The process of making moonshine for some people seems quite simple and does not cause them difficulties. However, real professionals in this industry do not think so. The fact is that before you get a quality and, most importantly, safe drink, all components must undergo a number of chemical reactions and various processes on which the final result depends. That is why professionals often practice inverting sugar for mash, which lovers neglect, and ultimately gain quality by getting an excellent drink, which artisans cannot boast of.
Why is inversion necessary?
This process consists in obtaining molecules of fructose and glucose instead of a single sucrose molecule. Usually, sugar is inverted for mash due to the fact that the yeast is not able to process sugar in its pure form. First, they split into simpler substances, spending a certain amount of time. Only after that they process them into carbon dioxide and the alcohol necessary for further work. However, a lot of by-products are released that adversely affect the quality of the drink.
Benefits of this process
- Some moonshiners invert sugar for mash to reduce the preparation time of the drink. Using the same technologies, but using this technique, will allow you to get moonshine a few days earlier. In some cases, this is very beneficial.
- When using this process, sugar is exposed to high temperatures. As a result, all bacteria are destroyed on its surface, which significantly reduces the risk of infection of the mash.
- This cooking technology significantly improves the taste of the product. This is especially important when using fruits or components containing starch.
- If a classic moonshine is used for distillation, then at the output the product will have a higher quality. However, with the use of distillation columns, this advantage will not be significant.
- It is believed that the smell of moonshine during distillation will not be so nasty. In principle, the difference is small, although in fairness it should be noted that the finished product will receive a pleasant aroma, especially when using fruits.
disadvantages
- Time is spent on an additional process. However, given that this cooking technology saves a lot of time, this disadvantage can be considered insignificant.
- The yield of the final product when using such sugar will be several percent lower. It should be understood that the loss can be attributed to the part that reduces the quality.
- Furfural stands out. This substance causes irritation to the mucous membrane and skin. True, it should be understood that even in ordinary jam, furfural is much more than in a drink thus prepared.
Cooking process
We all made regular sugar syrup. How to cook it, almost all housewives know. However, this process has slight differences and requires the observance of certain security measures.
Cookware Selection
Inverted sugar is made in a deep bowl. The fact is that when the final component is added, the process of abundant foaming occurs. As a result, the liquid increases in volume and may even splash out. That is why it is recommended to take dishes in which after diluting water and sugar there will be a third of the free space.
Ingredients
We need to make sugar syrup. Everyone knows how to cook it, but in this case the proportions will be slightly different. Therefore, it is very important to follow the recipe. Need to purchase:
- sugar - 3 kg;
- water - 1.5 l;
- citric acid - 12 g.
Cooking
- Standard inverted sugar, the recipe for which involves the use of citric acid, requires high temperatures. Therefore, first you need to heat the water to 80 degrees.
- It is necessary to introduce sugar into the liquid very slowly so that it has time to dissolve. In this case, stirring is constantly carried out.
- Only after the sugar has dissolved is the liquid brought to a boil. In this case, a white foam will form on the surface, which must be removed. Cook the composition for about ten minutes.
- The next step is to invert sugar with citric acid. It is introduced into the solution in small portions with constant stirring. Then cover the pot with a lid, and reduce the fire to a minimum.
- After a couple of minutes, you need to adjust the fire. The fact is that the temperature of the syrup should be above 80 degrees. Some masters prefer to maintain a boiling process in order to achieve a guaranteed result.
- This temperature must be maintained for 60 minutes. In this case, the lid must be closed.
- After this time, the fire is turned off, and the resulting composition is cooled to 30 degrees. After that, it can be added to the fermentation tank.
Cooking mash
This clause describes standard sugar and yeast mash. When using other components, it is necessary to make appropriate adjustments to the recipe.
- A standard fermentation tank is used to create the product. As it can be used a can of food aluminum, which is closed by a sealed lid.
- On the lid it is worth making a special hole for the removal of accumulated gases. A small tube is mounted on it, on which a hose can be put on. This is necessary in order to create a kind of hydraulic shutter. Thanks to him, air will go out of the tank, and nothing will get inside. So you can further reduce the risk of infection of the composition.
- It is worth recalling that we already have inverted sugar in the container. The recipe for its preparation is indicated above, with all proportions. Therefore, we will add the remaining components based on the available mass.
- In the container, you need to add 4 liters of water and 100 grams of pressed yeast, given that this is the norm for 1 kilogram of regular sugar before inversion. So, for the previously prepared composition, we need 12 liters of water and 300 grams of pressed yeast.
- Some moonshiners prefer to use dry yeast. They must be taken at the rate of 20 grams per 1 kilogram of sugar. Therefore, we need 60 grams of this substance.
- In the next step, close the lid, and immerse the hose coming from the tube in water.
- Throughout the entire fermentation process, it is worth maintaining the temperature in the liquid at 30 degrees. A standard mash made of sugar and yeast is also prepared, although some moonshiners do not attach particular importance to this parameter, which is completely wrong.
- After the fermentation process comes to an end, the resulting composition must be distilled.
After the fermentation process has come to an end, the finished product should be cleaned. Bentonite, which is added to the mash to condense the precipitate, is best suited for this. This measure allows you to further improve the quality of the product (we are talking about taste and smell). At the same time, harmful impurities are also removed, which makes moonshine safe for use.
Warning
Even the best quality mash on inverted sugar cannot guarantee that the final product will be safe. It is necessary to observe a host of other conditions and technical processes in order to achieve the desired result. Do not put experiments on yourself and others, since the consequences of poisoning with low-quality alcohol can be very deplorable.
Special attention should be paid to the fact that the independent production of alcoholic beverages in some countries is illegal. Even mash can relate to such products, and in some cases the fact of storage of the moonshine still can lead to punishment. Given this, before embarking on home-brewing, you should study in detail the legislation of a particular region so as not to have troubles with the law.
Also, do not forget that excessive consumption of alcoholic beverages can adversely affect health. Even a quality product can harm if its amount exceeds the permissible norm.
Recommendations of specialists
- When creating mash at home, it is worth thinking about others. This process with subsequent distillation contributes to the emergence of a mass of peculiar odors that not all people like. Therefore, you need to use technologies and formulations that minimize side effects to a minimum. It is also worth installing a hood and working in a ventilated area.
- When citric acid is added to the syrup , it is likely that splashes will appear. It is worth remembering that the temperature of the composition is quite high, and you can get quite serious burns. Therefore, before the introduction of acid, the fire is removed to a minimum, and it is added in small portions. However, it is better to use extra protection for the eyes and skin. It is enough to wear glasses, an apron and mittens.
It is very important to observe the temperature regime. If it is violated, the inversion may not be fully performed. That is why many moonshiners prefer to conduct this process on the verge of boiling, which gives an almost 100% guarantee of quality.
It is believed that for the preparation of moonshine it is best to use sugar from beets. Some moonshiners claim that it can not be inverted, since the yeast copes with it perfectly. In fact, this information is erroneous. Regardless of which yeast strains are used or which sugar is used, it will take approximately the same amount of time to process it and a similar number of impurities will be released. Only inversion will allow to change this situation.
In order to save time, it is recommended to harvest such sugar for the future. However, experts argue that this is best not to do. The fact is that when it cools, it loses its properties, as new molecules characteristic of sucrose begin to form. Therefore, it is better to prepare such sugar immediately before its use.
If the mixture is overheated, it will begin to darken and become unsuitable for further use. Such a composition will spoil the taste of the final product, which means that it needs to be poured or used for confectionery purposes. Given this, it is worth controlling the temperature at all stages of preparation.
Reviews of the masters
First of all, experts note the fact that the first exit of the drink is almost completely devoid of unpleasant odor and harmful impurities. Some moonshiners claim that pouring such a product is simply a pity, although in some formulations this is a necessity.
Often the rest of the moonshine that comes out at the end of the distillation is called the “tail”. When using such sugar, this distillation product is simply excellent. It is completely devoid of impurities and sediment and at the same time has a good degree and is drunk perfectly. Some experts, having tried inverted sugar for the first time, leave such “tails” in order to show the result to their friends. The product really impresses experienced moonshiners as it tastes very good.
Among the reviews of some manufacturers of such products, one can also find mention of negative experience, which is associated with an incorrect cooking process or violation of temperature conditions. Usually such comments are written by moonshiners who do not comply with any production technologies and do not have the appropriate equipment. Once again, it is worth recalling that the entire distillation process is a combination of several chemical reactions, so you need to approach it very responsibly.
Experts say that the quality of the product does not depend on one process, but on a whole range of measures aimed at improving it. Even the best mash with inverted sugar can be spoiled already during distillation or interrupt the taste of moonshine by putting low-quality ingredients in the steam tank. Only the right approach to the preparation of the technical process will allow you to get a great product. That is why you need to pay attention to cleaning, and even to the condition of the moonshine still.
Conclusion
Based on the material presented above, it can be concluded that sugar inversion for mash is a process that does not take a lot of time and effort, moreover, for its implementation it is not necessary to have a higher education or have a doctorate in chemistry. Everything is quite simple and is implemented at home. At the same time, the quality of the final product, judging by the reviews, is increasing, and the speed of its preparation makes it possible to increase production volumes for a certain period.