For a long time already in the past, those times when careless moonshiners indulged in active criticism in short films. Today, the corresponding device can be quite officially purchased directly with home delivery, and many make a natural strong drink at home. And some prefer to build a distillation cube with their own hands, the benefit of the drawings in the access is a great many. And the matter is not only in the growing crisis: almost everyone can still afford to buy vodka in a store.
I did it myself!
Moonshine is good because you always know exactly what it is made from, how many degrees it is, in addition, the entire production process can be regulated independently. But if the technology of this distillation process is quite simple, if there was a good apparatus and normal raw materials, then the taste and smell of moonshine after the first distillation sometimes leave much to be desired and very few connoisseurs like it. Accordingly, they need improvement. About how to do this at home, and tells our article.
Why remove the taste and smell?
Removing the smell of moonshine, as well as its unpleasant aftertaste, is necessary for several reasons. Of course, true lovers of a strong drink tend to put a purely aesthetic factor in the foreground. Like, good alcohol, even made from sugar, cannot have an acetone aftertaste of bad vodka or essence remotely resembling pear. After all, then the use itself becomes unpleasant. And many are wondering how to remove the smell of moonshine at home, turning over the mountains of literature on this subject - paper and electronic. The benefit of the described methods is enough.
Pledge of health
But an important reason that prompts you to search for recipes for odorless and unpleasant taste of moonshine is the health factor. Indeed, if the drink is not properly cleaned, then it becomes (from the point of view of scientific research) simply dangerous. In addition to the fact that it contains ethyl alcohol, which is even considered useful in small doses, moonshine includes fusel oils, acids - formic and acetic aldehydes, acetic aldehyde, methyl and amyl alcohols and some other substances that cause significant harm. That is why some advanced moonshiners think primarily not about how to remove the unpleasant smell of moonshine (this is already a side effect), but about how to make it less harmful to the human body.
When to perform additional cleaning?
Usually it is carried out after the first distillation of the mash. Intermediate filtration of the beverage is also required, and dilution to a weaker degree, for example, before re-distillation of the product. Remember: the stronger the composition, the more difficult it is to get rid of impurities, which just give an unpleasant smell. At each distillation, it is also necessary to drop “heads” and “tails” - they contain the maximum amount of harmfulness.
How to remove the smell of moonshine at home?
To maximize the taste, aromatic, harmless characteristics of the drink, it is subjected to additional processing. This can be done by chemical or biological purification, distillation, filtration, infusion, freezing. And it’s best to use several methods at once. They use milk, eggs, bread, soda, manganese, charcoal and other products as cleaning agents. But let's dwell on some methods that explain how to remove the smell of moonshine at home, in more detail. We hope that the described methods will help to significantly improve the taste of your home product.
Second distillation
Repeated run is the most effective means, according to many practitioners of moonshining. Moreover, if you have a good apparatus, this is a very simple matter (since you have already carried out the first distillation yourself, you will surely cope with the second stage as well). It is only necessary to observe certain rules preceding the process. Basic: the mixture should be diluted for re-distillation to a strength of 20-30%. Then the separation of harmful impurities will occur better. And although in time the whole given process is quite lengthy, it allows you to produce the most purified alcohol.
So, how to get rid of the smell of moonshine? The simplest procedure is as follows: we carry out the distillation of the liquid in the apparatus, as for the first time (and some, for the sake of fidelity, also make the third, but, in our opinion, the best is the enemy of the good).
Manganese
Potassium permanganate is used in the form of crystals, sold in any pharmacy. Upon dissolution, a characteristic crimson-colored liquid is obtained. By the way, this effective cleaning agent can be combined with baking soda and activated charcoal: cheap and effective! By block they act much better.
- For one liter of drink, add two grams of potassium permanganate, purchased at the pharmacy. Stir well to completely dissolve the crystals.
- We defend at least 12 hours.
- During this time, a characteristic precipitate falls on the bottom of the dishes (it is better to perform the procedure, for example, in a transparent 3-liter jar), and the liquid itself becomes clarified and becomes transparent.
- We filter the drink (pass through cheesecloth with cotton wool) and pour into bottles.
Cautions and Tips
Some moonshiners oppose such purification chemically, with the help of potassium permanganate, arguing that when it is exposed, a reaction occurs and aldehyde and methanol are formed. However, manganese is used for refining even in large plants. However, after purification, the drink is distilled again. You can carry out such a procedure and you, for the sake of fidelity, discarding the first grams of one hundred received product. It should also be remembered that with the help of potassium permanganate it will not be possible to get rid of harmful substances in full, so you still have to use some other method of purification.
Combined method
You can do this: 3 grams of pharmacy manganese diluted in a glass of hot water. Then this solution is added to the liter of moonshine of the first distillation. Then add a large spoonful of salt and soda (take salt without iodine). Mix everything thoroughly and leave in a dark place until precipitation (possible at night). In the morning, we filter the drink well.
Activated carbon
Many odorless moonshine recipes include additional purification with this substance. You can easily buy it at the nearest pharmacy. Coal absorbs many chemicals that are found in distilled moonshine. Filters can be made from crushed coal using gauze and cotton wool. But it is best to throw directly into the alcohol, leave the drink overnight, and then filter. In this case, a good result will be guaranteed.
Eggs and milk
This is an old method of cleaning, successfully used by some moonshiners to this day. Its essence is that, when exposed to acids, proteins curl up and attract a lot of harmful substances, adsorbing them. The drink is thus quite clean. It is enough to take a glass of milk per liter of product (or a couple of eggs in raw form) and put the mass in a dark warm place. After some time, remove coagulated protein by filtration. And one more feature: as a result of such cleaning, moonshine is cloudy. Some even see this as a special rustic style. But for the liquid to become transparent again, it must be distilled again (see above for how to do this).
Freezing
This method is based on the fact that strong moonshine at sufficiently low temperatures freezes only partially. Water cures plus the impurities contained therein. They need to be removed, leaving an unfrozen solution. However, in this way, only a small part of the harmfulness inherent in the first distillation drink will be eliminated.
Aromatization
A separate method that is actively used in solving the issue of how to remove the smell of moonshine at home is the aromatization of the finished product in various ways. Herbs, fruits and berries, spices, ready-made concentrates that successfully imitate whiskey or cognac help to significantly improve the taste and repel odor. When using flavorings, it should be remembered that the strength of the drink should not be higher than 40-45 percent, then a good interaction occurs. Oak bark traditionally has a good effect on moonshine, removing fusel oils and transforming the drink into a more noble one. However, it should be remembered that aromatization is not a panacea, but only an additional measure, more than an aesthetic plan. With its help, you can to some extent extinguish odors, but harmful substances in moonshine will continue to be. Thus, before flavoring the drink (turning, for example, ordinary moonshine into homemade cognac), experienced practitioners recommend re-distillation and only then use the appropriate additives.