Everything about moonshine still works principle. How does a moonshine still work? The Importance of Double Distillation in Distillers
Vodka should be 40 degrees,
and not at 30, this is, firstly, - and secondly,
- God knows what they threw there.
Can you tell them what comes to their mind?
M. Bulgakov? Heart of a Dog?
The situation on the spirits market has changed little since the time of Bulgakov. Life makes you become a moonshiner. A home product is several times cheaper, and most importantly, you can be sure that no one has poured anything superfluous there.
The scheme of the moonshine still is basically the same and unchanged, regardless of the design. To comprehend the oldest of the arts, it makes sense to delve into the intricacies of the process and restore in memory the foundations of physics and chemistry. Key idea? using the difference in boiling points of alcohol and water, to separate one from the other.
From mash, consisting of 15 percent alcohol (the rest is water and impurities), alcohol is obtained in a concentrated form. Braga is heated in a closed container. At a temperature of 77-78 degrees, only the alcohol that is part of it boils, the process of active vapor release is in progress. Water at this time has not yet reached the boiling point and hardly evaporates. Alcohol vapors rise and through a connecting pipe enter another reservoir, where they are cooled, condensed and become a liquid. This is Pervach - 70% ethyl alcohol.
Understanding the process, the Russian left-hander can organize a liquor factory at home, as they say, from improvised means. To avoid unpleasant surprises, it is better to purchase a ready-made moonshine still.
There are many options - the principle is one
An advanced moonshiner cannot be identified by smell. Factory-made products are hermetically sealed, do not stink in the whole area, are compact, have an aesthetic appearance.
Models may differ in the material of the case, the number and complexity of additional options, the strength and degree of purification of the resulting alcohol, and its final yield. The principle of operation is the same for everyone: boil, cool, clean, drink.
Now more about each stage.
We boil in an evaporator
In fact, this is a sealed thick-walled pan in which the mash is heated. The liquid can be heated by placing the evaporator on the stove, or using a thermoelectric heater (heating element) mounted inside. Devices without heating elements are cheaper and more reliable.
It makes sense to buy models with a built-in heater if there is no access to an external heating source. The weak point of the design of moonshine stills of this 
type-gaskets in the places of contact between the housing and the heating element. In addition, it is necessary to constantly monitor that the red-hot heating element is completely covered with mash.
Cooler coil
A refrigerator (coil) is a container filled with cold water; inside there is a spiral tube, through which hot alcohol vapors come from the thermo-tank. Depending on the method of cooling, this element is flowing and non-flowing.In flowing devices, tap water continuously flows through one hose into the container, and through the other it flows out. With a non-flowing version, water must be poured manually and constantly changed as it warms up.
Sukhoparnik
An optional but highly desirable feature. Designed for cleaning moonshine from fusel oils. These substances are initially contained in the mash and enter the distillate during evaporation. They have an unpleasant odor, are harmful to health, their high content turns the final product into poison. You can clear the moonshine by running it several times, or you can simply pass it through a dry pot.
A dry boiler (reflux condenser) is placed between the evaporator and the refrigerator. The principle of its work resembles a hookah. This is a small sealed container with two nozzles, in which the vapors from the distillation tank are first condensed, and then they boil again due to the energy of the next hot portion and are pushed into the coil under pressure. In this case, fusel oils settle in the reflux condenser, since they do not have time to evaporate again.
The dry pot is also used for additional aromatization of drinks, it is enough to put a lemon peel or a black currant leaf on the bottom.
Control devices
It is necessary to control the temperature of the mash, maintain it between 75 and 100 degrees, so that only alcohol boils. The thermometer is already installed on the cover of the evaporators of some models.
Some samples are equipped with an additional thermometer to measure the temperature of the steam and 
pressure regulator in the distillation cube.
Materials (edit)
A chemically aggressive environment under pressure and at high temperatures requires the material to be able to withstand this kind of stress. For the manufacture of containers for moonshine still use stainless steel and copper.
- Copper has stood the test of time. This metal is inert, heat-resistant, its ability to eliminate unpleasant odors due to interaction with sulfur oxide has been noticed for a long time. European manufacturers of famous brands of cognacs still use copper equipment.
- The most popular material is food grade stainless steel. It is resistant to chemical attack of a wide range of active substances and can withstand high pressure drops.
- Aluminum is used less frequently. This is a fairly durable and strong material, however, at the slightest damage to the surface, a toxic oxide film forms on it.
The design of moonshine stills
The models differ in the number of basic elements and the method of connection.
Some manufacturers call a moonshine only a refrigerator with a set of connecting pipes for connection. This design can be attached to any container of suitable diameter.
The most popular models are where the evaporator and coil are combined. These objects resemble a large double boiler. Models of the elite assembly suggest the presence of additional options: a steam boiler, two thermometers (for liquid and steam), a pressure regulator.
Flexible hoses are used to connect to the water supply. Tubes with a diameter of 5-8 mm and a wall thickness of 1.5-2 mm are optimal. They must be flexible and resilient.
Usually, at the words "drive moonshine" a gloomy person appears with a red nose turning into blue, throwing firewood into the stove, on which there is an apparatus with a gurgling brew and a large coil. He drips from the end of the tube - the same moonshine. And all this is accompanied by characteristic smells, onto which the local vagabonds slowly creep.
It turns out that moonshine became widespread in the fifteenth century, and there are a great many recipes for its manufacture. But at the heart of its manufacture is one technological chain, which we will consider in this article.
The essence of the process of obtaining ethyl alcohol
(called alcohol) of sugar-containing foods is as follows. Sugar or fruit glucose is converted into alcohol by the yeast as it grows. That is, ethyl alcohol is a waste product of the fungus. Thus, the process is decomposed into several stages.1. Obtaining a sugar-containing liquid. It can be not only diluted sugar, which is possible, but economically unprofitable, but also, for example, sweet berry juice. There are also methods for producing sugar from starch found in cereals.
2. Adding a small amount of yeast to the sugar-containing liquid. After which the liquid settles in warmth. As a result of fermentation, a mixture of water, yeast, alcohols and fusel oils is formed - mash. This liquid is very harmful in nature, has an unpleasant characteristic odor, but - most importantly - it contains the coveted ethyl alcohol - alcohol.
3. Ethyl alcohol separation or distillation process.
Ethyl alcohol separation or distillation process.
It is this function that the moonshine still performs. The idea lies in the difference in the boiling-evaporation temperatures of the components that make up the mash.The classic moonshine still consists of a hermetically sealed container with home brew and a condenser, the function of which is usually performed by a long tube twisted in a spiral - a coil. When the container is heated, the components begin to evaporate from the surface of the liquid. The vapors in the coil are cooled and, condensing on the inner surface of the coil, then drain into the prepared container. For its more efficient operation, it is necessary either to increase its length or to forcibly cool it. For example, cold running water. In order to control what exactly is dripping at the moment, a thermometer is used.
When heated, liquids evaporate in the following order:
1. at a temperature of 65-68 degrees, light impurities begin to boil and actively evaporate. Moonshiners call it "pervach". They are poisonous to humans, and if you are going to use the product for ingestion, then this part must be drained.
2. When the temperature rises to 78 degrees, the boiling of ethyl alcohol - alcohol begins. It is the range of 78-86 degrees that should be adhered to in order to obtain a quality product.
3. At a temperature of 86 degrees, evaporation of heavy products - fusel oils begins. They are harmful to ingestion and degrade the flammability of spirits.
4.100 degrees - the boiling point of the main component - water.
The most difficult component of this device to manufacture is the coil. For experiments at home, you can do without it.
The simplest distillation apparatus consists of two glass jars with different capacities. A large jar is used to heat the mash, and a smaller one is used as a capacitor.
A large jar 1/2 is filled with mash and placed in a water bath (take a basin or a wide low pot of water and put it on an electric or gas stove). This is necessary to limit the heating temperature of the liquid. The jar is closed with a stopper with holes for the thermometer 5 and tube 6. The small jar is also closed with a stopper with two holes - for the connecting tube 6 and the branch tube 9, and turn it over. The end of tube 6, entering a small jar, should reach almost to its bottom, through it alcohol-containing vapors enter the refrigerator, condense on the walls of the jar and flow down. For greater efficiency, the refrigerator jar is placed under a stream of cold water. Tube 9 serves to equalize the pressure inside the refrigerator. Some of the vapors that have not had time to condense will go out through this tube. They can be caught by placing a water seal at the end of the tube: alcohol will dissolve in water.
In the era of the fight against moonshine, craftsmen in every possible way disguised moonshine stills. In particular, they say that there was a version of the device built into the TV. Moreover, the TV worked perfectly at the same time! Nowadays, moonshine is no longer a criminal offense (however, if you suddenly decide to do it, keep in mind that you cannot make alcohol for sale, the criminal code is adamant here!). But left-handed devices are still being improved for their own pleasure. In particular, the American enthusiast James Sharmen (http://www.exaflop.ru/) managed to make a computer-based apparatus. An AMD K6 processor with a clock frequency of 233 MHz (supply voltage - 3.3 V) was used as a heating element. To heat the liquid, Charmaine soldered a 5 x 5 x 1 cm sealed vessel from a thin copper sheet with copper inlet and outlet tubes. This vessel was placed directly on the processor. To test the resulting system, Charmaine loaded up a Linux operating system and a small piece of code that would put a heavy load on the processor. To ensure maximum cooling, the container into which the alcohol was to drain was placed in a small bowl of cold water, and the warming container was half filled with rum. Within ten minutes, condensation appeared inside the flexible transparent tubes, and the heating vessel became very hot. After about an hour, during which the computer had to be restarted twice due to overheating, about 2 ml of a clear liquid, which tasted very strong alcohol, was placed in a glass container for collecting alcohol. The resulting liquid also burned very well.
Humanity has been interested in the peculiarities of making homemade alcohol for a long time. Even despite the presence of a rich selection of alcoholic beverages in stores, many people prefer to make alcohol on their own, using moonshine stills for this purpose. These devices are equipped with elements that make it possible not only to obtain a strong drink from the appropriate raw materials, but also to clean and refine it with high quality. Each person who decides to engage in the independent production of alcohol should learn the principle of the moonshine still.
The principle of operation of the moonshine still
What is a moonshine still?
A moonshine still, or distiller, is an equipment that, in the course of its operation, distills mash into raw alcohol, which is possible due to the different boiling points of the raw materials for distilling moonshine. The distillation process can be roughly divided into several stages:
- Heating the mash and bringing it to a boil. For reference: mash begins to boil at a temperature of 78 degrees Celsius, since it contains components with a low boiling point. We are talking about wood alcohol, aldehyde, acetone and other substances, which should be removed first of all during the distillation of moonshine. The thing is that the use of such substances threatens a person with mortal danger! In total, the raw materials contain 8-10% of such components, while the remaining 90% are ethyl alcohol and fusel oils.
- The boiling point of ethyl alcohol is 80-85 degrees, and its part in the mash is 80%. When the heating temperature of the mash exceeds 85 degrees, the evaporation of fusel oils begins at this stage.
- What happens to the vapors coming out of the boiling mash? The vapors are directed from the container in which the wash boils to another element of the unit, and the vapors are rapidly cooled in it. This process is called condensation. The distillate condensate accumulates in a certain container of the apparatus, after which it flows freely down into another container.
The principle of operation of the distiller is described from the point of view of the properties of the components of raw materials for making moonshine. The very process of distillation of moonshine depends on the design of the apparatus. To find out how a moonshine still works, you should consider its constituent elements.
What does a distiller consist of?
On sale you can find a wide selection of moonshine stills of various configurations. Nevertheless, even the most primitive, in terms of design, unit must have the following mandatory components:
- Distillation cube, or hawk moth: is a capacious container into which the mash prepared for further distillation is poured. Distillation stills are made of stainless steel, although copper and glass containers can also be found commercially. The amount of moonshine obtained in the distillation process depends on the volume of the distillation still. The hawk moth has rather thin walls (1-2 millimeters), which allow you to quickly heat the raw material and at the same time avoid burning it.
- Coil: This is a spiral tube also made of stainless steel. Vapors formed during the boiling process of the mash pass along the coil. Through the coil, the vapors enter the next element of the distiller - the refrigerator.
- Refrigerator: This is where the steam turns into condensation. In flow-through devices (connected to the water supply), the vapors are cooled by a continuous supply of cold water. In non-flowing distillers, vapors are cooled with water manually poured into the refrigerator container.
- Sukhoparnik: its presence is desirable in the design of a moonshine still, although units without this component can be found on sale. Sukoparnik is a glass or metal tank that performs intermediate purification of the distillate from fusel oils, the presence of which in alcohol can lead to deterioration of its smell and taste. Also, the dry pot allows you to color and flavor alcohol. For this, spices, herbs and other additives are placed in such a container, when combined with which the steam is saturated with a certain aroma or color. There may be several sukhoparnikov in the design of a moonshine still.
The device of a moonshine still implies the presence of a thermometer, without which it is impossible to imagine the process of controlling the temperature regime of heating raw materials. Also, the distiller can be equipped with an alcohol meter, which allows you to control the strength of the moonshine.
Another type of equipment for distilling moonshine is a distillation column. This unit differs from the classic moonshine still in that it carries out the rectification of raw materials, that is, its division into fractions: "heads", "body", "tails". "Heads" are lethal impurities in the form of methyl alcohol, acetone, etc. "Tails" are fusel oils. "Body" is ethyl alcohol, for the sake of which the distillation of moonshine is carried out. The distillation column thoroughly cleans the moonshine from harmful impurities, while the strength of the resulting product does not exceed 90 degrees.
However, the rectification column has one drawback - its performance is lower compared to the classic moonshine still.
The distillation column can be installed on a conventional distiller if its design is compatible with such a device.
When choosing a moonshine still, one should pay attention to such aspects as the desired amount of raw materials obtained, the presence of a water supply in the house, etc. Regardless of the selection criteria, preference should be given to distillers manufactured at the factory, accompanied by appropriate documentation.
Moonshine can be a hobby too. If even before the eighties of the last century for the manufacture, storage and sale of moonshine, liability was provided for up to three years in prison with confiscation of property, now it is absolutely legal. You can drive moonshine for your own needs, but for the sale of such a drink without a license, the broad masses of the population face an administrative fine, which can reach several thousand rubles. However, no one forbids presenting a bottle of homemade alcohol to friends or acquaintances.
For those who decide to engage in such activities, the first step is to choose a good moonshine still. Not everyone can make a distiller with their own hands, and it is also not so easy to decide on the choice of a suitable device. In this article, we will talk about the device and characteristics of moonshine still, the principles of their operation will be considered. Other nuances of moonshine will be presented to your attention. In addition, we will study the types of moonshine still and their device.
Moonshine still: device and principle of operation
The metabolic fermentation process is used to enrich food with taste and aroma, important amino acids and vitamins, and proteins. In the process of fermentation, food is detoxified, the time spent on cooking decreases, a significant amount of food is preserved with the help of acetic acid, alcohol, lactic acid.
The very principle of fermentation was discovered by monkeys. Amazingly, they wait for the fruit to ferment to get a primitive alcoholic beverage. But the process of isolating from the mash exactly those substances that contribute to alcoholic intoxication was invented by people either in Greece or in the East. It is not known exactly.
The device of a moonshine still (both home-made and factory-made) includes many details. To simplify, in fact, only two containers and a hose are needed. But if you delve into the process of producing alcoholic beverages, you will have to understand the device of the moonshine still. A detailed diagram of the device is shown in the figure above.
Saturated vapors
The process of home brewing begins with heating the mash to the boiling point. With more heat, the fusel will begin to stand out - heavy oily components. The boiling point, which is somewhere between 67-70 degrees, is quite optimal. It is necessary to maintain this mode until the end of the haul. So you can get a high-quality product, which afterwards may well turn into an elite whiskey, rum, telly, and so on. Otherwise, if you stop heating immediately after reaching the boiling point, you will get the same brew, but without mechanical precipitation.
Filtration is the key to clean work
Delicious alcohol is the goal of anyone who has decided to start home brewing. And if you need a good taste, then you should separately think about high-quality filtration. The first thing that happens to the steam on the way of transformation is getting into a dry steam room. This is a very important detail included in the device of any moonshine still. This small container removes all unnecessary elements and passes the cleaner pairs for further transformations.
The device for a moonshine still inside is very simple. A vessel is required (the optimal volume is up to one liter) with an airtight seal or a tight lid with two holes for hoses. The inlet should go a few centimeters deep. The second hole (for filtered steam) should not be close to the first, but not at the very bottom. This hot steam will cool slightly, and fusel oils will remain in the jar in the form of a liquid.
The alcohol compounds will continue to move towards the refrigerator and turn into pure distillate. In general, for optimal operation of a dry steam generator, it is necessary to maintain a constant temperature inside it of about 75-80 degrees Celsius. With this approach to business, the taste of alcohol will significantly improve.
Refrigerator
When heated, alcohol vapors will be released first. But how do you turn the vapors into a liquid product? The principle of the device of the moonshine still includes the so-called "refrigerator". Passing through a cold environment, vapors will begin to turn into a liquid, with light substances being converted first, then alcohol, and then heavier oils. At the end of the process, water settles.
A refrigerator is usually a separate container, a tube through which fumes flow. When vapors enter the cold environment in the tube, they turn into liquid. How to effectively implement this in a home-made moonshine still? In winter, in villages and hamlets, you can often see a hose stretched out in the yard through the snow; in summer, a cold bath is most often used. But it is better, of course, to purchase a factory moonshine still with a refrigerator, and not to “reinvent the wheel” again.
The device of a moonshine still does not differ much from the store one, except for the appearance and compactness of the device. If you plan to make such a unit yourself, you need to rely on the tips that are presented below. A moonshine still, the device of which is generally understandable, also has certain characteristics. It makes no sense to describe the features of the sizes, since it all comes down to how much production is planned. But attention should be paid to the materials from which the unit will be made.
Features of containers for mash
Home-made moonshine stills traditionally use 20-40 liter milk cans. Such containers are dense and lightweight. A good choice of material for the heating phase of the primary raw material is aluminum. But there are several nuances here:
- Firstly, not all amateurs distill as much mash as a milk can can hold.
- Secondly, the results of many studies confirm that aluminum, in contact with substances that will be released when the mash is heated, spoils the taste.
The last question is not about aluminum itself, but about what is obtained as a result of the reaction between the vapors and the metal itself. Therefore, any food grade metal such as titanium or copper will do. A copper moonshine is good because such a material binds sulfur ions that accumulate during fermentation, and this is about fifty different compounds that include sulfur. Since sulfur significantly affects the taste of the product, copper will be an excellent option for making a moonshine still. If it is not possible to make a copper distillation cube, you should try to use it at least for a coil.
Very important steam line
The best choice for treadmill alcohol is copper steam tubing. The advantages of this metal have already been mentioned, so it makes no sense to go deeper. But other non-hazardous materials will work as well. If it is not possible to get a copper model, then before using a certain metal, it is better to make sure that this does not affect the taste of the alcohol.
Sukoparnik features
As for the dry greenhouse, there are no specific features and a lot of choice. The only dilemma is which hot pot to choose: home-made or store-bought? A home-made dry pot most often consists of a liter jar with a tightly closed lid. You need to make two holes in the lid: inlet and outlet. Sometimes several cans are used as a dry steam bath, to which a hose is sequentially supplied.
The problem with this device is that it is very difficult to ensure complete tightness. In addition, there are some nuances in the dimensions. Too small a container size will lead to poor filtration, too large will cause a decrease in productivity due to the fact that the vapors will cool ahead of time and some of them will remain in the dry chamber.
So, for beginners it is better to opt for the factory model, since it is unlikely that the first time they will be able to make a working device themselves. But a professional who knows his business can easily cope on his own, since with proper assembly, the effect of a homemade dry-pot will be no worse than that of store-bought devices, and maybe even better. It is also worth remembering that the dry box must be washed regularly, which means that it must be removed often, so that the structure should be easily separated and washed.
The nuances of arranging the refrigerator
The last obstacle is the refrigerator. It is with him, perhaps, that the most questions arise. First, flowing or standing? If it is flowing, then what design, and if it is standing, then how often should the water be changed?
For the production of moonshine, it is better to purchase a flowing one. In this case, of course, much more water will be used, but you will not have to replace the water heated with steam. By the way, it must be replaced every half hour, and the water temperature should be no higher than 30 degrees Celsius. The water from the running cooler can be drained into the sink or cooled and reused.
The choice has been made, and it seems that you can start the process of home brewing. But with a moonshine still, the device and the principle of operation of which are very complicated, not everything is so simple. A few nuances are still worth mentioning.
Sealing as the most important condition
In general, it is recommended to purchase a cast apparatus, since otherwise you will have to think about how to seal up the joints in order to prevent gas from escaping. But if for some reason this is impossible, then in no case should you use rubber nozzles. Interacting with alcohol vapors, rubber will noticeably spoil the taste of the product. Do-it-yourself moonshine device has many nuances, but in this case, you can use the old old-fashioned method. It is enough to put fresh dough on the joint and heat slightly. This is a food product and does not allow steam to pass through, and it is not difficult to make. The only problem is that every time you have to prepare the dough in addition to preparation. So it's best to buy a cast moonshine still and not think about sealing.
Container for the finished product
Alcohol needs not only to be able to produce it correctly, but also to store it correctly. Do not use non-food storage materials. This will change the taste, quality, and may harm the health of those who consume alcohol. It is best to store the moonshine in glass bottles. The container must be clean, sterile and tightly closed. Keep the bottle of moonshine in a cool place out of direct sunlight. Of course, keep alcohol away from children.
Secrets of Good Taste
If you follow the exact instructions and know what the device and operation of the moonshine still are, then the product will come out of high quality. But there is no limit to perfection. Therefore, there are some tips for improving quality and flavor. For example, moonshine will turn out cleaner if you put a slice of some kind of fruit in a dry stew. In addition, it will give the moonshine a pleasant taste and smell.
After distillation, you can infuse the resulting liquid with black tea, hawthorn or nut shells. The latter, however, is very difficult and time-consuming, but the taste will turn out to be really amazing. Of course, in the process of distilling moonshine, you need to follow the rules of hygiene. It is also very important to know how to properly monitor the device.
Finally
So, to summarize, we can say that good alcohol is refined alcohol. The main thing is complete sealing, the correct choice of material for the container and the device itself, the ratio of sizes and compliance with the rules of hygiene when working with food. Now people who have studied the principle and structure of the moonshine still have to wish them good luck in their endeavors!
Before telling how it works, it is necessary to point out that there are several of their fundamental varieties, which have a different structure and principle of operation.
Modern varieties are:
distillation tank of a certain volume (8-100 l), which is created from food grade stainless steel;
one or - metal or glass, collapsible or not. It is in them that the process of separation of fuselage and aromatization of raw materials takes place. There are devices with one, two or even three dry steam tanks, which are also often called sedimentation tanks. The collapsible steam boiler has a valve at the bottom for draining the fuselage.
built-in flow-through refrigerator - serves for cooling alcohol vapors and their additional cleaning. Not every distillation apparatus has a refrigerator.
The principle of operation of the steam generator is based on the fact that the boiling point of ethyl alcohol is higher than that of many hazardous substances. Theoretically and to a greater extent in practice, getting into the dryhouse, harmful impurities condense there, but do not boil again, since the heat energy is spent on the evaporation of ethyl alcohol.
Thus, the distillation process is based on temperature differences. At the same time, it is important to know that the more dry chambers in the apparatus, the better the purification process will be. Plus, if, then alcohol vapors can also be aromatized right in the process.
The second type of devices for home brewing is apparatus equipped with a rectification (strengthening) column. With their help, a very pure and strong (stronger than in a distiller) alcohol is created. True, the process itself takes more time and such a device is more expensive.
The scheme of a moonshine still with a rectifier is rather complicated, as is the principle of its operation. Cleaning in it takes place using a special mesh (mesh packing), which is installed inside the column and flow-through cooler. Does not require double or triple distillation. There is no specific smell during work. It is believed that by maximizing the purification of alcohol, the rectifier eliminates its true, natural taste and delicate aroma.
What is included in a modern moonshine still
The distiller may include the following structural elements:
The device of a moonshine rectifier is much more complicated and the distillation process in it takes longer.
What should you choose?
Which device should you choose for? If you are a beginner craftsman and just want to try, you want to make drinks for your home, friends, then feel free to choose any apparatus with a dry steam generator. It costs less than a rectifier device (rectification column). Columns are chosen by those who have very high demands on drinks and want to experiment. For the price, even a small rectifier will cost more than a distiller.