A person who is able to evaluate high-quality alcohol, sooner or later comes to the idea that its independent production is justified, for this only needs a home-made moonshine. In addition to economic benefits, such a process brings moral satisfaction. Sitting at the table, on which stands a bottle of a strong drink of its own production, the owner feels invariable pride. In Russia they always treated guests with home-made alcoholic drinks, such as Spotkach, Calvados or Slivovitsa. Traditionally, each house had its own recipes for making moonshine and all kinds of liquors, which were passed down from generation to generation.
The tradition of making homemade spirits
It should be noted that many people knew how to make a
moonshine at home, and this was not considered a sign of something bad. After all, moderate consumption of alcoholic drinks of home production has nothing to do with household drunkenness.
Therefore, experts in this delicate process have always been held in high esteem. In addition, the best natural products have always been used to produce home-made moonshine. And to add a special flavor to the moonshine, mint, currants, caraway seeds and anise were added, so that the drink acquired unique and noble notes. I must say that home-made moonshine still allows you to vary all the characteristics of an alcoholic beverage, from the purity of the product to its strength.
Units for the production of alcoholic beverages at home
The main unit for the production of homemade alcohol is the moonshine. Such drinks as wine or cognac, as well as all kinds of liquors, as a rule, do not require special inventions.
To understand how to make a moonshine at home, you need to understand the principle of its operation - and then everything will become clear. There are many ways to create this unit, from the simplest and most primitive to complex and multi-stage. Each owner has his own methods of producing moonshine, his secrets. But there is only one device. Today we will tell you how to make a moonshine with your own hands, but first we will discuss some points.
The choice of raw materials for moonshine
First, consider the process itself. Moonshine is made from fermented raw materials, the so-called mash, which must be aged from seven to fifteen days. It all depends on what is chosen as the basis: it can be simple yeast with sugar, and it can be grapes or other fruits. In addition, rye, wheat and even peas are used as raw materials for moonshine. Moreover, if there is jam in the household that no one eats or has been stored for a long time, then it can also be used. The selected product is placed in a metal dish and sugar is added, the resulting mixture is poured with water. The ratio of products depends on the specific recipe.
Capacities and the basis of the moonshine still
Now let's figure out how to make a moonshine at home. Firstly, the container for mash should be made of stainless steel or titanium, but in no case from aluminum. For these purposes, a canister for food products with a volume of 30-40 liters is best suited.
It is tightly sealed, and the metal from which it is made is obviously intended for the preparation and storage of drinks. After the mash is fermented, she is put on fire. By the way, if you have a pressure cooker, you can not particularly bother with the question of how to make a moonshine still. Just pour the mass into this bowl. True, in this case, it is recommended to mount a thermometer in the lid of the kitchen appliance, which should be very tightly fixed. It will show the heating temperature of the mash.
If a pressure cooker is used, then it already has a hose for exiting. And you can make a hole in the metal dishes themselves and connect a coil for the moonshine to it. The best coils are obtained from a pipe, but if there is no metal, you can make it from a silicone tube. Simple rubber hoses are not suitable, as they give moonshine an unpleasant aftertaste. The selected pipe, copper or thin-walled stainless steel, must be wrapped several times around a cylinder with a diameter of 6-8 cm. The result should be a spiral.
The connection points of the coil must be densely covered with dough so that there are no cracks. Vapors of alcohol will come out through this device and, in the process, turn into liquid. Therefore, the coil must be constantly cooled. To do this, you can simply place it in a container with cold running water.
Product development process
A little more, and the question of how to make a moonshine at home can be considered closed. The process has begun, but we need a container to collect the finished product. Some craftsmen also add the so-called settling tank, which is installed between the coil and the vessel with the braga. Heavy fractions are collected in it, that is, harmful impurities settle, and moonshine is obtained in better quality.
By the way, the mash is not poured to the edges of the unit, you need to leave some space, and the container itself must be tightly closed. After the mash boils, it is necessary to reduce the fire to a minimum. The very first few grams, usually 40-50, are poured out because they are unsuitable for consumption.
Final result
It should be noted that from four liters of mash, approximately one liter of alcohol is obtained. In order to check its strength, you can use the alcohol meter, which is sold in pharmacies. The resulting alcohol is subsequently filtered through activated carbon and diluted to taste with distilled or spring water. For gourmets, you can insist on moonshine on mint, St. John's wort and other aromatic and medicinal herbs.