Braga contains many substances in addition to alcohol and water. Use of these substances in food purposes highly undesirable. For a moonshiner, it is important to separate out foreign impurities and prepare the purest possible ready-to-use product. Concentration harmful substances depends on the amount of yeast used, the presence of additional plant components in the mash. The information below is relevant for those who use moonshine stills to obtain drinks.

The entire composition of the distilled liquid is conventionally divided into three parts - “head”, “body” and “tail”. The “body” is the fraction that makes up the final product. The moonshiner’s task is to remove as much fusel oils and toxins included in the “head” and “tail”, get a clean “body”. The separation of fractions occurs by repeated or fractional distillation.

Faction Specification

Each faction in the mash has its own chemical composition, physical and chemical properties:

• Head: a more common name among people is “pervak”. Initial fraction of distillation: it contains methyl alcohol, acetaldehyde and acetone (a particularly high concentration of these substances is typical for mash based on fruits or cereals). The components of the “head” have a boiling point lower than that of ethyl alcohol and due to this they are easily separated. “Heads” cannot be used for medical and food needs; they can only be used for technical purposes;
• Body: the main fraction, for the sake of obtaining it the process of moonshine brewing is started. The fraction consists of ethyl alcohol, water, residual particles of the “head” and “tail” (100% filtration is impossible even if desired). For getting pure product additional rectification must be used. But this technology eliminates everything taste properties finished product; shades, notes of fruits, herbs, berries and grains will be lost. When producing distillates such as vodka or gin, the presence of fusel oils in small concentrations is a sign of a properly prepared drink.
• Tail: The final fraction, the most difficult to separate. To cut off the tail, you need to repeatedly distill the mash at high temperatures. The “tail” is mainly fusel oils. If the remains of this fraction are not needed, then to cut it off it is enough to finish collecting the “body”. Another thing is that the “tail” has a significant concentration of ethanol (40% and above). "Tails" are cleaned as much as possible in distillation column. Products of this fraction can be used for rubbing the body and not large quantities add to homemade preparations when canning.

Moonshine fractions separation

The most important thing is to recognize the “head” coming out of the moonshine still. Experienced moonshiners will be able to recognize the separation of the fraction by the sharp, unpleasant smell of the escaping liquid. The safest way to separate the “head” is to use high temperature, bringing the mash to almost 90 boiling points (97 or more degrees Celsius).

It is also not difficult to cut off the “tail”: it is enough to record the moment when the collection of the “body” stops. “Body” is not collected below 35% ABV. Experienced distillers soak a piece of paper in the distillate emanating from the apparatus and set it on fire. If the piece of paper does not light up, the strength is below 35% and the part of the mash remaining in the apparatus is the “tail”. When the “body” comes out, the piece of paper burns with a blue flame.

Production homemade alcohol- the process is creative. Get quality drink you can if you know how to separate the heads and tails in moonshine. This procedure will help get rid of harmful fractions in which dangerous compounds are concentrated.

Methods for separating the heads and tails of moonshine

Water and alcohol are not the only components that are found in homemade strong drink. Some pose a certain danger to the human body. Due to the fact that their boiling point differs from the boiling degree of ethyl alcohol, by separating the fractions, it is possible to select the heads and tails, thereby achieving effective distillation.

The better the heads and tails are selected, the better the distillation

The volume of harmful components in the final product directly depends on the initially selected raw materials, the duration of fermentation, distillation technology, and even on the design of the apparatus through which the mash is distilled. It is worth noting that the amount of fusel oils in the mash may vary even if it is prepared according to the same recipe. It is almost impossible to carry out analysis at home, so calculations can only be made approximately.

The “head” of moonshine, another name for pervach, or pervak, is the first part of distillation, it has a sharp and bad smell.

Methyl alcohol is considered the most dangerous impurity; it is present in large quantities in fruit or grain fermentation products. In addition, the mash contains acetone, acetaldehyde, etc. The boiling point of these components is lower than that of ethyl alcohol; using this property, it is possible to prevent the entry into Reviver these harmful substances.

For a very long time, people believed that pervach was strong and best part distilled drink. It's instantly intoxicating and very strong. Experts assure that “heads” are poison. The first faction calls severe poisoning, it is this state that is often confused with intoxication.

Do not confuse pervach poisoning with intoxication

What is "body"? This is the first and real part that can be called drinking. Moonshiners call it “the heart.” Theoretically, it consists of alcohol and water, but in practice there is always some impurity present. It is possible to cut off the mash into separate fractions only during rectification. After this procedure, the drink will taste only of ethyl alcohol.

“Tail” is the third part of the expelled liquid. This fraction contains not only ethyl alcohol, but also fusel oils.

They are the ones who give the moonshine a cloudy appearance, an unpleasant aroma and a peculiar taste. The boiling point of this component is higher than ethyl alcohol, which means that if you stop draining the main product - the “body” - in a timely manner, the “tail” will not end up in a strong homemade drink.

What to do with the “tails” of moonshine? It is worth saying that the “tails” can be distilled twice, that is, they can be poured into the next portion of mash. “Heads” can only be used for technical needs. For more information about the heads and tails of moonshine, watch this video:

For each distiller, the question arises: how to select the first, second and third fractions? What trade-off should you choose between quality and quantity? It is best to choose a middle ground and use the parameters of experienced moonshiners.

After heating the prepared distillation composition to a boil and starting to get the first drops of strong liquid, you should reduce the power. Next, you need to gradually increase the heating. The method used will allow you to set the device to operating mode; with such manipulations, the moonshine will begin to come out cooled.

Methods for selecting fractions

There are several options for selecting a primary candidate. The simplest one is for sugar. If there is a calculation of sugar content (the amount of added sugar), then this method is effective. Cereal or fruit mash checked with a vinometer. For 1 kg of sugar, 60 to 100 ml of “heads” are selected. The selected product can be divided into 2 times, i.e., during the first distillation, take only 30 - 50 ml of liquid, and during the second distillation, the same amount.

The amount of “head” can be determined by pure alcohol

If it is not possible to determine the sugar content, then there is another way to determine the amount of “head” - using pure alcohol. To do this, the first distillation is carried out without removing the first fraction. On this day, the resulting moonshine is determined by the quantity pure alcohol in strong drink. For example, in 6 liters of distillate with a strength of 63% vol. will contain 3.78 liters of alcohol. When carrying out the second distillation, it is necessary to remove from 18 to 15% of the head fraction. About calculations in moonshine brewing, watch this useful and relevant video:

Experienced winemakers separate the “heads” by smell. The distillate is periodically sniffed and ground a small amount of liquid on the palms. As soon as the specific smell disappears, they begin to take the “body”.

The last part of distillation is the tails. They are determined by the drop in strength in the exiting stream. Tails appear at 30 – 45% vol. In order not to miss this moment, you should use a separate container, in which it is easier to take measurements. If there is no alcohol meter at home, then take a strong drink until it burns.

Where to put the “heads” and “tails” has already been suggested above.

Fractional distillation of moonshine is a technology that allows you to get quality product at home. Regardless of the source material, alcohol must be prepared in several stages. The resulting liquid will consist of three fractions, which are separated by distillation. The purpose of the procedure is to remove harmful impurities from moonshine, which can cause acute intoxication and bring irreparable harm body. On simple devices The double distillation method is used.

The separation of moonshine into fractions occurs during chemical reactions. As a result of purification of primary raw materials from harmful impurities(selection of heads and tails) can be obtained clean strong alcohol, which will not differ in quality from store products. However, it will be safe to eat only if the technology was followed during its preparation. The methods for selecting the heads and tails of moonshine are similar, but may differ slightly depending on the raw materials, type of equipment, temperature conditions and other nuances.

This drink contains several fractions that evaporate when different temperatures. Distilling mash into moonshine is a responsible procedure; the quality and taste of the product depends on the correctness of its implementation. Mash is an alcohol-containing substance, but it consists not only of ethyl alcohol, but also of impurities in the form of fusel oils and other harmful substances. During the first distillation, the alcohol is purified from unwanted compounds, and during the second, the required strength of the drink is achieved.

During fractional distillation of moonshine, you can influence the fractions by heating. As a result of fractional purification of alcohol, a drink without impurities is obtained, but its volume will be less than that of the original raw material. Calculate quantity pure moonshine using the distillation formula:

• moonshine body - 65%;
• heads - 10%;
• tailings and other undesirable compounds - 25% (calculations may vary depending on the type of raw materials, type of apparatus and other nuances).

The heads and tails of moonshine are the components that need to be removed. The main fraction is called the body and consists of purified alcohol. The distillate is obtained through two successive distillations. The selection of the heads, bodies and tails of moonshine occurs after the mash becomes suitable for consumption. This can be understood by the measurements of a special device or by taste - it loses its sweet taste.

Heads

Moonshine heads are the first fraction, which consists of harmful impurities. It contains methyl alcohol, acetone, acetaldehyde and other substances. U high-quality moonshine the heads are separated at the stage of the first distillation. Some people prefer to drink mash in pure form, without cutting off this fraction, but the feeling of quickly getting drunk when consuming it is actually acute intoxication, harmful to the body.

Selecting the right heads is not difficult. The main thing is to calculate the number of heads that should be separated during the first distillation. Their volume makes up about 10% of the total liquid.

Moonshine body

In order to understand what the body of moonshine is, you need to familiarize yourself with the technique of preparing this product. During primary processing, the head is the first to be separated under the influence of temperatures. However, the liquid requires subsequent processing, during which a purified alcohol-containing drink is released - this is the body.

Tails

Tailings selection is the last stage of moonshine distillation. These compounds are unsuitable for consumption because they contain large amounts of harmful substances. The tails consist not only of alcohol, but also of fusel oils, which give the liquid a characteristic cloudy tint. It is very easy to cut them off - just stop the process of separating the body of the moonshine in time. Unlike heads, tails can be used for subsequent processing and added to the next mash. However, re-distillation at moonshine still will not be able to improve the quality of the product.

How to separate the heads and tails from moonshine

Fractional distillation of moonshine involves the timely separation of harmful impurities. The temperature for collecting heads and tails depends on chemical features these connections. So, formic ethyl alcohol begins to boil at 20.8 degrees, wood alcohol - at 64 degrees. The boiling point of ethyl alcohol, which makes up the body of moonshine, is 78.3 degrees. If you raise it to 90 degrees, fusel oils begin to evaporate.

Methods for separating heads and tails may vary depending on the raw material, but the process takes place in several sequential stages.

1. The easiest way to select heads is to heat the raw material to 60 degrees, and then raise the temperature to 75 degrees. After heating, the first fraction begins to evaporate. In order to understand how many heads need to be separated, it is enough to calculate 10-15% of the original volume.
2. At temperatures from 75 to 90 degrees, pure ethyl alcohol is released, which is the ultimate goal of distilling moonshine.
3. Finally, the tails of the moonshine are selected - their quantity ranges from 3-5% to 25%. They are represented by ethyl alcohol with fusel oils, which evaporate at 90 degrees.

The selection of heads and tails is carried out during the first distillation of moonshine. Secondary distillation is necessary to obtain purer moonshine and is practically no different from the first stage.

For sugar

When fractional distillation of moonshine, it is worth calculating in advance how much volume each fraction makes up. The simplest calculation of the number of heads can be made if the exact sugar content is known. With 1 kg of this substance, distillation produces 60-100 ml of heads. Some people prefer to divide this amount by 2 times and separate half during the first and second distillation.

By alcohol

Separation of sugar heads is not always possible if the sugar content of the mash was not initially accurately determined. In this case, they are left during the first distillation, and after the procedure the amount of pure alcohol is measured using instruments. The heads are separated during the second distillation, their amount will be 8-15% of the volume of absolute alcohol.

By temperature

One of the methods used in moonshine to separate the heads is temperature regime. This fraction evaporates at approximately 65-68 degrees. At this temperature, the heads are selected - they are released in the form of drops. Then the mode is raised to 85 degrees and the body of the moonshine begins to be taken away. This method is accurate, but the data may vary depending on the type of device.

By smell

Using this method, it is possible to determine at what point the head fraction stops separating. These impurities give the liquid a characteristic unpleasant odor; as soon as it disappears, they can be considered to have been removed. Beginners should focus not on the smell of the product, but on the calculations, but this method can serve as a check for the correctness of the numbers.

What to do with moonshine tails and how to cut them off

Collecting tails is necessary to get more pure alcohol. However, this fraction contains about 40% ethanol and can be used for subsequent processing. There are several ways to separate the tails during the first distillation. After the temperature rises to 85 degrees, they periodically check whether the secreted liquid is a body or is already a tail and must be separated:

• using a hydrometer - the temperature will be below 40 degrees;
• alcohol meter - no higher than 20 degrees;
• set fire to a few drops - the tails will burn poorly.

There are several opinions on what to do with the tails, whether they should be thrown away and where to put them after the first distillation. This fraction can be added to the mash when making the next batch of moonshine, or left and used externally (for rubbing and compresses). It is not re-distilled separately, since the process will not improve Chemical properties liquids.

Selection of fractions during subsequent distillations

After the first distillation, raw alcohol is obtained. It is not suitable for oral consumption because it still contains a sufficient amount of impurities. Fractional distillation of raw alcohol is necessary, even if the fractions were partially separated at the first stage. During the second distillation, the heads and tails are completely separated, after which the alcohol becomes suitable for consumption. The heads are removed by 50% during each distillation, if their quantity can initially be calculated, or in full during re-distillation.

You can make natural and safe moonshine at home. However, for this it is necessary to follow safety precautions and carefully clean the liquid from impurities. Beginners should focus on numerical calculations.

Selection of the heads, bodies and tails of moonshine is the basis of distillation. Without separation into these fractions, the mash will remain mash - a “cocktail” of alcohols, ethers, other substances and water, with the addition of solid particles in the form of yeast residues and raw materials. How to select fractions and at what temperatures? Let's figure it out.

There are different types of moonshine stills. If you are lucky enough (we recommend choosing a device with a distillation column of the brand or with a steam steamer of the brand), then be sure to read the instructions and technical nuances of distillation (they will be described without fail). Techniques for working with classic distillers and with columns (wheat, rectification) will be different. It’s not enough to know; you also need to properly understand its work. However, the physics of the distillation process will be approximately the same for all distillers, so the sampling temperatures of the heads, bodies, and tails will be approximately the same. Depending on the type of device, only the procedure for achieving and maintaining the required temperatures will differ.

If you are planning (or have already done this), then the selection methods will also depend on the type of distiller design, but a little “grinding in” will still be required in practice. The manufacturer will not provide instructions for it.

The volumes of sampling of the heads and tails of moonshine vary. If you select them to the minimum, the quality will suffer; if to the maximum, the quantity of the final drink will suffer. Experienced way distillers are finding their parameters.

However, there is a certain “ golden mean”, which has already been tested by many generations of homemade alcohol connoisseurs. Below we will talk about its meanings.

It all starts with the “head”

Heads are a low-boiling fraction of esters, aldehydes, ketones (acetone) and methyl alcohol. All these substances boil at temperatures lower than ethyl alcohol and are, for the most part, extremely toxic.

They are selected as follows:

1. The mash is kept at maximum heat until the first drops appear at the outlet of the cooler. Next, the heating is reduced to a minimum and, slowly increasing the heating, the device is brought to operating mode.
2. The heads are separated slowly, drop by drop (at a rate of 1-2 drops per second).
3. The volume of separated “heads” can be determined according to various criteria:

• by initial sugar content. It is accepted that from 60 to 100 ml of heads are taken from one kilogram of sugar. Moreover, if the first distillation is fractional, then this value is divided in half (into two distillations): 30-50 ml are taken in the first, and the same in the second distillation. How to find out the sugar content in mash? Before adding yeast to the wort, the sugar content of the mash is measured. This is done using a wine meter (sugar meter). If the mash is sugar, then it is even easier, because the amount of sugar (%) in this case can be calculated without special measurements. Let's give an example. Let us have 10 liters of mash with a sugar content of 25%. 10 * 0.25 = 2.5 (kg) - there are 2.5 kg of sugar in the mash. Here we accept conventionally that 1 liter of mash weighs 1 kg, but the error of this convention is very insignificant.
• by absolute alcohol content. Heads are selected at the rate of 8-15% of the volume of “absolute alcohol”. What does it mean? After the first fractional distillation, the strength of the resulting raw alcohol and its volume are measured. Let us obtain 5 liters of raw material with a total strength of 65 degrees. 5*0.65=3.25 (l). That is, this solution of ethyl alcohol (raw) contains 3.25 liters of pure alcohol (conditionally 100% strength).
• by smell. If your sense of smell has never failed you, then you can rely on smell. The heads have a sharp, unpleasant odor, and the body fraction (ethanol) has a soft, alcoholic odor. If you rub a drop of distillate between your fingers and sniff, you can determine with more or less good accuracy whether it is a head or a dead body.
• according to temperature parameters. Depending on the device, the numbers may differ, which is why it is important to carefully study the instructions. The official manufacturer always applies it to their products, which sometimes cannot be said about third parties. Therefore, when choosing a distiller, first of all visit the websites of official manufacturers, it will be easier and more pleasant. However, temperature ranges for head separation can be identified. The heads begin to vaporize at temperatures between 65 and 68°C. Body (ethyl alcohol) - at a temperature of 78°C. When the vapor temperature reaches 63°C, it is necessary to reduce the heating to a minimum and gradually increase the temperature to 65-68°C. When the selection of heads is completed (stops dripping at the outlet), the temperature is also gradually adjusted to the start of the selection of the thea fraction (78°C). The body itself is “expelled” to a temperature of about 85°C. All numbers will ultimately depend on the design of the device and the location of the thermometer on it.

What about the tails?

And the tails begin when the strength of the distillate in the stream decreases to 45-35 degrees. That is why, towards the end of body collection, the best solution would be to collect the distillate not in the main container, but in small jars or test tubes. Ideal option is a device for continuous monitoring of the “parrot” strength. If the distillation is the first, and raw material is collected, then the selection of the body can be stopped when the strength drops to 30 degrees in the stream. When re-distilling, the body usually stops being taken at 45-40 degrees.

What if you don’t have an alcohol meter? If alcohol burns in a spoon, it’s still a body. If it no longer burns, then the selection of the body is stopped.

Thus, the tailings are selected according to the residual strength from 45-40 degrees in the stream to 20-15 degrees in the stream. The tails can be used to strengthen new batches of mash. However, more often than not, “collecting tailings” does not justify the energy and time costs, so they can simply not be collected.

By tails we mean low alcohol moonshine, which is collected after lowering the strength during distillation below 40 degrees. This fraction is saturated with fusel and other harmful impurities, but contains ethyl alcohol, which can be distilled and obtained a good product. There are a number of subtleties of this approach to distillation that we would like to describe in this publication.

You can read more about the factions of the head, body and tails here -. We have an extremely negative attitude towards tails, believing that moonshine should be made from high-quality raw materials, and not from “under-distilled” with impurities. But in order to save money, many moonshiners use tailing distillation, so we decided to cover this topic and select the optimal technology for this process.

The body yield is small, but still significant.

The reason is large quantities harmful substances, which will partially end up in your moonshine even after proper cleaning. It seems strange to us to risk our health in order to save a few liters of a 40-degree drink.

The quality of moonshine from " not enough"will be lower than from fresh mash.

If you still decide to undertake this process, then follow the instructions described below, which will allow you to squeeze out the highest quality alcohol from such raw materials.

The tails begin to drip at the moment when the strength in the stream drops to 40 degrees.

A moonshine still with a steam chamber and a reflux condenser significantly reduces the content of harmful substances in moonshine.

How to properly distill tails into moonshine?

There are several ways this can be done:

Braga mixes well with tails. But you cannot increase the strength of the mixture above 20 degrees.

1. Use a clean mixture of tailings from different stages.
2. Mix the tails with mash.
3. Mix failed or tasteless moonshine with tails.

It is important to comply with the main condition: Moonshine must be diluted before distillation clean water up to a strength of 20 degrees. It is this liquid that lends itself well to distillation and the separation of fractions is of high quality.

If you pour distillate of 30 or 40 degrees strength into a still, the output will be low-quality moonshine.

Do fractions need to be separated during distillation?

Necessarily! This is precisely the main idea: to cleanse the “underdog” of harmful impurities by dividing it again into fractions. Thus, this may be the third and even fourth distillation of the distillate.

For 20 liters of tailings, diluted to a strength of 20 degrees, you get something like the following distillation:

The relationship between the factions.

• Head - 0.43 liters.
• Body - 5.11 liters.
• Tail - 0.62 liters.

Shown ideal conditions. Feel free to make an error of around 10% minimum.

How to properly mix tails with mash?

To compile correct proportion you will need to find out the strength of your matured mash (usually it ranges from 10 to 14 degrees), and then bring it to a 20-degree strength.

There is no point in making the mash stronger, as the quality of the drink will begin to deteriorate greatly.. Therefore, it is better to take mash with poor performance, dilute it with tails and then distill it. In this case, you will effectively manage your raw materials.

Can you drink tails?

Definitely not.

There is a legend among moonshiners that it is the heads and tails of moonshine that give you the worst kick. You don’t need to drink a lot, intoxication occurs quickly, and there is an excess of these fractions after distillation.

In fact, it is not intoxication that occurs, but poisoning: fusel oils and other impurities have a very negative effect on the digestive system, as a result of which the body begins to fight the poison and health deteriorates. These symptoms are mistaken for the cheerful effect of alcohol, but in fact not much ethyl alcohol is drunk, and even in good drinks he acts differently.

Instructions for proper distillation of tailings

Moonshiners Guru Konstantin Kapochkin recommends doing this:

1. We carry out the first distillation of moonshine without separating fractions.
2. We are implementing the second fractional distillation with the three factions described above.
3. We collect tails from different stages, after which we dilute them to 20 degrees and send them for distillation.
4. We separate the fractions using the same technology as during conventional distillation.

Reflections on this topic can be viewed on the Youtube channel Samogon Sanych. The link to the video is provided below: