46 moonshine recipes + step-by-step cooking technology at home

People who made the 90s at a conscious age can easily guess the name of this unique folk drink. They fought with him, loved and hated him, suffered from him, but sooner or later they came for another bottle. I will not exaggerate, today I will talk about moonshine – the cult liquor of its time.

I don’t know how it is now, but in my youth it was very easy to find places where moonshiners live. It is enough to go out into the street in the morning and see a picture of how flocks of swollen, bluish men crowd around some entrance. A sure sign that something very interesting is happening in one of the apartments.

It cannot be said that moonshine is a 100% negative phenomenon. At that time, people were learning how to make alcohol, and some did it quite well. Moreover, moonshine, brewed from high quality ingredients and strictly according to the recipe, is much better than alcohol bought in a regular store. I’m not talking about the “palenque”, which is generally life-threatening.

Today you will learn very cool recipes for homemade moonshine and at least learn to distinguish a good product from a life-threatening one. In addition, I will talk about typical mistakes when making moonshine and will not let you fall asleep from boredom with interesting historical facts.

What is moonshine

Believe me if I tell you that moonshine did not exist before 1917? Rather, there was such a word, but it meant a beast caught in pursuit. But moonshine was then called a tavern, as a private drinking establishment is now called (analogue: a tavern, an inn).

Now moonshine is a relatively inexpensive and affordable product, but before it was worth its weight in gold, literally. The first drinking establishment was opened under Ivan the Terrible, and only persons close to the crown and distinguished military ranks could enter there. Moonshine was stored in oak barrels, as they do with whiskey today, and for ordinary peasants such pleasure was completely inaccessible.

I will not bore you with history and tell you about the features of making moonshine. As you know, moonshine is an alcoholic drink that is made at home by distilling mash. Production conditions impose certain restrictions on raw materials, so almost all sugar-rich foods are used to make moonshine: potatoes, cereals, sugar syrup, corn, honey, etc. The list is endless.

If you do not go into the wilds, then the entire process of making moonshine can be divided into four phases.

Required:

• cooking mash;
• obtaining moonshine by distillation.

Optional:

• rectification;
• cleaning.

Obviously, such activities are not very popular with governments that own a monopoly on the production of alcohol, therefore, in most developed countries, making moonshine for sale is a crime.

For comparison: in the USSR, for the sale of moonshine they could give up to 6 years with confiscation of property, and for production for their own, up to 2 years with confiscation of the moonshine still and products.

Experience from other countries

Despite the fact that moonshine is considered a native Russian drink, alcohol according to a similar recipe is prepared in many countries of the world. I will not list all types of such “moonshine”, I will only mention the most interesting ones.

Arak

Despite the complete ban on alcohol, in some Muslim countries they prepare their own moonshine. In Iran, it is called Arak, and it is obtained by fermenting fruits. It turns out a slightly cloudy drink (without purification) with a slight aroma of anise.

Chacha

You have probably heard about this alcohol, which is produced in the countryside of Georgia. It is prepared from the pulp obtained by squeezing grapes, and this drink can reach 65 degrees in strength.

An interesting fact: the production of chacha in Georgia is allowed at the legislative level.

Kasippu

One of the closest types of moonshine to us is prepared in Sri Lanka. It consists of sugar and yeast, which makes this analogue of moonshine affordable, and, therefore, popular with the local population. According to statistics, up to 90% of all alcohol in the country is counterfeit, and one can only guess how much of this volume is casippu.

How to calculate the proportion of ingredients for mash

First, let’s figure out what a braga is. Everything is simple, this is the result of the interaction of yeast and sugar. On average, 1 liter of moonshine requires about 1 kg of sugar, 4,5 liters of water and 90 grams of pressed yeast. If you use dry – 14 g. As a result, we should get moonshine with a strength of about 40 degrees.

These are average proportions, and specifically in your case, everything may be different. If moonshine is not made from sugar, the amount of ingredients will differ from those indicated.

Braga inversion: what is it and why is it needed

Inverting the mash is an attempt to speed up the fermentation process by 1-3 days and reduce the percentage of yeast waste products.

For fruit brews, inversion avoids the deterioration of organoleptic properties and produces better moonshine at the output.

For inversion, citric acid and sugar are used, preparing a kind of syrup. For 1 kg of sugar you will need:

• 0,52 L of water;
• 1 g citric acid.

Preparation:

Pour water into a suitable size pan and bring it to 75-80 degrees. Pour in the sugar and stir until it is completely dissolved. Bring to a boil and cook over medium heat for 5-8 minutes (be sure to remove the resulting foam). We switch the gas to a minimum and pour citric acid to the syrup obtained from sugar. Add it in small portions so that the liquid does not foam.

We cover the pan with a lid and cook for about an hour at a temperature of 75-80 degrees. Let the mixture cool to room temperature and pour into a special container. Add yeast water and wait for fermentation to start.

Signs of the readiness of the mash

There are two ways to find out if the mash is ready for distillation. The first is to use special tools – an alcoholometer and a hydrometer. To determine the% alcohol, pour a little mash into a long glass and then lower the alcohol meter. If the indicators of the device range from 10% to 12%, then the mash is ready for the first distillation.

We find out the sugar content with a hydrometer. Take a glass in which the mash from the previous measurement remains, and pour the contents into another glass through cheesecloth. We measure the % sugar content. If the indicators do not exceed 1,002 (1%), then the raw material is ready.

The second method is organoleptic, and if it is simpler, we determine the readiness by the type and taste of raw materials.

Visual indicators of the readiness of the mash:

• bubbles have disappeared in the water seal (indicates the end of the fermentation process);
• the top layer of the mash has acquired a light (against the background of the rest of the liquid) color, and sediment has accumulated below;
• open the tank and bring a burning match to the mash. If it does not go out, then the release of carbon dioxide has stopped and the raw material is ready for distillation.

Tip: To make it easier to keep track of the mash, use a transparent container if possible.

Taste indicators of mash readiness:

• pour some liquid into a glass and smell it, there should be a distinct alcohol note in the smell;
• taste the mash (bitterness indicates the dissolution of sugars that have successfully “turned” into alcohol).

What can be cleaned: Braga overview of options

Convinced that the mash is ready? Then we proceed to the next stage. People’s ingenuity came up with many ways to clean raw materials. So many that their complete list and description are worthy of a separate book, but not this article.

I will focus on the most accessible, accepted and proven technologies that are suitable for home use.

Coal

You have probably heard of carbon filters for water purification. The processing of mash with coal works according to a similar principle. I will say right away that this is not about coal, do not confuse. Braga is cleaned with a woody version. The most common is charcoal made from coconut shells.

How it works:

If we clean ready-made moonshine, then the alcohol content will have to be reduced to 40-45 degrees by diluting with artesian water. There are no such restrictions for braga. We grind coal at the rate of 50-60 grams per 1 liter of liquid and let it brew for about a week. After the process is completed, pour the liquid into another container, after filtering fine coal fractions through several layers of gauze.

It is not worth keeping coal in the wash for more than a week, although it has high absorbent properties, its potential is not unlimited. During the cleaning process, I recommend shaking the liquid, once a day is enough.

Маргацовка

Another way to clean the mash is to use a solution or crystals of potassium permanganate. The process is similar to the previous method.

1. Pour the crystals into a container with future moonshine and leave for half a day in a dark place. In the next step, we will have to use a household water filter and strain the contents into a new container. The output is a clear liquid without a fusel odor.
2. For this method, we heat the mash to 38-40 degrees and pour potassium permanganate into the liquid. Stir the contents until the crystals are completely dissolved and leave in a dark place for 72 hours. After we drive the liquid through a household filter, as in the first embodiment.

Bentonite

Bentonite has long been used in the wine industry to clarify the must, so its use in the purification of moonshine is not surprising. To drive out all the excess from the mash, bentonite needs to be prepared.

We take raw materials at the rate of 3-4 grams per 1 liter of mash and grind it into small pieces (as we did with coal). We put them in the oven to dry at a temperature of 120-130 degrees for 30-40 minutes. We grind the dried raw materials to a state of powder and pour them in small portions into hot water (the volume of water is about 0,5-1 l). We wait 10 minutes until the mixture is saturated with liquid and pour the contents into the mash, after which we stir well.

Important! Buy bentonite approved for use in the food industry. The easiest option is to buy in a specialized store.

The main indicator of successful cleaning is bentonite sediment. The suspension period is from an hour to a day, although in fermented mash this can happen in 20 minutes. The last stage is the overflow of the clarified mash into a new container. This must be done very carefully, without disturbing the sediment.

Soda

Soda is used in two cases: reducing the acidity of the mash and cleaning the moonshine of the first distillation. Let me tell you about both options. To reduce the acidity of the mash, pour soda into it at the rate of 1 tsp. per 10 liters of raw material. If you add more, the moonshine may have an unpleasant soapy aftertaste.

To purify moonshine, we take 10 g of soda per 1 liter of drink. Pre-dilute soda in water and pour the solution into alcohol. After 30 minutes, shake the moonshine and leave it alone for 12 hours. After the specified time, we pass the contents through a household filter and pour into a new vessel.

milk

Perhaps this is the most controversial way to clean the mash, but it is also popular. To do this, we need the least fat milk, I took 1%. Pour the milk into the mash at the rate of 1:10. That is, if you have a five-liter container, 0,5 liters will be enough. We leave the mixture in a dark place for 2-3 hours, after which we pour it into a new container through several layers of gauze.

Types of moonshine stills

How to drive moonshine is an incredibly vast topic, which is not enough just to read about. You must know the principles of operation of moonshine stills, and ideally have experience in moonshine brewing.

Classic

The design of a classic moonshine still (distiller) consists of two parts: a distillation pipe and a cooling coil. This is the simplest and most affordable option, which is ideal as a first device.

We pour the mash into the evaporation cube and heat it to the boiling point of alcohol. Alcohol vapors evaporate and enter the distillation pipe. The steam moving along it gradually cools down, turning into alcohol, which enters the coil, and from it into the collection container.

I want to note that it will not work to make perfectly clean moonshine in this way. There are always impurities that will affect the taste and aroma of the drink.

Advantages:

• simple design and easy replacement of parts;
• attractive price;
• some like that such an apparatus leaves a slight aftertaste of the raw materials from which the moonshine was made;
• suitable for a wide range of spirits (cognac, whisky, rum, etc.).

Disadvantages:

• poor cleaning of the final product;
• requires additional purification of the mash before distillation;
• for the price of models made of good materials, you can find more advanced devices.

With beer column

Apparatuses with a beer column work according to a more complex principle, which allows you to reach a completely new level of purification of moonshine. As in the previous version, alcohol evaporates from the surface of the heated mash. It enters a special vertical pipe, which cools the vapor to a liquid state.

Part of the moonshine goes further, and part in the form of phlegm returns back and slightly cools the evaporating liquid. Thanks to this effect, fusel oils do not get into the final product, and the moonshine is clean, without foreign odors and tastes.

Advantages:

• high strength of the product (90-93%);
• price within availability;
• we get the purest alcohol;
• if you remove the reflux condenser, then the apparatus can be used as a conventional distiller.

Disadvantages:

• the quality of the product drops as the alcohol in the mash decreases, the fewer there are, the worse the moonshine will turn out;
• distillation takes a long time;
• large dimensions.

With sukhoparnik

In fact, this is a double distillation system, due to which air reflux (condensation of mixtures) of moonshine is carried out. In such devices, after the evaporation cube, there is a prikubnik (dry steamer), in which the steam is reheated, but already at lower temperatures.

Lowering the temperature causes the impurities to condense out while the alcohol vapor continues its way through the tubes.

There can be from 1 to 3 such blocks, depending on the model. More blocks – higher degree of purification. At the output, we get the purest alcohol, from which it is not a shame to make moonshine.

Advantages:

• high degree of purification;
• great taste.

Disadvantages:

• price of advanced models.

With distillation column

This is aerobatics in the matter of moonshine distillation. The strength of the final product can reach 96%, and an advanced cleaning system will not leave a hint of the raw materials used for the production of moonshine. Although it is difficult to call the resulting alcohol moonshine, it is closer to pure alcohol.

During rectification, the mash is subjected to fractional separation, due to which impurities are almost completely removed from the final drink. As I said, the purity of alcohol reaches 96%, so you can’t call the result a full-fledged moonshine.

Advantages:

• we get pure alcohol of the highest strength;
• impurities are removed in one distillation;

Disadvantages:

• high price;
• not appropriate for home brewing (my subjective opinion).

Which is better to choose for the first mash

In this section, I will be subjective, and many experienced moonshiners may not agree with me. Just keep in mind, all the following words are purely my personal opinion.

Advantages of a steamer: a high degree of purification and a pleasant taste of moonshine. In addition, other alcoholic beverages, including flavored vodka, can be prepared in such a device.

Now some specifics. If the price is of great importance, you can start with simple domestic models. For example, the moonshine still “Bear” Profi will cost about 7700 rubles. For this money you will get a 20 liter stainless steel tank, a distiller with a steamer, an overpressure relief valve, and a thermometer. I note the versatility of the connections, which will positively affect the maintainability of the device.

By adding about 4 thousand rubles, you can look in the direction of the moonshine still “Germany 3”. This is already a modified version, taking into account the shortcomings of previous models. It is also designed for 20 liters, and for a thirty-liter model you will have to “lay out” several thousand more.

You can go higher at prices, but here you need to know what it is worth giving money for. If you are an aesthete, pay attention to models made of copper. They look cool, are more reliable, but cost just crazy money. For a more or less decent model, they ask from 60 thousand rubles.

What equipment and materials will be needed for a classic moonshine recipe

What could be better than a strong moonshine made “in the classic way”, and even after a bath, but with a cucumber or herring. Did you also feel increased salivation? Then let’s not get carried away. I don’t promise a bathhouse and a snack, but I can always tell you about the recipe for real moonshine. Remember, all components come with the expectation of 10 liters of water, so it is much more convenient to adjust the required volumes for yourself. Just multiply.

Footnote: since there are many interpretations of the classic recipe, I will take the most successful one, in my opinion. I will say right away that this is not a recipe without inverting, otherwise it is likely that we will not succeed at all.

We take the simplest ingredients:

1. Water. I do not advise taking tap water, even if it has been settled for several days. Buy bottled artesian water – you can’t go wrong. 10 liters for mash and 1,25 liters for boiling syrup.
2. We take yeast in a specialized store or from a trusted moonshiner friend. We need 50 g dry or 250 g pressed.
3. Sugar. To “feed” our yeast, we need 2,5 kg of sugar;
4. 10 g citric acid.

From the inventory we need:

• alcohol mashine;
• pan;
• gauze;
• containers for pouring finished moonshine;
• two barrels for mash;
• alcohol meter (optional);
• charcoal and bentonite (I advise).

What containers are needed for wort and mash

Briefly about the containers used. I use a saucepan to prepare and store the syrup. For mash I use two plastic barrels, ideally transparent ones. This makes it easier to keep track of the condition of the raw materials. For alcohol of the first distillation, I take a food canister.

In what to store ready-made moonshine, decide for yourself. I advise you to take glass containers, in which case nothing will happen to alcohol. If you make an aged drink, then use a wooden (preferably oak) barrel, but you need to store alcohol in this form, and not ready-made diluted moonshine.

How to make classic moonshine at home step by step instructions

Stage #1: preparation

We disinfect all utensils and tools with which we will work. Small-sized inventory can be boiled, and barrels and moonshine will have to be washed with hot water.

In a saucepan, prepare an inverted syrup of sugar (2 kg) and citric acid. In the chapter “Inverting the mash: what it is and why it is needed”, I described the cooking method, so I will not repeat it. The only controversial point is slightly different proportions due to different recipes. We will stick to the classic.

Stage #2: Wort

We make a sourdough, dissolving the remaining sugar in a liter of water, and add the yeast. We heat the water to a temperature of 25-28 degrees and pour it into a barrel for mash. Add sourdough, inverted syrup and mix well. Subsequently, stir the mash 1 time per day until the end of fermentation.

Important! It is necessary to maintain a stable temperature of the mash. At high temperatures, it can turn sour, and at low temperatures, the fermentation process will not begin at all. You need to put a barrel of mash in a warm place or use a heater (for example, an aquarium).

Stage #3: end of fermentation and cleaning

If everything went well, then after 4-12 days the fermentation process should be completed. How to check this I wrote in the section “Signs of readiness of mash”. Use several methods at once to achieve 100% results.

Now let’s take care of cleaning and clarifying the raw materials before the primary distillation. I advise you to use bentonite, it is well suited for mash, and already when distilling moonshine we will use charcoal. He also talked about the use of bentonite.

We pour the cleaned and fermented mash into the second barrel (we try not to raise the sediment) and we get raw materials ready for primary distillation.

Stage number 4: we get raw alcohol

So the main and most long-awaited process has come – we are driving alcohol. At this stage, we are engaged in real alcohol surgery: we separate the body from the head and tails. Pour the brew into the moonshine and heat it up to 85-86 degrees. After 15 minutes, we reduce the temperature to 65 degrees, after another 5 minutes we reduce the power to a minimum, and after another 15 we heat it to 88 degrees.

The first liquid that came out of the moonshine is the heads. In my case, they were about 250 ml and the best way to determine when they run out is to take some of the alcohol that comes out and rub it on the wrist. If the smell of acetone has disappeared, it means that the raw alcohol we need has gone from the coil.

Step #5: Redistillation

Using an alcohol meter, we determine the strength of alcohol and dilute it with water to 20%. Further, there is a process similar to the primary distillation. We separate the heads from the body, and when the alcohol strength at the outlet drops to 40%, we cut off the tails, stopping the distillation.

The strength of the resulting alcohol is from 75 to 88% and depends on the method of distillation. For consumption, I advise you to reduce the fortress to 40% by adding pure artesian water.

Step #6: You Can Try It

I did not immediately advise, but with repeated distillation, you can try to ennoble the drink. This is done very simply – add herbs and spices to taste to the sukhoparnik (if the device is with a sukhoparnik).

It is possible to re-clean with charcoal, but I do not think that it will affect the final product. Personally, I did not do this, although I heard that coal worsens the taste of moonshine.

Selection of raw materials

The choice of ingredients for moonshine must be approached very responsibly. If you cook at home, then with almost 100% probability, the raw materials from which it is made will be felt in the finished moonshine. Therefore, do not use those products that you do not like.

Separately, I want to talk about products that are suitable for moonshine. There are many of them, so I won’t go into details. Let’s go through the basics.

Nutritional base – sugar

Sugar is the most common ingredient in moonshine. Absolutely anyone will suit us, even sand, even refined sugar. You most likely will not be able to control its quality, so I advise you to take not the cheapest one. When using low-quality sugar, the drink turns cloudy, sometimes with an unpleasant odor.

Glucose and fructose

Both of these products are often used to soften moonshine, and they act as a nutritional base much less often. In theory, it’s better than sugar, but twice as expensive. If you cook for yourself and the issue of cost is not acute, then they can be used.

I advise you to choose fructose, especially when making whiskey, rum and similar spirits.

Inverted sugar

Probably the most practical, reliable and cheap option for making moonshine. It prevents the mash from souring, is easy to prepare and is inexpensive. That’s the one I use.

Choice of yeast for sugar mash

The best option is special yeast for sugar mash. I use COOBRA alcohol yeast (not a commercial) made in the UK. They show themselves perfectly in terms of fermentation speed.

If time does not bother you, take any wine, alcohol, baker’s, or at least brewer’s yeast. The main thing is that you are confident in the manufacturer.

water for cooking

I’ll start with the water that is generally not suitable – distilled and boiled. With a few caveats, you can use tap water for moonshine, but let it sit for a few days. Although I do not advise, you never know what muck is found there.

Preparation of wort

Perhaps there is no more crucial moment than the preparation of the wort. In fact, this is not yet fermented mash and a nutrient medium for yeast. Pay special attention to the decontamination of tools and containers. Pathogenic fauna can prevent yeast from fermenting and ruin the whole process.

The simplest wort for moonshine is prepared from water and sugar; in more complex versions, the nutrient medium is created by fruits, berries and cereals. Sometimes they even use jam.

Fermentation

This is the main process by which alcohol is released. It is extremely dependent on temperature, so the ideal conditions for fermentation are 28-31 degrees. The duration depends on the type of yeast and the content of sugars in the raw material.

Distillation and purification of mash

Cleaning the mash is a rather interesting question. I will say that not everyone does this at the mash stage and cleans up after the first distillation.

I am inclined to believe that it would not hurt to lighten the mash with bentonite. This will not rid it of impurities, but will significantly improve the quality of moonshine. Especially if you are using a distiller without a steamer.

Obtaining raw alcohol

Raw alcohol is the result of the first distillation of the mash. It still contains many impurities, heads and tails. I recommend cleaning it with charcoal and only then letting it go for a second distillation.

Controlling the distillation process with a thermometer

The question of the degree of heating of the liquid during distillation is very interesting. There is a table according to which the temperature should depend on the alcohol content in the selected liquid. The smaller it is, the higher we raise the temperature.

Here I will disagree a little with the generally accepted opinion and advise you not to squeeze all the alcohol out of the cube. Thus, you will pick up tails, which you will have to get rid of and only lose in the amount of moonshine. I advise you to stop the distillation when the percentage of alcohol in the selection is 35-40%.

First distillation

When we extract alcohol from the mash, it contains a huge amount of unwanted compounds. There are so many of them that drinking it in its pure form is not safe for health. Our task is to get rid of them as much as possible.

To do this, you need to “play” with the temperature regime. We heat the brew to 86 ℃, then reduce the temperature to 65 ℃, after that we set the heater power to a minimum and after a while increase it to 88 ℃.

Head and tail removal or clarification

In all other cases, I advise you to carry out additional cleaning with charcoal after the first distillation. Now about the hooves, or rather about the heads and tails. The heads are cut off by draining the first distilled alcohol. Approximately 30 ml for every kg of sugar used. Tails are a little more difficult. To get rid of them, you will have to stop distillation when the alcohol content in the selection drops to 35-40%.

Degassing

During fermentation, carbon dioxide arises in the mash, you can see this by the bubbles in the water seal. When the process ends, there is still a lot of carbon dioxide in the inner layers of the liquid that needs to be disposed of. I will give three examples, and you yourself will choose the one you like the most.

Degassing methods:

1. Heat the mash to 59℃ and stir gradually until the bubbles disappear.
2. Mix the mash with a drill with a construction nozzle.
3. Use bentonite, which will absorb carbon dioxide.

Second distillation

At this stage, raw alcohol is converted into almost pure alcohol. The resulting liquid is already drinkable, but we still need to cut off the heads and tails.

Dilution and settling

After distillation, we get a liquid with an alcohol content of 75% -96%. I don’t advise drinking this, so we’ll dilute it to the usual 40 degrees. For example, to dilute 1 liter of 96% alcohol to 40%, you need to add about 1400 ml of water to it. Do not forget about one trick, you need to pour alcohol into water, and not vice versa.

After dilution, moonshine needs to rest for about a week. During this time, all physical and chemical processes will take place in the drink, after which it will be ready for use.

Braga video recipes

I noticed that it is very difficult for beginners to master the preparation of moonshine at the first stages. All these proportions and processes in isolation from their own experience look a bit abstract. To help in your endeavors, I decided to give detailed examples of cooking mash: on berries and sugar.

The most popular moonshine recipes

I can’t even imagine how a person uninitiated in moonshining will read the following chapters. I mentioned in passing that completely different raw materials are used for moonshine: sugar, potatoes, berries, fruits. Believe me, what I will write about below will surprise you.

On dry yeast

The choice of yeast is entirely up to you. For the manufacture of moonshine, both dry and pressed options are suitable. I can say that it is easier to handle dry ones: they take up little space; stored longer; less dosage.

If we talk about the types of yeast, then baking, wine and beer are ideal for moonshine. Sometimes I use specialized ones – for moonshine.

From jam

Let’s start with the less shocking ingredients. I am sure you will not be surprised that moonshine can be made from jam. These are berries, they are sweet, which means that the yeast will be delighted. You are completely right. For 15 liters of water, we need 3 liters of jam, 150 grams of pressed yeast and a little sugar for more confident fermentation (optional).

And while Carlson is crying because of the waste of such a precious product, let’s make a brew out of it (from jam). The distillation process of such moonshine is standard, and the finished product must be allowed to rest for 2-3 days in a dark place.

Cognac from grapes

Grapes are rich in sugars, which means they are an excellent raw material for the production of alcohol. But we will not make wine, but cognac, almost five-star. To do this, take 30 kg of wine material, 3 kg of sugar and only 4 liters of water.

During the fermentation process, a megzi crust will form on the surface of the mash, which must be destroyed by stirring. Grapes ferment for a long time – up to 40 days. After the first run, we dilute the raw alcohol to 20% and pour it into the moonshine again. You are already familiar with cutting off heads and tails, I will not repeat myself.

In order for the resulting wine spirit to become cognac, we infuse it in an oak barrel or, which is simpler, we infuse oak chips in it. Choose the best option for yourself.

Wheat moonshine

When preparing wheat moonshine, you need to follow a few simple rules:

• wheat must be free of mold;
• collected more than 2 months ago;
• dry, without husks and debris.

For the recipe, take 6 kg of wheat, which needs to be ground to a powder state and poured into a fermentation barrel. Add there 4,5 liters of water, 150 g of yeast and 1,5 kg of sugar. We mix the contents and leave to ferment for 1 week.

The resulting mash is distilled according to the already known scheme. To obtain good moonshine, we repeat the distillation process twice.

From wheat without yeast

This recipe will take a little longer, but the organoleptic properties of moonshine will easily pay for it. The requirements for raw materials are the same. Ingredients: 1 kg of wheat, 1 liter of water and 250 g of sugar.

We cook sugar syrup and pour prepared wheat with it so that the grains hide by 3-4 cm. To prevent the raw materials from sour, mix the contents at least 1 time per day. Approximately on the 5th day, the fermentation process should begin. The resulting sourdough is used to make wheat mash.

The distillation process is unchanged.

Chacha from moonshine

To prepare real homemade chacha, you will need 10 kg of grape pomace (wine production waste). To speed up the process, take 5 kg of sugar, 100 g of dry yeast and about 30 liters of water.

We heat the water to 26-28 degrees and throw all the ingredients into it, after which we stir. The fermentation process takes from 1 to 2 weeks, after which the filtered mash is poured into the distillation cube.

Mead

Consider one of the quick classic recipes. We will need:

• honey – 1 l;
• sugar – 5 st. l .;
• pressed yeast – 100 g;
• water – 3,5 l.

Pour water into a saucepan and put it on fire. Add honey and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. After 10 minutes, remove the pan from the heat and let cool to 27-30 degrees. We dilute yeast and sugar in 100 ml of warm water and pour into a container with a water seal. We also add the contents of the pan there and leave to ferment for 10 days. Ready mash is filtered and distilled in a moonshine still.

Moonshine from potatoes

For the preparation we need:

• 10 kg of potatoes;
• 650 grams of barley malt;
• 20 L of water;
• 650 grams of sugar;
• 70 g dry or 320 g pressed yeast.

My potatoes and rub it on a grater. We heat 14 liters of water in a saucepan to a temperature of 70 degrees (do not boil) and throw potatoes. Add malt and stir. Reduce the temperature to 65°C and cook the potatoes for 60 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove the pan from the stove and cool it to 30°C. We pour all the liquid into the fermentation barrel, pour the remaining water and sugar heated to 50 ° C there. We mix the contents of the container and leave to ferment for 6-12 days until the finished mash is formed.

Bread moonshine

We increase the degree with a simple recipe for moonshine from bread. Brown bread is ideal for our moonshine – 10 loaves, 3 kg of grain, 13 liters of water and 600 g of pressed yeast.

Moonshine from corn

Since the recipe from corn kernels is very difficult to make at home, I will take a simpler one from cornmeal. To prepare this type of moonshine, we take:

• 1 kg of corn flour;
• 200 g of malt;
• 4,5 L of water;
• 20 g pressed or 4 g dry yeast.

Cook cornmeal at 50°C on a steam bath for 15 minutes. Add to 800 ml of water and raise the temperature to 80°C for 20 minutes. Cool the liquid to 50°C and add ground malt. Close the pan with a lid and leave for 5-7 hours. When the temperature in the pan drops to 28 ° C, add the yeast diluted in water and mix well. Pour the contents of the pan into a fermentation container and leave for 4-7 days.

from rice

The Japanese have been producing vodka (sake) from rice for centuries, but I am ready to answer them with rice moonshine. It sounds menacing, although preparing such a drink is quite simple. We will need:

• 1,5 kg of rice;
• 8,5 L of water;
• 250 g ground barley malt (you can use rye);
• 40 g of compressed yeast.

Pour rice with 5 liters of water and cook for 40 minutes until a homogeneous porridge. To prevent the rice from burning, constantly stir the contents of the pan. Add another 1 liter and turn off the fire.

When the porridge has cooled down to 65-68 degrees, we mix the crushed malt into it. Now we must maintain this temperature for another 1,5 hours, after which we remove the pan from the heat and cool to 28 ° C. Add diluted yeast to the cooled mass, add the remaining water and send the contents to the fermentation container. After about 5-7 days, the fermentation process will be completed and the raw material will be ready for subsequent distillation.

apple moonshine

Well, who will deny themselves a glass of cold and fragrant apple moonshine? So I couldn’t, so I decided to share a simple recipe. We will need:

• 1 kg of sugar (if the apples are sour, you can use more);
• ½ bucket of chopped apples;
• 50 g of wine yeast;
• 10 L of water.

We dilute the yeast in warm water and give it time to activate. At this time, grind the apples to a puree state and mix with sugar. All this is placed in a container for fermentation and filled with water, after which we stir until the sugar is completely dissolved. We pour out the dissolved wine yeast and send the must to ferment for a while.

The duration of fermentation depends on the variety of apples, so I recommend checking the must every 2 days. We learn about the end of fermentation by a water seal. With the help of heating, we get rid of the remaining carbon dioxide and send the mash for distillation. I recommend doing this process twice.

Quick mash from peas

Before starting the preparation of the mash, the peas are soaked for 3-4 hours in cold water. If you are cooking in the summer, I advise you to put the peas in the refrigerator. So he definitely won’t sour. Of the ingredients we need:

• 500 g peas;
• 1 kg of sugar;
• 4,5-5 liters of water;
• Xnumx dry yeast.

Pour sugar into a saucepan and pour 2 liters of water. Bring to a boil and cook for another 5-7 minutes while removing the foam. We prepare the yeast in warm water, they will come in handy a little later. We mix peas, syrup and the remaining water in a fermentation tank, measure the temperature (it should be between 26-28 ° C) and add yeast. Mix again, close the lid with a water seal and leave to ferment for a week.

Important: do not fill the fermentation tank completely. Pea must produces a lot of foam, which can clog the water seal.

From wine

We all know the miraculous transformation of water into wine, but I will go ahead and show you a new miracle: the distillation of wine into moonshine. I will say right away that you should not expect a biblical plot, everything happens purely according to science.

Any wine is suitable for distillation. We pour it into a cube and distill it until the degree of alcohol drops to 25-30 degrees at the selection. The resulting liquid is diluted with water up to 20% and sent for the second distillation.

After distillation, we dilute wine alcohol to 40-45% and let it brew for 3-5 days. The result is a fine brandy with a pleasant wine aroma.

From beer

Before preparing such moonshine, it is necessary to free the raw materials from excess carbon dioxide. Pour the beer into one large container and stir for an hour. We give him a little rest, 20-30 minutes and you can start distillation.

I do not advise you to sharply heat the beer during the initial distillation, otherwise you will get a lot of excess foam. At the exit, we have a liquid with a hoppy aroma and a strength of about 35-40% (depending on the strength of the raw material).

On the second and third distillations, we separate the tails and heads, we do not need them. As a result, about 70% of pure beer alcohol comes out for the total volume of raw alcohol. I recommend softening the drink by carbonation for 6 hours. I take about 25-30 g of charcoal per 1 liter of moonshine.

Unscented moonshine

To get rid of odors, I advise you to distill with a rectifier. Then you will get almost pure alcohol (up to 96%) without unnecessary inclusions. Dilute it with water and the odorless moonshine is ready.

If you do not have such a device, I will give some tips that, if they do not get rid of the smell, then they will definitely reduce it. So:

• use high-quality, not spoiled raw materials;
• do not speed up the fermentation process with additives;
• do not let the mash turn sour.

From birch sap

If you like birch sap and you have 5-10 liters of this drink lying around, you can make moonshine out of it. There are two options: with yeast and without. I will talk about the first one, it is more versatile and suitable for juice bought in a store. We take:

• birch sap – 10 l;
• sugar – 2-3 kg (if the juice is already with sugar, then we take less);
• dry yeast – 40 g or 200 g pressed.

We activate the yeast in a small amount of warm water and leave for 15-20 minutes. At this time, pour the juice into a saucepan, heat it to 30 ° C and add it to the sugar. Stir the contents of the pan until the sugar is completely dissolved.

Pour the juice with sugar into the fermentation container and add the yeast. We close the lid with a water seal and leave to ferment for 12-14 days in a warm place at a temperature of 22-27°C.

Note: Do not fill the fermentation tank completely. Birch sap can produce foam that will clog the water seal. The optimal filling is 2/4 of the volume of the container.

From mountain ash

Both red and black rowan are suitable for making moonshine, although I give my preference to the second option. For a good mash, take:

• 3 kg of mountain ash;
• 1,5 kg of sugar;
• 5 L of water;
• 150/30 g yeast.

Thoroughly wash and crush the berry, after which we throw it into a barrel for fermentation and cover it with sugar. Fill all this with water and add pre-activated yeast. The duration of fermentation depends on the time of harvesting the berries. Later rowan contains more sugar, so it will ferment earlier. We are looking at approximately 15-35 days. Before distillation, the mash must be cleaned by pouring the liquid through cheesecloth into a clean container.

From apricots

For apricot moonshine, I advise you to take only fresh ripe berries. We will need:

• pitted apricot – 10 kg;
• granulated sugar – 2-3 kg (depending on the sweetness of the berries);
• water – 15 l;
• 120/20 g yeast.

Wash the berries and pass through a meat grinder, after which we send them to a fermentation container. Pour all the sugar and pour water, constantly stirring. We add activated yeast and send the resulting wort to a dark room for 5-11 days.

from barley

Recipe:

• 2 kg of barley;
• 3 kg of granulated sugar;
• 20 L of water.

Before preparing barley mash, fill the seeds with clean water and place them in a dark place for several days. When sprouts appear, drain the water and pass the barley through a meat grinder. We pour the resulting malt into a large saucepan, add water and cook at a temperature of 60-70 ° C, stirring until the liquid becomes cloudy and the malt precipitates.

Cool the liquid to room temperature and pour out the granulated sugar. Pour everything into a fermentation container, stir again, close the lid and leave to ferment for 7-8 days.

from malt

Malt is the germinated seeds of cereals. For moonshine, based on 15-20 liters of water, you will need 2-2,5 kg of cereals from barley, rye or wheat. Approximately the same amount of sugar – 2-3 kg.

Before cooking mash, cereals need to be ground. A meat grinder or blender is ideal for this. The fermentation algorithm is no different from its counterpart in the manufacture of wheat or barley mash. There, in fact, malt is also used.

Combine flour

For 1 kg of flour, we need 250 g of malt, 5 liters of water and 50 g of pressed yeast. Flour needs to be boiled a little, according to a certain heating algorithm. Pour flour into a saucepan and pour water heated to 50 degrees. Mix until a homogeneous mass without lumps and heat to 65 ° C for 15 minutes, then cook the “porridge” for 60 minutes over low heat.

At this time, pour the crushed malt with hot water and mix until the liquid becomes cloudy. We cool the pan with flour to 63 ° C, add malt to it and cook at the indicated temperature for about 2 hours.

Remove the pan from the heat, cool to 30 ° C and add the yeast. Pour the contents into a container for fermentation and put in a warm place without access to sunlight for 5-15 days.

from bananas

We need:

• 5 kg bananas;
• 2 kg of sugar;
• 13 L of water;
• 40/150 g yeast.
• 2 teaspoons of milk or crumbled cracker to extinguish the foam.

Bananas need to be peeled and ground to a puree state. We mix berries in a saucepan (banana is a berry, who did not know) with sugar and, stirring, pour water. We heat up to 60 ° C and maintain this temperature for 50-70 minutes. The resulting mixture is removed from heat and allowed to cool to a yeast survival temperature of about 25-30 ° C. Pour it into a fermentation container, add yeast and leave for about a week.

Note: During fermentation, banana must will foam. To get rid of it, use milk or crackers.

From mulberry

In Armenia, mulberry moonshine is called “Tutovka”, and any kind of berry can be used for its manufacture. Black fruits grow in my area, so I will make moonshine using their example.

Ingredients:

• mulberry – 5 kg;
• water 6-7 liters;
• sugar from 1 to 3 kg (depending on the ripeness of the berry).

For a simple recipe, do not wash the mulberries, but simply knead them to a pulp and send them to a fermentation tank. Next, pour water heated to 30 ° C, and pour sugar. Thoroughly mix the contents and send to rest in a dark place at a temperature of 20-25 ° C.

Once a day, mix the raw materials, preventing the cake from rising to the surface. After 15-40 days, the mash process should ripen for the preparation of moonshine.

From persimmon

Persimmon moonshine is one of my favorite drinks, so I can’t help but share its recipe. Let’s take:

• 10 kg of persimmon;
• 5 L of water;
• 25 g citric acid.

For the recipe, we use only persimmon without traces of rot. We cut the berry into pieces, get rid of the seeds and pass through a meat grinder. We send the pulp to a fermentation container, fill it with warm water (28-30 ° C) and add citric acid. We mix everything well.

Grape

If you have ripe homemade grapes and you don’t know what to do with it, make moonshine. We wash the berries, crush them to the state of gruel and send them to a fermentation container. Pour warm water into the barrel, a little citric acid and mix.

The resulting must is infused in a dark room at a temperature not lower than 20°C for about 12-20 days. If you use a recipe with sugar and yeast, then the fermentation period will be reduced to 16 days. For the yeast-free version, I take:

• 1 part grapes;
• 3 parts water.

From pumpkin

There are several recipes for pumpkin moonshine, but we will talk about only one of them – without saccharification. For 10 kg of pumpkin pulp we take 22 liters of water and 200 g of dry yeast.

We cut the pumpkin into small pieces, throw it into a fermentation tank and fill it with water at a temperature of 25-30 ° C. Add diluted yeast and mix. We close the container with a lid with a water seal and send it to ferment for 1-2 weeks.

Note: You can use sugar in this recipe. It will increase the yield of moonshine, but weaken the pumpkin flavor of the drink.

Cherry

A classic of the genre – moonshine is prepared without yeast and sugar. For 3 kg of berries, we need 1 liter of water.

We do not wash the cherry, we only separate the stalk and the stone. We knead the berries to the state of gruel and send them to a separate container for 2-3 days, mixing the raw materials every day. During this time, foam and a sour smell should appear on the surface – the wort is ready. Pour the raw materials into a fermentation container, fill with water, mix and close the lid with a water seal.

We insist the must for 2-3 weeks.

We distill.

With oats

For 1 kilogram of oats we take:

• 6 L of water;
• 1 kg of sugar.

We make a simple syrup from 200 g of sugar and 1 liter of water. While it is cooling, wash the grain and remove the husk. Fill the oats with syrup and leave for 3 days until foam forms. Pour the wort into a fermentation vessel, add the remaining water and sugar. We mix the contents of the container and insist for about 2 weeks. Further according to the known algorithm.

from apples

If you use sweet varieties, you can do without adding sugar, but I advise you to take it in any case, albeit very little.

Ingredients:

• 10 kg of apples;
• 7 L of water;
• 1 kg of granulated sugar;
• 40 g pressed yeast or 10 g dry.

Cut the apples into slices and cut out the middle part with the seeds. We pass the fruits through a meat grinder and send them to a fermentation tank. Pour sugar on top, pour warm water and add yeast. We mix the wort until the sugar is completely dissolved, close the container with a lid and send it to ferment for 5-20 days.

We distill. profit.

from watermelon

This berry contains a large amount of liquid, so you do not need to add water. For 1 liter of moonshine you will need:

• 10-12 kg of watermelon pulp;
• 1 kg of sugar;
• 100/20 g yeast;
• gauze.

Get rid of watermelon pits. We wipe the berry through a sieve into a container covered with gauze. Thus, some of the bones will not miss the sieve cells, and the rest will remain on the fabric.

We heat the resulting juice to room temperature, add diluted yeast, sugar and mix. The resulting wort is sent to ferment in a warm room for 5-7 days.

Carrot

For moonshine from carrots, I advise you to choose table varieties, fodder contains too little sugar for a decent yield of alcohol. For wort I use:

• 20 kg carrots;
• 1,5 kg of sugar;
• 8 L of water;
• 240 g of compressed yeast.

Wash the carrots and cut into pieces and throw into the pan. Cook until soft, drain the water and knead. The resulting puree is placed in a fermentation container, add sugar, diluted yeast and pour water. We close the container with a lid and leave to ferment for 7-14 days.

We distill.

From dried fruits

We use only high-quality raw materials without signs of rot. Before cooking, dried fruits should be soaked in warm water, so the grams are indicated taking into account the raw materials that have gained moisture. We take:

• 5 kg of dried fruits (any);
• 2 kg of sugar;
• 150/30 g yeast.
• 10 liters of water (including the one with which we poured dried fruits).

We remove the seeds from dried fruits and place them in a fermentation container. When the water has cooled down to 27-30°C, add sugar, activated yeast and the remaining water. Mix the wort until smooth, close the lid and let it ferment for 1-2 weeks.

Further according to the plan.

From halva

Crush 10 kg of halva to a powder, place in a fermentation tank and pour 15 liters of warm water at a temperature of 28-30°C. Add 200 g of pressed yeast and stir the wort until smooth. The fermentation process lasts about 8 days, after which you can start distillation.

Fruit

For our recipe, absolutely any fruit without signs of spoilage is suitable. The higher the sugar content, the more moonshine you get. I indicate the ratio of ingredients for 7 kg of fruit:

• 1 kg of sugar;
• 50 gr. pressed yeast;
• 7 L of water.

From tomato paste

This interesting recipe was recommended to me by a friend of the distiller. For 1 kg of tomato paste we take:

• 1 kg of sugar;
• 6 L of water;
• 100/25 g yeast.

If the paste was in a closed package, then heat treatment is not needed. Otherwise, fill the raw material with 2 liters of boiling water and leave to cool to 30-32 ° C. Pour the pasta into a fermentation container, add sugar, yeast, the remaining water and mix. Such a must ferments for about 5 days, after which it can be distilled.

From sweets

For the preparation of moonshine, substandard raw materials are usually used. Candies are rich in sugar, so the alcohol yield will be quite high. For 1 kg of sweets we need:

• 5 L of water;
• 60/15 g yeast.

We release the sweets from the wrappers and pass through a meat grinder. Whole they dissolve eternity. Pour the raw materials into a saucepan, add water and heat to 60-65 ° C. Stir the contents of the pan until it is completely dissolved, remove from heat and let cool to 30 ° C. Pour the resulting syrup into a fermentation container, add the remaining water and yeast. Mix well and leave to ferment for 6-14 days.

Note! When heated, sweets may release a strong chemical odor. I recommend to be puzzled by good ventilation of the room.

From beets

Perhaps the most obvious ingredient for the production of moonshine is beets. Sugar is made from it, which means that the% yield of alcohol promises to be high. Remember, I’m talking about sugar beet, not its table version (beetroot). A distinctive feature is light flesh. For 1 kg of beets you will need:

• 3 L of water;
• 80/20 g yeast.

Wash beets, peel and cut into medium-sized pieces. We pass through a meat grinder and place the mashed potatoes in a saucepan. Add 1 liter of water and heat over low heat for 1 hour. Let the pan cool and strain its contents through cheesecloth. We repeat the stage with boiling already purified raw materials and boil the contents to the state of syrup.

Let the syrup cool to 30°C and pour into a fermentation container. We add the yeast dissolved in water there and fill everything with the remaining water. We put the container in a warm place without access to sunlight for 7-15 days.

Moonshine on pine nuts

In this version of moonshine, pine nuts are used, on which alcohol will be infused. For 1 liter of moonshine we take about 30-40 g of dried and slightly crushed pine nuts. Pour the nuts into a glass container and pour alcohol with a strength of 40-45%.

We close the container with an airtight lid and leave it in a cool dark place for 14 days. Be sure to shake the contents of the bottle at least once a day.

On prunes

The recipe is similar to the previous one, but with its own characteristics. We take prunes without a stone and pour boiling water over it. We fall asleep in a glass jar so that the dried fruits occupy about 1/6 of the volume, and pour the rest with moonshine and close the lid.

Such a drink is infused for up to 15 days and do not forget to shake the jar every day. After the specified time, bottle the moonshine and enjoy.

On the cranberry

The recipe is very similar to the previous two. For 1 liter of moonshine we take 1 kg of cranberries. We sort through and wash the berry, and then lightly crush and pour into a glass jar. Fill the berry with moonshine, close everything with a lid and leave to infuse for 15 days. Remember to shake the contents of the jar every day. For a milder taste, you can add 300-400 g of sugar.

On the rosehip

Moonshine on rose hips is credited with many medicinal properties, so it’s stupid not to tell about the recipe for its preparation. To do this, take:

• 1 liters of moonshine;
• 450 g of berries.

Soak the rose hips in hot water for 30 minutes and grind. I use a meat grinder, but you can use a blender or a knife. Pour the chopped berries into a glass jar and fill with moonshine. We put the tincture in a dark place and shake every day. The tincture is aged for 3 to 4 weeks.

With pepper

Moonshine with pepper is the star of any feast and I will tell you how to make it. For 1 liter of moonshine you will need:

• a large pod of hot pepper;
• 10 g peppercorns;
• 4 inflorescences of a carnation;
• 1-2 tbsp. spoons of liquid honey (optional)

In a mortar, knead the pepper and cloves, and send them to a glass jar. We also put a whole pod of pepper there and fill everything with 1 liter of double distillation moonshine. Add honey to soften drinks and send the jar to a dark place for 2-3 days. Do not forget to shake its contents every day.

On oak bark

We put the bark in a transparent glass container and fill it with moonshine. Add 1 tbsp. a spoonful of honey (per 1 liter of alcohol), close the lid and let it brew for a week. Shake the contents of the jar every day.

The recipe can be varied by adding spices. Suitable peppercorns, oregano, vanilla, St. John’s wort or cloves.

On the grass

Making moonshine with herbs takes only 2 days, and at the end you will get a delicious drink. For 1 liter of alcohol I take 40 g of herbs. If the recipe contains lemon peels, oak bark or roots – grind, do not touch the herbs.

We pour raw materials from a glass container and pour moonshine. We insist the mixture in a dark place for 2-3 days, shaking daily.

Tip: the list of suitable herbs is quite extensive, I recommend pouring hot water over the selected composition and checking its organoleptic properties. If you are satisfied, we are ready.

Common cooking mistakes and how to fix them

Most of the problems of a novice distiller are a violation of production technology. The easiest way to fix these errors is to follow the instructions clearly. Believe me, it’s better to re-read the recipe than to puzzle over the reasons for the failed mash.

Cooking tips and tricks

1. Always add sugar, especially when making moonshine from vegetables, cereals, and root vegetables.
2. Choose from what to brew moonshine, use only high-quality raw materials. This has a huge impact on the final product.
3. Use artesian water.
4. Don’t boil water.
5. Always check if the fermentation process is over.
6. Use double distillation. Only in this way will you get the perfect taste of moonshine.
7. Clean moonshine.
8. When making moonshine, remember safety precautions.

Conclusion

If at the word “moonshiner” you recall the stage image of Yuri Nikulin with a red nose and a bluish skin tone, then this is no longer true. Now, everyone has the opportunity to brew moonshine in quality that is not inferior to the best store samples. Choose the right ingredients, stick to technology and do not save on equipment. Stick to these three simple rules, and this hobby will give you a lot of positive emotions and new sensations.

Moonshine can be treated differently. I know a lot of people who were squeamish about this hobby until they tried the first glass of fragrant homemade moonshine. After this peculiar trait, the attitude instantly changed to the opposite.

In conclusion, I would like to say that moonshine can be driven completely legally, but only for personal purposes. If your motives are legal, I strongly advise you to try moonshine. And tell your friends about it. I’m sure if you don’t need help at the distillation stage, then a good tasting companion will certainly not hurt!