We distill moonshine a second time. How to distill moonshine the second time: step-by-step instructions and useful tips. Exit product check
The second distillation of moonshine improves the quality of the product. With careful observance of a certain technology from primary raw materials, that is, mash, you can get a strong alcoholic drink without harmful impurities, popularly called double moonshine. The second distillation guarantees a strong drink of high quality.
Moonshine has been known since time immemorial. People cooked and consumed mash with great pleasure - they made it with their own hands from everything that grew in the garden or was at home, at hand. At that time, almost no one used the technique of purification and distillation.
The use of moonshine in its pure form is harmful to the human body, this statement of many doctors is scientifically substantiated. Indeed, moonshine and brew contain a significant amount of fusel oils, acetone and even aldehydes - the use of these substances causes intoxication of the body and can lead to death. A slightly longer amount of time spent on the secondary distillation allows you to get a soft distillate that does not contain a specific, unpleasant and pungent odor. In addition, the method of secondary distillation can improve the quality of moonshine, expelled much earlier in time.
The technology of secondary distillation is quite simple in execution. It is necessary for more thorough filtration and allows you to almost completely remove all unpleasant specific odors inherent in home-brew. In addition, the result of the second distillation is a significant softening of the taste and improved visual characteristics of the strong drink. The main thing in this process is careful observance of the rules and the sequence of actions, then the distillation of moonshine will not take more than 3-4 hours.
The process of secondary distillation is very clearly divided into three stages: dilution of the primary mash with water, its filtration and the distillation itself.
The first stage - dilution
To bring 20-30% vol. strength of the drink.
- Prior to this, it is necessary to measure and calculate the strength of the primary drink with a special device -.
- For example, a value of 40% vol. in 1 liter indicates the content of 400 ml of pure alcohol in it.
- The secondary distillation of a stronger drink that is not diluted with water can be quite dangerous - spontaneous combustion and explosion of the moonshine still is possible due to the high concentration of alcohol vapors.
It is preferable to use distilled water, which is sold in pharmacies, to reduce the strength of the drink. In second place - well or cleaned purchased. In extreme cases, it is allowed to use tap water, which is then defended for 2-3 days in a container without a lid, this allows chlorine to completely evaporate from it.
In addition, moonshine with a high percentage of strength has a fairly strong chemical molecular bond with fusel oils and secondary distillation in this case will not lead to the expected result and effect. It is for these reasons that the distillation of mash is simply necessary.
Dilute strong drink should also follow certain rules: it is necessary to pour moonshine into filtered, cool water (it is advisable to cool it first in the refrigerator), and not vice versa - this helps to avoid clouding of the liquid. Moonshine with distilled water should be mixed gradually, in small portions, constantly measuring the strength of the resulting drink until the required percentage is reached.
The second step is filtering.
Before the secondary distillation, moonshine already diluted with water should preferably be cleaned by any means, for example, activated or charcoal, or baking soda.
- This is especially true of cereal and sugar drinks.
- Fruit distillates do not need thorough purification, which will preserve the light aroma and taste of the original liquid.
- Every moonshiner - professional or amateur - knows a few various ways purification of primary moonshine diluted with water.
- Only after filtration can you do secondary distillation.
How to clean moonshine with charcoal
The easiest way to clean the moonshine is with a charcoal filter. This method is simple, allows you to remove unwanted impurities in the finished product and does not affect the taste of the drink. If you have a filter jug with a carbon cartridge at home, you can use it. If there is no such cleaner, then a coal funnel is made extremely simply:
- At plastic bottle cut off the bottom, it is not needed.
- The resulting flask is turned upside down and clean cotton wool is placed in it.
- The next layer is filled with activated charcoal tablets.
- Again lay down a layer of cotton and a layer of coal.
The distillate must be run through the filter several times in a row, this will help achieve better cleaning. If necessary, also filtering a large amount of liquid, the layers must be changed.
Manganese cleansing
Many lovers of homemade alcoholic beverages prefer to cleanse with manganese, while it is important to carefully follow the technology of the procedure:
- Potassium permanganate crystals are poured into a jar of moonshine, you can put them on the eye, about ¼ of a teaspoon per three-liter jar.
- Stir the liquid thoroughly until the pharmaceutical powder is completely dissolved. a. Moonshine at the same time should acquire a rich purple color.
- Cover the jar with a nylon lid and stand for exactly one day.
- After this time, it will become clear that the color of the liquid has become similar to weakly brewed tea, and the bottom of the jar is covered with a dark precipitate of flakes.
- Now you need to take a clean jar, insert a funnel into it, into the spout of which a cotton pad is first inserted (it is not so effective to use cotton wool).
- In a watering can little by little, without shaking the sediment from the bottom, pour moonshine, and let it seep into a clean container.
- When it comes to the bottom layers not to spill a large number of product, it is filtered through a sieve with a fine mesh, on which a layer of cotton wool about 1 cm thick is laid. All residue will remain on it.
- The resulting liquid is also driven through the funnel.
As a result, the output is moonshine, purified from harmful components and absolutely transparent.
Milk cleaning
For those who consider the manganese method not the most natural, since a chemical component is still used, they will like cleaning with milk. The method is based on the fact that the proteins casein and albumin form a bond with the molecules of fusel oil, other "dirty" elements and precipitate. A similar method is also used in industrial production vodka, only they do not use milk, but the necessary components isolated from it, this is called coagulation.
Any milk is suitable: store-bought, dry, homemade. Its origin does not have a fundamental role; you need to choose a product with a minimum fat content. In this case, the risk of getting moonshine-mutnyak is reduced. But even if perfect transparency does not work out, it will be possible to get rid of the defect during the second stage. For 10 liters of raw milk, 1 liter of milk is taken.
- Alcohol and milk are poured into one container, thoroughly mixed.
- The mixture must be placed under the lid in a dark place, for the first three or four days the container is opened daily for stirring.
- Then the moonshine is not disturbed for two days to precipitate.
After 5-6 days from the beginning of the cleaning procedure, the liquid is filtered, diluted with water to the desired strength and allowed for re-distillation. This method allows you to get rid of harmful impurities natural way without the use of any chemicals. Milk does not affect the taste of moonshine after distillation. If dry is used, then it must be diluted in advance in warm water, allowed to stand at room temperature and used for cleaning after 1-2 hours.
The third stage - secondary distillation
This action is practically no different from the first distillation and begins with the preparation of the moonshine still. The process of the second distillation somewhat increases the amount of the final product obtained precisely due to the filtration procedure. In this case, the drink yield should be conditionally divided into fractions: the so-called "head", "tail" and "body".
- First Exit (Faction) distilled liquid (usually 8-12% of the total volume) is called the "head" and has an unpleasant, specific odor, and also contains a large amount of harmful impurities. In no case should this liquid be used, but it can be used for domestic purposes, for example, for the treatment and disinfection of various surfaces, since this liquid contains pure technical alcohol.
- The next 80% of the liquid is called the "body" and represent the very moonshine that is needed. The moment of collection of pure moonshine is usually determined by smell: if the specific and pungent aroma inherent in the “head” fraction is practically absent, then a clean and drinkable drink is released from the moonshine still - “body”. That is what is being collected. The process lasts until the strength of the drink coming out of the moonshine is at least 40-45%.
- The last faction is called "tails", they can be used to increase the degree of another mash or simply poured. It must also be remembered that the entire secondary distillation process is based on exposure to heat and must be carried out while maintaining a constant temperature of about + 80 ... + 85 ° C, since lower rates help to stop the release of pure alcohol.
After the secondary distillation, you can get a fairly clean and strong moonshine containing up to 70% alcohol, which does not need additional purification.
For ease of use and softness, it is diluted with water up to 40-45%. The number of stages is not defined, there may be several. But triple distillation is considered optimal for product quality.
Is additional purification of the finished product necessary?
After the process of the second distillation is completed, the resulting product can be cleaned a little more, “ennobled” or simply diluted a little with water to make it softer. To give moonshine a certain taste and aroma, fresh berries, fruits, or special aromatic additives that can be purchased at the store are sometimes added to the drink. In addition, the drink can be given a certain color:
- red, for example, comes out when dried blueberries are added to moonshine;
- yellow - when using lemon balm, parsley or mint;
- golden color will give orange peel, shell walnut or saffron;
- if you add cornflower flowers, the liquid will turn a pleasant blue color;
- currant leaves will not only color moonshine in green color, but also help to give it an unusual taste.
Adding in already finished product milk, preferably natural and fat-free, can significantly soften the taste of the drink and slightly neutralize its strength.
Improving the taste
Herbal additives used for a ready-made drink are a way to give the secondary moonshine not only a certain color, but also a taste, as well as the desired softness and originality of the blend.
- Secondary distillation makes the liquid safe for consumption and of sufficient quality.
- Therefore, taking care of their own health, each manufacturer of this homemade drink needs to make a second distillation at least once, and best of all - 3.
- This will preserve the health of the moonshiner himself and his friends and relatives who will consume the prepared strong drink. Moreover, this process does not require significant effort.
Experienced craftsmen and beginners in manufacturing homemade moonshine moonshiner calculator online is used. Using this resource, you can calculate what degree of drink you get, the required amount of water and alcohol to obtain the volume of moonshine of the required strength, and even calculate the correct proportions of mash, after fermentation of which you will get moonshine with the desired alcohol content.
Today, the old, simple method of getting rid of harmful and dangerous impurities is still relevant. As a result, you can get a pure and practically harmless product for consumption, almost completely freed from fusel oils, which are highly toxic and very poisonous. The main thing is to do everything in a certain sequence, adhering to technology.
Purification of moonshine after the second distillation is a process that differs in a number of nuances. Not everyone cleans moonshine after reprocessing, some moonshiners consider multiple distillation to be the most the best way filtration for distillate.
To save time and improve the quality of alcohol, you can clean before re-distilling. It all depends on the desire of the distiller, as well as on the goal that he pursues.
The question of how to clean moonshine arises even before it is sent for recycling. This is necessary in order to improve the quality of the drink, make it taste softer and at the same time rid alcohol of harmful fusel oils.
The second distillation of mash
The second distillation takes place in several stages, this helps to synchronize the actions and at the same time improve the quality of the distillate.
So, the principle of operation:
- Before the second distillation, moonshine must be diluted. They do this in order to reduce the strength of the drink, as well as to destroy the molecular bond between fusel oils and alcohol. And also dilution will help to avoid problems with the apparatus: if undiluted alcohol is distilled, it can explode during the distillation process. Moonshine is diluted to 20 degrees, and then proceed to the next stage.
- Purification is another step in the processing of alcohol-containing liquids. At home, you can clean the moonshine with potassium permanganate crystals, activated charcoal tablets, or charcoal for lighting barbecues. But most in a simple way it is considered the passage of an already prepared drink through a carbon filter for water. It is enough to pour the distillate into the filter jug 1-3 times to clear it of impurities.
However, you can rid alcohol of impurities using even bread. It has a porous structure, for this reason it absorbs everything harmful substances like a sponge.
Beverage cleaning is carried out according to various schemes. If potassium permanganate crystals are used to remove impurities, then a solution will have to be prepared. 2 grams of crystals are diluted in warm water (no more than 300 milliliters). Potassium permanganate must be dissolved so that no lumps remain. Then the product is diluted with the prepared solution.
The drink undergoing purification is defended in a dark place, the whole process will take at least 10 hours. Then, when potassium permanganate precipitates, you will have to filter the alcohol using a self-made filter.
You can pass the purified moonshine through a cotton-gauze filter or use flannel. This will help rid the liquid of magnesium permanganate residue.
When the purification is completed, you can proceed to distillation.
Recycling alcohol will help:
- Improve the quality of the drink.
- Remove all fusel oils, aldehydes and esters from it.
- Increase the strength of moonshine to 60-70 degrees.
The first distillation leaves some fusel oils in the alcohol, for this reason it may have an unpleasant odor and taste. Re-processing will improve the quality of the drink, it will help eliminate the fuselage and, despite the fact that the moonshine was diluted before processing, the second distillation will significantly increase the strength of the drink.
During recycling, you will have to carry out a number of manipulations that will help improve the quality of the drink.
The second time we distill moonshine
Before distillation, it is worth preparing alcohol for the procedure, after cleaning it, it is necessary to pour the moonshine into the distillation cube and proceed directly to the process.
When processing alcohol, you will have to separate the “heads” from the “tails” again. Fractionation is necessary as this will greatly improve the quality of the distillate. The "body" will be about 85% of the total distilled product.
The first 8-10% of the total volume of processed alcohol is the so-called pervach. You should not drink it, even though the pervach was already selected during the first distillation of the mash. This fraction contains a large amount of fusel oils. "Heads" have an unpleasant smell, for this reason, distillers with experience begin to select the "body" when moonshine loses that very sharp aroma.
When the selection of the "body" is completed, it is worth starting to cut off the "tails". This happens when the strength of the drink falls below 40 degrees.
"Heads" can be used exclusively for technical needs. Such a product is hazardous to health, it can be used to clean surfaces. But the "tails" can be poured into the mash - this will help improve its quality, and most importantly, increase the strength of the mash, and hence the distillate several times.
The "tails", as well as the "heads", contain a large amount of fuselage, for this reason you should not drink them. The selection of this fraction continues until the strength of the drink drops to 19–20 degrees.
Redistillation distillate ends just with the selection of "tails". After that, moonshine is sent to a dark place, it needs to brew a little.
Why is filtering necessary?
Moonshine is not always purified, some experts believe that reprocessing makes alcohol so pure that it does not need additional filtration procedures. In part, the experts are right, but there is one thing.
One way or another, a certain amount of sivukha remains in the moonshine. Although its strength is great, this figure may not reach for the manufacture of noble drinks.
An example is a rectifier - this device is used to produce raw alcohol at home, the strength of which can reach 96 degrees. Such a product is used for the manufacture of liqueurs and tinctures.
In what cases is it worth cleaning moonshine after re-distillation:
- If it is planned in the future to make cognac, brandy, calvados, rum, etc. from the resulting distillate.
- If the product will be used for the manufacture of liqueurs and tinctures.
Is it necessary to clean moonshine, which is simply planned to be drunk ready-made? The answer to this question is no, since the quality of the drink is already very high. Additional filtration will improve the characteristics of alcohol, but it will be difficult to notice such minor changes.
What will give one more treatment or the benefits of a haul:
- It will help improve the taste of the drink and eliminate the remnants of fuselage.
- Ennobles the distillate and allows it to be used for the manufacture of cognac and whiskey.
In order for alcohol to acquire that very pleasant smell, it must be supplemented with aromatic substances. Flavorings will give moonshine a taste and smell; berries and fruits, spices and herbs can be used as such substances. Additives will prepare alcohol for further processing and help turn ordinary moonshine into an elite product.
The easiest way to clean moonshine is to steep it in milk. Pour a glass of milk into a 1.5-liter container with moonshine. It is desirable that the product be unpasteurized.
The container is placed in a dark and cool place and the drink is infused for 7 days. Then the alcohol will have to be filtered. But before cleaning it from lactose residues, you will have to make a filter.
This device does not differ in the complexity of the design; to assemble it, you will need:
- plastic bottle with a volume of 1.5 liters with a tight cap that fits the size;
- activated charcoal tablets or charcoal for lighting barbecues;
- cotton wool and gauze, as well as scissors and an awl.
You will have to make a funnel from the bottle, cutting off the bottom evenly so that there are no notches left. After that, a hole is made in the lid with an awl.
Tablets or coal are crushed, placed in cotton wool and fixed with gauze. Then proceed to filtering. Coal, gauze and cotton should be changed regularly, moonshine will have to be passed through the filter 3 to 5 times.
After the alcohol has been infused with milk, it can be used to make noble drinks such as rum, brandy, cognac and whiskey.
Little tricks
There are several nuances that you should know before you start distilling moonshine. This will dispel doubts, and at the same time understand whether it is necessary to drive the drink through the distiller again.
So, what you need to know moonshiner:
- Recycling will take a certain amount of time. To clean alcohol from impurities, you will have to spend from 2 to 3 hours.
- Even multiple distillation will not help to get raw alcohol at home. This can be done with a rectifier.
- Braga made from dense wort (berries, fruits, etc.) will not be distilled again. Processing will remove the pleasant smell and affect the aroma of the drink.
- You can distill 2 times even the alcohol that was expelled a long time ago and has been stored in the cellar or refrigerator for several months.
- Due to the fact that you have to select "heads" and "tails" 2 times, the amount of distillate will change. Volumes will decrease by 20%.
Many lovers of homemade mash drinks are experimenting with cleaning, wanting to improve the quality of the product in one way or another. The second distillation is the main way to increase the strength of moonshine, increase its strength.
But cleaning after repeated processing is carried out at the request of the manufacturer or consumer. It cannot be called a mandatory procedure, but re-filtration can be resorted to if it is planned to turn moonshine into cognac or whiskey, and also if the quality of the drink is in doubt.
Today, a large number of people are engaged in the manufacture of home-made alcohol, namely the distillation of moonshine using appropriate equipment. The process of making moonshine requires compliance with all the rules that are based on knowledge of the properties of ethyl alcohol and impurities that can be combined with it. If a person wants to learn how to cook high-quality alcoholic drinks at home, then first of all he should know how to distill alcohol through a moonshine still.
About moonshine stills
The process of making homemade alcohol cannot be imagined without the use of moonshine. Today on sale you can find a wide selection of equipment that allows you to perform high-quality distillation of moonshine at home. Stores offer their customers various models of moonshine stills. These are non-flowing devices, as well as those that require connection to a water supply system. Many models of moonshine stills are equipped with dry steamers - containers, the presence of which allows you to ennoble the prepared moonshine. The device may also include a thermostat, distillation column and other constituent elements.
Production of alcohol using a moonshine still
The presence of a temperature regulator will allow maintaining the temperature regime that is optimal for moonshine distillation, and if the device is equipped with a distillation column, the distiller has the opportunity to qualitatively purify moonshine.
Cooking process
Regardless of the configuration of the moonshine, the process of making homemade vodka remains unchanged. To obtain raw alcohol, from which moonshine suitable for consumption will be obtained, you will need mash - a blank consisting of water and granulated sugar. Today, a large number of recipes for making mash are popular among distillers, but most prefer to make mash according to classic recipe. According to him, for 1 kilogram of sugar, you need to take 5 liters of water and 100 grams of pressed yeast.
To prepare the mash, you should take the required volume of water and heat it to 70-80 degrees. Then you need to add granulated sugar to the heated water and mix everything thoroughly. When the mass begins to foam, the fire should be reduced to a minimum. Then the dishes with the preparation of the syrup should be closed and boiled over low heat for an hour.
Before preparing sugar syrup, you should collect about 25 liters of water and leave to settle for 2 days. Then the settled water should be carefully combined with the syrup and pour everything into a large container where fermentation will take place. Important: one quarter of the empty space should remain in the container, since the fermentation of the mash will be accompanied by the formation of abundant foam. A mashed briquette of baker's yeast should also be added to the workpiece. A water seal is put on the container where the workpiece is located, which ensures the tightness of the vessel.
Fermentation of mash requires a temperature of 26-31 degrees - no more, no less. If the temperature is insufficient, then the yeast will not be activated, which is why the mash will be of poor quality. If the temperature exceeds the required value, then this will lead to the destruction of the yeast. Wrapping the container with mash with thick blankets, old jackets, or placing the container with mash near a central heating source will help maintain the required temperature regime. A mash heater equipped with a thermostat also helps to maintain the required temperature.
The readiness of the mash, which can be distilled into raw alcohol, will be indicated by its characteristics such as the presence of a smell of alcohol, the presence of sediment at the bottom, a bitter aftertaste, etc. Before distillation, the mash should be filtered and clarified, using for this purpose diluted with water white clay powder. After preparing the mash for distillation, it is poured into the distillation cube of the moonshine still. How to overtake alcohol in a moonshine still:
- First, the raw materials in the cube should be heated to a temperature of 70-75 degrees and maintained in this mode until a loss of 5% of the volume of the calculated amount of the product occurs. These 5% will be "heads" - impurities represented by wood alcohol, acetone and other impurities unsuitable for consumption.
- After eliminating the "heads", the temperature is raised to 85 degrees, which leads to the active evaporation of ethyl alcohol, that is, the core of the raw material distilled in the equipment. The selection of alcohol is carried out until the strength of the raw material drops to forty degrees. After that, you can begin to cut off the "tails" represented by fusel oils. Their use by humans is undesirable, since fusel oils not only spoil the taste of moonshine, but also lead to a severe hangover after drinking it. At the same time, fusel oils can be used in the preparation of new portions of mash - they help to increase the strength of raw materials.
Ethyl alcohol obtained from distilled mash, after purification from harmful impurities, usually has a strength of 50 degrees. Many distillers do not stop at this and proceed to the secondary distillation of moonshine, which allows you to clean the drink from the remnants of fusel oils, as well as improve its external characteristics and reduce the strength.
By insisting spices, pieces of fruits and berries on purified moonshine, you can get fragrant alcohol, and at home!
In creating homemade alcohol, all stages are very important. But it is the distillation of moonshine at home that requires the maximum attention of the creator, almost uninterrupted observation. It is not easy to get a really solid product at home, and for this you need to first pay attention to what is required to create moonshine, how to get pervak, and based on it, high-quality distillate.
What is the transfer procedure and how to prepare for it?
Before proceeding to the practical side of the procedure, a little theory should be mastered. So, the distillation of moonshine implies the process of heating the mash, during which the evaporation of various substances contained in it, including alcohol. All these substances have a different boiling point, which is why each of them is “activated” for the evaporation process in different time. It is on this principle that distillation is based, which explains the strict requirement to control the temperature of distillation of moonshine.
Water will begin to evaporate when the temperature reaches 100°C, and alcohol - at +78.4°C. A considerable number of harmful constituent elements of the mash boil when the temperature exceeds 100 ° C. Thus, when the cube is overheated, it is possible to obtain moonshine enriched with fusel oil and other impurities, and if the amount of water is reduced, the strength at the product outlet also drops sharply. Therefore, without fail, the distillation of moonshine must be carried out under certain temperature conditions - within 78.4–98.5 ° С.
Before proceeding directly to the process of distilling the mash, you need to make sure that it has had time to ferment.
On the this stage a hydrometer will help, which should be immersed in mash. The sugar content should not exceed 1.002, and preferably 0.99. If sugar is more than 1%, better mass leave to ferment, adding more yeast. Otherwise, less moonshine will come out, the distillation of which will not give the maximum result. If the indicators are all normal, then the product should be clarified, waiting for the sediment to settle, drained, then filtered.
Now you need to pour the mash into the distillation cube. What pressure should be observed at this stage? It should be filled up to 2/3 of the available volume so that during distillation there is no excess pressure in the moonshine and the ejection of the brew mixture into the tube through which alcohol vapor will be discharged.
At the same time, it is important to gain access to the temperature control of the refrigerator in order to fully obtain moonshine after the first distillation with the least amount of harmful impurities.
Pervak transfer instructions
To carry out the process of primary distillation of moonshine, you will need a distillation cube, which has a steamer, a coil for the concentration of alcohol vapors, and a thermometer. All these elements must necessarily participate in the process, otherwise esters and aldehydes will get into the distilled product.
When the mash is infused, it should be poured into a distillation cube so that the sediment from the bottom of the container does not rise to the surface. To do this, you will need to apply the law of communicating vessels and a nylon tube. With their help, it will be possible to drain the mash without raising the sediment due to the remainder of the liquid about 1 cm.
After the distillation of pervak, the still needs to be heated, and the temperature should be kept at 65-70°C. It will also be necessary to wait until about 5% of the total mass of the future product separates. To understand when this happens, the specific smell of the exiting liquid will help. Thus, we get rid of aldehydes, ether and methanol, which, in comparison with ethylene, boil under such temperature conditions. Produced rectification will allow you to get 5% of the product, which can only be used for technical purposes.
Now the temperature can be increased to 85 ° C, which will contribute to the distillation of moonshine directly due to the active evaporation of ethanol. It is worth emphasizing that at this temperature regime, water and fusel oils, which have a higher boiling point, will not actively evaporate.
If the distillation of moonshine will be repeated or there is a dry steamer in the apparatus, it is recommended to increase the temperature to 95 ° C, which will significantly increase the distillation speed. The remaining product is often used in repeated runs by adding them to the mash.
To check what kind of fortress moonshine has after distillation, you should use an ordinary household alcohol meter. Also suitable for these purposes folk method, which consists in arson of the resulting product. The appearance of an even blue flame will indicate a moonshine strength of more than 40 ° C.
If only flashes without combustion appear in the process, the selection process can be ended by starting to separate the remaining product (so-called tails). As a result of the first distillation, the product should turn out with a strength of 50–55 ° С. Is it possible to drink moonshine after the first distillation? It’s not just forbidden to consume it, it’s just that pervak comes out too strong and not very pleasant to the taste, which is why moonshine is recommended to drive the minimum again to reach a strength of 40 ° C.
What does re-distillation of the product give?
Double distillation of the product with proper organization allows you to get moonshine with excellent taste, while you can use it without the risk of getting a hangover in the morning. Thanks to purification, the fractional method and the steamer, it is possible to eliminate the fusel oils and aldehydes remaining after the first distillation. Thus, the question of why moonshine is distilled twice can be answered as follows:
- improves the taste of the product;
- improves smell;
- reduces harm to health;
- secondary distillation product can be used to create a variety of drinks.
In addition, there are situations that require a second distillation of moonshine. These include:
- the use of mash based on fruits and berries;
- cleaning process with sodium hydroxide, soda and other chemical compounds;
- in order not to get rid of pervak, as it may become cloudy, acquire a pungent odor or not have pleasant taste at all.
Thus, if you spend a little time and repeat the moonshine distillation procedure a second time, you can get a high-quality distillate that will be pleasant to use yourself and not ashamed to treat guests.
Since secondary distillation is almost a necessary process, you need to know how to properly carry it out at home. The technology of cooking the product of both the first and second cycles is based on different boiling point parameters for chemical substances that are included in the composition, and dividing them into fractions to separate from each other. To overtake pervak, it is required to use only its central fraction. The so-called body contains significantly fewer impurities that are difficult to remove. It happens that a third fraction is also used for secondary distillation - “tails”, but in order to get a product that is good in all respects, the “body” is still recommended for these purposes.
Secondary distillation technology
Before proceeding with the re-distillation of moonshine, it must first be prepared. Initially, it is required to dilute the fractions with water to a suitable strength:
- "body" - up to 20°С;
- "tails" - up to 10°C.
Achieving the desired strength will make the process of pre-cleaning and direct distillation more efficient. After all, a high degree makes it difficult to separate harmful impurities. In this case, heating a strong mixture can lead to its ignition.
No matter how many times the product is distilled, it is always necessary to use high-quality water for such procedures:
- the best option is spring or melt water;
- from the tap, but if it has settled;
- temperatures within 10–20°С;
Very often moonshine becomes cloudy if not boiled and not purified water is used for distillation. You can also avoid cloudiness if you pour moonshine into a container of water, no matter how you dilute the drink.
Before re-distillation of moonshine, it is required to thoroughly clean it, using nutritional supplements and chemical compounds. The best and easiest way to remove impurities is charcoal, and charcoal is suitable not for barbecue, but made with your own hands.
How to expel moonshine again, what rules should be followed, is described below in the form of heating stages. In general, the procedure resembles the primary stage. So, the procedure involves actions in the following sequence:
- Initially, the cube with raw materials should be heated to 60 ° C.
- After reaching desired temperature the fire must be reduced and the cube brought to 85 ° C.
- Now you need to merge the "head" - the primary fraction. This is approximately 45-50 ml for every liter of pure alcohol or 5% of a diluted drink.
- Then it is necessary to reach a temperature of 96°C.
- We select the middle fraction - the "body". This fraction ends when the strength of moonshine begins to exceed 40 ° C.
- The process should be completed at a high temperature, reaching almost 100 ° C. At the end, "tails" will come out, which can later be cleaned and re-distilled as many times as necessary to achieve the desired taste.
The distillation speed is the same for the second time, only in this case a smaller amount of raw material is used.
In a home distillery, you can make alcohol that will compare favorably with the store in its purity and taste. But this is achievable only if the production process is reasonably approached. Only repeated chemical cleaning and the second distillation of moonshine guarantee the removal of the maximum possible amount of harmful impurities.
In general, double distillation of moonshine at home is not mandatory. However, most distillers with significant experience and knowledge in the field of chemistry still recommend subjecting homemade alcohol to multi-stage distillation. In some cases, re-distillation of moonshine is necessary:
- during chemical cleaning with certain substances (potassium permanganate, soda, sodium hydroxide, and so on);
- when the drink is insisted on vegetable raw materials, which may subsequently deteriorate (berries, fruits);
- with obviously poor taste.
Under these conditions, the secondary distillation of moonshine is absolutely necessary, otherwise the drink can be simply dangerous to health.
Which factions can be kicked out again
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During the primary distillation, we obtained three fractions. The most valuable is the central one - the “body”. We send it to the second distillation of moonshine. It contains the least amount of harmful hard-to-remove impurities. It is worth distilling it a second time.
However, some distillers subject the tailings fraction to secondary and tertiary processing. They can also be brought to mind, especially if the equipment allows. Alcohol mashine double distillation must, at a minimum, allow temperature control to obtain a pure product.
Preparatory manipulations
Also, before distilling moonshine a second time, you should first prepare it. The first thing to do is to reach the desired fortress:
- the "body" fraction is diluted to 20°;
- fraction "tails" - up to 10°.
It is better to use not purchased barbecue charcoal - it may contain impurities that the re-distillation of moonshine cannot cope with, but hand-made. The recipe is very simple:
- we cut birch or oak into round logs 3–5 cm thick;
- Keep warm for 2-3 weeks to remove excess moisture and resins;
- we put the rounds in a pot with a lid and burn it for 1.5–2 hours.
- cool with a kettle;
- remove small fractions (dust).
This is the most environmentally friendly way. But since we are planning a second distillation of moonshine, more can be used - saponification with alkalis, the addition of vegetable oil, potassium permanganate, soda, and so on.