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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Distillation of wort into moonshine

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

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

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

They begin to evaporate at a temperature of 65ºC.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

To get high-quality moonshine and protect your health as much as possible, you need to know at what temperature to distill the moonshine. With a proper understanding of all the chemical processes that occur during moonshine brewing, you will produce high-quality moonshine that will meet your expectations.

Pay attention to the description of the temperature stages of the moonshine preparation process. To separate the necessary parts of the drink, you need to maintain the correct boiling temperature of all components. We presented this and many other interesting and useful facts in this article.

There are many aspects to consider, which we discuss in detail in this article. We advise you to take 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 notes at any time during 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 evaporation of fusel oils begins at 85 degrees. Since these three components are present in the original product, its boiling point in a moonshine still ranges from 78 to 95 degrees. The more alcohol in the initial product, the boiling point approaches 78 degrees.

To obtain 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 distilling 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 as “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 the temperature approaches 80 degrees, the heating intensity is reduced to prevent the mash from getting into the refrigerator. This can significantly worsen the taste of moonshine.

Obtaining the “body” of moonshine.

After the “head” is cut off, you should install a container to collect alcohol and raise the temperature in the moonshine still to 85 - 90 degrees.

If the distillation cube is not equipped with a thermometer, the distillation process is stopped when:

1. Paper soaked in moonshine burns with a characteristic blue color.
2. The mash has a temperature of 83 degrees and the amount of alcohol produced is reduced to zero.
3. The strength of the resulting drink will drop below 30 degrees.
4. End of the process.

After receiving the main “body”, a small amount of alcohol remains in the mash, but along with it, harmful substances also enter the product. Alcohol produced 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 divide 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 obtain pure moonshine free of harmful substances.

Therefore, if you like high-quality strong drinks prepared with your own hands, you should use a well-made moonshine still.

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Temperature stages of mash distillation

1. Selection of volatile fractions (point 1). When the mash temperature reaches 65-68°C, light harmful fractions begin to evaporate (methyl alcohol, acetaldehyde, ethyl formic ether, methyl acetic ether and others). An alcohol smell and the first drops of condensed liquid appear.

The resulting moonshine is popularly called “pervak” or “pervach” and is considered the best. In fact, this is a poisonous mixture, drinking which is dangerous to health. Due to the high concentration of harmful impurities, pervach quickly intoxicates, but the consequences of consumption can be 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 speed is sharply reduced to smoothly reach 65-68°C. If you skip this moment, the hot mash may 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 improper distillation of the mash.

2. Obtaining the main product (point 2).

When the output of “heads” stops, you need to replace the steamer (if any), substitute a container for collecting moonshine and gradually increasing the heater power to bring the mash to the starting 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 heats up to 85°C. From this moment, fusel oils begin to evaporate, making the moonshine cloudy and deteriorating the quality.

If there is no thermometer, then the selection of the main product is stopped if:

• a piece of paper soaked in moonshine stops burning with a blue flame;
• at 83°C the output drops to zero;
• The strength of moonshine is less than 40 degrees.

3. Selection of the last fraction (point 3).

A certain concentration of ethyl alcohol is retained in the mash, but it will no longer be possible to obtain alcohol in a more or less pure form. Therefore, at temperatures 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 batch of mash to increase the strength.

Another method for making moonshine is freezing. At low temperatures, water freezes faster than alcohol. The process is labor-intensive and ineffective compared to traditional distillation, but for the sake of interest, I advise you to familiarize yourself with it. More details in the 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 correct procedure and maintaining optimal temperature are very important here. These are the most important stages of moonshine brewing. You can experiment, but without following the distillation technology, even the best initial wort (mash) will produce bad moonshine.

So, let's consider the procedure that is necessary for high-quality distillation of alcohol.

1. First of all, to start extracting moonshine, you need to prepare mash. There are countless recipes for making mash. It all depends on the taste you want to get out of it. And the recipe itself depends on what you decide to distill moonshine from.
2. The main thing is to remember: if you decide to use natural remedies that can ferment on their own - candied jam, honey, apples - then yeast is not needed.
3. If you decide to go the traditional route using sugar and yeast, then you must carefully observe the required proportions and recipe.

The choice of water is extremely important - it is not recommended to use tap liquid: neither the hydro-alkaline balance, nor its hardness, nor the presence of minerals and chemicals in it are known, which can negatively affect the fermentation process. Do not boil water under any circumstances - you will remove all the oxygen from it, which is so necessary for fermentation.

Advice: buy any clean water, 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 simplest recipe for making mash

We will need:

1. 1 kg sugar;
2. 5 liters of water (temperature no more than 40 °C),
3. pressed yeast 100 g or dry yeast - 20 g.

You can increase the amount of the desired product, the main thing is to maintain the proportions.

Cooking process

First you need to dissolve the sugar in the water: if you don’t do this, it will settle to the bottom, will 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 starter periodically.
• 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, you should put a regular medical glove on the jar, after piercing the tips of your 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 - if overheated, there is a possibility of the destruction 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 looking at the glove: if it is still inflated, then the fermentation process is underway, if it is deflated, the mash is ready.

After receiving the finished mash, we proceed to its distillation.

The distillation process is based on the difference in boiling points of alcohol, water and fusel oils. The boiling point of water is 100 °C, but alcohol boils at a temperature of 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 take place in stages, and it is important to monitor this.

The first step is to heat the mash to the boiling point of light impurities, namely 65–68 °C. Temperature control should 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 in any way, since what we received at this moment is the so-called pervach - the most poisonous and unsuitable product for consumption.

But don’t rush to throw it away, since pervach is an excellent 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 responsible, since after the primary fluid is drained, an intensive release of light impurities begins. From this moment, you need to heat the mixture as smoothly as possible until the second critical moment of 78 ° C, which corresponds to the boiling point of alcohol. It requires skillful balancing of the heating rate within a relatively small temperature range between 78-83°C throughout the distillation time. Otherwise, either the mash will be released 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 strictly decrease due to the low boiling point; accordingly, there will be more water, and the entire mixture will begin to boil faster. Then we will come very close to the third stage, which should be avoided altogether - at temperatures above 85 ° C, intensive release of fusel oils begins - extremely undesirable substances in moonshine, worsening its quality in terms of taste and safety for the body.

1. You can find out that the moonshine is ready using a piece of paper - you need to moisten it and set it on fire. If it burns with a blue flame, continue distilling. If it stops flashing, then you can end the process.
2. If you did everything correctly - from choosing the initial raw materials to observing the temperature conditions during distillation, then the moonshine is ready.
3. It’s up to you to decide what to do with the finished moonshine. You can drink it in its pure form - this drink is popularly called “white drink”. You can infuse it in barrels, in which case you will have the opportunity to distill your own cognac, rum and even whiskey.

Or you can begin the rectification process, in which you can obtain pure alcohol. True, this requires more complex and expensive equipment.

Distilling moonshine is a fun and creative activity. But at the same time, it is important to approach its use responsibly. Remember that excessive alcohol consumption leads to sad consequences.

samogonhik.ru

First distillation

Pour the fully prepared mash into the distillation cube. The purpose of the first distillation is to separate the alcohol from other substances. The process takes place over low heat. The entire yield of the drink is divided into fractions, which we will call by common names: “head”, “body” and “tail”. The first 50 grams of the drink for every kilogram of sugar consumed are collected in a separate container and disposed of or used for technical needs. Under no circumstances should they be consumed, as they are hazardous to health.

Next, you select the “body” - the raw alcohol itself - 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 traditional method - as long as the alcohol collected in a spoon burns, you can continue sampling.

At the end of the first distillation, collect the “tails”, which also contain a fair amount of fusel oils, into a separate container. However, this distillate, unlike the “head”, is not dangerous, and zealous moonshiners, whose production of the drink is 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 purification of moonshine using coal, potassium permanganate and some other methods that we have already written about. Choose the method that seems most effective to you and proceed, but do not forget to dilute the drink with water to a strength of 15-20 degrees.

Second distillation

After purification, pour the raw alcohol into the distillation cube and begin distillation over low heat. As with the previous distillation, select the first 50 grams for each kilogram of sugar separately and do not use it for internal use - by God, health is more valuable. Next, select the distillate until its strength drops below 40 degrees. Actually, this is a ready-made drink that just 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. 1) The simplest one is to distill the mash until the alcoholic taste is felt, in order to take all the alcohol from the distillation cube. Thus, we taste it and make a decision.
2. 2) Wet a paper napkin with the 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. 3) If you have a thermometer in the distillation cube, then determine the temperature of 96°C, this way we limit the content of fusel impurities in the moonshine. This moment corresponds to the release of moonshine from the cooler with a strength of 40%.

We know that controlling the distillation of moonshine by temperature in the still is based on the fact that each alcohol content in moonshine corresponds to a certain boiling point.

Data taken from the table below.

Monitoring the distillation process using a thermometer

Bottom temperature liquid (°C)	Alcohol content cubed (°C)	Alcohol content in selection (°c)
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 definitely ready, but, having gathered your will into a fist, be patient a little more, and after pouring the moonshine into bottles, let it stand for 3-4 days in a cool, dark place. This will make the drink softer and more balanced, and you will be able to appreciate its taste with friends and relatives.

Russiandymka.rf

Schematic representation of the temperature stages of distillation

Let's go through the temperature stages of distillation. First, let's draw a diagram schematically:

As you can see - this diagram does not indicate degrees Celsius - this all comes from the fact that in reality it is not so simple. To read in the “manuals for moonshiners” that at 63-65° the light fractions begin to boil, they must be removed, from 78° to 85° the body goes - it needs to be collected, and above 85° - the tails - you can’t drink them - it’s 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 the “mixed” temperatures of 78.4°+100°!!! In solutions, water and alcohol boil and evaporate together! The following scheme would be more fair for practical use:

Temperature stages of distillation

Now directly to the stages:

At the first stage, we need to separate the heads - this is the so-called “pervach” - volatile fractions, which, not only to drink, but even for grinding are not recommended. It contains acetaldehyde, ethyl formic ether, methyl acetic ether, and methyl alcohol.

And also other crap that is not recommended for consumption. Heat the mash over the highest possible heat 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 the light fractions. Otherwise, the mash will boil sharply (and in this case it will also begin to foam) and begin to splash out. And in the absence of a steamer, it will end up in the refrigerator, ruining the quality of the moonshine.

At this time, the heads are collected. If you don’t have a thermometer, simply reduce the heat after the first drops of product appear from the refrigerator. We wait until approximately 5% of the expected moonshine yield is taken away. (This figure varies in different sources from 3% to 10% - but this 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 pour 5 liters of mash into a distillation cube and expect to get ~1 liter of moonshine, the first 50 grams of distillation are those very “heads”. They can either be poured out or used exclusively for technical purposes.

• When it reaches 78° (or when the volume reaches 5%), without stopping heating, we perform the following actions - change the steamer, if there is one, and change the container for collecting the moonshine. Then the second stage begins.
• The second temperature stage is the direct production of the main product - moonshine. The so-called “body” or “heart” of the distillate. We carry out distillation at a temperature of 95-96°C - raising it higher at this stage is undesirable - “tails” will come out - fractions containing fusel oils.
• Accordingly, as soon as the distillation temperature cannot be maintained in the specified range, or the output of the distillate has practically stopped, we change the dishes again and begin to collect the “tails”. In the absence of a thermometer, you can check the completion of the distillation of the “body” as follows - a piece of paper soaked in the distillate does not flare up with a blue flame.

At the third stage, we select the tails, increasing the temperature to 100°. In this fraction, in addition to the high content of fusel oils, there is also ethyl alcohol, therefore, in order not to waste the goodness, the tails can be added to the next portion of the mash to increase its strength.

samogonka.org

Alcohol becomes more expensive every year, but festive events in life, thank God, are not decreasing. Therefore, today for many it is becoming a more profitable and attractive business. Homemade spirits, subject to all preparation technologies, are distinguished by quality, purity and variety of tastes. To master the distillation process, you can start with the classics and (we recommend choosing a brand apparatus). Reliable owners will always be able to help you choose the right model.

And now the device is purchased, the mash is ripening, and along with it the question is brewing: how to drive it? Let's talk about the temperature of moonshine distillation on a still with a steamer.

The essence of the distillation process is that different liquids boil at different temperatures. Thus, when distilling mash, the mixture of liquids is divided into three fractions: “heads”, “body” and “tails” of moonshine. The “heads” are represented mainly by ethers, aldehydes, acetone and methanol. “Body” is our desired ethyl alcohol (ethanol). In other words, the “body” is what everything is started for. Well, the “tail” fraction is the so-called “fusel oils”. Strictly speaking, these are not oils at all, but a mixture of many substances, mostly polyhydric alcohols, having an oily appearance.

The physics of the distillation process will be approximately the same for any model of apparatus at the same atmospheric pressure (let’s take 760 mm Hg as the norm). The temperature regime for distilling moonshine with or without a steamer will be oriented towards the following values:

• Heads begin to boil in the temperature range of 65-68°C;
• ethyl alcohol (body) boils at 78°C;
• “tails” boil when the temperature rises to 83-85°C;
• water - at 100°C.

Thus, when selecting the “body” it is necessary to maintain a temperature range of 78-83°C. It is best to rely on the readings of the thermometer at the top of the distillation cube, since it shows the temperature of the vapor, and this value more accurately reflects the state of affairs.

Let's go through it in order, indicating the temperatures for distilling mash into moonshine on a still with a steamer at each stage:

1. Heating the mash at maximum heat to 60-63°C. Then the heating decreases sharply and a smooth exit to the selection of “heads” takes place (65-68°C). If this fails to be done smoothly, then mash may be released into the system, but that is why we have a steam trap to prevent splashes and mash particles from getting into the refrigerator.
2. Selection of “heads”. Temperature range 65-78°C. The selection of “heads” is carried out in ml or by smell: as soon as the unpleasant odor is replaced by a clear alcoholic one, the selection of the “body” begins.
3. Body selection is carried out in the range from 78 to 83-85°C.
4. When the temperature reaches 85°C, the alcohol yield becomes negligible, and “heavy” fractions—fusel oils—begin to evaporate. At this temperature point, the collection of the “body” stops and the selection of “tails” begins (of course, if you need “tails” at all).

As for the temperature of the secondary distillation of moonshine with a steamer, the temperature values ​​remain the same. If a second distillation is planned, then the first (distillation of mash) can be carried out without separating fractions at maximum heat, and the second (distillation of raw alcohol) can be carried out with strict temperature control and division into fractions.

If you are serious about getting really high-quality moonshine at home, the harm to health of which will be minimized, then you need to understand the complexity of the chemical processes that occur during distillation. Just think about it - in addition to ethanol (ethyl alcohol), which is the basis of pure vodka, more than 20 different by-products evaporate from the mash, including real poisons - light aldehydes (acetone), methyl alcohol, ethers. But for us moonshiners, it plays into our hands that most of these substances begin to boil at different temperatures. The ethyl alcohol we are interested in boils at a temperature in the range of 76-78 C o, and everything that boils at lower and higher temperatures are “heads” and “tails” that need to be cut off, no matter how scary it may sound.

We are not greedy - we dump the “heads” for technical needs or down the drain

Despite the prevailing opinion that “pervak” is “the very thing,” in fact, “pervak” or “heads” are poison in its purest form. The temperature of moonshine brewing is of great importance - everything that boils at a temperature below +76 C o is light aldehydes and other harmful impurities, and this liquid can only be used for technical purposes. Knowing the total volume of mash, as well as the sugar with which it was prepared, you can approximately calculate the percentage of light fractions in it, and it is about 2-3% of the total volume of mash during the first distillation or 5-8% of the total “pasture” . With each subsequent distillation, this percentage decreases - with the second - 4-5%, with the third - up to 2% of the total volume of the “pasture”. Believe my personal experience - dump this crap without pity or regret!

Golden mean

As soon as the “heads” have been drained, you can begin selecting the “body” - the golden mean, which will be used to prepare alcoholic beverages later. And here it is necessary to make a reference to the topic of purifying moonshine - we know (and we already really know this and have tested it in practice) that the most effective method of purification is re-distillation, which we discussed separately. So, during the first and second distillation (if the second is not the final one), the “body” of moonshine can be collected together with the tails, that is, along with impurities that boil at temperatures above 78 degrees. “Tails” are collected up to +95 C o - this is the temperature of the steam or mash.

There are two configurations of modern factory-made moonshine stills. One of them differs in that the thermometer is built directly into the distillation cube, and in the second case, a hole is provided in the distillation column for installing an external thermometer. To obtain objective readings in the second case, you need to drop regular vegetable oil into the niche under the thermometer - this way the thermometer’s reaction to changes in the steam temperature will be better.

The final distillation requires cutting off both the “heads” and the “tails” - we select only the golden mean, which drips at a temperature between +76 and +78-80 C o, while the remaining “tails” can be used in the next distillation.

Optimum distillation temperature for moonshine

Remember!

• Up to +76 C o - drain into the sewer or for technical purposes!
• From +76 to +80 C o - collect and use - you can drink it (clean and dilute to the desired strength)!
• From +80 to +95 C o - collect for re-distillation!

• Carry out the initial heating of the mash quickly until the first light “heads” condense, and as soon as the first drops appear, slightly reduce the heat or temperature so as not to “overshoot” the selection of “heads” too quickly
• Simmer the golden mean over low heat - the slower the better. So the yield is more complete and the quality of the product is higher
• Once the golden mean is selected, you can increase the temperature again so as not to pull the cat by the..., in general, to save time
• Be sure to empty the steamer after the “heads” come out
• When re-distilling, be sure to dilute the moonshine to a strength of about 20-30 degrees

Why is dividing moonshine into fractions so important?

Surely, many of you are familiar with this unpleasant feeling of heaviness the day after a feast, headache, nausea, lack of clarity of mind - all this is the result of intoxication of the body with side impurities of improperly prepared and poorly purified alcohol, in our case - moonshine. It makes the intoxication “worse” and the consequences worse. Therefore, there is no need to chase volume and be afraid to drain chemically “dirty” alcohols and ethers, and you should not neglect the intermediate purification of “raw” alcohol and the finished product. It's better to do less, but better. In addition, the yield will seem small only during the first approach, since part of the product will remain in the “tails”, but the very next run will allow you to obtain the full volume of the product even after generously cutting off the heads and “tails”, since the residues from the previous distillation will go into the mash .

How to properly distill mash into moonshine? This question is asked by any novice distiller. When distilling homemade moonshine, both homemade and factory-made devices are used. To obtain a high-quality product with a minimum of effort and problems, we recommend (we recommend choosing a device with a distillation column of the brand or with a steam steamer of the brand), rather than assembling it yourself. And although working with each specific configuration of a moonshine still has its own nuances, we will tell you about the general basics for all types of moonshine stills.

So, to properly distill mash into moonshine, you need:

1. Make sure that the cube of the device is securely fastened to the heated surface. Nothing, under any circumstances, should topple the cube, which is under impressive pressure. Follow safety precautions!
2. The lid of the cube must provide a tight seal. Check that the special fluoroplastic (or other material) gaskets are in place, do not overtighten the screws. When tightening screws, imagine that you are changing a car tire: first lightly tighten the opposite screws, and only then tighten them completely. You can check the tightness by blowing into a tube connected to the cube.
3. The cooling unit must also be securely docked. Do not create too high water pressure to avoid the tube breaking.
4. Under no circumstances should you allow a situation where the valve (or both valves) at the outlet of the system are closed! This will lead to a pressure surge and may cause destruction of the device.
5. Don't neglect safety precautions! Read our article about basic safety requirements.
6. All necessary measuring containers and jars of the required volume for collecting the product should be prepared in advance. It will not be possible to pause the distillation process in order to find the right jar.
7. At the very beginning, to speed up the process of heating the mash, you can turn on the stove at full power. Be sure to monitor the temperature level in the cube! Reduce heating when the temperature reaches +50˚С.
8. Water should be supplied to the distillation refrigerator only when the mash is heated to approximately +60˚C.

In order to quickly distill the mash into moonshine without unnecessary pain, do not use the method of fractional distillation of moonshine directly from the mash. It is applicable only for mash containing a lot of methanol (for example, apple). Fractional distillation of mash is a lengthy process, it takes from two to four hours.

Since after removing the sediment, a certain amount of spent yeast and by-products of its vital activity are still present in the mash, prolonged boiling leads to the formation of harmful sulfur compounds with a rather unpleasant odor. This, in turn, will affect the quality and taste of the product: this entire bouquet will inevitably leak into the moonshine and will be difficult to separate during subsequent distillation. To prevent sulfur compounds from escaping from the cube, copper wire or even copper cubes (alambics) are often used. Copper binds these harmful substances, preventing them from entering the product.

It is better to carry out primary distillation without selecting the “heads” and “tails,” quickly and with maximum heating. Initially, the strength of the resulting product will be around 70-80 degrees. When the alcohol content of the resulting product drops to 20 degrees, distillation can be stopped. The resulting raw alcohol has a strength of about 40 degrees and requires a second – this time fractional – distillation.

For fractional distillation, raw alcohol is diluted with clean (spring water is good) water to a strength of approximately 20 degrees. With such a strength, the separation of “heads” and “tails” occurs better.

The requirements for assembling and filling a still for distilling raw alcohol are fundamentally no different from those for distilling mash.

Let's consider the main stages of producing moonshine from raw alcohol through fractional distillation:

1. The first to appear at the exit (at a temperature from +72 to +78.4˚C) are the so-called “heads” - methanol, acetic and formic-ethyl ethers and acetaldehyde. The heads make up approximately 5-9% of the final volume of the resulting product and are easily identified by their unpleasant odor. This is what nail polish remover smells like. By the way, “heads” can be safely used for these and other technical purposes, for example, as a means for ignition. We collect them in a separate container. Depending on the volume of the cube, this will be 50-100 ml, but you should be guided by organoleptics.
2. After selecting the “heads”, the collection of the “body” itself begins - ethyl alcohol - the main and desired product. The fact that it is the “body” that has gone is indicated by the characteristic alcohol smell. We add heat in the cube so that the product flows in a stream the thickness of a match (yield is approximately 3 liters per hour, depending on the parameters of the device). This way we will achieve the optimal yield of body volume with a minimum of impurities. The temperature in the cube, depending on the quality of the original mash, will initially be around +80°C. Gradually increase it to a level of +93-98˚С, when the stream becomes thinner.
3. During the distillation process, it is necessary to measure the strength of the product. As soon as the strength of the moonshine drops below 40°C, it is necessary to change the receiving tank: it is the turn to select the “tails”. We select them to a residual strength of 20-10 degrees, then the distillation process can be stopped.
4. The “tails” can later be used to strengthen the mash.

To make sure there is no doubt about how to properly distill moonshine from mash, let’s note some more nuances that are worth paying close attention to:

• The composition of the mash largely influences the quality of the resulting product. Use different containers for aging and distilling the mash! Carefully remove the sediment from the mash: it should not fall into the cube.
• Do not fill the cube to the neck. Leave a third or at least a quarter of its volume free. This will to some extent protect the system from liquid entering it.
• Determine the strength of the product using an alcohol meter. It is better to use a measuring cup or cylinder.
• Evaluate the outlet temperature of the distillate after cooling. It is better if it stays at a level no higher than +30-40˚С.
• If you still use the method of fractional distillation of the mash itself, consider the following points:
  - the speed of selecting “heads” is approximately 1 drop per 1-2 seconds, the volume of selected heads is 100-300 ml. Be guided by organoleptics;
  - when selecting “tails”, you should not continue to boil the mash above +85˚C. Pursuing the goal of extracting alcohol to the maximum, you will allow a large amount of fusel oils and other unpleasant substances to get into the moonshine. In this case, it will take much more time to clean it.