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To obtain high-quality moonshine without unnecessary impurities and fusel oils, it is very important to properly process the mash. Regardless of the method of manufacture and the raw materials used, the alcohol-containing liquid must be clarified before distillation. Otherwise, moonshine will come out cloudy, with an unpleasant odor and will be harmful to health.
Tips before starting
In some cases, the mash self-clarifies when settling – then you need to carefully drain it from the sediment, strain through a gauze filter and use it for its intended purpose.
If the liquid is cloudy and in doubt, you should resort to one of the popular methods of gluing (clarification) and only after that proceed with distillation.
Lightening of braga with bentonite
A substance similar to white clay was first evaluated in the United States, where they noticed its ability to increase in volume when wet and bind harmful impurities. Today, bentonite is actively used in moonshining and winemaking, as well as in other areas of the economy.
The advantages of this cleaning option: naturalness, high efficiency, low cost and ease of use.
For 10 liters of mash, you need 1 tablespoon of the product and about half a liter of boiling water. It is better to purchase a special bentonite for winemaking, but other types are also suitable, including ordinary white pharmacy clay without additives.
By analogy, mash is clarified with cat litter. It must consist entirely of bentonite and contain no flavoring substances, otherwise it will be an extremely dangerous undertaking.
Method of application
Grind or grind bentonite in a coffee grinder to a powder state.
Pour the substance with boiling water, mix well and let it swell for 2-3 hours.
Remove excess water, pour the solution into a container with cloudy mash in a thin stream, stirring constantly.
Leave the liquid for clarification for a day, carefully drain from the sediment.
Clarification of the mash with cold
One of the simplest ways that does not require additional ingredients. Apply refrigeration (not suitable for cereal drinks) or freezing. In the first case, it will take about a week, in the second – no more than half a day.
As you know, alcohol does not freeze, and water and fusel oils turn into ice at low temperatures. Cooling, in turn, effectively stops the yeast and promotes its precipitation.
It is not recommended to greatly lower the temperature: when freezing, the optimal indicator is from 0 to -15 ° C, while cooling – + 5-7 ° C.
Method of application
Pour the mash into a container with a lid, refrigerate.
Wait for the due date, drain the purified drink.
Pass alcohol through a sieve and a paper funnel.
Lightening mash with citric acid
For 10 liters of alcohol, you need 1 tablespoon of “lemon”. To neutralize the sour taste, soda, honey or chalk is added to the drink before distillation. This method is optimal for grain moonshine; it is better to clean fruit mash in a gentle way.
Method of application
Dilute citric acid in a small amount of water, pour the solution into the wash.
Wait about a day, remove the product from the sediment.
Add soda or another neutralizer (1 tablespoon) to the drink, strain.
Lighting braga karkade
Hibiscus petals contain more acid and act in a similar way to lemongrass, stopping yeast activity and binding impurities.
For 10 liters of an alcohol-containing product, you need 70–80 g of hibiscus and about 1 liter of water.
Like the previous method, this option is better suited for a grain drink. The pink color of the mash will not affect the color of the moonshine.
Method of application
Soak the flowers in water and put on fire.
Bring the liquid to a boil, remembering to stir.
Cover the container with a lid, let it brew and cool.
Drain the infusion, squeeze the liquid from the flower mass into it, discard the cake.
Pour hibiscus tea into mash, leave for 1 day.
Remove the drink from the sediment, pass through cotton wool.
Lightening the brew with gelatin
This method is best for fruit drinks. It allows you to get rid of yeast bacteria, but does not eliminate fusel oils, so a double distillation is recommended after fining. For 10 liters of mash you need 2 g of gelatin.
Method of application
Pour gelatin with cold water (0,4 l), leave for 24 hours, replacing the water with fresh water every 8 hours.
After a day, drain the last batch of cold water, add warm water (0,4 l), mix well and add the gelatin solution to the mash.
Wait three days, carefully express the alcohol.
Lighting braga with alcohol
This method is used to stop fermentation in a liquid that is too sweet. The alcohol stops the yeast and causes it to precipitate.
The amount of the ingredient is determined arbitrarily. Instead of alcohol pasting, you can lighten the mash with the tails left after the previous distillation (minimum strength – 25%). The latter option allows you to increase the yield of a strong product and attach waste.
Method of application
Introduce alcohol into the wash.
Wait a day, drain from the sediment.
Clarification of mash with milk
One of the fastest and most effective cleaning methods. For 10 liters of mash, take a 1-liter package of store-bought milk. You need to choose a product with a minimum fat content, otherwise the condition of the drink will only worsen – it will acquire an unpleasant odor.
Method of preparation
Pour milk into alcohol, stir, leave for several hours.
Wait until white flakes fall out, strain the liquid through two types of filters: gauze and paper.
Lightening mash with charcoal
Charcoal is able to absorb harmful compounds, so it is ideal for purifying alcohol.
The best effect is a substance obtained by burning birch logs, and a coal preparation sold in specialized stores.
The worst option would be charcoal or pharmaceutical tablets. For 10 liters of mash, 2-3 tablespoons of crushed coal will be required.
Method of application
Coal detail, fall asleep in the wort.
Wait 1 day, decant from the sediment.
Pass the liquid through a carbon filter.
Lightening mash with soda
For 10 liters of mash, take 10 g of soda (food or calcined) and 10 ml of water. To enhance the effect, you can add potassium permanganate diluted with water (2 g per 1 liter) to the soda solution.
Method of application
Dilute soda with water, pour into mash.
Mix well, wait a quarter of an hour.
Shake the liquid, send for half a day in coolness.
Strain the mash, pass through the filter.
Relevance: 02.12.2018
Tags: vodka, mash, moonshine