If the supply of potatoes significantly exceeds the needs of the family, I suggest considering an alternative method for processing tubers, namely, making moonshine from potatoes according to a quick recipe. It cannot be said that the result will be a masterpiece of moonshine, but it is still better than just letting a vegetable so valuable to us rot. We will use a simple cooking technology, which is popularly called “Babka”.
Attention! Due to the high concentration of hydrocyanic acid, methyl alcohol and fusel oils in many countries, potato distillates are considered hazardous to health, their sale is prohibited.
Ingredients:
- potatoes – 20 kg;
- malt (wheat, rye or barley) – 1 kg;
- boiled water – 30 liters;
- pressed yeast – 500 grams (or 100 grams of dry).
In this recipe, malt (sprouted grain) is used to break down the starch molecules in the potato into sugar, which the yeast will convert into alcohol during the fermentation process. Yeast cannot use starch in its pure form, so the addition of malt is mandatory. If possible, then before making potato mash, it is advisable to freeze the tubers a little, holding them in the cold for 2-3 days. Potatoes will become sweetish, which promotes fermentation. The yield of moonshine depends on the starch content in the tubers; this indicator differs significantly for different varieties.
Potato mash recipe
1. Grate thoroughly washed potatoes.
2. Pour 20 liters of water at a temperature of 70 ° C into the resulting mass, mix.
3. Add malt, mix again, close the lid, heat the wort to 65°C (error of 2-3 degrees is allowed). Maintain the indicated temperature for 60 minutes, stirring occasionally so as not to burn.
If the temperature goes out of the range of 61-72°C, the starch will not be processed into sugar and there will be nothing to ferment!
4. Cool the wort to 30°C, pour the liquid part into the fermentation tank.
5. Add 10 liters of water at a temperature of 50 ° C to the sediment that has not drained, mix, let it brew.
6. After precipitation, drain the solution into a container containing the liquid obtained in the 4th stage. This is the potato mash.
7. Add diluted yeast (water temperature should be 16-28°C). It is advisable to install a water seal on the container and transfer it to a dark place with room temperature.
8. After 5-12 days, the potato mash will be ready: it will become bitter in taste, brighten, sediment will form at the bottom, the water seal will stop emitting gas.
Getting moonshine from potatoes
9. Distill the mash drained from the sediment on a moonshine for the first time. Withdraw the product until the strength in the jet falls below 30%.
10. Measure the total strength of the resulting distillate. Determine the amount of pure alcohol.
11. Dilute potato moonshine with water up to 20% and overtake a second time. Collect the first 10-15% of the yield of pure alcohol separately. These are “heads” – a harmful fraction, drinking which is dangerous to health.
12. Finish the selection of distillate when the strength in the stream drops below 45%.
13. Dilute the finished moonshine with water up to 40-45%, close tightly, leave for 2-3 days in the refrigerator or cellar to stabilize the taste.
Due to the low carbohydrate content in potatoes, the yield of moonshine will be somewhat lower than when distilling sugar mash. I also recommend making sure that the wort does not burn, unfortunately, this sometimes happens.
