Potatoes, fermented raisins and sugarcane: how moonshine is made in other countries

My father-in-law is a fan of inviting guests. And treats them with self-made moonshine. He will get a misted bottle from the cellar with a drink as clean as a tear, the mother-in-law will put out an appetizer from homemade pickles. And such sincerity in all this.

So he shared the secrets of first-class moonshine so that the knowledge accumulated over the years would not be lost. After all, every Russian peasant has his own recipe for moonshine, his own special additives, additives, cooking tricks.

Even the moonshine still adapts almost everyone for themselves. Well, our man cannot be without a creative approach!

Secrets of making moonshine

At first we made mash with him. For every 5 liters of warm water, 1 kg of sugar falls asleep. Stir everything until the sugar dissolves.

Then he rubs 100 g of pressed yeast with his hands and adds it to the bottle. He says that dry yeast spoils the taste. For taste, some additives – honey, berries, grains, jam, bread.

It is important that the mash is warm, for this he asked his mother-in-law to sew a cover on the bottle, and even puts a substrate under the bottom. Then he pulls a medical glove over the bottle.

We wait 10 days with the test. Readiness is checked by the fermentation process and to taste. If the mash has acquired a bitter taste, then it is ready.

Now it’s time to brighten the mash. To do this, he stirs 20 g of white clay (bentonite) in a half-liter jar of water. This volume is enough for 10 liters of mash. Shake and leave for about a day.

Carefully drain the clarified mash so as not to raise the turbidity from the bottom. Well, the rest must be poured out, but not into the sewer, otherwise it will cement all the pipes.

Pour the mash into the apparatus and put on a slow fire. If it boils, it may explode.

And now the first drops of moonshine begin to drip from the coil. This is pervach, or “head”, it contains fusel oils. I pour out the first full glass, but my father-in-law prefers to use it for household needs. The mother-in-law, for example, does rubbing, it is useful for the joints.

Now you can substitute the bottle where the moonshine will drain. Now he is strong and vigorous. At the end will go “tails”. Their strength is already less than 50% (determined with an alcohol meter).

Now additional purification from those same fusel oils that give a severe hangover. Previously, the father-in-law diluted moonshine to 30% and distilled it again. However, with this method, the whole product was obtained with one taste, without that zest, a slight aftertaste of fruits or berries, which was at the beginning.

He found the best filter option. For each liter of the product, one egg white is poured.

Stirring, the protein coagulates and turns into flakes. This is where they get all the dirt. After a day, it filters through several layers of tissue. What is left is not squeezed out, but simply thrown out.

Everything! Moonshine from the father-in-law is ready.

It became interesting to me, moonshine is only our, Russian, invention, or in other countries it is also kicked out.

Popular European moonshine

At the nearest neighbors – Ukrainians moonshine is driven from everything, even from sugar beets. And it is called colorfully – Buryachanka. Well, Belarusians, as usual, are made from potatoes. But these drinks cannot be called gourmet masterpieces – the vegetables leave an unpleasant aftertaste.

But in Serbia, Croatia and Romania they make fruit raki, more like cognac. Rakia is mainly made from plums. And the grape version is called Lozovača (Lozovaka). If you add herbs to it, then you get Travarica – it’s something like a healing balm.

Finnish moonshine pontikka. It is traditionally distilled from potatoes, grain or sugar and triple distilled. You can even buy it in stores called Kiteen kirkas (Kitin Kirkas).

The French pomace left over from the pomace of grapes is used to make brandy, cognac and armagnac. Well, other fruits also come into play.

The German Schwarzgebrannter (Schwarzgebrant) is reminiscent of schnapps or fruit brandy. In Greece – tsipouro, crayfish, where anise, grapes or strawberry fruits are added. The Poles make Łącka Śliwowica (Slivovitz) from plums.

And of course, we need to mention Scotland, because their whiskey is the same moonshine, only elevated to a cult. And there they call him peatreek (Petrik).

What moonshine is made in the East

Moonshine is also produced in the east, despite the fact that alcohol is prohibited in Islam.

In Afghanistan, fermented raisins are used to make “take away”. And in Nepal, the natives have long been making Raksi (rakshi) liquor.

Only fruits are used for production, because it is forbidden by law to use grain for such a “dirty business”. It is customary to drink it, diluted with hot tea, and this explosive mixture is called “jungle tea” by the locals.

In Saudi Arabia, alcohol is banned, but craftsmen make Aragh (arak) or “Sidika” from fruit juice and sugar. In Thailand, Vietnam, moonshine is made from rice. Thai Braga is called “Lao Kao” (white liquor). Various herbs can also be added to it, and then it turns into a healing infusion.

Moonshine from South and North America

The American continent also has its own moonshine traditions. In the USA, apples, barley, corn, and grapes are used. They make liqueurs, whiskey, brandy from these products. Canadians make rum called script.

Mexicans make their drinks from sugar cane or agave. Cane is called Charanda (Charanda), and agave is the world-famous tequila! Although in different areas these drinks may be served under different names.

Colombians make corn Chicha, Tapetusa or Chirrinchi (Chirinchi). And on the Caribbean coast, the Wayuu tribe makes a drink chirrinche (chirinchi), which, in addition to simple use, is used in shamanic rituals. This is a rooftop!

Pisco is made in Peru and sold legally in the country. The low-alcohol drink chiche is drunk even by children. It is said that it is not addictive.

Do they make moonshine in Africa

Africa is no exception in the global moonshine business. So, in South Africa they make peach mampoer (Mampur) and grape Witblits (Whiteblits – White Lightning).

These products are cultural heritage and can be tasted by tourists without fear. Unlike the Kenyan Changaa (Changa – kill me quickly), which is made from corn, this is a drink for alcoholic extreme people.

In short, moonshine is driven all over the world. Do you have any family secrets of home brewing? Share!