How to clean vodka from fusel oils

The situation when the smell of purchased vodka does not inspire confidence is familiar to many – often the quality of drinks in the budget and medium price segment leaves much to be desired. The problem can be solved by cleaning vodka at home. We will look at simple and really working methods for removing fusel oils. In addition to the cleaning agent itself, you will need: a glass jar, a funnel, cotton wool or a coffee filter.

Attention! The proposed methods can only slightly improve the quality, but it is impossible to get rid of all impurities. Buy vodka only in trusted stores, and at the slightest suspicion of a fake, it is better to refuse this drink, since it is difficult to distinguish methyl alcohol from drinking alcohol.

1. Activated carbon

The ability of activated carbon to absorb substances depends on the size of the pores. Most of the molecules of fusel oils and other harmful impurities are very small, so the appropriate coal is needed. The best brands are KAU-A – activated coconut charcoal, BAU-A and BAU-LV – activated birch charcoal for the alcoholic beverage industry. They can be purchased in special shops for moonshine.

Pharmaceutical activated carbon is often made from animal bones, its pores are too large to trap fusel oils, so it is ineffective. We need charcoal of wood origin.

Attention! Coal from gas masks and other industrial devices is not suitable, as it contains chemical additives. Activated charcoal for hookahs and barbecues should also be treated with caution, as it can be flavored. Before use, test the selected coal on a small amount of vodka.

The proportion is 15-20 grams of activated carbon per 1 liter of vodka. More will not hurt, but it will not help clean up, and subsequent filtration will take a long time.

Instructions:

1. Grind activated carbon into pieces 1-4 cm in size, weed out the dust.
2. Put the charcoal in a glass jar. Pour in vodka. Mix, seal tightly.
3. Purify vodka with activated carbon for at least 6-8 hours (preferably 1-2 days, shaking every 8-12 hours) in a dark place at room temperature.
4. Strain the vodka through gauze or a kitchen strainer, then filter from the remaining coal through cotton wool or a coffee filter (insert into a watering can).

Coal not only purifies vodka, but also oxidizes the aldehydes contained in ethyl alcohol to acids, which makes the drink softer. It is oxidation that can explain the improvement in the taste of vodka after pharmaceutical activated carbon, although in fact there is practically no purification.

2. Water filter (“Aquaphor”, “Barrier”, “Geyser”, etc.)

Water filter cartridges also contain activated carbon, so the principle of operation is similar to the previous method.

Attention! Either special cartridges for cleaning alcoholic beverages are suitable, or the simplest ones, consisting only of activated carbon and ion exchange resins (do not react with alcohol). The presence of other substances in the composition of the cartridge can permanently spoil the vodka.

After cleaning, the strength of vodka may decrease by 10-20%.

Instructions:

1. Refrigerate vodka, but do not freeze.
2. Prepare the cartridge according to the instructions on the package. It is usually necessary to rinse the filter with water to saturate the charcoal with moisture.
3. Place the filter bowl on the receiving container. Contact of strong alcohol with plastic is undesirable, therefore, instead of the factory receiving container, it is better to use an ordinary glass jar.
4. Pour vodka into a bowl. Transfer the system to the refrigerator. Wait until all the alcohol is in the receiving container (filtration rate – 150-200 ml per minute).
5. Repeat steps 3-4 of this instruction at least 1-2 more times. One run is usually not enough for high-quality purification of vodka.
6. Pour the finished drink into a bottle, close tightly. Rinse the filter with water and leave in the refrigerator in a plastic bag for the next use.

Usually one water filter is enough for 15-20 liters of vodka.

3. Black rye bread

The gluten of black rye bread is able to catch some of the fusel oils, bind them and prevent them from re-dissolving in vodka. Only fresh black rye bread without additives is suitable for cleaning, ideally homemade.

Proportion: 50-80 grams of bread crumb per 1 liter of vodka.

Instructions:

1. Cut the bread into slices, remove the crust (gives a strong bread aroma).
2. Crush the crumb as much as possible, increasing the contact area.
3. Pour vodka into a jar, add bread, mix and close tightly.
4. Leave at least 1 day (preferably 2-3 days) in a dark place. After infusion, a yellowish tint may appear, this is normal.
5. Filter the vodka 2-3 times through a watering can with cotton wool or a coffee filter until the drink becomes clear.

4. Milk

Milk contains albumin and casein proteins, which bind fusel oils in alcohol, causing them to precipitate. The problem is that along with proteins, milk contains fats that make vodka cloudy. Fats do not affect the taste, but the aesthetic appearance of the drink suffers, so you need to use skim milk or minimal fat content.

Proportion: 10-15 ml of skimmed milk per 1 liter of vodka. Losses – up to 10%.

Instructions:

1. Pour vodka into a jar. Pour in milk, stir.
2. Seal tightly, leave in a dark place at room temperature for at least 2 days (preferably 5-7 days). Shake once a day, on the last day of cleaning the jar should be at rest so that the sediment collects at the bottom.
3. Drain the vodka from the sediment. Filter several times through cotton wool. If the drink remains cloudy, cleaning with activated charcoal will help.

5. Egg white

Chicken egg protein, like milk, contains albumin and casein, so these methods are the same in terms of efficiency.

Attention! If even a small amount of yolk gets into vodka, it will start to smell strongly of eggs, so you need to separate the protein from the yolk very carefully.

Proportion: 1 chicken egg per 0,5 liters of vodka.

Instructions:

1. Pour vodka into a jar, leaving at least 15% of the space free.
2. Crack the eggs onto a plate or saucer. Carefully remove the yolk.
3. Add protein to warm water (25-30°C). The amount of water is 10% of the volume of purified vodka. Stir or beat with a mixer until foam appears on top.
4. Pour the protein mixture into the vodka. Mix.
5. Close the jar tightly. Leave in a dark room at room temperature for 2-3 days (preferably 6-7 days). Shake once a day. On the last day, leave the jar alone for the accumulation of sediment at the bottom.
6. Filter vodka 2-3 times through cotton or coffee filter. Protein flakes quickly clog the filter, so the whole process can take up to a day.

6. Potassium permanganate (obsolete method)

Potassium permanganate (potassium permanganate) converts only some harmful substances into an insoluble precipitate, while other impurities appear during the reaction. Purification of vodka with potassium permanganate is only advisable if all other methods are not available.

Proportion: 1-2 grams of manganese per 1 liter of vodka.

Instructions:

1. Pour vodka into a jar. Add potassium permanganate, mix, seal tightly.
2. Transfer the jar to a dark place at room temperature. Leave on for 2-4 days until the liquid clears and precipitates.
3. Drain the vodka from the sediment, then filter through cotton wool or a coffee filter.

The proposed vodka purification methods can be combined, alternately applying 1-2 at a time. The last should be cleaning with activated carbon or through a water filter.