change the receiving container and start collecting the body.
- The selection must be stopped at the moment when the fortress in the stream drops to 40%. The thermometer will be around 95-96 degrees.
- Everything else can be collected in quality and overtaken next time.
Availability is optional, but simplifies the whole process.
Therefore, purchase equipment with it or embed it into the design of the device yourself.
Do not be greedy and select all the harmful fractions of your product.
#4 Breeding the product to a classic fortress of 40%
We take any moonshiner calculator, substitute the values and dilute the product to a strength of 40%. If you prefer stronger drinks, then use your technology, although they usually focus on the number 40.
Wait at least a day until the moonshine is completely mixed and its taste stabilizes. Many note that after a few days the liquid becomes more pleasant and easier to drink. This really has its own meaning, but not many people have the patience for such things. But in vain!
Useful videos from experienced moonshiners
Sur-Likbez
Video Dmitry Lafetnikov appreciated for telling everything quickly, on business and "without water".
This video is also no exception, so we highly recommend that you watch it. Of all the practical videos on the second distillation, this one is the most successful.
Moonshine Sanych
With feeling, plainly, arrangement. Konstantin Kapochkin he also tries to make short videos, but he does not come out as clearly as in the previous video.
Antonych Podolyak
A big fan of speculation and go from afar. In the past, one of the most respected distillers in Russia. Antonych.
The man shares his many years of experience and gives advice on how to improve the taste of the finished product. I highly recommend all his videos for viewing, as the information is very useful and interesting.
Frequently Asked Questions on Second Distillation
How to dilute moonshine before the second distillation and whether it should be done
In order to fire safety and improved fractionation it is recommended to dilute raw alcohol to a fortress 15–20% .
But everyone has their own point of view: Moonshiner Zhora, for example, considers dilution to be a waste of time. In his video on Youtube, he expresses his position, and his arguments look quite logical.
Do not forget that it is correct to pour alcohol into water, not water into alcohol.
How many times to distill mash
In order to save time and reduce the quality of the product, one distillation and separate all factions at once.
If you want to do a fractional distillation twice, then during the first distillation, separate 50 ml of voice from 1 kg of sugar, and during the second 30 ml from 1 kg of sugar (Antonych Podolyak's advice).
In theory, you can drive the product 3, 4 or more times, after which you can reach medical alcohol of 96.6% strength. But you will lose most of the moonshine, so this approach is inappropriate.
The output of moonshine during the second distillation
For 1 kg of sugar, 1 liter of moonshine of 40% strength is obtained. This is taking into account all the losses, the selection of harmful fractions, the exact following of the technological process and the double distillation of the mash.
In practice, it turns out a little more or a little less: how greedy you are, you will get such a result.
Losses during the second distillation of moonshine
About 15% of the total volume of moonshine.
If during the first distillation you get about 5 liters of raw alcohol, then after the second distillation, its amount will decrease to 4.25 liters.
Temperature during the second distillation
Up to 60 degrees, the mash heats up rather slowly. From 60 to 78 it happens very quickly. From 78 we begin to collect heads of moonshine. Somewhere at 95–96 we finish the selection of the body.
Use the simplest electronic thermometer (about 200 rubles).
What is the strength of moonshine after the second distillation
It all starts with 70% of the fortress, and ends after falling to 40%. The total alcohol content of the product will be at the level of 45–50%.
What water to dilute moonshine after the second distillation
Any water suitable for drinking. From the tap, too.
For people who are not privy to subtleties, the term pervak moonshine is associated with a strong and best alcoholic product. This misconception is fueled by the alcohol industry, which markets vodka called Pervak or Pervach. Consider what is pervak and is it as good as it is advertised?
When distilling, classic moonshine consists of three fractions:
- Pervak, it is also - the "head" of moonshine - contains other impurities, which together are I and are not usable. Most often, the first fractions (pervak) in an amount of about 10% of the total distillation are drained into the sewer.
Heads do not contain moonshine produced with .
Everything that is obtained by rectification does not require. At the outlet of the apparatus, this is already a pure product, all impurities remain in the column.
- moonshine body- This is the middle and largest part of the distillate. With the right approach, it is a fairly pure alcohol-containing liquid, has a slight alcohol smell, sometimes with an admixture of the aroma of the product that was used for (fruit, honey, jam, etc.). This fraction, as a rule, is driven to a certain degree. Some believe that it is time to take away the body when liquid below 50 degrees flows out of the apparatus, others distill up to 40%.
People's way of checking- driven while the distillate burns. You can set fire to moonshine that has dripped into a spoon, you can moisten a piece of paper under the outlet tube and set it on fire.
- Tails- low-alcohol residue. Collected separately. With tails, you can either dilute the “body” of moonshine if it turned out to be too strong, or simply pour this fraction into the mash during the next distillation, which will increase the yield of strong distillate.
So is it possible to drink pervak? Due to the high alcohol content (about 80%, sometimes higher), this first fraction can be used for the preparation of folk tinctures from sciatica, arthritis, aching joints. But - only for rubbing and never - for oral administration!
Proper moonshine
Sometimes they practice one distillation - when the mash is poured into a cube and distilled at a time, "while it burns." No fractions are taken and the resulting distillate is drunk even in its crude form.
But this approach is fundamentally wrong and causes serious harm to health: it strongly “hits” the liver, which is forced to process and remove from the body not only the decay products of alcohol, but also all those toxic wastes that contain the crude product of a single distillation.
The correct Russian moonshine, which has been carefully and carefully driven in villages and cities for centuries, is certainly double distillate. Let's talk about how to drive moonshine correctly.
Moonshine prepared in accordance with all the rules is not only not harmful, but also a product useful for the body, if consumed in reasonable quantities.
And various on it help maintain health and be treated for many diseases without side effects, which pharmaceutical preparations of chemical origin certainly have.
First distillation
We will not dwell on the preparation of mash, its greatest variety and you can choose the one that you like. The main thing is that the raw materials for it are of high quality, and the water is soft and clean. Consider how to make the first distillation and get the right product for the secondary distillation.
- Pour the finished mash into a cube, not exceeding ¾ of the volume.
From personal experience. If you put the mash on honey, it is better to fill in only half the cube. Even aged mash will give a lot of foam, which will certainly “climb” into the distillate drain pipe, even through if a lot of mash is poured. - We drive in the usual way, without taking anything away. For the first time, you can make a stage as quickly as conditions allow.
- Many moonshiners, especially those who do not yet have enough experience, are wondering how many degrees to distill the primary distillate? And there is no clear answer here. Some drive up to 40%, some up to 20.
Do not be surprised if you get several moonshine. In Ukraine and in the Kuban, this is called "sivukha". So it is - at this stage it is still very rich in fusel oils and other muck, giving this gray color and a very unpleasant smell.
Second distillation
With conventional distillation, only the second distillation of moonshine is able to ensure its proper quality, worthy of a master. It is recommended to start the distillation process very slowly, so that pervach drips, but did not go in a trickle. When the heads are selected, you can add a spark and overtake the body faster.
If you are still not used to double distillation and consider it unnecessary, then here are some tips for you:
- use only quality . It would be ideal - with a distillation column. Less ideal, but still better than the "direct" one - an apparatus with a dry steamer, which also "captures" most of the most harmful fractions;
- be sure to select the heads - it is in them that the most poison is;
- do not be greedy, stop distillation when the distillate no longer burns. Strong moonshine is better than "tails";
- to get a product of more decent quality, moonshine. The best thing to do is charcoal.
Activated charcoal tablets sometimes give a bitter taste. They say - due to the fact that it is not pure coal, but with the addition of starch. Charcoal can be both purchased and homemade. Even taken from the fire on which you cooked shurpa or fried kebabs and crushed is an excellent raw material for cleaning moonshine.
Now you have an idea of what Pervak moonshine is and how to protect yourself from it. Like if you liked the article. In the comments, share information about whether you drink pervak.
To get high-quality moonshine, and to protect your health as much as possible, you need to know at what temperature to drive moonshine. With a proper understanding of all the chemical processes that take place during moonshine brewing, you will produce a high-level moonshine that will meet your expectations.
Pay attention to the description of the temperature stages of the process of making moonshine. To separate the necessary parts of the drink, you need to maintain the correct boiling point of all components. This and many other interesting and useful facts are presented in this article.
It is necessary to take into account many aspects, which we discuss in detail in this article. We advise you to make notes and notes so as not to forget anything and not get confused in the numbers. This helps to remember the instructions, and makes it possible to refer to the records at any time already directly in the process.
Theoretical basis
The possibility of the existence of the moonshine process is determined by the fact that water, alcohol and fusel oils have different boiling points. Water boils at 100 degrees, alcohol at 78.3 degrees, and the evaporation of fusel oils begins at 85 degrees. Since these three components are present in the original product, its boiling point in the moonshine still ranges from 78 to 95 degrees. The more alcohol in the initial product, the more the initial boiling point approaches 78 degrees.
To get high-quality moonshine, using a moonshine still, during the distillation process, it is necessary to maintain a temperature of 78 to 93 degrees. It is in this range that the mash should be distilled.
Temperature conditions for the distillation of mash in a moonshine still
First stage
We place the mash in the moonshine still and start heating. After the mash warms up to 68-70 degrees, light harmful fractions begin to evaporate from it: methyl alcohol, acetaldehyde, etc. The beginning of the process is signaled by the smell of alcohol and the appearance of the first drops of moonshine.
This begins to stand out "pervach", which is popularly considered the best. But this is not so, this is the most harmful part of the resulting moonshine - the “head”. It should not be drunk, but must be separated from the main part of the resulting alcohol, and used only for technical purposes.
Up to 70 degrees, the mash is heated at maximum heat. But when approaching a temperature of 80 degrees, the heating intensity is reduced to prevent the mash from entering the refrigerator. This can significantly impair the taste of moonshine.
Obtaining the "body" of moonshine.
After the "head" is cut off, you should install a container for collecting alcohol and raise the temperature in the moonshine still to 85 - 90 degrees.
If the alembic is not equipped with a thermometer, the distillation process is stopped when:
- Paper impregnated with moonshine burns with a characteristic blue color.
- Brag has a temperature of 83 degrees and the amount of alcohol produced is reduced to zero.
- The strength of the resulting drink will drop below 30 degrees.
- End of process.
After receiving the main “body”, a small amount of alcohol remains in the mash, but harmful substances also enter the product along with it. Alcohol obtained at temperatures above 95 degrees is called "tails". It is collected separately and used to increase the strength of a new batch of mash.
There is another way to separate the mash into fractions. It is based on the fact that water freezes at higher temperatures than alcohol. This is a very long method that does not allow you to get clean and free from harmful substances moonshine.
Therefore, if you like high-quality strong drinks prepared with your own hands, you should use a well-made moonshine still. 
www.chzda.ru
Temperature stages of mash distillation
1. Selection of volatile fractions (point 1). When the temperature of the mash reaches 65-68°C, light harmful fractions begin to evaporate (methyl alcohol, acetaldehyde, formic ethyl ether, acetic methyl ether, and others). An alcohol smell and the first drops of condensed liquid appear.
In the people, the resulting moonshine is called "pervak" or "pervach" and is considered the best. In fact, this is a poisonous mixture, which is dangerous to drink. Due to the high concentration of harmful impurities, pervach quickly intoxicates, but the consequences of use are sad. In classical distillation, this first fraction is called "heads", which are "cut off" - collected in a separate container, and then used only for technical needs.
Until the temperature reaches 63°C, the mash is heated at maximum heat, then the heating rate is sharply reduced to smoothly reach 65-68°C. If you skip this moment, then hot mash can get into the refrigerator and other parts of the moonshine still. As a result, the drink will acquire a fusel color, and the quality will noticeably deteriorate. The situation is corrected by the second distillation of moonshine after dilution to 20 degrees.
The reason for cloudy moonshine is the wrong distillation of mash 
2. Getting the main product (point 2).
When the output of the “heads” stops, you need to replace the steamer (if any), substitute a container for collecting moonshine and gradually increasing the power of the heater, bring the mash to the start temperature of distillation - 78 ° C. After some time, which depends on the design of the moonshine still, the output of the main product will begin.
Gradually, the temperature of the mash will increase, and the output intensity will decrease. The collection of moonshine is stopped when the mixture is heated to 85 ° C. From this moment, fusel oils begin to evaporate, making moonshine cloudy and deteriorating quality.
If there is no thermometer, then the selection of the main product is stopped if:
- a piece of paper soaked in moonshine ceases to burn with a blue flame;
- at 83°C the output drops to zero;
- the fortress of moonshine is less than 40 degrees.
3. Selection of the last fraction (point 3).
Braga retains a certain concentration of ethyl alcohol, but it will no longer be possible to obtain alcohol in a more or less pure form. Therefore, at a temperature of 85°C and above, the distillate is collected in a separate container. This is the third cloudy fraction, called "tails", which can be added to a new portion of mash to increase the fortress.
Another method of obtaining moonshine is freezing. At low temperatures, water freezes faster than alcohol. The process is time-consuming and inefficient compared to traditional distillation, but for the sake of interest, I advise you to familiarize yourself with it. More on video.
alcofan.com
Distillation process and required temperature
In order to get crystal clear moonshine without harmful impurities and unpleasant odors, it is not enough to purchase a high-quality moonshine still. Things like the right order of operations and maintaining the optimum temperature are very important here. These are the most important stages of home brewing. You can experiment, but without observing the distillation technology, even the best initial wort (mash) will turn out to be bad moonshine.
So, consider the procedure that is necessary for the high-quality distillation of alcohol.
- First of all, to start the extraction of moonshine, you need to prepare the mash. There are countless recipes for making mash. It all depends on the taste that you want to get at the end. And the recipe itself depends on what you decide to distill moonshine from.
- The main thing to remember is that if you decide to use natural remedies that can ferment on their own - candied jam, honey, apples - then yeast is not needed.
- If you decide to go the traditional way with the use of sugar and yeast, then you must carefully observe the necessary proportions and recipes.
The choice of water is extremely important - it is not recommended to use liquid from the tap: neither the hydro-alkaline balance, nor its hardness, nor the presence of minerals and chemicals in it, which can adversely affect the fermentation process, is known. In no case do not boil the water - you will remove all the oxygen from it, which is so necessary for fermentation.
Tip: buy any clean, preferably spring or artesian water, as well as water from wells.
Fortunately, there are now a huge number of suppliers and you can always choose a water option for any budget in the nearest store.
The easiest mash recipe
We will need:
- 1 kg of sugar;
- 5 liters of water (temperature not more than 40 ° C),
- pressed yeast 100 g or dry - 20 g
You can increase the amount of the desired product, the main thing is to keep the proportions.
Cooking process
First you need to dissolve the sugar in the water: if you do not do this, then it will settle to the bottom, not dissolve and will not stimulate the fermentation process.
- In another container, mix water, yeast and 2 tbsp. l. sugar, put in a warm place for 2 hours, stirring the sourdough from time to time.
- When the yeast comes to life, you should mix all the ingredients in a container in which the entire fermentation process will take place.
- It is advisable to take a glass jar, since glass is the most neutral material in terms of properties.
After combining all the ingredients, put an ordinary medical glove on the jar, after piercing the tips of her fingers with a needle. 
Moonshine distillation temperature
You need to choose a suitable warm and dark place. The distillation temperature of moonshine should be in the range between 20-35 °C.
It is important to constantly monitor the fermentation process - when overheated, there is a possibility of loss of useful substances.
After 3-10 days, the mash will be ready for further distillation into moonshine. It is very simple to determine the readiness of the mash - by the glove: if it is still inflated, then the fermentation process is underway, if it is blown away, the mash is ready.
After receiving the finished mash, we proceed to its distillation.
The distillation process is based on the difference in the boiling points of alcohol, water and fusel oils. The boiling point of water is 100°C, but alcohol boils at 78.3°C. Accordingly, the boiling point of a mixture of alcohol and water will be the average of this range, it all depends on the ratio of the components. To distill high-quality moonshine, the heating process must be carried out in stages, and it is important to follow this.
The first step is heating the mash to the boiling point of light impurities, namely 65-68 ° C. Temperature control must be done using a thermometer, but if this device is not available, you can determine it yourself: a slight smell of alcohol will appear, condensation can be detected on the walls of the refrigerator, and the first drops of moonshine will appear from the exit point. At this stage, the heating process is not limited by anything, since what we have received at this moment is the so-called pervach - the most poisonous and unsuitable product for consumption.
But do not rush to throw it away, as pervach is a great alternative to acetone, and it can be used, for example, as a kitchen degreaser.
The transition from the first stage to the second is the most important, since after the pervac is drained, an intensive release of light impurities begins. From this point on, it is necessary to heat the mixture as smoothly as possible until the second critical moment of 78 ° C, which corresponds to the boiling point of alcohol. Skillful balancing of the heating rate in a relatively small temperature range between 78-83 °C is required throughout the distillation time. Otherwise, either the ejection of the mash will occur, or the connecting tubes will become clogged with cake.
Inverse relationship
It is important to understand that as the temperature rises, the amount of alcohol will steadily decrease due to the low boiling point, respectively, there will be more water, and the whole mixture will begin to boil faster. Then we will come close to the third stage, which should be avoided altogether - at temperatures above 85 ° C, an intensive release of fusel oils begins - extremely undesirable substances in moonshine that worsen its quality in terms of taste and safety for the body.
- You can find out that the moonshine is ready with the help of a piece of paper - you need to moisten it and set it on fire. If it burns with a blue flame, continue the distillation. If it stops flashing, then you can end the process.
- If you did everything right - from choosing the initial raw materials to observing the temperature regime during distillation, then the moonshine is ready.
- And what to do with ready-made moonshine is up to you. You can use it in its pure form - this drink is popularly called "little white". You can insist it in barrels, in which case you will have the opportunity to distill your own cognac, rum and even whiskey.
And you can start the rectification process, in which you can get pure alcohol. True, this requires more complex and expensive equipment.
Distilling moonshine is an exciting and creative activity. But at the same time, it is important to take a responsible approach to its use. Remember that excessive addiction to alcohol leads to sad consequences. 
samogonhik.ru
First distillation
Completely prepared mash is poured into a distillation cube. The purpose of the first distillation is to separate alcohol from other substances. The process takes place over low heat. The entire output of the drink is divided into fractions, which we will refer to by common names: "head", "body" and "tail". The first 50 grams of drink for every kilogram of sugar spent are collected in a separate container and liquidated or used for technical needs. In no case should they be used, as they are dangerous to health.
Next, select the "body" - actually raw alcohol - which is necessary to obtain high-quality moonshine from sugar. When the strength of the distillate drops below 40 degrees, the selection should be stopped. To determine the strength, you can use an alcohol meter, or you can use the folk method - as long as the alcohol in the spoon burns, the selection can be continued.
At the end of the first distillation, collect the "tails" in a separate container, also containing a fair amount of fusel oils. However, this distillate, unlike the “head”, is not dangerous, and zealous moonshiners, who have the production of the drink on stream, pour it into the next mash - this makes it stronger.
cleaning
This stage precedes the second distillation, and its purpose is to rid the drink of harmful impurities. To do this, there is a purification of moonshine with the help of coal, potassium permanganate and some other methods that we have already written about. Choose the method that seems most effective to you and proceed, while do not forget to dilute the drink with water to a strength of 15-20 degrees. 
Second distillation
After cleaning, pour the raw alcohol into the distillation cube and start distillation over low heat. As with the previous distillation, take the first 50 grams for each kilogram of sugar separately and do not use it for internal consumption - by golly, health is more expensive. Next, take the distillate until its strength drops below 40 degrees. Actually, this is the finished drink, which only needs to be diluted.
The second distillation aims not only to strengthen, but also to additionally remove harmful and smelly impurities.
When to stop distilling mash
There are several ways to determine when the distillation process stops:
- 1) The simplest is to drive the mash until the taste of alcohol is felt in order to take all the alcohol from the distillation cube. Thus, we taste and make a decision.
- 2) We moisten a paper napkin with dripping distillate and try to set it on fire: if it ignites quickly, the selection should be continued, if it does not burn, the alcohol has already come out and the process can be stopped.
- 3) If you have a thermometer in a distillation cube, then we determine the temperature of 96 ° C, so we limit the content of fusel impurities in moonshine. This moment corresponds to the exit of moonshine from the cooler with a strength of 40%.
We know that the control of moonshine distillation by temperature in the distillation cube is based on the fact that each alcohol content in moonshine corresponds to a certain boiling point.
Data taken from the table below. 
Controlling the distillation process with a thermometer
| Bottom temperature liquid (°C) |
Alcohol content cubed (°C) |
Alcohol content in selection (°С) |
| 88 | 21,9 | 68,9 |
| 89 | 19,1 | 66,7 |
| 90 | 16,5 | 64,1 |
| 91 | 14,3 | 61,3 |
| 92 | 12,2 | 57,9 |
| 93 | 10,2 | 53,6 |
| 94 | 8,5 | 49,0 |
| 95 | 6,9 | 43,6 |
| 96 | 5,3 | 36,8 |
| 97 | 3,9 | 29,5 |
| 98 | 2,5 | 20,7 |
| 99 | 1,2 | 10,8 |
| 100 | 0,0 | 0,0 |
Dilution and settling
At this stage, which completes the process, dilute the moonshine to the desired strength. Now everything is ready for sure, but, having gathered your will into a fist, be patient a little more, and pour the moonshine into bottles, let it stand for 3-4 days in a cool dark place. From this, the drink will become softer and more balanced, and with friends and relatives you will be able to appreciate its taste.
russiansmoke.rf
Schematic representation of the temperature stages of distillation
Let's go through the temperature steps of distillation. First, let's draw a graph schematically:
As you can see, Celsius degrees are not indicated on this diagram - this all comes from the fact that, in fact, everything is not so simple. To read in the “manuals for moonshiners” that at 63-65 ° light fractions begin to boil, they must be removed, from 78 ° to 85 ° the body goes - it needs to be collected, and more than 85 ° - tails - you can’t drink them - funny. The fact is that these are the pure boiling points of substances.
For example, if ethyl alcohol boils at 78.4° and water at 100°, then their mixture, depending on the proportions, will boil at “mixed” temperatures of 78.4° + 100°!!! In solutions, water and alcohol boil and evaporate together! The following scheme would be more fair for practical application:
Temperature stages of distillation
Now directly to the steps:
At the first stage, we need to separate the heads - this is the so-called "pervach" - volatile fractions, which are not something to drink - and even not recommended for grinding. It contains acetaldehyde, formic ethyl ether, acetic methyl ether, methyl alcohol.
And also other muck not recommended for use. On the highest possible heat, heat the mash until the first drops appear from the refrigerator. Then the heating rate must be sharply reduced in order to smoothly reach the boiling point of light fractions. Otherwise, the mash will boil sharply (and in this case it will also begin to foam) and will begin to splash out. And in the absence of a steamer, it will fall into the refrigerator, spoiling the quality of moonshine.
At this time there is a collection of heads. If there is no thermometer, simply reduce the heat after the first drops of the product appear from the refrigerator. We wait until about 5% of the expected output of moonshine is selected. (This figure varies in different sources from 3% to 10% - but it already depends on what you are distilling moonshine for, and how many more distillations are planned). 5% of the volume of expected moonshine is approximately 1% of the total volume of mash.
heads
That is, if we poured 5 liters of mash into the distillation cube, and we expect to get ~ 1 liter of moonshine - the first 50 grams of distillation are the very “heads”. They can either be poured or used exclusively for technical purposes.
- Upon reaching 78 ° (or upon reaching a volume of 5%), without stopping heating, we perform the following actions - we change the steamer, if any, and change the dishes for collecting moonshine. Then the second stage begins.
- The second temperature stage is directly obtaining the main product - moonshine. The so-called "body" or "heart" of distillation. We carry out distillation at a temperature of 95-96 ° C - it is undesirable to raise it higher at this stage - “tails” will go - fractions containing fusel oils.
- Accordingly, as soon as the distillation temperature is not maintained in the specified range, or the distillation output has practically stopped, we change the dishes again and begin to collect the “tails”. In the absence of a thermometer, you can check the end of the distillation of the “body” as follows - a piece of paper soaked in distillate does not flare up with a blue flame.
At the third stage, we select the tails by raising the temperature to 100°. In this fraction, in addition to the high content of fusel oils, ethyl alcohol is also present, therefore, in order not to waste good, tails can be added to the next portion of the mash to increase its strength.
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Re-distillation of moonshine, subject to the correct methodology, removes third-party impurities, improving quality. In the people, the final product is called "double moonshine". You will have to spend 2-3 hours more time, but in the end you will get a crystal clear, soft, odorless distillate.
Any moonshine, regardless of raw materials, lends itself to secondary distillation. The mash recipe and the chosen distillation technology (moonshine still) do not change. You can even refine a drink that was kicked out much earlier.
Technology for obtaining double moonshine
1. Dilution with water. Before double distillation, the strength is measured, the amount of pure alcohol is determined, for example, 1 liter of 40% contains 400 ml of pure alcohol (this is necessary for the selection of fractions in the third stage), then the moonshine is diluted with cool water to 20%. Distilling a stronger liquid is dangerous, as a high concentration of alcohol vapor can ignite the moonshine still. In addition, strong moonshine has a very strong molecular bond with fusel oils, as a result of which repeated distillation will not give the expected effect.
2. Cleaning. Sugar and cereal moonshine (in some cases) is additionally cleaned with coal, potassium permanganate or in another way. Fruit distillates are usually left unrefined to leave a slight flavor of the original raw material.
If potassium permanganate is chosen, then dilute 3 grams of powder in 300 ml of hot water into a three-liter jar of 40% moonshine, pour the resulting solution into moonshine, mix well and let it brew for 15-20 minutes. Then add a tablespoon of salt and baking soda. After 2 hours, strain the mixture through a cotton-gauze filter.
3. Distillation. It practically does not differ from the first distillation, but it is very important to divide the output into fractions: “heads”, “tails” and “body”. The first 8-12% of the yield from the amount of pure alcohol (determined at the first stage) cannot be drunk, this is a harmful fraction called “heads”, it has an unpleasant odor.
The next 80% is double moonshine, which is what we need. It is collected until the fortress in the jet drops to 45-40%. The last fraction - “tails”, can be used to increase the strength of the next mash, run on a distillation column (there will be pure alcohol) or simply pour it out.
Fractions after distillation After the second distillation, moonshine of 60-70% is obtained, which does not require additional purification. It remains only to dilute it to a fortress convenient for drinking (40-45%).
Novice distillers always ask themselves the question - why do we need a second distillation? After all, so much time and effort has already been spent on manufacturing and the first distillation. Maybe you should not burden yourself with additional work, but is it better to start using the product directly?
No need to hurry. Homemade alcohol should be made correctly so that it is mild in taste and safe in composition. To achieve this result, one distillation is not enough. In this article, we will figure out why a second stage is needed, talk about cleaning methods and consider methods for refining moonshine.
Moonshine that has passed only one distillation - it's raw alcohol(SS), which contains a large amount of harmful impurities. To beautify it purification and second distillation required.
In previous years, few people used re-distillation in home brewing, because people did not know about the concentration of harmful compounds that make up "". To date, many scientific experiments have been carried out in this area.
They prove that drinking alcohol that has passed only one distillation without purification is unsafe for health. Therefore, we can say with confidence that the second distillation is mandatory in the production of home-made alcohol.
If the re-distillation process is carried out incorrectly, it will not lead to an improvement in the quality of alcohol.
Double distillation technology
Dilution
After the first distillation, as mentioned above, raw alcohol is obtained, with a strength of about 70º. Before cleaning, it must be diluted to 20-30º. This is done because it is easier to get rid of the harmful compounds that make up the SS. subject to low distillate strength. Another reason to dilute raw alcohol is to comply with safety regulations for home-made alcohol.
Important! A high concentration of alcohol in the still can cause a fire and sometimes an explosion. Before re-distillation, be sure to dilute the alcohol to a strength of no more than 40º.
It's best to dilute alcohol distilled water. It neutrally affects the taste and smell of the final product. If this is not possible, then it can be diluted with water from the well. In extreme cases, the distillate is diluted with ordinary tap water, which is previously need to wait a few days.
Filtration
The most suitable period for cleaning moonshine comes after dilution with SS water. Filtration is done at room temperature.
There are many ways to clean moonshine. The simplest and most efficient method is filtering with a carbon filter. Coal perfectly removes harmful impurities from the distillate without affecting the taste.
You can make a carbon filter yourself, it's not difficult. The upper part with the neck is cut off from the plastic bottle.
Cotton wool or a cotton pad is placed in the neck. Then coal is poured. If desired, you can add another layer of cotton wool and coal.
When making your own carbon filter, it is recommended to use activated carbon tablets. They do not contain impurities and are absolutely safe.
If you don’t want to be smart with bottles and pills, then you can use household water filter with carbon cartridge.
It cleans moonshine well and is easy to use. It is better to pass the distillate through such a filter several times.
How to make a second run?
After purification, it is time for the second distillation. Diluted and filtered distillate poured into a distillation cube and put on fire. A prerequisite for repeated distillation is the selection of initial and final fractions.
It's done to improve quality and safety product. At the beginning of distillation, volatile fractions are released, which also contain other muck. This part is not recommended for oral use, because. this can lead to poisoning. The initial fraction is taken into a separate container. Its quantity is about 10% from all the distillate obtained during the second distillation.
The moment to start the selection of a useful part (body) can be trace by smell. When the caustic aroma of fuselage disappears, you should change the container and start body selection. There is another way to check the faction. You need to take a couple of drops of the allocated distillate on a spoon and set it on fire. If it lights up with a blue flame, this means that the useful part has begun to stand out and you can begin the selection process.
The body is taken before an unpleasant odor appears in the distillate, when the temperature rises above 83º. The final fraction begins to stand out, which in the jargon of moonshiners is called "tails". They also contain many harmful substances, so they should be collected separately.
Additional processing of raw materials
After the second distillation, alcohol with a strength of 70-85º is obtained. It must be diluted to 40-45º.
Some experienced distillers argue that it is pointless to purify moonshine at this stage. However, there are also advocates of re-purification. If secondary filtration is nevertheless carried out, then this should be done using methods that do not affect the color of the product. For example, using the same .
But the moonshine production process does not end there. It is still recommended to insist for several days (read:). This is done to improve the taste. The settled moonshine is easier to drink, it becomes softer.
What to do with double moonshine?
All these procedures are followed refining stage. In order to make homemade alcohol more solid and give it the taste and aroma of elite drinks, it will take much more time. For this you need insist moonshine on spicy additives.
There are a huge number of recipes for infusing moonshine. In this article, we will consider one of them. For this you will need:
- 1 liter of moonshine with a strength of 45º;
- 100 grams of sugar;
- 0.5 kg of blackcurrant.
To begin with, you need to carefully wash the berries and cover them with sugar. Then all this is filled with double (double distilled) moonshine. After you need to mix this mixture well until the sugar dissolves.
The drink is placed in a dark place where it is infused in two weeks. The longer moonshine is infused, the more it will absorb the aroma of currants. After that, the drink is filtered using a paper filter.
The second distillation is needed to improve the quality of alcohol. With the help of double distillation, a significant amount of harmful compounds is removed from moonshine, and the smell and taste become more pleasant. Don't need to be neglected by this process.
In addition, watch a video on the topic improving the taste of moonshine after the second run:
