Moonshine is called home-made alcoholic beverage obtained by distillation of food products. The first written mention of him appeared at the end of the 9th century. Since then, moonshine has become extremely popular, and a variety of recipes for the preparation of this alcoholic beverage are still being improved. The composition of moonshine may be different, but the cooking procedure is always the same.
The harm of moonshine
This home-made product does not pass the relevant test to which factory-produced alcoholic beverages are subjected. For this reason, very often a rather large amount of harmful substances is found in moonshine. The reasons for their appearance are inadequate purification and infiltration. Fusel oils and ethanol are extremely harmful to human health. Anyone can feel the effect of these components just a few hours after taking moonshine. Poisoning is expressed by headache, diarrhea, aches throughout the body, nausea and vomiting.
Frequent use of this alcoholic drink leads to damage to the liver and kidneys. Internal organs do not have time to cope with toxins, which is why tissues are destroyed and degenerated. Sometimes 2-3 years of daily use of moonshine is enough to develop cirrhosis of the liver.
You can protect yourself from the destructive effect of toxins only by paying special attention to the distillation and purification of a home-made alcohol product.
Its benefit
On its basis, home-made medicines for colds, prostatitis, arthrosis, arthritis and many other diseases are made. With the help of moonshine, they grind and lotions. If fresh berries or medicinal herbs are added to the chemical composition of moonshine, then with the condition of dosed intake, one can noticeably improve the state of health and strengthen the immune system. The fact is that in small amounts, alcohol positively affects the body. It dilates blood vessels, relaxes and warms. It can be used as sleeping pills, or as a medicine for stress. The norm of alcoholic beverages should be no more than 200 ml per day for wine, and 80 ml for vodka or moonshine.
Chemical composition
Moonshine has a calorie content of approximately 235 Kcal. He has very few carbohydrates (0.5), and even less protein and fat. 100 ml of moonshine contains 10 mg of sodium and 1 milligram of calcium and potassium. In terms of benefits, pure moonshine is of no interest. On the other hand, if berries, fruits or medicinal herbs are added to its composition, then the drink will acquire some healing properties.
Species and their names
From ancient times, moonshine was divided into several types:
- Drink with a strength of 55 degrees with double distillation. Otherwise, he was called a “three-trial”. It got this name due to the fact that when it was set on fire, 2/3 of the composition burned out.
- The drink, having the smell of fried crackers, has the name "cracker". When agitated, a powdery precipitate is formed.
- Usually moonshine is made from grain. It has a strength of 35 to 50 degrees. And also one of the conditions for a good product is its transparency.
- A drink, aged on honey, is called “honey”. It has a pleasant yellow tint and a small amount of degrees.
- Sbiten is also prepared with honey. He has less degrees than honey moonshine.
- "Birch" is prepared on birch sap, and Peter the Great's favorite moonshine is "horseradish" on horseradish.
- Such a popular drink as a “spotkach” incorporates cherry or plum fruit juice.
They also distinguished “half a grain” and “foam moonshine”. The number of degrees in the second usually reaches 50, and when shaken, it forms a foam. In the "half-bar" the fortress is 40 degrees. A distinctive feature of this drink is that when set on fire, most of it burns out.
Recipe
The composition of the brew for moonshine includes grain, vegetables, berries, fruits and starch. The main ingredients are sugar, pure water and yeast. First of all, you should choose the appropriate inventory, which can be prepared by yourself or purchased in the store. You will need an alcohol meter and an ordinary room thermometer, showing the temperature in the room in which the moonshine is located. Experienced moonshiners acquire measuring scales, various tubes and bottles with an airtight lid. With moonshine, you can not do without a large pan and a warm bedspread.
Main components
They are taken in the following proportion: for 8 liters of water you will need 40 g of dry yeast. They can be replaced with conventional pressed ones, but then the amount will be 200 grams. Sugar will need 2 kg. The yield of the finished drink is from 2 to 2.5 liters.
- It is advisable to purchase yeast special, alcohol. They are sold in specialized stores and are slightly different from bakeries in their operation. When preparing an alcoholic beverage, ordinary yeast gives it a characteristic odor, while alcoholic beverages make the drink more pure. The appearance of fungi noticeably affects the maturation rate of the mash.
- If it is possible to use well water, then you simply cannot find the best option for making moonshine. It is slightly defended for 2-3 days and used for its intended purpose. Tap water also contains oxygen, and it is considered more lively than boiled water, or which has been purified from impurities (the so-called distilled).
- In order to prepare moonshine as quickly as possible, citric acid is used. It significantly accelerates the fermentation process, and also affects the quality of the alcoholic beverage, significantly improving its taste and aroma.
- Sugar can be either brown or plain white.
All products used must be fresh. This is especially true for yeast. In the case of using an expired product as part of the brew for moonshine, it may not ferment.
Classic moonshine
Its preparation begins with the bookmark of mash. This initial stage should be given special attention.
- In a large saucepan, 1/3 of the total volume of water is heated and sugar is added. The container is put on a slow fire and boiled occasionally stirring occasionally. The foam that has formed on the surface of the sugar syrup needs to be removed.
- After 10 minutes, citric acid is added to the brew for moonshine and continue to boil the syrup. After about 60 minutes, all the liquid is poured into another container and the remaining water is added.
- Yeast is dissolved separately and only then added to the syrup. It should be borne in mind that when these components are combined, profuse foaming occurs, therefore, the capacity for making mash should be quite large and roomy. Sometimes there is so much foam that it comes out from the sides of the pan, and then you have to add a piece of rye bread crust to the mash.
The composition of the brew for moonshine is poured into a glass bottle, and on top they put on a special valve, which is called a water seal. Sometimes for this purpose they use an ordinary medical glove.
Distillation and clarification
As a rule, the fermentation process takes up to ten days. Ultimately, a noticeable yeast precipitate should appear in the drink. If the mash is still sweet, it means that sugar did not ferment, and alcohol did not form. The absence of bubbles and the characteristic sounds of gurgling indicates that the mash is ready for further processing.
Lighten it most often with the help of clay. To do this, a small part of the white powder is diluted with pure water and added to the mash. The ratio of liquid to powder should be 1:10. That is, 20 g of clay (one tablespoon) will need 200 ml of liquid.
Before starting the distillation, it is necessary to find out some terms of home brewing. In total, it consists of three fractions, each of which has its own characteristics.
- The third fraction, or the so-called tail, is almost harmless. Sometimes people, not waiting for the subsequent processing, begin to use it. The smell of such a drink is rather unpleasant, since fusel oils and methanol are still present in its composition. Usually, after eating the “tail”, headache and slight nausea appear.
- Approximately 300 ml of the drink belongs to the so-called "head". This is the most dangerous part of moonshine. And, nevertheless, there are amateurs who prefer the “pervak”. The composition of moonshine in this case will contain a lot of harmful impurities.
- The bulk of the resulting drink is called the "body of moonshine." It is diluted with water and proceed to further purification.
Fractions are determined by heating over a fire. Thus, the wort turns into moonshine.
The “body” is cleaned with activated carbon purchased at a pharmacy or prepared independently. Two liters of alcohol require at least one hundred grams of coal. Moonshine is cleaned very simply: crushed coal is added to the liquid, the container is closed with a valve and shaken vigorously. It precipitates along with fusel oils. Then the purified liquid is poured into a distillation cube, and the precipitate is drained.
Not bad proved to be cleaning with sunflower oil. It should be borne in mind that the oil should be exclusively unrefined, since the processed product contains chemicals. For every liter of drink you will need a tablespoon of oil. It is poured into a container and allowed to infuse for 24 hours. Then, using a tube, the body of moonshine is gently drained while the oil is on the surface.
One cannot ignore such an important part of the cooking process as clarification and degassing. It is thanks to them that the drink becomes usable. To remove carbon dioxide, the liquid is heated to a temperature of 50 degrees (you can slightly higher). To lighten it, it is enough to take out the container with the braga in the cold, where the temperature will be 5 degrees Celsius (in no case more), or add clay to the composition.
This is followed by a second distillation, during which the liquid is poured into the distillation cube and heated again. Then again remove the head part and collect the "body" of the drink. If it turned out to be a fortress over 40 degrees, then it is diluted with water. If desired, you can leave it stronger.
The last stage of preparation involves bottling in glass bottles and infusion at a temperature of about 15 degrees.
Mash Recipes
When cooking any mash, water, yeast and any product that they will eat are required. Experienced moonshiners claim that you can brew this drink with absolutely any product. The most suitable are all cereals, berries, fruits, grapes and sugar. For example, the mash of jam, peas with the addition of sour cream, as well as potatoes and pumpkin proved to be quite good.
Bean and sour cream mash
You will need dry peas, sugar, a small amount of sour cream, water and yeast. For 70 l of water, as a rule, 700 g of yeast, a large package of sour cream, 4 kg of crushed peas and 15 packs of sugar, weighing 900 g are taken. The composition of the mash for moonshine made from sugar is similar to everyone else.
Diluted yeast and peas are added to the heated water. After the composition is infused, sugar and a dairy product are added to it. The resulting mixture should be covered with a warm blanket and let it brew for 72 hours.
Pumpkin or potato
In order to cook the mash with the addition of these vegetables, they are pre-prepared. Pumpkin is cut into pieces and boiled slightly. Barley malt and yeast are added to the grated mass.
Potatoes contain a huge amount of starch, so it is very often used for a moonshine recipe. It is prepared quite simply. The main condition is that the potatoes must be ice cream. He is cleaned and interrupted in a blender. The resulting composition is poured with boiling water, stirred and left to infuse. For 30 liters of boiling water, you need 40 kg of potatoes and 2 kg of wheat flour. After a while, the liquid is drained and again left to infuse. After the second drain, yeast is added. To prepare this type of mash will need 14 days.
With jam or grains
If the mash is prepared from cereals, then the addition of yeast is not needed. They contain the right amount of sugar in order to start the fermentation process. It is advisable to pre-germinate the grain and only then add it to hot water with sugar. The fermentation process is no more than 10 days provided that the room temperature is sufficiently warm.
Jam also makes great moonshine. The sugar composition is sometimes inferior to it in the quality of the product obtained. For 60 liters of liquid you will need 12 liter jars of jam. Sugar is enough to put about 6 kg, and yeast 2/3 packs.
From grape cake
From this product you can make "Zivan". This is Cypriot moonshine, which is sometimes added to cinnamon. It does not contain sugar, and the strength of the drink does not exceed 47 degrees. The recipe for moonshine is simple. Prepare "Zivan" from unpeeled berry meal, which is heated in cold water using a special ceramic vessel.
At home, you can also cook mash from grape meal. You will need grape squeezes in an amount of 20 kg, 70 l of purified water, 10 kg of sugar and 70 g of yeast. The wort is prepared quickly enough, since the grape cake contains spores of wild fungi, which has a beneficial effect on the speed of preparation. As soon as the fermentation process stops, the liquid is separated from the head and tails and poured into a new container. Then it is clarified and distilled. The name and composition of moonshine in Cyprus correspond to each other, as in the translation of "nodding" means "cake".
When cooking, you should consider some rules:
- It is extremely important to monitor the temperature, since the fermentation process stops during cold, and foam begins to form at too high a temperature. The composition of moonshine made from sugar, water and yeast is rather moody.
- A small part of the cake floats to the surface. It should be mixed regularly, otherwise mold will form.
- Particular attention is paid to the quality of water in the composition of moonshine. In chlorinated water, it is impossible to imagine the normal development of microorganisms. In the end, they just die. Distilled and boiled water is also not suitable.
- Yeast should be fresh and preferably alcohol. In the composition for moonshine, yeast plays an important role.
There are many interesting recipes for making moonshine. Fans of this drink prefer to cook it on medicinal herbs with the addition of honey, plants, spices and fruits. Some of them got their own names, such as moonshine "Baikal".
Moonshine on herbs
In the composition of the Baikal moonshine there is St. John's wort, pine nuts, lemon peel, licorice and rose hips. And also in the drink add the root of Eleutherococcus. When cooking, you can use both dry raw materials and fresh.
All plant components in the composition of moonshine are taken equally, placed in a previously prepared container and filled with moonshine. Insist composition for two weeks in a cool, dark place. The finished drink is filtered and a small amount of honey is added to its composition. Moonshine "Baikal" has the healing properties that it gets from medicinal herbs. It contains vitamins, minerals and other beneficial substances.
What is added to moonshine?
An already prepared drink can be insisted on berries or spices. Sometimes honey is used instead of sugar. In this case, moonshine initially acquires the aroma and taste of this product. A drink made on sweets was very popular in the eighties. Its main condition is the selection of confectionery with the same filling. They are also used instead of sugar.
The drink, infused with oak bark with the addition of several spoons of instant coffee, acquires the taste and aroma of cognac. Cool composition of moonshine is obtained with wormwood or bay leaf. Adding these components is not without meaning. They positively affect the state of blood vessels, expanding them, and prevent the formation of blood clots. Wormwood is struggling with the first signs of prostatitis, tuberculosis and bronchitis.
You can get rid of the pungent odor with spices such as caraway seeds, cloves and saffron. They are added in limited quantities. Each spice has its own effect on the human body, which is not always positive.
To give the drink a pleasant color, natural dyes obtained from plants are used. For example, a bright ruby hue can be obtained using blueberries, golden - from saffron, and rich brown - with honey and oak bark.
Thanks to lemon, bitterness disappears. In order for the components from the food additive to completely go into the composition of moonshine, the drink should be infused for at least two weeks.