When heated in a cube, yeast residues can burn, spoiling the taste and smell of moonshine. Clarification of the mash before distillation minimizes the risk of deterioration in the organoleptic properties of the distillate. Usually, bentonite (preferably), gelatin or hibiscus tea are used for cleaning, which are not always on hand. You can lighten sugar mash with a more accessible substance – citric acid.
Theory. In an acidic environment, the yeast stops working and sinks to the bottom of the fermentation tank in the form of sediment. At home, it is easiest and safest to create an acidic environment by adding citric acid to the wash. But before distillation, it is important to return the ph balance of the liquid to neutral values uXNUMXbuXNUMXbby extinguishing excess acid with baking soda or chalk, otherwise, after distillation, the moonshine will be sour – with a vinegar taste.
Due to the aggressive effect on the aroma, clarification with citric acid is only suitable for sugar mash. If you need to keep the smell of moonshine, it is not recommended to use the method for cleaning cereals and especially fruit brews.
Lightening technology
Ingredients for 10 liters of mash:
- citric acid – 25 grams (1 tablespoon without a slide);
- baking soda or crushed chalk – 1 tablespoon.
Acid can be replaced with freshly squeezed lemon juice. One medium-sized fruit contains 5-6 grams of acid.
Step by step guide
1. Remove the washed mash from the sediment – pour into another container, without touching the loose layer at the bottom.
2. Degas the mash mechanically – mix with a hand (stick) or a drill with a nozzle (only in a plastic container) until the smell of carbon dioxide disappears. With the help of a drill, the task is solved in 3-7 minutes, depending on the volume, manually it takes many times more time.
Attention! It is possible to clarify only the mash that has won back (fermented), since after adding the acid, the fermentation will stop and all the sugar that has not been processed by the yeast will disappear. Preliminary degassing increases the cleaning efficiency by 2-3 times.
3. Dilute citric acid in the same amount of water – mix in a 1:1 ratio. Add the solution to the mash, mix, seal tightly. Squeezed and strained lemon juice should be applied immediately without dilution with water.
4. Place the container for 5 hours in a dark place at room temperature or in the cold, but not below zero.
5. Drain the clarified mash from the sediment through a straw or overflow siphon.
6. Add baking soda (chalk) to the wash, mix. Leave the container open for 10 minutes.
7. Overtake the mash. Heating to 50-60 ° C is preferably carried out with the lid open, stirring occasionally to remove carbon dioxide, which was formed during the reaction of soda (chalk) with citric acid.
