Novice distillers always ask themselves - what is the second distillation for? After all, so much time and effort has already been spent on manufacturing and the first distillation. Maybe you shouldn't burden yourself with additional work, but rather start using the product directly?
No need to hurry. Homemade alcohol must be properly prepared so that it is mild in taste and safe in composition... Distillation alone is not enough to achieve this result. In this article, we will figure out why a second distillation is needed, talk about cleaning methods and consider methods for ennobling moonshine.
Moonshine with only one distillation - this is raw alcohol(CC), which contains a large amount of harmful impurities. In order to ennoble it purification and second distillation required.
In previous years, few people used re-distillation in moonshine, because people did not know about the concentration of harmful compounds that make up "". To date, many scientific experiments have been carried out in this area.
They prove that drinking alcohol that has passed only one distillation without purification is unsafe for health. Therefore, we can say with confidence that the second distillation is mandatory in the production of homemade alcohol.
If the re-distillation process is not carried out correctly, it will not lead to an improvement in the quality of alcohol.
Double distillation technology
Dilution
After the first distillation, as mentioned above, crude alcohol is obtained, with a strength of about 70º. Before cleaning it must be diluted to 20-30º. This is done because it is easier to get rid of the harmful compounds that make up the SS. under the condition of low strength of the distillate... Another reason why you need to dilute raw alcohol is to observe safety precautions when producing alcohol at home.
Important! A high concentration of alcohol in the distillation still can lead to fire and sometimes explosion. Before re-distillation, it is imperative to dilute alcohol to a strength of no more than 40º.
It is best to dilute alcohol distilled water... It has a neutral effect on the taste and smell of the final product. If this is not possible, then you can dilute with water from a well. In extreme cases, the distillate is diluted with ordinary tap water, which is previously needs to be defended for several days.
Filtration
The most suitable period for cleaning moonshine comes after diluting with SS water. Filtration is carried out at room temperature.
There are many ways to clean up moonshine. The simplest and most effective method is filtration with charcoal filter... Charcoal perfectly removes harmful impurities from the distillate without affecting the taste.
But the process of making moonshine does not end there. It is also recommended to insist on it for several days (read:). This is done to improve the taste. The settled moonshine is easier to drink, it becomes softer.
What to do with double moonshine?
All these procedures are followed by refining stage... It will take much longer to make homemade alcohol more solid and give it the taste and aroma of elite drinks. This requires insist moonshine on spicy additives.
There are a huge number of recipes for brewing moonshine. In this article, we will consider one of them. For this you will need:
- 1 liter of moonshine with a strength of 45º;
- 100 grams of sugar;
- 0.5 kg of black currant.
First you need to carefully rinse the berries and cover them with sugar... Then all this is poured with double (double distilled) moonshine. Then you need to mix this mixture well until the sugar dissolves.
The drink is placed in a dark place where it is infused in two weeks... The longer the moonshine is infused, the more it will absorb the aroma of currants. After that, the drink is filtered using a paper filter.
The second distillation is needed to improve the quality of the alcohol. With the help of double distillation, a significant amount of harmful compounds is removed from the moonshine, and the smell and taste become more pleasant. No need to be neglected by this process.
In addition, watch the video on the topic improving the taste of moonshine after the second run:
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 good product at home, and for this you need to first pay attention to what is required to create moonshine, how to get pervak, and on its basis a high-quality distillate.
What is the ferry procedure and how to prepare for it?
Before proceeding with the practical side of the procedure, you should master a little theory. So, distillation of moonshine involves the process of heating the mash, during which the evaporation of various substances contained in it, including alcohol, occurs. All these substances have different boiling points, which is why each of them is "activated" for the evaporation process at different times. 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 amount of harmful constituent elements of the mash boil when the temperature goes over 100 ° C. Thus, when the cube is overheated, you can get moonshine enriched with fusel and other impurities, and if the amount of water decreases, the strength at the outlet of the product also drops sharply. Therefore, without fail, the distillation of moonshine must be carried out under certain temperature conditions - in the range of 78.4–98.5 ° C.
Before proceeding directly to the process of distilling the mash, you need to make sure whether it has time to ferment.
At this stage, a hydrometer will help, which should be immersed in the wash. The sugar content should not exceed 1.002, and preferably 0.99. If the sugar is more than 1%, it is better to leave the mass 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, after waiting for the sediment to settle, drain, then strain.
Now you need to pour the mash into the distillation cube. What pressure should be observed at this stage? It is necessary to fill up to 2/3 of the available volume so that during distillation there is no overpressure in the moonshine and the release of the beer mixture into the tube through which alcohol vapors will be discharged.
At the same time, it is important to gain access to regulating the temperature of the refrigerator in order to fully obtain moonshine after the first distillation with the least amount of harmful impurities.
Pervak distillation instructions
To carry out the process of primary distillation of moonshine, you will need a distillation cube, which has a dry steamer, a coil for the concentration of alcohol vapors, and a thermometer. All these elements must necessarily participate in the process, otherwise ethers 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 wash without raising the sediment due to the remainder of the liquid about 1 cm.
After the distillation of pervak requires heating the cube, and the temperature should be kept at 65–70 ° C. You will also need to wait until about 5% of the total mass of the future product is separated. The specific smell of the liquid coming out will help to understand when this will happen. Thus, we get rid of aldehydes, ether and methanol, which, in comparison with ethylene, boil under such temperature conditions. The rectification performed will allow to obtain 5% of the product, which can be used only for technical purposes.
Now the temperature can be increased to 85 ° C, which will facilitate the distillation of the 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 degree, will not actively evaporate.
If the distillation of moonshine will be repeated or the apparatus has a dry steam generator, it is recommended to increase the temperature to 95 ° C, which will significantly increase the rate of distillation. The remaining product is often used for repeated runs by adding them to the wash.
To check what kind of strength the moonshine has after distillation, you should use an ordinary household alcohol meter. For these purposes, the folk method is also suitable, which consists in setting fire to the resulting product. The appearance of an even blue flame will indicate that the strength of the moonshine is more than 40 ° C.
If during the process only flashes without combustion appeared, the selection process can be completed by starting to separate the remaining product (the so-called tails). As a result of the first distillation, the product should be 50–55 ° С. Can I drink moonshine after the first distillation? It is not that it is forbidden to consume it, it is just that the pervak comes out too strong and not particularly pleasant to the taste, which is why it is recommended to drive the moonshine out again at least once more in order to reach a fortress of 40 ° C.
What does the repeated 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 the purification, fractional method and the dry steam generator, it is possible to eliminate the fusel oils and aldehydes remaining after the first distillation. Thus, the question why moonshine is distilled twice can be answered as follows:
- allows you to improve the taste of the product;
- improves odor;
- reduces harm to health;
- The re-distilled 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 using sodium hydroxide, soda and other chemical compounds;
- so as not to get rid of the pervak, as it can become cloudy, acquire a pungent odor, or not at all have pleasant taste.
Thus, if you spend a little time and repeat the procedure for distilling moonshine a second time, you can get a high-quality distillate, which will be pleasant to use yourself and not be ashamed to treat guests.
Since secondary distillation is almost a necessary process, you need to know how to do it correctly at home. The technology of cooking the product of both the first and the second cycle is based on different parameters of the boiling point of the chemicals that are included in the composition, and separating them into fractions for separation from each other. To overtake the pervak, you need to use only its central fraction. The so-called body contains significantly less impurities that are difficult to remove. It happens that for the secondary distillation, a third fraction is also used - "tails", but in order to obtain a product that is good in all parameters, 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 ° C;
- "Tails" - up to 10 ° С.
Achieving the desired strength will make the process of preliminary purification and direct distillation more efficient. After all, a high degree complicates the process of separating harmful impurities. In this case, heating a strong mixture can lead to its ignition.
Regardless of how many times the product is distilled, you always need 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 or purified water is used for distillation. You can also avoid clouding by pouring moonshine into a container with water, it does not matter how you dilute the drink.
Before re-distilling the moonshine, it is required to thoroughly purify it, using food additives and chemical compounds for this. The best and simplest way to remove impurities is charcoal, and charcoal is not suitable for barbecue, but made by hand.
How to distill the moonshine again, what rules should be followed, is described below in the form of heating stages. In general, the procedure resembles a primary distillation. So, the procedure involves actions in the following sequence:
- Initially, the cube with raw materials should be heated to 60 ° C.
- After reaching the desired temperature, the fire must be reduced and the cube brought to 85 ° C.
- Now you need to drain the "head" - the primary faction. This is approximately 45-50 ml for each liter of pure alcohol or 5% of the diluted drink.
- Then it is necessary to reach a temperature of 96 ° C.
- We select the middle fraction - "body". This fraction ends when the strength of the 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 then be cleaned and re-distilled the required number of times to achieve the desired taste.
The distillation speed the second time does not differ, only in this case a smaller amount of raw material is used.
Everyone has heard about this procedure, but many do not fully understand its essence. So why do you need a double distillation of moonshine at home? If the production of alcoholic beverages is a hobby, this does not mean that some steps can be neglected. For the first time, when the heads and tails are selected, a fairly pure product remains. But the second distillation of moonshine cleans the drink of heavy fractions even better. The finished product becomes crystal clear, deprived of foreign odors and unpleasant taste. Even if the whole process is carried out on solid moonshine equipment, it is worth repeating it twice. This is a guarantee of a high quality drink.
Moonshine still Good heat
The main stages of the process of double distillation of moonshine:
1. Dilution of moonshine with water.
When re-distilling moonshine, a number of rules must be observed. Each specialist in this business has his own little tricks and methods, but no one should lose sight of some of the nuances. The optimum strength of the raw material is 35-40%. Those who take raw alcohol run the risk of ruining the equipment and setting up an explosion in their own kitchen. This is due to the large number of turns of the fortress - about 60. So, the distillation of finished moonshine cannot but be carried out with undiluted raw. First, alcohol fumes can actually break the alembic. Secondly, at higher percentages, molecular bonds are stronger, ethyl alcohol interacts closely with heavy impurities, so it is almost impossible to separate them.
To dilute moonshine, it is worth taking purified (filtered) water, which should be cool. Good household alcohol meter will help to easily bring the raw material to 35% of the fortress. There are different opinions about diluting moonshine with water. Someone says that you need to add water to the moonshine, someone else, vice versa. The question is solved quite simply. It is necessary to indicate what we dilute: water or alcohol. Therefore, water is added to the container with moonshine, i.e. dilutes it!
2. Purification of moonshine.
We have already talked about quality and full purification of moonshine in another article. The more methods you use in practice, the better the result. Thus, before re-distilling the moonshine, it should be cleaned. For this, activated carbon or potassium permanganate and filter paper / cardboard will be enough. Potassium permanganate is now not even available in a pharmacy, so it is easier to use charcoal.
Cleaning moonshine using special paper is quite simple. It is enough to place the neatly laid sheet in a funnel, and the last in a bottle or container into which the liquid will be poured. Transfer slowly.
If potassium permanganate is available, be patient. It is important not only to follow the sequence of actions, but also the proportions. For every 100 ml. hot water is taken 1 gr. potassium permanganate powder. It is more convenient to dilute the solution in a small container, therefore a container with a volume of 0.5-1 liter will be most suitable for such cleaning of moonshine at home.
When introducing potassium permanganate, it is necessary to constantly stir the liquid, it is better to do this with a wooden spoon or spatula, but in no case with metal objects. After 20 minutes of settling, 1 tbsp is added to the moonshine. l. baking soda (this is a volume of 600 ml. diluted moonshine). The same amount is required to take ordinary table salt. The mixture is stirred, and after 2 hours it is filtered through cheesecloth. Previously, a kind of lining should be made of the fabric from the outer layers of gauze (3-5 on each side) and a layer of cotton wool. If possible, the edges can be sewn. It should be borne in mind that homemade filters are quite effective, but they clog up very quickly. Therefore, it is advisable to cook them with a good margin, so as not to be interrupted in the middle of the process. As with paper, the liquid is poured through a funnel with a fitted filter. To ensure a small flow, it is convenient to use a household ladle for pouring the moonshine.
3. Re-distillation of moonshine.
When all the above steps have been completed, the moonshine still needs to be rinsed well and collected. Preparation for the second distillation of moonshine is complete. Secondary and primary distillation is carried out in the same way. The product yield in the first case will be higher, because the drink has already gone through a good cleaning. The time required for the procedure is also less.
During the second distillation, fractional distillation takes place. You will also have to monitor the exit of the "tails" and "heads", carefully and carefully separating the most valuable main part or "body" from them. Some points to consider:
- On average, "heads" make up 10% of the total volume. The collected fraction cannot be drunk, it is harmful, but it is very good to use it for technical purposes (cleaning surfaces and disinfecting household items).
- When the strength drops to 45%, a container for collecting "tails" should be used. Therefore, it is important to constantly monitor the turnover using a household alcohol meter. The approximate content of this part is 10%.
- To determine the main part, namely when to collect it, you can use not the means at hand, but the sense of smell. After leaving and collecting 10% of the total volume, you need to sniff the liquid. The absence of a pungent odor indicates that the main part of the moonshine has "gone" in the second distillation. The body yield is approximately 80%. Some units are capable of producing a finished product with a strength of up to 96%.
If we leave the "heads" for domestic needs, what to do after the repeated distillation of the moonshine with the "tails"? You should not get rid of them either, they will help increase the strength of the raw materials when added to the mash when you receive the next batch of homemade drink.
After completing the whole process, you can enjoy the results. How to further ennoble the moonshine, everyone decides for himself. At Alkopribor you can buy aromatic additives and sets for cognac to create noble drinks at home. Moonshine can be diluted to the desired degree and used instead of vodka. You can significantly improve the taste and smell by using fresh fruits and berries.
If you wish, you can clean the moonshine additionally. There are many ways, one of the most common is based on the use of milk. For 1.5 liters of moonshine, 250 ml will be required. milk. The latter is poured into a container with an alcoholic drink, and left for 7 days. Experienced moonshiners are sure that it is better to use a whole product from the village, or milk powder made from whole milk. What is sold in bags in supermarkets is highly diluted milk, which is hardly suitable for high-quality cleaning of moonshine at home.
You can do quite differently by converting the moonshine into pure alcohol. This process is well described below.
Moonshine stills Narodny
4. Rectification.
The more times you distill the drink, the higher the degree. However, pure alcohol can be obtained only in the rectification process. This is due to the fact that some impurities cannot be completely removed from the beverage during distillation.
If you need a drink without moonshine smell or aftertaste, then the rectification column is optimal for you. This device looks like a vertical pipe. The device can operate in two modes: distillation and rectification. You can learn more about this process in the article "Distillation columns".
You can dilute the alcohol obtained at the outlet with clean water and use it to prepare various liqueurs. For more noble drinks like cognac, it is better to use double-distilled moonshine. We wish you successful home brewing and always successful experiments!
On this serious 50th anniversary,
You invited the dearest guests to celebrate
And among them, of course, I will be,
Mommy, know - I love you very much.
I want to wish you very much at this hour,
Let me, my dear, hug you tightly
I will try to please you, I want everything to work out,
And you were happy with your son and always proud!
May the fiftieth anniversary not be an obstacle,
For bold dreams and new, fresh ideas,
And don't even think about your mother's years,
After all, there is no woman in the world with the soul and face of young people.
May the main thing in life be - love and health,
Let life boil and wait for peace of mind
If the eyes shine, then everything else will be,
I love you mom, your son is always by your side.
The most beautiful, gentle, kind, sweetest,
Charming, smart, stylish and unique,
I hasten to congratulate Mom on her fiftieth anniversary,
So accept congratulations and gifts from your son as soon as possible.
Let for someone the minutes and years pass completely as usual,
You are still young, full of ideas, energetic,
Stay the same always and everywhere
And so that I don't hear the phrase from you: the years are not the same!
On the most important day - on the anniversary,
You accept congratulations from guests
From my son, too, mommy, accept the wishes,
May God give you good luck in your life.
Let this holiday flare up with fireworks,
Let it add more celebration
May every day bring you happiness
All the best to you, dear, joy, goodness.
Anniversary is a step of life wisdom,
This is the most important holiday on earth,
When all congratulations to you
When the time comes for a dream to come true.
Mommy, accept congratulations from your son,
May a personal holiday bring you a mood
May you always be lucky in everything
Always be loved and desired.
Years passed for work and care,
There was a lot of joy, there were also hardships,
But today, mommy, I want to forget about everything,
On your anniversary, you should be the most beautiful.
May your road always be bright
May your family and friends please you
Let the dream come true without fail
Let luck visit every day.
The most important date in life
This is yours, mommy, anniversary,
Accept sincere congratulations from your son,
And welcome guests as soon as possible.
Let your house be rich in pies
May every meeting with you be happy
Let fate always smile at you
Live and please me, mommy, up to a hundred years old.
The sadness lingered in the eyes, but it was pleasant in the soul,
And do not regret that the years are gone forever,
You, beloved mommy, are always young
Accept the most tender words from your son.
May you have plenty of happiness
Let the dream come true
Let life be like spring water
May the Lord keep you.
Mommy, on your birthday
Accept congratulations from your son,
I wish you happiness and good luck
And a wonderful mood to boot.
May all your wishes come true
Let all grievances go away, be forgotten
May fate be favorable to you,
All the best to you, prosperity and goodness.
Happy anniversary to you, mommy, congratulations,
I wish you good health and longevity,
You're only 50, don't be sad
All the best lies ahead.
May the sun give you warmth
And the birds are singing trills in your honor,
Thank you from your son, mommy, accept
Live in joy and happiness.
50 is a wonderful anniversary,
You still have, dear, ahead of you
Do not regret the years you have lived
There will be a lot of happiness on your way.
You are still young, full of energy and strength,
Let love sons be a talisman for you,
May your life be long and happy
God grant that the Lord will always keep you.
I sincerely congratulate you today,
On your glorious anniversary, I wish you from the bottom of my heart,
So that you are always beautiful and young
So that luck will accompany you on the way.
May fate be generous with you,
Let your friends not let you down
Let life give you only inspiration
Let hope and love go with you.
Mommy, you are 50 today
Everyone congratulates from the bottom of the heart on the anniversary,
May there be a lot of happiness ahead
Let reliable friends surround.
Take warm words from your son
May fate be favorable to you
Always be loved and desired
Blossom like a rose, my mother.
Congratulations on the 50th anniversary.