Infusion of moonshine on apple wood chips. We cook moonshine on oak chips with our own hands: instructions, proportions, ingredients

Not everyone can afford to buy high-quality elite alcohol because of the high cost. But it is quite possible to make good brandy or whiskey at home. To do this, you need to prepare a grain or fruit distillate and keep it in an oak barrel. Such a drink will be much better than cheap analogues that we offer to buy in stores. But again, there is a small snag here - the acquisition of a good oak barrel which also costs a lot of money. There is a way out, replace the barrel with oak chips. Chips are easy to prepare yourself.

The tannins contained in oak wood, when in contact with alcohol, improve its quality, saturate it with new aromas and tastes. Fruity notes, vanilla, chocolate and floral aromas appear in the distillate infused with oak chips.

To a greater extent, alcohol made from fruit or grain raw materials is insisted. After infusion, it has the taste of the raw materials: apples, grapes or grain taste. But even ordinary sugar moonshine becomes more pleasant and aesthetic, the taste becomes softer, it is easy to drink.

Attention! To infuse moonshine, chips are made not only from oak chips. For infusion, wood of cherry, apple, bird cherry is used. Each type gives the distillate astringency and originality of tastes and aromas. Each home distiller is determined for himself with the choice of the desired breed himself, depending on his tastes.

Instructions for preparing oak chips

Currently, many specialty stores and online stores offer oak chips for moonshine or cognac of various qualities, different roasting and oak origin. Often you can purchase low-quality material, so if you can find raw materials on your own, it is better to cook wood chips with your own hands. Oak chips for moonshine have a larger contact area compared to a barrel, so the infusion process is faster. People often ask how much oak chips per liter of moonshine are used. The usual sample is 2-4 grams per liter. Too much can spoil the alcohol. The taste of the drink will be dominated by the smell of wood, which is not very good.

1. For chips, you need to choose oak logs of old oak. Oak branches are not used for wood chips. Also, oak bark is not suitable, in which there are a lot of tannins.
2. Remove bark. Saw the log into chocks of 5-7 centimeters, then split into sticks 0.5-1 cm thick. Such chips can be placed in the neck of an ordinary bottle.
3. Put the required amount of wood chips in a saucepan, pour water and stand for a day. Every 3-4 hours it is necessary to drain the dirty water and fill it with clean water.
4. Pour the chips with soda water solution. One teaspoon per 5 liters of water. Soak in soda water for 6 hours. Then rinse the bars in cold water.
5. Pour the chips with clean water, put on fire and cook after boiling for about 1 hour.
6. Spread the wood chips on a mesh pallet, dry in a draft during the day.
7. Arrange dried oak chips on a baking sheet. Preheat the oven to 140-160C, place a baking sheet in it and keep the chips for 2 hours.
8. The final stage is roasting the chips to the desired firing. The degree of roasting depends on the taste and color of the resulting homemade alcohol. According to the degree of roasting, wood chips are divided into three types:

• Light firing - light brown color of chips, occurs at the moment the first haze appears. Light roasting gives the distillate a fruity-floral aroma with slight hints of vanilla. The color of infused moonshine turns straw.
• Medium firing - brown chips. The infused distillate contains almonds, coconut and caramel. The color of the drink is more saturated closer to cognac.
• Strong firing - chips of dark brown color closer to black. Distillate with taste of chocolate and smoke.

Video instructions for preparing oak chips.

How to insist moonshine on wood chips

As an alcohol base, it is necessary to use fruit or grain moonshine with a strength of 40-45% after the second fractional distillation.

Ingredients:

• Moonshine - 3 l;
• Oak chips 10-12 gr;
• Caramel for color - 1 tbsp;
• Vanillin - 1 sachet;
• Allspice - 3 pcs;
• Carnation - 3 pcs.

How to make a drink on oak chips.

1. Place prepared oak chips in a jar, pour moonshine. Add spices and vanilla.
2. Close the jar and insist the contents for 3-4 months. Once a week, you need to open the jar in order to saturate the infusion with oxygen. It is better to use an aquarium compressor and turn it on for 3-4 minutes. In the process of infusion, it is necessary to taste the drink; excessive infusion threatens alcohol with excessive saturation with tannins. As a result, you can spoil the moonshine and get a plinth.
3. At the end of the infusion, prepare caramel from sugar and water. Kohler will give the drink a noble color. For cooking, put sugar in a pan and pour in water at a ratio of 3: 1. Cook over low heat until brown, let cool and pour into the moonshine. Mix well until completely dissolved.
4. After infusion, filter the drink through a cotton-gauze filter. Pour into bottles, cork well. Wait a few days before use. Ready-made moonshine on oak chips can be stored in a cool place for an unlimited time.

Preparation of moonshine and alcohol for personal use
absolutely legal!

After the demise of the USSR, the new government stopped the fight against moonshine. Criminal liability and fines were abolished, and an article prohibiting the production of alcohol-containing products at home was removed from the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. To this day, there is not a single law that prohibits you and me from engaging in our favorite hobby - making alcohol at home. This is evidenced by the Federal Law of July 8, 1999 No. 143-FZ “On the administrative responsibility of legal entities (organizations) and individual entrepreneurs for offenses in the field of production and circulation of ethyl alcohol, alcoholic and alcohol-containing products” (Collected Legislation of the Russian Federation, 1999, No. 28 , item 3476).

Excerpt from the Federal Law of the Russian Federation:

"The effect of this Federal Law does not apply to the activities of citizens (individuals) who do not produce products containing ethyl alcohol for the purpose of marketing."

Moonshine in other countries:

In Kazakhstan in accordance with the Code of the Republic of Kazakhstan On Administrative Offenses dated January 30, 2001 N 155, the following liability is provided. Thus, according to article 335 “Manufacture and sale of home-made alcoholic beverages”, illegal production for the purpose of selling moonshine, chacha, mulberry vodka, mash and other alcoholic beverages, as well as the sale of these alcoholic beverages, entails a fine in the amount of thirty monthly calculation indices with confiscation of alcoholic beverages , apparatus, raw materials and equipment for their manufacture, as well as money and other valuables received from their sale. However, the law does not prohibit the preparation of alcohol for personal purposes.

In Ukraine and Belarus things are different. Articles No. 176 and No. 177 of the Code of Administrative Offenses of Ukraine provide for the imposition of fines in the amount of three to ten tax-free minimum wages for the manufacture and storage of moonshine without the purpose of sale, for the storage without the purpose of sale of apparatus * for its production.

Article 12.43 repeats this information practically word for word. “Production or purchase of strong alcoholic beverages (moonshine), semi-finished products for their production (mash), storage of devices for their production” in the Code of the Republic of Belarus on Administrative Offenses. Paragraph No. 1 states: “Production by individuals of strong alcoholic beverages (moonshine), semi-finished products for their manufacture (mash), as well as storage of devices * used for their manufacture - entails a warning or a fine of up to five basic units with confiscation of the indicated drinks, semi-finished products and devices.

* It is still possible to purchase moonshine stills for home use, since their second purpose is to distill water and obtain components for natural cosmetics and perfumes.

In folk medicine, it has long been known that you can make cherry infusion not only on berries, but also on twigs, leaves and stalks. Today, the recipe is widely used - how to infuse moonshine on cherries without berries to obtain a remedy with a therapeutic effect.

Benefit

Cherry branches are used for:

• vitaminization of the body;
• strengthening blood vessels;
• boosting the immune system;
• prevention of viral infections;
• diuretic action;
• tonic and invigorating effect;
• antiseptic properties;
• relieve inflammation in the joints.

Important! You should not use cherry infusion for people with diabetes, high acidity of the stomach, gastritis and ulcers.

cherry leaf properties

cherry leaves differ in antiseptic, antipyretic and anti-inflammatory properties. Cherry infusion based on this raw material automatically acquires the listed properties. The quality of the product is beyond doubt. In the manufacture, you can independently adjust the concentration and strength of the drink. It depends on the size of the leaves. An infusion of cherry leaves is best made on the basis of vodka.

To prepare a healthy and high-quality infusion of cherry leaves, you must use vodka or alcohol. The leaves can be used both fresh and dried. It is better to pluck young leaves. Even for harvesting for the winter by drying, it is recommended to collect leaves and young twigs in May-June.

Compound

• cherry leaves - ¾ st.;
• vodka or alcohol - 1 liter.

Cooking

1. Chop up the leaves. Not necessarily to the state of powder. Small pieces are allowed.
2. Place raw materials in a glass jar.
3. Fill with vodka.
4. Leave to infuse in a dark cool place for 14 days.
5. Shake the jar periodically.
6. Strain.
7. Pour into a clean bowl.

If you add tarragon, basil, cinnamon or ginger to the finished tincture, cherry-infused vodka will acquire a richer and more pleasant taste.

Cherry infusion on the branches

Famous for its healing properties and taste, an easy-to-prepare infusion of cherry branches.

Compound

• moonshine;
• cherry branches;
• granulated sugar;
• water.

Cooking

1. Prepare triple sugar moonshine. After the first distillation, dilute by 10-15% with water.
2. Choose dry cherry wood, without marriage. It is advisable to use branches that are 2-3 years old. Chip chips to a size of 0.5x0.5x10 cm. Rinse and boil. Water after this will be painted in a brick color.
3. Rinse with boiled water.
4. If desired, you can fry the branches in the oven for 15 minutes at 180 degrees so that they darken a little. Without roasting, the drink may give too much flower tea.
5. Insist 2 months. Filter.
6. Dilute up to 40 degrees.
7. Add 1 tbsp. l. sugar per 3 liters.

Such an infusion of cherry branches will become not only a medicinal preparation, but also an excellent drink on the festive table.

Features of moonshine infusion

On the very first day of infusion, the infusion of cherry twigs on moonshine acquires a shade. Over the course of a month, it becomes more saturated. Moonshine taste goes away with time. But the smell of alcohol will remain. After dilution, the smell of alcohol and moonshine is replaced by a pleasant unobtrusive aroma, which is easily felt by the receptors. It is recommended to infuse an infusion of cherry branches for at least 2 months. The longer the exposure time, the better. The sample can be removed after the first week in the process of infusion.

There are many options for recipes on how to insist on vodka on cherries - not only from leaves, berries, stalks, branches separately. These components can be mixed and combined to obtain the most intense taste and healing effect.

In order for moonshine to taste and smell like more noble cognac or whiskey, you should figure out how and from what oak chips for moonshine are prepared at home. This is the most important component that allows you to transfer a certain amount of tannins to alcohol, due to which the drink acquires a characteristic amber color and astringent taste. Not everyone knows that in order to prepare a product, it is necessary to select the right raw materials, as well as to know the degree of roasting. From this will hang the fortress of the final result.

Looking for the right tree

When choosing oak, it should be borne in mind that its place of growth is reflected in the taste of an alcoholic beverage, regardless of the purpose for which oak chips are used - cognac, vodka or whiskey. The taste qualities of the same alcohol will differ if the product is insisted on the same species of oak, but growing in different regions.

Even the growth of the tree matters - the Crimean, Krasnodar and Caucasian forests are well suited for Russia

Tasters among all the variations distinguish oak, which grows in France. It is clear that not everyone has the opportunity to get a branch of a real French tree, so we will pay more attention to the domestic flora. Trees from the following regions are suitable for concentration:

• Khadyzhensky;
• Apsheron;
• Afipsky.

It should also be noted that more valuable tree species grow in the Republic of Crimea, Tatarstan, Ukraine, Belarus and the Caucasus.

For moonshine, oak chips obtained from areas with high humidity are not suitable, since they contain a very high concentration of tannins, which spoils the organoleptics of the product.

It matters not only where it grows, but also what you are going to use. We need branches up to 5 years old, but not younger than 2 without bark. The trunk does not fit categorically, the old branches are similar. You can not take blanks from sawmills, where wood is treated with antiseptics.

What affects the change in taste

With the right selection of chips for infusing drinks and following the recommendations of experts, you will get soft-tasting alcohol, with a pleasant tart aftertaste and rich aroma. The change in the characteristics of the drink occurs for the following reasons:

1. Oak chips act as an adsorbent. pores wood material absorb components that boil even at low temperatures. This list includes substances that cannot be completely eliminated in the distillation process. Therefore, long-term infusion in a barrel or on wood chips shows significantly better results than alcohol infused with other raw materials.

It is easier to work with chips - they are suitable for any container, while at the same time adsorbing harmful impurities

1. The composition of the tree contains a variety of chemical elements, they make the drink softer. In addition to the fact that alcohol gets a new taste, color and smell, the components from the wood chips also bind especially dangerous compounds. Therefore, tincture is often prepared for medicinal purposes.
2. If you prepare oak bark for infusion, then you will end up with a "bitters" with a red-brown color. And thanks to the tannin contained in the product, the drink will get a tart aftertaste.

Oak bark contains a large amount of tannin, which gives a tart aftertaste, but compared to chips, the bark is much less valuable.

We make oak chips with our own hands

The product is sold in a specialized store, but those who want to experiment can make oak chips for moonshine with their own hands. For this you need to follow the steps:

• dry part of the log at room temperature for 1-2 weeks and peel it from the bark;

The bark can not be thrown away and left for the preparation of healing infusions.

• cut the log into pegs measuring 20x20x100 mm;
• place the prepared oak chips for cognac or whiskey in clean cold water for a day, while changing the liquid to a new one every 7 hours;
• in a separate container, mix 10 liters of water with 2 tablespoons of soda, send the stakes to infuse for 8 hours, then rinse well;
• then put in a saucepan, fill it with clean water and bring to a boil, boiling for 45-50 minutes;
• place the workpiece on a baking sheet and send it to the oven for 2 hours at different temperatures, depending on the desired taste.

VIDEO: Home cooking technology

Firing time and temperature

Roasting oak chips in the oven is considered an important step; the aroma of future alcohol depends on the level of roasting. To achieve the desired result, you should know how to properly burn the product to obtain different smells:

• minimum processing 2 hours at a temperature up to 120 ° - the smell will give off vanilla, berries and a little smoke

Minimum

• medium 2 hours 150-160°С - aroma of caramel in combination with almonds

Medium Rare (Medium)

• maximum 2 hours 180-185°C - the drink will acquire a rich smoked and chocolate smell with a similar aftertaste

Strong roast

Chips are wrapped tightly in foil before being placed in the oven to prevent smoke from escaping. If this is not done, there will simply be nothing to breathe in the room.

If soot appeared on the logs - black burnt marks, it is no longer possible to use them for tincture.

This is the final stage in the preparation of chips, then you should choose the right base, calculate the required number of stakes (on average 50 grams per liter) and use one of the most suitable tincture recipes.

Which moonshine to choose

After the oak chips for cognac are prepared, you can proceed to the selection of moonshine. There are three main types of raw materials made on:

• fruits;
• grain crops and cereals;
• sugar and yeast.

The first two options are great for making chacha, but it depends on the taste preferences of the taster. The best option is sugar moonshine.

The fact is that fruit or grain distillate has various components that react with the chemical constituents of wood. Such a process can give a completely unexpected result that does not meet the manufacturer's expectations.

As previously reported, fruity notes can be achieved by frying chips - small cubes that are quickly and thoroughly fried. Therefore, before you burn the pegs, you need to understand what taste you are trying to achieve. In addition, you can use special nutritional supplements, a few drops of essence can completely change the smell and taste of alcohol.

Cognac essence - some winemakers add a few drops of concentrated liquid aroma along with infusion on pegs

The process of moonshine on oak chips

After carrying out the above manipulations, you should calculate how much oak chips per liter of moonshine. In this case, the following proportions must be observed:

• moonshine with a strength of 45 ° - 1 l;
• sliver - 40-60 gr.

It turns out that 3 liters of drink will require an average of 150 gr. wood chips. Moonshine should be infused in a glass container or a tank consisting of stainless steel. Bars are placed in it and filled with distillate to the very brim to reduce the volume of air.

Next, the container must be hermetically sealed with a lid, and then placed in a dark, cool place for at least 2 months, and preferably for six months or a year. You can also increase the duration of infusion, the longer this process lasts, the softer the drink will be.

VIDEO: Moonshine on wood chips: apple, cherry, plum, pear, oak

Common Mistakes

Novice distillers, out of inexperience, often make mistakes when making wood chips at home. The result is a tincture with a strange taste of plinth. To avoid an unpleasant situation, the following factors should be considered:

• no need to bake the pegs for a long time, in this case more does not mean better;
• it is not recommended to use a raw log, it contains a large amount of tannins;
• do not use plastic or plastic containers to infuse the drink, the distillate will absorb chemical components and the smell of plastic during the exposure time;
• experts strongly advise against using a large amount of fragrant herbs, spices and other spices in the recipe, as well as insisting the drink on them for a long time;
• do not use an untested recipe when making a large volume of tincture, it is better to first verify the quality of the result by preparing a small container.

VIDEO: Homemade tincture is better than Hennessy

All strong alcoholic drinks obtained by distillation of mash are analogues of moonshine and differ only in certain nuances of technology.

Therefore, properly prepared moonshine is in no way inferior to the best examples of tequila, brandy and other strong alcoholic beverages.

• how to choose material for mash;
• how to cook mash, and what ways to get it exist;
• which method to choose for a particular material;
• how, by changing the composition and technology of making mash, you can change the taste of the finished moonshine;
• what methods of distillation of mash exist;
• how the method of mash distillation affects the taste, color and smell of the finished product;
• what gives insisting on wood chips;
• how the choice of wood species affects moonshine infused with wood chips;
• how to cook and how long it takes to insist moonshine on oak chips, a recipe for cherry, pear, apple and other types of chips;
• how to store and consume the finished drink;
• what can be done from the mash distillation fractions that were not included in the moonshine.

Braga is the basis any moonshine. From her chemical composition depends on taste, color and smell the finished product, because moonshine is an extract from mash or wine.

Therefore, during the distillation process separation of mash into light and heavy fractions.

Light fractions include various acids and alcohols, and heavy fractions are esters, oils and water with pulp.

Therefore, it is necessary to be very careful in choosing the material for the mash and the way it is fermented, because any mistake will change the organoleptic properties of the finished product and may make it undrinkable.

During the perestroika moonshine made from any vegetables, or even just from yeast and sugar. The drink turned out to be strong, with a high content of methyl alcohol, which increased the "boost" of moonshine, but was harmful to health.

The combination of mash and sugar is ideal for the production of alcohol, but to give the desired taste and color, other components have to be included in the composition of the mash products.

No less important is the amount of sugar-containing substances, because bacteria process sugar into ethyl alcohol until one of the following conditions is met:

• ran out of food (sugar), and the bacteria died of starvation;
• the alcohol content (strength) reached a critical value, and the bacteria died from intoxication.

By changing the amount of sugar-containing products, they regulate the strength of the mash and the balance of sugar, which will go into the distillate, giving it a sweetish taste, as well as saturating it with fusel oils. By changing the type of sugar-containing product, they regulate the taste of the finished moonshine, because each product gives it some of its own features.

Moreover, much depends on the fermentation technology, therefore, the taste and smell of the finished product obtained from the same components can differ markedly for different masters.

Using products with a high content of polysaccharides to obtain mash, that is, potatoes or various cereals, you need to add sugar or malt to them.

They break down long chains of polysaccharides into short monosaccharides.

If the amount of sugar or malt is not enough, then part of the long chains will fall into the mash, and from it into the distillation apparatus.

There it will be broken down into monosaccharides, giving the finished drink a sweetish taste. The same effect gives excess sugar, which remains after the death of bacteria and gives the finished drink a sweet aftertaste.

Equally important is the choice of water. because it is a habitat for bacteria. Tap water contains chlorine, which inhibits the activity of microorganisms, so the mash not only ferments more slowly, but often turns out to be moldy or rotten.

Boiled water loses the oxygen dissolved in it, so bacteria cannot exist normally and die quickly.

The best choice is stream water or a spring, but you need to make sure that it does not contain harmful or toxic substances, so it is advisable to take it for analysis.

Water with high hardness is also not suitable, because excess calcium and other minerals inhibit bacteria.

Preparation

To get high-quality mash, from which excellent moonshine will come out, it is necessary to carefully prepare everything and follow the instructions for its manufacture.

In preparation select dishes for fermentation giving preference to:

• glass;
• enamelled;
• aluminum.

Desirable do not use small utensils, because the ratio of mash and moonshine with a strength of 45 degrees is approximately 6: 1.

With an increase in the strength of the distillate, this ratio becomes even greater. Proper selection of components and fermentation mode slightly reduces this ratio due to an increase in the strength of the mash.

When choosing components, it must be remembered that each of them has an impact on the properties of the mash. Even a slight change in any of the components, as well as deviations in technology lead to a change in the organoleptic properties of the mash.

Therefore, we recommend making the mash in large batches so that the fermentation conditions in all containers are the same. Even if different batches of moonshine differ from each other in color or smell, within one batch such a deviation will be minimal.

It is advisable to use containers with a relatively narrow neck. so that you can install a water seal on them or put on a rubber medical glove.

During fermentation, a lot of carbon dioxide is released, and a decrease in the rate of its release indicates the end of fermentation. Therefore, it is very important to track the amount of gas by the bubbles in the water seal or by the size and shape of the glove.

Also you will need a warm (23–26 degrees) room, closed from bright light and with low humidity. It is desirable that the room is ventilated.

It is necessary to provide a place for storing containers, which would make it possible to periodically mix the contents. Such mixing improves the quality of the mash and raises its strength.

Choice of Ingredients

If the proportions are chosen so that the set of maximum strength and the full production of sugar occur simultaneously, then after distillation it turns out distillate with a neutral alcohol taste.

Besides, any sugar-containing product is converted to methanol during fermentation and other toxic substances that are cut off during the distillation process.

Potatoes, all cereals and stone fruits during fermentation release more methanol than other products. Least of all methanol in mash from sugar and yeast, but it also contains fewer other substances that give this drink a more pleasant taste and smell.

Therefore, there is no recipe for how to infuse the ideal brew for moonshine, which would give an excellent taste and do not contain toxic substances.

Theoretically moonshine can be made from any product containing simple or complex sugars. Therefore, it is not particularly important what exactly to use to get the mash.

Most often, to get mash, they use what is easiest to get. Residents of regions where the cultivation of wheat and other cereals is developed make mash from them. Those who grow apples, pears or stone fruits in their yards make mash from them.

If it is impossible to get fruits or cereals, potatoes, beets or cabbage are used. Regardless of the choice of the main component for effective fermentation, sugar and yeast are required.

Considering the abundance of types of sugar, as well as the difference in sweetness between the usual granulated sugar from different manufacturers, we will give only average proportions of the components that will need to be refined as a result of numerous experiments and experiments.

Yeast can be any, including Pakmaya, which can be bought at any grocery store.

The most effective wine yeast, but not everyone can get them. Yeast selection affects the strength of the mash, changing within 9–18%.

In addition, baker's or brewer's yeast, which is noticeably inferior to wine yeast, can produce higher alcohol content with better thermal management. That's why the type of yeast changes only the amount of distillate but not the quality.

Braga recipes

We have selected several popular recipes from various products that allow you to get mash suitable for making high-quality moonshine. In addition to the combination of products in each recipe, there are recommendations for preparing and fermenting the mixture.

Sugar with wine yeast

This recipe is classic for the perestroika era, but moonshine is obtained from it. with a minimum content of fractions, giving it a pleasant taste and smell. Here is the number of products:

• water 25 l;
• sugar 5 kg;
• pressed wine yeast 0.5 kg.

Water is heated to a temperature of 30–35 degrees and sugar is poured in, maintaining the temperature until completely dissolved.

Then wait until the temperature drops. up to 25–27 degrees and pour a little syrup to dissolve the yeast in it, while the temperature of the main mass support on same level.

When the yeast is completely dissolved, they are mixed with the bulk of the syrup and sent for fermentation. Fermentation time is 4–8 days.

Wheat malt

Here are the proportions of the main components:

• wheat that has lain in dry storage for 2–10 months since harvest, 4 kg;
• sugar 4 kg;
• water 30 l.

1 kg of wheat washed several times with clean running (not tap) water, then soak for a day or two changing the water every 6-10 hours.

The water is drained, and the soaked wheat washed with a weak solution of manganese or iodine, after which they are placed in a shallow dish and leave to sprout covered with a moistened cotton cloth.

For more information on how to soak wheat and germinate it, see this article (Whiskey). Wheat turns into malt when the length of the sprouts becomes slightly longer than the length of the grain.

The malt is crushed with a blender and mixed with sugar and a small amount of water heated to a temperature of 30 degrees, after which it is placed in a warm place for 10 days.

Then the remaining water is heated to a temperature of 30 degrees, sugar is dissolved in it and the ground grain is poured into this syrup, after which, according to the recipe, an infusion of malt is poured into the mixed ingredients. The finished mixture is sent to fermentation, which will take 10-20 days.

Wheat with yeast

Here quantity of required products:

• grain (as in the previous section) 5 kg;
• sugar 2 kg;
• baker's yeast or Pakmaya 50 gr;
• water 30 l.

The water is heated to a temperature of 30 degrees, after which the yeast is diluted with it, as it is written on the package, and sugar is diluted in the rest of the water. Then cereals and diluted yeast are added to the syrup, after which the mixture is sent to fermentation, which take 6-12 days.

Apple

Here is the amount of ingredients:

• fresh apples 30 kg;
• running water 20 l;
• sugar 1.5–4 kg, depending on the sweetness of the apples;
• wine yeast 200-300 gr.

apples are not washed, because the bacteria necessary to start the fermentation process live on their peel.

However, carefully cut out the seeds and any damaged or rotten areas are necessary.

Then crushed with a blender or in any other way and mixed with water and sugar. This mash can be made with or without yeast.

The only difference is that without the addition of wine yeast, fermentation takes 3-7 weeks, and with them - 5-10 days.

Watermelon

Ingredients:

• ripe red pulp 100 kg;
• sugar 10 kg;
• pressed yeast 200 gr or 1 sachet of Pakmaya.

Can use only whole watermelons without damage, preferably freshly assembled.

After all, the longer they lie, the more fructose and glucose turns into sugar, which is more difficult for yeast to eat.

The rinds are cut off, and the pulp is ground through a sieve to remove the bones and white streaks. All components are mixed and sent to a warm room for fermentation, which take 7-15 days.

Raspberry

Here is the amount of ingredients:

• fresh raspberries 60 kg;
• sugar 10 kg;
• water 50 kg;
• yeast pressed or wine 500 gr.

Raspberries are cleaned of stalks and damaged berries, after which they are thoroughly kneaded. You can not wash the berry, because this will remove the natural yeast necessary for fermentation.

If you make mash with yeast, then its taste will become much worse., as well as the taste of finished moonshine, but the fermentation process will end 20-30 days earlier, namely for 5-8 days.

If you decide to add yeast, then they are poured into a container with raspberries and water, then sugar is poured there. If they are made without yeast, then only sugar is added to the water and raspberries.

Fermentation

For fermentation, you need a room in which you can maintain a stable temperature at 20-25 degrees.

A decrease in temperature will slow down the action of bacteria that convert sugar into alcohol, and activate pathogenic microflora, which also feeds on sugar, but produces substances unsuitable for distillation.

Temperature increase over optimal will lead to the appearance of putrefactive processes that will spoil the mash.

Another condition is no bright light, because some of the bacteria and processes are sensitive to it, so an excess of light will disrupt fermentation and introduce undesirable changes into it. However, a small light bulb with enough light to keep you from wandering in the dark will not harm the mash.

A prerequisite for successful fermentation is cutting off the mash from the influx of fresh air.

This can be done with using a water seal or a medical rubber glove, in one of the fingers of which a hole is pierced with the thinnest needle.

The water seal and glove do not prevent carbon dioxide from escaping from the fermentation tank, so they can be used as sensor signaling the end of the fermentation process.

When the water seal sharply reduces the number of bubbles, and the glove stops inflating, it is necessary to open the container and check the condition of the mash.

All water-soluble parts should precipitate with a clear boundary between the precipitate and the liquid. Herself liquid should be relatively clear, without thick turbidity. Then you need to try the mash.

A sweetish taste indicates that the yeast has not been able to process all the sugar, so you must either wait a few days or add water to reduce the strength of the mash and allow the yeast to finish its work.

This moment is associated with risk, because an incorrect assessment of the situation can lead to souring of the mash. Therefore, experienced moonshiners check the strength of the mash with an alcohol meter and compared with the maximum strength that certain yeasts can develop.

When the mash is ready, her filtered to separate liquid and sediment, after which the liquid mash is poured into alcohol mashine, and the sediment is used as yeast for the next batch of mash or used as fertilizer in the garden.

Distillation

Distillation requires moonshine (alembic), which you can make yourself or buy in a store.

The main condition for obtaining high-quality moonshine is to use an apparatus that provides Possibility of constant temperature control.

This will allow you to regulate chemical composition moonshine, thus affecting its taste and smell. In one of the articles (cognac on oak chips), we already talked about the importance of observing the temperature regime, as well as about such distillate fractions, How:

• head;
• body;
• tail.

When distilling, the following must be taken into account:

1. Head, consisting of methyl alcohol and other poisons, in small quantities (1-2%) makes the moonshine more "picky", that is, with the same strength the intoxicating effect is more pronounced, but the load on all organs increases sharply.
2. Body, completely cleared of the head and tail, turns into an analogue of medical alcohol - a drink, having an alcoholic effect and an alcoholic taste that does not have any zest.
3. Tail much less dangerous than the head, but attaches moonshine fusel smell, inherent in tequila, whiskey and many other drinks that are classified as noble.

That's why the perfect recipe there is no race. Some drain only part of the head, turning the drink into a killer smelly drink, others make an analogue of vodka, devoid of any special taste and smell.

Infusion on wood chips

To improve organoleptic properties its moonshine is insisted on chips of various tree species.

Initially for this used wooden barrels, however, they take up a lot of space and are quite expensive, and the effect of their use is enough for 3-5 treatments, after which the wood loses the necessary substances, and the infusion of moonshine no longer changes its properties.

Keeping the distillate in barrels from is still used in the industrial and semi-industrial production of strong alcoholic beverages.

Those who make moonshine for themselves make do with wood chips.

When distillate interacts with wood, it fills the pores, and the diffusion process begins, as a result of which part of the moonshine elements replaces what filled the wood, and its contents enter the distillate.

If the wood that will interact with alcohol, pre-burned, the drink acquires an additional taste and smell, which depend on the degree of firing. This is due to the fact that the temperature effect destroys cellulose and lignin, turning them into glucose and simple sugars which change the taste of the distillate.

In addition, roasting destroys many other substances, as a result of which oils and esters are released, which also affect the taste and smell of the finished product.

Chips will have an even greater impact if If pre-soak it in good wine or liquor. Once in moonshine, she will give it an unusual pleasant taste and smell thanks to which he will be able to compete on equal terms with many well-known drinks.

After all general principles the manufacture of any strong alcoholic drink is unchanged, that is, brandy, cognac and other well-known products, in fact, are the same moonshine.

Selection and preparation of wood material

Most often, oak, alder and fruit woods are used for infusion. Oak and, accordingly, tincture from it contain a lot of tannins.

Such substances give a special bitter tart taste and unusual smell drink.

A fruit trees, thanks to a large number resins and esters attach the smell of moonshine aroma of wood and earth, and the taste is slightly sour, sometimes with a sweetish tint.

We have compiled a table that turned on the most popular types of wood used for infusion, as well as the effect they give. To obtain the results, identical jars were used, in which 600 ml of distillate were poured and 5 g of wood chips were placed.

The infusion time was 14 days, so the effect of wood chips was minimal. When insisting for several months, the effect will be more pronounced, and may also change over time.

Chip making

The best thing for insisting use fresh wood, for example, a freshly cut branch or a sawn trunk, and the older the tree, the stronger the chips from it will affect the moonshine. The question of where to get one is always very relevant.

Such branches can be picked up while felling trees, and it is desirable that the thickness of the branch be 5 cm or more.

Form chips doesn't matter, the main thing is that it passes without problems through the neck of the container for infusing moonshine. Therefore, you can use wood chips that are produced by a chipper that processes branches, or you can chop it yourself with an ax. Read more about this.

Exception constitutes chips in case, if they will previously soak in other alcohol.

In this case it is advisable to use cubes with a side size of 3–5 cm, they will give off the liquid absorbed into them for a long time.

Thanks to this, metabolic processes will be more efficient, and a constant but slow flow of sugar-soaked liquid will not lead to the multiplication of sugar-eating bacteria, which is difficult to avoid when using thin soaked wood chips.

The only condition is chips must be obtained from living healthy wood, only in this case it will give the maximum taste and smell to the drink, and also will not damage it.

After all, pathogenic bacteria multiply in diseased wood, processing the residual sugar of both wood and distillate, while releasing substances that will spoil the taste, color and smell of the drink.

Therefore, when using wood chips obtained from the disposal of branches with a chipper, carefully inspect each chip and remove it at the slightest suspicion. Also, do not use wood chips with bark.

Burning

Roasting can drastically change the wood chips Effect, therefore, for many years, each master has been looking for and creating his own recipes for making a drink at home, giving the distillate unusual taste, color and smell.

Some share their little secrets in recipes and tell how and how much to infuse a drink on special forums, post useful videos.

Quite often there are recipes for tinctures on wood chips of medium roast. How is it the color of the wood material after firing a given degree shown in the photo.

In addition, mixing wood chips of different breeds and different processing methods allows you to make tinctures according to the same recipe, but with a unique combination of color, taste and smell.

For roasting, wood chips are loaded into an oven heated to a temperature of 120-210 degrees and left there for a while.

Gradually, the chips begin to change color, because in the absence of a constant supply of oxygen going on not wood oxidation, but caramelization, as a result of which lignin and cellulose break down into monosaccharides. During soaking, monosaccharides pass into the distillate and give it a special taste, color and smell.

Soaking in other alcohol

If you decide to soak the wood chips in another alcoholic beverage, then consider the following rules and instructions - preparation and soaking will take:

• chips 2-5 mm thick - 10-15 hours;
• cubes with a side size of 1-2 cm - 30-50 hours;
• cubes with a side size of 3 cm or more - 1-3 weeks.

For soaking, you can use both strong and weak alcoholic drinks. Soaking gives good results chips in various juices, which then enter the distillate and change its taste.

You will find more detailed information about wood chips for moonshine and how to process it.

How to insist and how much?

clear formula and proportions relative to quantity, that is, how many grams of wood chips should be put into 1 liter or, for example, 3 liters of alcohol, which provides the best result, does not exist.

The more chips, the stronger its influence, up to too strong, spoiling the taste and smell of the drink.

A further increase in the proportion of wood chips is impractical, because it will only slightly reduce the infusion time and, with a high degree of probability, will give the drink an unpleasant taste and smell, which go unnoticed at a low concentration of wood chips.

For infusion use glass and enamel containers with hermetically sealed lids, in which, following the recipe, wood chips are first loaded, then moonshine is poured. Infusion time from a week to a year, depending on the desired result.

In a shorter period of time, the processes occurring inside the wood will not have time to noticeably change the composition of alcohol, and exceeding this period will not affect the taste and color of the moonshine.

At the same time, it should be borne in mind that the more wood chips, the faster the filling of alcohol with the contents of wood pores, so it is necessary to experimentally determine the balance between the amount of wood and the time of infusion.

When preparing chips for infusion, remember that apple, cherry and other fruit trees do not contain tannins, so the moonshine infused with them will have a pleasant smell and a slightly sweet aftertaste.

Unlike them, oak contains a lot of tannins, so it will give the drink a cognac smell and taste. Due to the unusual influence of oak, lovers of vodka and light spirits leave negative reviews about cognac and its recipes on wood chips of this wood, stating that it "stinks of bugs."

It is necessary to insist moonshine on wood chips in a room closed from light with a temperature of 10-15 degrees.

Exceeding this temperature can lead to re-fermentation and souring of the product due to the growth of harmful bacteria.

After insisting, the chips can be used several more times, but each time its influence will be less and less. infused alcohol need to pour into glass bottles and store in a dark cool place.

A video on how to make a fragrant drink, insisting moonshine on wood chips, with your own hands, what kind of smell and taste give types of wood chips of various fruit species and oak:

Conclusion

Infusion of moonshine on wood chips can turn it into a noble drink, which will not be ashamed to treat any guests. Yes, and on holidays such a tincture will be just as appropriate as expensive drinks like whiskey, cognac or brandy. After reading this article, you learned how to:

• make moonshine;
• regulate its taste and color - how much wood chips should be added per 1 liter of alcohol, and how much the drink should be infused;
• wood chips affect the distillate.

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