How best to filter moonshine at home. How to clean moonshine from fusel oils

Many believe that we should be indebted to Peter the Great for the appearance of strong alcohol, which he brought from Europe to Russia. Like, until the beginning of the 18th century there were no such drinks in the country at all. One cannot agree with this fundamentally. The process of fermentation and distillation was known even under Ivan the Terrible. Then the process of making the "invigorating potion" was treated with special respect, observing the entire manufacturing technology, using secret ingredients, thanks to which the drink turned out to be as pure as a tear. Due to the high cost of moonshine, only the highest ranks and nobles could “drive” it, while the local “poverty” could only be content with home-made brew. Today, many secrets of cleaning a freshly brewed drink are forgotten. Although there are some left that are still used by those who know how to drive moonshine. How to clean with potassium permanganate, for example, everyone knows in any village in Russia.

The history of moonshine: from antiquity to the present

Moonshine - the name itself implies to action - to drive, both in direct and in figurative sense. AT different times he was persecuted: he was banned, sold only to the rich, made from such a vodka that people died when using it.

But the beginning of moonshine was encouraging: back in the 14th century in Russia, people found that fruits or vegetables left in a warm place on long time, are susceptible to decay, releasing carbon dioxide and forming a weak degree of alcohol. Subsequently, it was revealed that when this substance is heated and “distilled”, the output is a “royal” drink. It was also experimentally proven that the use of wheat or rye grains as raw materials significantly improved the taste and quality of moonshine. As for the question of the "purity" of the drink, in those days, increased importance was given to crystallinity: from 1 ton of raw materials, only 30 liters of the purest moonshine were obtained.

Cooking processes have improved over the centuries. By the end of the 18th - beginning of the 19th century. Russia became the producer of the best and most delicious moonshine that was in all of Europe: they were given to ambassadors and nobles, sold to foreign merchants and merchants, treated to important guests and nobles.

Today, the processes have accelerated, and special claims are made to the quality: the people want a fortress and a “hit in the head”. When asked whether it is necessary to clean the moonshine, today it is worth saying affirmatively: “It is absolutely necessary, and it is better in several ways at once.”

Necessary ingredients for making a drink

What is good moonshine? Fortress, crystal or taste? Or healing properties? The answer is all of the above. In addition, the drink has truly miraculous qualities:

• they can be rubbed with a cold;
• disinfect (do not be surprised, moonshine can be up to 96 degrees, the main thing is to be able to “drive” it);
• use as an aperitif for better digestion of food.

Moonshine can be made from any raw material. The point is that this drink, unique in all respects, leading in all respects over others (whiskey, cognac, bourbon, brandy, tequila, rum, grappa), can “chase” from almost all improvised “materials”:

• berries;
• fruit;
• vegetables;
• cereals;
• jam, jam, honey;
• dairy products;
• wine, juices, kvass;
• bakery products;
• pl. others

That is, only those ingredients that are subject to the fermentation process are needed. And the irreplaceable and most important finalizer of everything is sugar, which helps to speed up the fermentation process. The main thing is that the products are of high quality and natural, then you get the best moonshine. How to clean with potassium permanganate or other methods? More on this in the next section.

Aspects from the production process: from mash to the final product

Every self-respecting moonshiner has at his disposal special equipment for the production of this divine drink at home:

• distillation cube - an iron (preferably stainless steel) vessel that serves to heat the mash;
• coil - serves to cool vapors;
• copper tubes - necessary to connect the cube to the coil.

The moonshine production process includes the following steps:

1. Preparation of the basis for the future drink - mash.
2. Heating the latter and distilling it with the help of a specialized cube, after which it will turn into the final product.
3. Purification of fusel oils.
4. Odor removal.

Many people want to clean it from impurities and odors after receiving moonshine. Question: "How to clean moonshine with potassium permanganate?" - in principle, it is asked regularly on various forums and pages. To do this, you need freshly expelled moonshine and potassium permanganate, and several stages of action. But besides the latter, there are many more ways to painlessly and easily remove all unnecessary "particles" from the drink.

The easiest way to remove fusel oils

Having expelled moonshine, many calm down and rejoice at the resulting drink. But if life and your health are dear, you should finish what you started. It is necessary to clear the drink of all impurities and fusel oils without delay and a shadow of doubt. Many of the proposed methods (for example, how to properly clean moonshine with potassium permanganate) or heard recipes are not always convenient and partly costly.

Freezing is the simplest option for removing all excess from moonshine. The following ingredients are required:

• freezer;
• moonshine;
• vessel.

Due to the severe frost, everything and excess liquid will freeze, but the real and clean moonshine will remain. As a result, by removing waste, you get a crystal clear and delicious drink.

Potassium permanganate: one of the best ways to clean moonshine

How to clean with potassium permanganate? Easier and better method can not found! To do this, you should go to the pharmacy (if not at home) and purchase manganese powder, which will help moonshine expel all unwanted neighbors from its composition.

The composition is as follows: for 1 liter of freshly expelled moonshine, only 2-3 grams of manganese is required.

After pouring it into a bottle, you need to shake the contents well - the drink will acquire a characteristic pink-scarlet color. Then leave the vessel alone (preferably a place devoid of sunlight) for 1-2 days. After the time has elapsed, a precipitate forms at the bottom of the bottle, which collected all the “extra” consistency.

To improve the effect, after adding manganese to the vessel, you can also put the latter on a steam bath on low heat (20 minutes). Then strain through cotton wool. The drink is cleaned and ready to drink!

The most practical and effective way to cleanse using soda

After distillation, moonshine usually has a sharp and not so nice smell, which completely discourages any desire to taste it. To get rid of annoying notes of stench, you should clean the drink with soda. How to clean moonshine with soda is a simple task, and its process is quite pleasant and uncomplicated.

For this you will need:

1. 10-15 grams of soda.
2. 1 liter of freshly distilled moonshine.
3. Free time and patience.

It is necessary to stir the indicated amount of drink and soda, and then do not touch for 40 minutes. Next, shake the vessel with moonshine again, leaving the contents in the vessel for a longer period - 12-24 hours.

After the expiration of the specified time, the drink is cleaned perfectly. It is necessary to remove the top layer (on average, it is 2-3 cm of unsuitable for drinking liquid) and sediment (soda and fusel oils, impurities). What remains between the top layer and the bottom is the purified moonshine, which will be clean as a tear and with a neutral smell.

As a result, the task of how to clean moonshine with soda is solved, and its procedure will not take much time and money. Baking soda is available at any grocery store and is ridiculously low. Because of which this method cleaning is one of the most budgetary.

Charcoal cleaning as the most environmentally friendly method

The use of natural remedies (environmentally friendly and safe) is the most the best remedy for cleaning moonshine from impurities and harmful oils. One such method is the use of charcoal.

This is one of the oldest and most proven methods, since there have always been a lot of forests in Russia, and Russians have always been able to use the benefits of nature.

Since it is necessary to follow certain stages and procedures in which he will lose all the negative, ennobled to the level of a "royal" drink.

Stage 1 - you need to get coal. To do this, you should find a suitable wood, preferably fresh, green. It is better to give preference to linden and birch. Having chosen the required number of branches (it is better to take trees no older than half a century), you need to kindle a fire. After burning, hot coals should be placed in any dish with a lid, and left to cool completely. Next, you need to crush the coals to a fine state.

Stage 2 - preparation of ingredients:

• Charcoal - 100 grams;
• Moonshine - 1 liter.

After mixing the liquid with the component, place the vessel in a dark place and leave for 7 days. Note: shake the vessel at least 4 times a day. After the expiration of the period, you need to leave the vessel completely alone for another week.

Stage 3 - straining moonshine with gauze or cotton wool.

from bad smells

Many moonshiners, having “expelled”, in their opinion, a wonderful drink, are subsequently upset - incomprehensible oils are present in a strong substance, and the smell is so sharp that the nose cannot withstand such a test. If you don’t know how to get rid of such “neighbors”, then all the product will be unsuitable for further consumption. Why the subsequent question: “How to clean moonshine from the smell?” - very relevant.

First you need to clean the drink from turbidity and oils. After passing through this stage, you can use numerous spices to refine moonshine. Among them, especially respected are: fennel, mint, vanilla, allspice or red pepper, fresh horseradish root, bison, oak bark.

You can also use the ancient method for cleaning moonshine from the smell, which was used in Russia. It will take 50 grams 500 grams of ordinary black raisins (white will not work). Pour into a vessel with moonshine, keep in a dark place for at least 30 days. After the expiration date, strain through cotton wool several times. The drink will lose all smells and tastes, saturated with pleasant aromas of violets and grapes.

Benefits of using cleaning

Any product made from even the most environmentally friendly ingredients may contain harmful impurities and particles that can harm the human body. How does it work? AT natural products when they are processed (chemically or otherwise), they are released. To do this, a cycle should be carried out to remove all harmful substances from the final product.

So, during the primary “race”, “pervak” comes out - the dirtiest and strongest moonshine. In no case should it be mixed with a subsequent drink after it. Only delete!

Today there is great amount ways to clean moonshine from impurities and odors. Just gotta follow simple advice and then the drink will be clean and safe.

Beginner moonshiners often doubt whether it is harmful to clean moonshine with potassium permanganate? This method is very old and proven, so no negative impact the consumer will not receive on the body. On the contrary, the moonshine will be cleaned, it will take on the best look.

Numerous ways to improve the drink only prove that you can get a first-class and crystal drink from a nasty "mash".

Storage methods: from temperature to a specific location

To expel moonshine is not so bad. Next, you need to clean it from impurities and a pungent odor that can scare away even the most persistent. According to the recommendations of experts, moonshine should be cleaned with potassium permanganate and soda immediately after its “distillation”. But the process does not end there either. It directly depends on the storage conditions and the container in which it will be located. taste qualities and general condition.

So, you need to exclude the following containers from storage methods:

• plastic bottles;
• wooden barrels (if you do not want to get cognac);
• metal vessels (aluminum, copper, steel).

Only glass, ceramic bottles, jars or vessels may be used. Some also use stainless steel barrels for storage.

As for the temperature, it does not play any role: both with minus and with positive drops, the drink does not lose its properties.

Moonshine, according to most experienced producers, gets better at high degrees. It is even recommended to cork it in a bottle and put it in the attic of the house (where it is more than 40 degrees higher in summer) for 10 years. During this time, the drink will change, turning into nectar.

You should also exclude places where direct sunlight falls.

Moonshine in our country can be classified as a cult drink. He is especially loved in the village. But city dwellers also like to treat themselves and their friends with a glass of this glorious intoxicant. We will not be mistaken if we say that every Russian village has its own way of preparing it, its own kind of zest for the recipe. One of the most important indicators of the quality of this home-made "liquor" can be considered the degree of purification from fusel oils.

It is not difficult to prepare moonshine today. I got the device and for the job. But what to do about the unpleasant smell that fusel oils cause? How to remove it? Somewhere they do it with milk, in another place they use soda or manganese. We have collected in this article the most common methods by which this alcohol-containing liquid is effectively cleaned of unpleasant impurities.

Fusel oils - are they harmful?

The unequivocal harm of fuselage is a question that does not require additional arguments. Some try to defend the myth about the benefits of unrefined moonshine, citing as an example the presence of a specific "darling" in whiskey and tequila. The example is obviously wrong.

1. Firstly, for these drinks, the purification process is interrupted on purpose.
2. Secondly, harmful oils in imported alcohol are nothing more than an indicator of the brand.
3. Thirdly, let's create a reliable barrier to impurities and feel sorry for our liver. Then it is very difficult for her to get rid of this blow of the fistula

At the same time, homemade moonshine can be cleaned and consumed in moderation, as they say, for health.

Cleaning moonshine with potassium permanganate

So, your device gave you a batch of strong drink. You want to reduce its harm. Consider a very simple way to clean it. To do this, you can use the usual potassium permanganate, which is sold in every pharmacy.

• It is better to pour 3 grams of potassium permanganate on a 3 liter jar
• Stir by shaking
• Moonshine will be ready in the morning
• It will definitely need to be filtered. A good filter is gauze folded in several layers.

We clean with soda

The second most popular and simple method is cleaning with soda, which is available in every home.

In extreme cases, you can buy it in any grocery department of the store.

• For 1 liter of liquid we take 10 g of soda
• Stir with a spoon to achieve a solution similar in color to milk. Set aside for half an hour
• Then mix well again. All. Now moonshine should be left alone for a day

Baking soda will help you get rid of most of the bad oils. The top layer is drained and the sediment is also removed. Elixir is ready to use.

Freezing cleansing

This method was used in some villages, especially in the north of Russia. all year round. For this, tons of ice were loaded into the cellars. Today you can use a conventional freezer refrigerator. No apparatus is required. We will remove the harm of impurities with the help of frost. Pour the pervach into a metal pan and place in the freezer.

The secret to this effect is simple if done right. We need to separate water with harmful impurities from the mixture. She should freeze to the edges. We catch this moment and pour the moonshine, leaving ice with impurities in the pan.

Carbon filter cleaning

This is a bit of a hassle, but very effective. With its help, the harm of the drink is reduced to a minimum. Of course, in moderation. Charcoal is best crushed and wrapped in 4-5 layers of gauze.

By the way, the coal that is sold in pharmacies is not suitable for us. Few people know that it is made from animal bones. This is not a very reliable barrier for fuselage. It will be right if you have prepared birch charcoal for cleaning.

Purification by double distillation

This method can be figuratively compared with aerobatics. We take the apparatus and again distill our primary. You will receive a drink, the harm of which will be minimal. This solution is popularly called "morning dew".

You'll have to fiddle around a bit:

• First you need to get rid of fuselage impurities by any of the methods that we described above.
• Next, using an alcohol meter, dilute the drink to 35 degrees. It is dangerous to distill a stronger solution. Your device may just catch fire

Little advice. When diluting moonshine, pour water into it, and not vice versa. Then the liquid will not become cloudy, it will not become, in color, similar to milk.

• Now we fill the liquid into the device. Everything, as in the first distillation. But, be careful. It is impossible to allow mixing fractions of the "elixir" of double distillation. Otherwise, the harm will not go anywhere.
• The first fraction (this is 10 percent) is mercilessly poured into the sewer. You can't drink it! And the smell at the "head", as the people call this faction, is rather fetid. Then the device will give you a "body". It can be collected until the fortress drops to 45 degrees
• Now stop! It will be better if you stop the machine. Otherwise, these "tails", due to a large number fusel oils will spoil your entire batch of the drink. Now harmful impurities are minimized. This double distillation liquid no longer needs to be purified.

Ready "double" moonshine is better to dilute before use. Its strength is close to 70 degrees.

Milk cleaning

Cleaning with milk is the way that allows you to get a sufficiently high-quality product at the output. There are two options for this cleaning.

1. In the first case, we act with milk already on the mash. For 10 liters of mash, 2 liters of milk are taken. Such a pervach can be overtaken twice. Get great quality
2. The second method involves the impact of milk on the finished product. A glass of milk is taken for 1 liter of liquid. Curdling, milk absorbs fusel oils

Naturally, the harm of such a composition of the mixture is significantly reduced. We create another reliable barrier for the sivuha. To do this, filter the "milk" moonshine through a charcoal filter.

Especially patient lovers of high-quality moonshine clean it in a longer way. They take 50 grams of charcoal and pour it into a liter of liquid. The mixture is defended for a week, shaking every day. On the 8th day, the liquid will brighten. The carbon deposit is removed from her with a tube by suction.

Egg white cleansing

For this method, you will need 2 beaten egg whites per liter of moonshine. Add them to the solution and put them in a dark place.

After the egg white curdles completely and falls to the bottom, the product should be filtered through cheesecloth.

Violet Root Cleansing

A method with a fairly good result. The root of the plant is easy to buy in pharmacies in the herbal medicine department. The process is easy. For 1 liter of solution we take about 30 grams of crushed root. Insist for at least 2 weeks in a dark and warm place. Next, the resulting liquid is filtered.

The technology for preparing strong drinks at home implies not only compliance with all the rules of distillation, but also a phased purification of alcohol. Fusel oils, which are contained in moonshine, affect its taste not for the better.

In addition, these side fermentations can adversely affect the human body. Especially dangerous isoamyl alcohol in large quantities. Purification of moonshine from fusel oils has long been used by experienced moonshiners, it is considered an integral part in achieving quality.

There are many ways to clean moonshine, from which you can choose any you like or combine several options. Do not neglect this stage if you want to get a quality drink with a pleasant taste and without harmful impurities.

What are fusel oils?

Fusel oils in moonshine are a side fermentation product. They are an impurity in unrectified ethanol, obtained during fermentation, and released at the time of rectification.

The expression "fusel oils" is often used in everyday life, but also occurs in the literature. From the amount of this substance present in alcohol, taste and smell can change.

There is an ancient way to identify fusel oils in moonshine: the drink is poured into one tablespoon and set on fire. When the main product burns out, an oily liquid remains - a harmful by-product.

Ways

If you want to get quality pure moonshine, then you should take care of the equipment in advance. The classic moonshine only with repeated distillation can significantly reduce the concentration of fusel oil. If you use a distillation column in the process, then the compounds that give the drink a special aroma and taste will also leave with harmful impurities. And if you do the distillation several times, then the moonshine will turn out to be very strong up to 96%. In simple moonshine systems, there are settling tanks or dephlegmators; they purify the raw materials during the distillation process. Purification of moonshine from fusel oils is possible using different methods, the most common ingredients used to remove fusel oils:

• vegetable oil;
• dairy;
• Activated carbon;
• potassium permanganate;
• soda;
• fruit;
• bread.

Oil painting

Fusel oils and other hazardous components tend to dissolve in oil structures. It is necessary to use refined sunflower or olive at the time of purification, because foreign odors should not get into the raw materials. This method can be easily done at home, but you have to do a second distillation. Process:

1. Make sure the oil is odorless.
2. Moonshine must be diluted with water so that its strength is from 15 to 20 degrees.
3. Add oil to raw materials in proportions of 20 ml per 1 liter of drink.
4. The container with the drink must be shaken for 1 minute, then stand for 3 minutes and shake again.
5. Place the container with liquid in a dark place at a temperature of 5-15 ° C for 24 hours.
6. After a day, an oil film forms on the surface of the raw material, which is saturated with dangerous impurities.
7. Pour alcohol into another container through a thin tube, so as not to touch the film.
8. Filter the purified composition through cotton wool with activated carbon.
9. Distill the drink again.

milk

Cleansing through milk is a proven method. But it is worth considering that for a good result, you need to choose the right milk and take into account proportionality. Full fat milk will not work unless a re-distillation is planned. Otherwise, the drink will become cloudy and unaesthetic in appearance.

Due to the fact that milk product rich in albumin and casein, it is possible to bind dangerous impurities together, make them go into a sedimentary composition, which is simply filtered out. In the end, you get alcohol with a delicate taste and a clean composition.

Purification option without distillation:

1. For 10 liters of moonshine with a strength of 45-50 ° C, 100-150 ml of low-fat milk is added. Due to the high strength, the protein folds better.
2. The raw material is thoroughly mixed, tightly sealed with a lid and placed in a dark place for one week. For the first 5 days, the jar should be shaken well once a day.
3. Moonshine is drained from the sediment and filtered through cotton wool.

Purification with distillation:

1. For one liter of moonshine with a strength of 45 ° C, there are 100 ml of fat milk.
2. The drink is mixed and closed with a lid.
3. The bank is placed for 5-7 days in a dark place.
4. Moonshine is drained from the sediment and diluted with water up to 20 ° C. A rerun is done.

activated carbon

Pharmaceutical activated carbon contains impurities, such as starch and talc, due to this, the taste of moonshine may deteriorate. It is best to use cleaner coal. You can get it from gas masks, water filters, or purchase special coal for making wine.

1. Coal is placed in raw materials in proportions of 50 grams per 1 liter of moonshine.
2. The mixture is infused for 1-2 weeks and periodically shaken.
3. Purified alcohol settles for 5 days and is cleaned through cotton wool.

Potassium permanganate

Dark purple particles of potassium permanganate, when in contact with water, turn it crimson. This ingredient is often used to clean moonshine from fusel oils.

1. 2 grams of potassium permanganate is combined with 1 liter of crude moonshine and mixes well.
2. A jar of raw materials is placed in a dark place for 10-12 days. The room temperature should be room temperature.
3. When the liquid becomes lighter, and a precipitate forms at the bottom, which can be filtered through the cotton wool.

soda

This method is the most controversial of the others. But people often use baking soda in cleaning strong drinks, as it can remove fusel oils and acetaldehyde. For the process of removing harmful substances are used: baking soda, caustic soda and potassium permanganate. But it is worth remembering that caustic alkali is not used separately, it can be dangerous to health! That is why this method has been disputed for a long time.

1. You need to mix two types of soda. For 1 liter of moonshine you need 10 g of soda. The drink must be no higher than 40 ° C of the fortress.
2. Moonshine mixed with soda should be infused in a dark place for 10-14 hours. After the first 50 minutes of infusion, moonshine should be mixed again.
3. Then carefully strain the drink so that the rest of the soda is completely gone. Be sure to do a second distillation, otherwise you can spoil the taste and aroma of alcohol.

Filters Barrier or Aquaphor

This method attracts many people with its ease and accessibility. Coal columns lose in price to water filters. This method is very good, but it has its drawbacks, which it is recommended to learn about in advance.

Official information from the sites indicates that replaceable cassette filters are designed only for water, and nothing is said about other liquids. The manufacturer is not responsible for the consequences if something goes wrong.

A special tank is made of plastic, upon contact with alcohol, it can begin to release hazardous substances - formaldehydes and phenolic compounds.

There is a way out: you can secure the quality of moonshine if you use not a plastic tank, but a glass jar as a receiving container by installing a filter element on its neck.

bread

Fresh and natural bread is suitable for the process. Cleansing with black bread is an old method used only by wealthy people. Traditional way:

1. The bread is cut into slices, the crust is removed, and the crumb needs to be finely crumbled.
2. The crumbs are added to a jar of moonshine, mixed thoroughly, the container is closed with a lid and placed in a dark place for 2-3 days.
3. The drink is filtered twice through a layer of cotton wool, diluted with water to 20 ° C and distilled again.

egg

Egg white contains enzymes that can absorb fusel oils and other harmful ingredients. Albumin and casein in the protein act as neutralizers. When protein interacts with fusel, harmful substances precipitate as a precipitate. It is worth knowing that this method does not portend a re-distillation.

1. Drink at a strength of 45 ° C is mixed with proteins. Proteins are needed in the amount of three syringe cubes per 3 liters of raw materials. It is important not to allow the yolk to get into the moonshine, otherwise it will taste like an egg.
2. Protein is miscible with water, approximately 10% of the total liquid. The two ingredients are carefully combined with a mixer until foam is formed.
3. The mixture is poured into a jar of moonshine and placed in a dark place for 7 days.
4. The liquid is shaken 1-2 times a day to thoroughly separate the fusel oils.
5. Moonshine is filtered through a cotton filter.

Freezing

This is the oldest way to purify moonshine. To do this, take an aluminum dish with a lid. Pour moonshine there and put the container in the freezer, for about twelve hours. The procedure is very simple, fusel oils and water freeze to the walls of the dishes, and the remaining alcohol will not freeze. Then you just need to drain it into another container.

But you need to remember that if you clean moonshine in this way, you will end up with a product that will have a greater strength than before it was frozen.

Fresh fruits and vegetables

Such purification of moonshine is used during the second distillation of the drink or immediately before use.

To do this, you need to take one medium carrot and one apple, after removing the core, cut everything into small pieces and add to moonshine, the strength of which is twenty-five degrees. Leave the jar with the resulting drink for a period of several days, when the carrot and apple begin to decompose into fibers, you need to strain the resulting drink convenient way.

Conclusion

Cleaning is considered one of the important steps in the preparation of a high-quality and safe product. These were the most popular ways to get rid of fusel oils, which are easy to perform even for beginners.

Attention, only TODAY!

Many have heard about the dangers of home-brewed alcohol compared to factory-made alcohol. This is especially true of strong alcohol, in particular, moonshine. But why is moonshine so harmful? It turns out that it contains a number of impurities, which are fermentation products and are very harmful to the body. In production, in the manufacture of vodka, a rectification process is used, resulting in a very pure drink. At home, you can also apply some simple cleaning methods; what is the cleaning of moonshine?

First of all, it is worth noting what kind of impurities affect the fact that the benefits of a homemade drink are small. These are fusel oils, aldehydes, methyl alcohol and acetone. The main purification that moonshine must go through is distillation. It must be carried out at least twice, and at least once the “heads” and “tails” must be cut off.

Purification of moonshine with a barrier filter

What are "heads" and "tails"? During distillation, moonshine is not separated into pure fractions, as during rectification. Despite the fact that the boiling point of water is 100 degrees, some of it will boil at a lower temperature. The same applies to other parts of the mash. Nevertheless, the main part of the substance evaporates at a specific time.

When the temperature of the mash reaches a little more than 74 degrees, the process of evaporation of impurities begins, in particular, acetone and methyl alcohol. The moonshine that will flow into the receiving container at this time contains alcohol, but a significant part of it will be these substances. They are easy to feel by the characteristic smell of acetone. This fraction is called "heads" and should be cut off.

After the "heads" another fraction is separated, called the "body". It consists mainly of water and alcohol with small impurities. The last to cut off are the "tails" - a liquid with a low alcohol content and a high one - fusel oils and aldehydes. It is these oils that are the main harmful substance in moonshine. And even though the “tails” are poured out, some of them remain. The main methods of cleaning moonshine are aimed precisely at cleansing it from such oils.

Physical cleaning methods

Why is alcohol that has been stored the most valued? The fact is that with aging, part of the fusel oils precipitates. In order for moonshine to be purified, it must be stored for at least three years. For such storage, oak barrels and glass are used. But what if there is no such time?

In production, in order to speed up the aging process of alcohol, the so-called heat stroke is used. It has long been noted that high temperatures alcohol ages much faster. For example, at a temperature of 70 degrees, this requires only a day, at 60 - four days, at 50 - 16, and so on. A temperature above 70 degrees does not make sense, since in this case the alcohol can boil.

How to properly clean moonshine with this method? Need to find the most warm place in the house and place moonshine in a glass container there, a three-liter jar is perfect. Where could such a place be? If there is an attic above the house, then the temperature in it in summer can reach suitable values. If possible, a thermostat can also be used. Further, depending on the temperature, we maintain the required time interval and get a tasty and clean drink.

Another effective way cleaning - freezing. Here the effect is that the freezing temperature different substances is different. Fusel oils, as you know, begin to solidify already at a temperature of 10 degrees. Over the entire volume of the container under such conditions, they fall into flakes and are well filtered with a paper towel.

To quickly separate fusel oils, use a refrigerator or freezer. If you cool the drink to 30 degrees, then you can also significantly increase its strength, since part of the water will also freeze. However, the method also has a disadvantage: only fusel oils can be separated, lighter fractions remain.

Chemical cleaning methods

Most best method- cleaning with activated carbon. There are several possible ways carry it out. So, :

• Install the filter immediately after the moonshine exits the coil and in front of the receiving tank. The filter consists of a funnel, in which a cotton pad is first placed, and then small fractions of activated carbon are placed. Large fractions are laid out on them and again - a cotton pad.
• Another way is as follows. After the drink is ready, add activated charcoal directly to the jar and let it brew for a while, from two to 14 days, then strain through cheesecloth.

Cleaning moonshine with milk

This cleaning is ideal for processing before. It is recommended to apply charcoal in particular birch. One option for such cleaning is to simply use a water filter, especially if it contains pieces of silver. There are also specialized filters. If cleaning is carried out by placing coal in a jar, then by quantity it should be taken at the rate of 50 g per liter.

Another common substance for cleaning moonshine is potassium permanganate, or potassium permanganate. How to clean moonshine with potassium permanganate? It must be used diluted, 300 ml warm water three grams of the substance is taken. The prepared solution is used for two liters of finished moonshine. To increase efficiency, you can add a spoonful of soda and salt. After 12 hours, the settled product is filtered with cotton wool.

Milk is also an excellent product for cleaning moonshine at home. The only thing worth noting is that this method can only be used after the final distillation. The fact is that after cleaning, a certain amount of protein molecules remain in the moonshine, which, when heated and evaporated, can give it an unpleasant smell and taste.

With the help of 200 ml of milk, 20 liters of moonshine with 50% alcohol content can be purified. At the same time, milk should be pasteurized and low-fat, no more than 1–1.5%. In order to do it right, the following recommendations should be followed:

• after the final purification stage, the milk is poured into moonshine;
• after that, shake the container with force several times;
• close the container with the product with a lid and set it for seven days in a dark place with a temperature of about 20 degrees;
• shake the mixture daily for five days in a row;
• two days fusel oils will settle;
• after that we filter through a layer of cotton wool.

If the drink at the end turned out to be cloudy, then you can use the peel of a lemon or orange. It must be added to the drink and insisted for a day. So that the smell and taste are not strongly felt, take one fruit per three liters. This method is somewhat similar to the one used in production, but casein protein is taken instead of milk.

By analogy with milk, cleaning moonshine at home from fusel oils can also be done with egg white. One protein is taken per 1.5 liters of moonshine, provided that the alcohol content is 50%. The protein is whipped with a glass of warm water and placed in a drink. Further, the technology exactly corresponds to that of cleaning with milk.

Before the second distillation, you can try to clean the moonshine with fruit. This processing is characterized by the fact that it gives the final product a distinct taste and aroma. Example: we take one carrot and one apple for three liters of 25-degree moonshine, or 1.5 liters of 50-degree moonshine. First, they must be cut into pieces, and the core should be removed from the apples. We defend the product for two to three days, until the fruits begin to exfoliate into fibers. After that, they can be removed, and the solution re-distilled.

The most affordable product for cleaning is soda. It is inexpensive and is always at home at hand. A powder of 10 grams per liter of moonshine is taken and settled for at least 12 hours. In order to remove the sediment, filters or cotton discs are suitable.

It is quite original to clean moonshine with refined oil. The possibility of such cleaning is the fact that water and alcohol do not mix with oil, but fusel oils stick together with it. For one liter of product, you need to take 20 grams of oil. It should be as clean as possible, otherwise the taste will remain in the moonshine.

After adding the vessel, shake thoroughly every five minutes three to four times. Set aside 12 hours. Fusel oils and refined oil will be on top, while moonshine is on the bottom. In order to get it out of there, we use a tube lowered to the bottom. Alternatively, you can also turn the bottle upside down so that the moonshine is near the cork, and drain.

All methods of cleaning moonshine are good, but not ideal. In order for moonshine to be completely cleaned and not inferior in quality to factory-made drinks, it is necessary to use another method - rectification. Today it is quite affordable for home conditions, necessary equipment you can buy and make your own. This should not take a lot of time and money, but the quality of the product will be excellent.

Purification of moonshine is an event necessary for those who, when drinking their favorite drink, do not want to be poisoned by dangerous substances and feel crushed in the morning. Of course, not only harmful. First of all, you should not forget that it is not so important what quality the drink you drink, if you do it in limited quantities. Lots of moonshine even good quality cause irreparable damage to health.

Novice moonshiners do not always pay due attention to cleaning moonshine at home, more experienced ones know that cleaning moonshine from unhealthy fusel oils is simply necessary.

Cleaning moonshine also helps to remove a specific smell. It should be noted that it is not necessary to clean the moonshine that has just been kicked out, let it cool down and settle for at least a day. If the strength of moonshine is high, then it needs to be diluted clean water up to 35-40 alcohol degrees. This is done in order to make moonshine easier to give fusel oils. There are many ways to clean moonshine at home. Let's consider some of them in more detail:

Cleaning moonshine with potassium permanganate

Cleaning moonshine with charcoal

Cleaning moonshine with milk

Cleaning moonshine with black bread

Cleaning moonshine with egg white

Cleaning moonshine freezing method