Moonshine still with fusel oil separation. How to make a moonshine still from a pressure cooker with your own hands

Before you start brewing, you need to choose the appropriate device. Although the overview of moonshine stills is quite broad, the design of most models is similar. Knowing what to look for when purchasing will help you make the right choice and produce a quality drink.

To make alcoholic beverages, it is not enough to simply buy equipment; you need to understand the operating principle of the moonshine still, the operating instructions and some other subtleties. By the way, if you study the key points, you may be able to design the device yourself.

It is easy to learn the basic characteristics of the system. And if it was produced by a trusted manufacturer, then the box should contain official instructions and a step-by-step instruction manual . Regardless of the type of device, the principle of action remains unchanged and consists of certain reactions and chemical processes. The main differences are present only in the configuration, which affects productivity, quality, purity and strength of alcoholic beverages.

Types of household appliances

Currently, there are several types of household distillers. And although their structure is not much different from each other, you should know what each type is called in order to decide on the appropriate solution:

The process of alcohol formation is that different liquids begin to evaporate under the influence of different temperatures. As a result, alcohol releases vapors at temperatures slightly more than 70 degrees Celsius, and other substances from 60 degrees and above 83 degrees Celsius.

Regardless of the type and model, the key purpose of moonshine equipment is to maximize the isolation of harmful impurities from ethyl alcohol, which is suitable for further use.

Many centuries ago, people knew that alcohol boils and evaporates at lower temperatures than water. This is exactly the principle that was used in the design of the moonshine still. The process of preparing drinks consists of the following features:

First, you need to bring the mash to a boil, and alcohol vapor will begin to rise before the solution begins to boil. This action occurs at a temperature of 78 degrees.
Mixed vapors enter a container at a lower temperature.
The accumulated distillate slowly drains and serves as the finished product.

Despite the conventionality of the scheme, it is universal and fully describes the chemical reactions and the basic form of obtaining the drink.

When using the standard configuration, the alcohol quality is low. In addition, various impurities will appear in the composition, including fusel oils. It will also be difficult for you to regulate the process itself, and additional difficulties may arise in the future. To avoid them, the system is pre-equipped with additional elements that allow you to obtain drinks of good quality and the desired strength.

Moonshine still structure

If we consider the device moonshine system for preparing alcohol at home with maximum quality indicators of the final product, then it will look like this:

Principle of operation

Distillation column

Some people believe that rectification columns are a common type of standard moonshine distillers, however, this is a deep misconception. Not only the principle of obtaining the drink differs, but also the final quality. Distillation column allows you to obtain almost pure alcohol with a strength of 90 degrees, without any third-party flavors, including the taste of the original product.

For comparison, in classical moonshine systems such a result is not even observed during repeated distillations. The device opens up the possibility of creating elite alcoholic drinks using (if necessary) a basic distillation method. You can find a wide variety of such systems on the market, so choosing a suitable solution that will satisfy you in terms of performance, volume and product quality is very simple.

By the way, in some cases the absence of impurities and the particular purity of the output product are regarded as a defect. For example, real whiskey or chacha has exactly the aroma of the original raw material.

And if we are talking about alcohol for tinctures, then it must be extremely pure. This will save on additional distillation of the solution to remove possible impurities.

Other equipment parts

As for the main working parts of the equipment, they consist of a container that can be heated, the column itself, as well as a distiller (the Istomin alcohol brewer uses a double distillation distiller) with a cooling element or reflux condenser. Installations of this type are always present in large industrial enterprises or laboratories, including oil, gas and pharmaceutical. The operating principle consists of the following features:

The average productivity of such a column is very high, especially if there are contact elements that increase metabolic processes.

As for the productivity of standard moonshine stills, it is much higher, but the quality of the distillate is “lame”. However, with this technique you can independently change the selection speed, obtaining a different strength of the final product.

If you understand the main features of the operation of moonshine equipment, it is quite possible to make it yourself. Of course, it is better to give preference to a purchased model that is produced and equipped by a trusted company. In this case, you will not have to waste time building a complex structure, and the interval for creating the drink will be minimal. It is important to understand the type of apparatus or distillation column, after which you can begin work.

Each moonshine still or any other equipment that is sold in specialized stores comes with an additional instruction manual. Many modern models are immediately supplied with steam steamers, reflux condensers, as well as many vacuum elements.

The device itself and its components are made in accordance with the GOST standard. This means that the risk of any emergency situations is minimal. The raw materials from which different parts are made differ in certain characteristics that affect work performance.

If you want to create a system for making alcoholic beverages with your own hands, do not despair if the result is unsuccessful. And although the process is not too complicated, when designing and assembling components you need to acquire some specific skills.

You must prepare the project correctly, as well as select the appropriate materials, tools and related parts. You can’t just take a flask and equip it with fittings and cooling elements. In this case, the quality of the drink will not be good enough.

If you want to assemble a highly efficient and high-quality installation on your own, be prepared to devote yourself as much as possible to the task at hand. If you don't do this, preparing a drink will turn into a real nightmare, and not a favorite pastime.

You cannot save on materials and parts for the container (still). It is better to initially choose high-quality stainless steel parts, taking care of the purification of the final product. Especially when it comes to assembling a classic-type moonshine still. It also wouldn’t hurt to have a steamer that can clean the solution from additional impurities. Take into account all the nuances in advance and carry out surface calculations.

Features of purchasing a moonshine device

Whether you are going to purchase a distillation column, a classic moonshine device, or individual parts to create a system yourself, be prepared to take into account all the manufacturing conditions. For example, it is necessary to clarify whether there will be uninterrupted access to a source of coolant, electrical power, and so on. Only after this can you figure out how to use the system and expel the drink.

If it is difficult for you to understand all the principles of operation of the equipment, perhaps you should consult with a specialist who will describe in detail all the specifics of the upcoming process and tell you about the model range. Regarding technical characteristics, then they can be found directly from the manufacturer or in the accompanying documentation.

Attention, TODAY only!

Unfortunately, for many lovers of strong alcoholic drinks, it is quite difficult to buy high-quality alcohol these days, especially when it comes to vodka. According to statistics, up to 40% of alcohol in a store is counterfeit. And these numbers are quite real. Therefore, many are thinking, and some have already acquired home mini-distilleries. For those who are still at the planning stage, the question of how to make a moonshine still with your own hands will be relevant.

This is the first question that is worth deciding for yourself. And it is impossible to find a definite answer to it. Each case will have its own pros and cons. Of course, for a beginner it will be much easier to buy a ready-made device, since there is no need to spend a lot of time and effort, and you can immediately get a ready-made delicious drink.

Do-it-yourself moonshine still from a keg

On the other hand, prices for ready-made moonshine stills are steep, and finding exactly what you need is difficult. Most of them have unnecessary parts or need reworking. But the need to determine the exact parameters of the device comes with experience.

If you assemble a simple moonshine still with your own hands, then the obvious advantage is the ability to make the device “for yourself.” However, there are pitfalls here too - there is no limit to perfection. You can get stuck for a long time at the stage of manufacturing the device and never get to the production of the product.

First, it’s worth understanding what types of moonshine stills exist. There are two main types of devices for producing alcohol at home: distillers and rectifiers. Distillers are ordinary moonshine stills in which a pure product is obtained from the mash by evaporating and dividing the moonshine into fractions.

It must be said that the separation is very conditional; during the first distillation, even if you separate the first and last fractions (they are filled with harmful impurities), the moonshine is still not very pure. Repeated distillations make it purer. Most often, at least two are required. But some craftsmen do this many times.

Rectification is fundamentally different. In the distillation column, fractions are constantly exchanged between the gas and liquid phases, after which the product is divided into fractions. A drink prepared using a distillation column will be much purer; this is exactly how vodka is made during production in a factory.

But it is worth noting that mash cannot be driven through this column, only raw alcohol, that is, which was previously distilled in a moonshine still. In addition, many doctors have proven that high-purity alcohol has not only positive, but also negative effects, since it is quickly absorbed by the body, causing intoxication much earlier than moonshine.

So, we will consider the process of creating a moonshine still using a distiller as an example, since it is enough to get a quite decent product. To assemble a simple moonshine still, you will need the following parts:

A distillation cube is a device where the mash is heated to boiling point.
Refrigerator - a container with cold water where the coil is cooled. It is advisable that the water be running.
A coil is a copper tube in the form of a spiral, less commonly made of glass or stainless steel, through which the product moves and condenses.
A dry steam tank is a container for catching fusel oils and raw material residues. Optional part.
The receiving container is the place where the finished product ends up.
Connections.

Alembic

Making a moonshine still with your own hands begins with a distillation cube. This cube is essentially the heart of the distiller. The mash boils and evaporates in it. It's easiest to take it ready-made.

First, you need to decide on the volume of the cube. For home production, 10 liters will be enough. With 20 liters you can please yourself and your guests, but they take more for sale, which is prohibited by law.

In addition, it is worth deciding on the material of the device. What is a distillation cube made from?

Aluminum is well suited as a metal for moonshine. It is not deformed, not damaged, and can withstand many years. The main thing is not to rub when cleaning, so as not to remove the protective oxide film.
Enameled containers used as cubes are common, but not very suitable. Impact and temperature remove the enamel, and rust corrodes the container.
Stainless steel is the best material for a cube, durable and reliable. The main thing is that it is stainless steel and not galvanized.
A glass cauldron is aesthetically pleasing, but not practical, so it is rarely used.

Most often used as a finished still:

The milk can is a good, proven container. The main task is to throw away the rubber gaskets and replace them with food-grade silicone.
A pressure cooker is the simplest type of container for use in urban environments. The main disadvantage is low performance.
An enamel pan - if you can’t find anything else, this will do, but it’s not recommended at all.
Stainless steel cube - this can be a finished cube or a container that had another use, for example, a beer keg. The main thing is to pay attention that the neck is wide.

Another point is the process of heating the mash. If you are not particularly versed in how to install heating elements into a moonshine still at home, then the best way would be to heat the container on an electric stove. It is not advisable to use a gas one, as an open flame may cause the alcohol to ignite. Induction furnaces are also a good option, but in practice they are poorly applicable, since it will be necessary for the distillation cube to have a flat bottom made of magnetic metal.

Moonshine still refrigerator

In order to properly make a refrigerator, several parameters should be taken into account:

Material. The first requirement that applies to the coil material is the absence of reactions with alcohol. In addition, it should be able to withstand temperatures up to 100 degrees without any problems and have high thermal conductivity. Copper meets all these qualities better than others. Stainless steel is also suitable, but its thermal conductivity is much lower. Copper also makes sense because it can be easily bent into a spiral. In many countries, copper is considered the best material for making distillers. The disadvantage of copper is that it requires constant cleaning.
Tube dimensions and thickness. The longer the tube, the more the moonshine cools on the way to the receiving container. But there is also a side effect: the colder the liquid, the slower it moves. Again, with a large internal diameter, the alcohol cools faster, but moves more slowly; a small one is difficult to process. Thus, the following parameters will be optimal: length - 1.5–2 meters, internal diameter - 8–12 mm, thickness - 0.9–1.1 mm. In some moonshine stills, the coil is horizontal - this makes no sense at all. Vertical is the best option.

Parameters of the refrigerator itself:

Substance: Usually air, water or ice is used. It is preferable to use water as the most practical means.
Heat removal scheme: open and closed. In open circuits, water circulates. This structure of the apparatus is the most advantageous.
Direction of water supply. It is correct to supply water from below and take it from above. Then the water will move towards the steam, and the cooling efficiency will be as high as possible.
To make a refrigerator, you will need a tube for the coil and a pipe with a diameter of 75–80 mm. First of all, sand is poured into the coil tube so that the metal does not flatten when curling. The ends must be hammered in so that the sand does not spill out; you can immediately weld a nut onto one of them.

Wind the tube onto a smooth cylinder with a diameter of approximately 35–40 mm, the pitch between turns should be about a centimeter. Next, the ends of the coil are released, it is washed and installed in the refrigerator. The operating speed of such a refrigerator using a copper tube and running water will be approximately three liters per hour.

Sukhoparnik

Let's consider the option of manufacturing another element of the moonshine still - a steamer. This, as already mentioned, is not a necessary thing, but it can improve the quality of the product. The steamer is located between the refrigerator and the distillation cube. How does a dry steam tank work? The principle of its operation is as follows: during the boiling of alcohol, fusel oils, whose boiling point is higher, are partially captured. In the process of preparing moonshine, it is necessary to get rid of them, since these impurities not only give it an unpleasant odor, but are also very harmful.

Hot steam enters the steam tank and condenses; as further vapor ingress occurs, the water will re-boil. The process of secondary evaporation occurs more gently, so most of the fusel oils condense in the steam tank. Several of them can be used for even better cleansing. In addition, it is convenient to have a collapsible steamer or at least with a drain valve. The size of the steamer is selected taking into account the capacity of the distillation cube, so that it does not overfill and at the same time does not greatly slow down the distillation process.

For example, if the size of the distillation cube is 30–40 liters, then the dry steamer should be made for three liters, for a smaller cube, for example, 10 liters - a liter and so on.

It is a jar made of the same substance as the rest of the moonshine still. Fittings are cut into the lid of such a jar to connect the steam inlet and outlet tubes.

If you make the steamer dismountable, then during the second or third distillation you can put dried fruits or other products into it so that the moonshine is saturated with a pleasant smell and taste.

Important: the volume of the steam tank must be sufficient so that it does not overfill, which could result in an accident.

It is advisable to extend the steam exhaust tube to the very bottom of the jar in order to eliminate the possible passage of condensed vapor into the refrigerator.

Tubes and hoses

How to assemble a moonshine still, or rather, its parts, into one device? After you have prepared the refrigerator and the distillation cube, and also, if desired, made a steamer, it becomes necessary to connect all this together.

This is done using tubes. On the market you will be offered to purchase rubber, copper, PVC or silicone tubes. The latter are best suited, as they are not afraid of exposure to temperature, do not deform, do not bend, and are easy to change and wash.

The use of rubber and PVC is undesirable. Both materials do not withstand temperature well and will give moonshine an unpleasant smell and taste. Copper tubes can also be used, but then the structure will not be collapsible and will be difficult to clean.

Copper tubes have another disadvantage. In order to connect all parts of the device with them, you must have welding skills. Moreover, such welding must be of high quality, because tightness is required.

To make the assembly of the structure simple, you need to use silicone hoses. At the connection points, they will need to be fitted with screw-on clamps. Another option is corrugated stainless steel, but the gaskets in such pipes must be replaced with silicone ones.

In general, like all hoses, rubber gaskets are also not recommended. They will melt, and harmful substances may get into the moonshine. In addition, it will give off a persistent smell of burning rubber.

Thus, making a homemade moonshine still is not so difficult. In a simple version, these will simply be ready-made containers connected to each other. If you work a little more, you can assemble the distillation cube yourself, but in most cases this is not required. Such a distiller for moonshine will be reliable, durable and valuable, since it is made with your own hands. In addition, it will satisfy all the requirements of the author.

The first home-made moonshine still was made so long ago that no information has been preserved about its inventor. They were able to distill other liquids already in the early Middle Ages. Then alchemists used the principle of distillation to obtain more concentrated essences and only then paid attention to the consumer properties of the alcohol-containing distillate.

General description and principles of operation

The first distillation apparatus was an alambik - a copper vessel with a gradually narrowing neck, turning into a tube for removing wine vapors. Such designs are still used to obtain distillate from wine. But grain is best distilled in units of a more advanced design.

The operation of a homemade moonshine still is based on the principle of evaporation of different liquids at different temperatures. At +75°C, ethyl alcohol and other light fractions of mash evaporate. At +85°C the evaporation of heavy fusel fractions begins. Water vapor appears at a temperature of about +100°C.

The mash is poured into the distillation cube, where it is heated to approximately +90°C. It makes no sense to bring it to a boil, because then water vapor will enter the final product, which will reduce its strength. To reduce the water and fusel content, heavy fraction traps are installed between the cube and the refrigerator. High-boiling liquids in a steamer condense faster than alcohol vapors, which reach the refrigerator and turn into liquid already in it.

To eliminate the light and harmful fractions, it is necessary to separate the first portion of the liquid coming from the coil: cut off the “heads”. After this, few harmful impurities remain in the heating mash, and a product suitable for consumption begins to flow from the refrigerator tube.

Device and design

A homemade distiller can consist of 2 blocks:

distillation cube, or container for heating alcohol-containing raw materials;
refrigerator, or coil, where alcohol vapor condenses.

From the refrigerator, the finished moonshine enters the storage container.

There are many improved units that are equipped with additional devices: reflux condensers, dry vaporizers, etc. All of them serve for additional purification of alcohol vapors from heavy fractions. The operating principle of any moonshine still design remains the same as in a primitive alambic.

The simplest moonshine still from a saucepan

Before you make a moonshine still from a saucepan with your own hands, you need to purchase additional materials that will be required to remake the container:

several clamps (4-6 pcs.);
a piece of plywood slightly larger than the diameter of the pan lid;
rubber tube;
a fitting for a pipe with a diameter of ¾ inches and a piece of metal tube 30-40 cm long;
copper tube with a diameter of about 1 cm, a length of at least 2 m;
a plastic sewer pipe with a diameter of at least 5 cm and 2 plugs for it.

For a distiller made with your own hands from a saucepan, you need a container with a capacity of at least 20 liters, with a wide rim along the upper edge.

To prevent alcohol vapor from being lost, place a thin rubber or silicone tube cut lengthwise on the side of the pan. Cut a circle from plywood, the diameter of which is equal to the size of the lid. Make a hole in the center of the circle for the fitting. Construction clamps will help you press the lid while the device is operating: their lower jaw will rest on the bend of the side, and the upper jaw will rest on the plywood circle.

A hole is made in the lid for the fitting, and a part with a sealing gasket is screwed on. A straight metal tube is vertically connected to the fitting - a simple reflux condenser. Its upper end is connected to a thin copper tube using an adapter. Part of this tube will then need to be coiled. The diameter of the coil is slightly smaller than the purchased plastic sewer pipe with plugs.

After assembling the distillation cube, you need to make a refrigerator:

make a hole in the wall of the plastic pipe;
in the first plug make 1 hole closer to the edge, in the other - 2 holes on both sides of the center of the round part;
pass the copper tube from the distillation cube into a plug with 2 holes and roll it into a spiral, leaving a free end for discharging the moonshine into the bottle;
place the coil in a plastic pipe (the hole on it should be at the end farthest from the coil inlet);
close the plug at the inlet, put another one at the outlet, with 1 hole into which to pass the end of the copper tube of the coil;
connect a hose of a suitable diameter to the hole in the pipe wall, and install another piece into the free hole in the plug;
Place the refrigerator at an angle, supply water from the water supply to the lower hose in the pipe wall, lower the upper pipe (in the plug) into the sink.

When cold water is supplied to the refrigerator container, alcohol vapor will condense in the coil tube. Warm water is discharged from the top hose into a sink or bucket.

Improved model

In the improved model there are no differences in how to make a distillation cube. But instead of a saucepan, you can use ready-made containers with a lid seal: milk flasks, pressure cookers, multicookers, etc. All containers need to be slightly altered by installing a pipe or fitting in the lid to release alcohol vapor into the tube leading to the refrigerator.

In this case, the cleaning process is improved. The simplest reflux condenser is a vertical pipe, as in the previous device: high-boiling and other impurities condense on its slightly heated walls and flow into the cube. Sometimes twisted wire is placed inside the reflux condenser or ribs are welded on, which create additional area for trapping heavy fractions.

Another improvement is the steam tank. It serves the same purpose. There is nothing complicated about how to connect a moonshine still through a steamer, even at home:

make 2 holes in the lid of a simple glass jar;
2 tubes are tightly inserted into them, through which steam will flow from the distillation cube;
getting into the jar, heavy fractions condense on its walls, flowing to the bottom, and saturated ethanol vapors remain volatile and, due to the pressure created in the container, go into another hole with a tube.

Sometimes home craftsmen install 2-3 steamers connected in series, achieving an even higher degree of purification of moonshine. A type of device is a bubbler.

The design of the latter involves the passage of steam bubbles through the liquid. The inlet pipe is made longer, almost to the very bottom of the can. The outlet protrudes 1-1.5 cm above the inner surface of the lid. It is important not to mix up the hoses when connecting: steam from the distillation cube enters the long tube, and goes to the refrigerator through the short one. If connected incorrectly, the hermetically sealed glass container will be torn apart by steam pressure.

All-metal device of block construction

Anyone with skills in working with metal can assemble a moonshine still from copper with their own hands, using the principle of a block system. This design involves installing a single compact block on a hermetically sealed lid, in which a reflux condenser and a refrigerator are already located, and if necessary, additional filters such as a steamer or bubbler can be added.

The design of a moonshine still of this type is not particularly complex, since its main components remain the same. When trying to independently assemble a block unit, you can use the circuits of industrial distillers (Magarych, Mercury, etc.), in which the coil and reflux condenser are located in a single block installed on the lid of the mash tank.

Professionals will say that it is better to buy a moonshine still in a specialized store. But the price of such goods is still high? from 7 to 15 thousand rubles. If you can’t spend that amount on a purchase, you can start making your own equipment for making moonshine.

To make a device for making moonshine at home, you do not need any specific skills or complex equipment. There are many options for assembling such units, but most of them include the presence of two mandatory components in the device:

container for distilling mash (distillation cube);
coil (refrigerator).

For more advanced models, drawers and suction cups may be useful. This will improve the taste of the final product. They can be added to the?basic configuration? further. And in a basic apparatus you don’t even need to use a coil.

In this article we will look at the most common options, suitable for making at home even for the most inexperienced winemaker.

Assembling a simple mini-moonshine still

When starting to consider various options, it is worth focusing on the simplest device that can be made at home without much difficulty. This mini-device does not use a coil.

To make it, you need to take a large container in which the mash will be placed. This can be a 20-30 liter pan or any other large dish. Does it fit a smaller pan? 3-5 liters. It is best that it does not stand at the very bottom of the container, but slightly above the level of the mash and in the middle. To do this, you can use a small stool made of metal that will not react with the raw materials.

From above this structure must be covered with a basin of suitable diameter. Pour cold water into it. Thus, we get an improvised refrigerator, which here will replace the classic cooler. There should be no gap between the basin and the pan; we seal the existing holes using
test.

The operating principle of such a mini-device is very simple. Pour mash into a large container, place a smaller pan inside and place a bowl of cold water on top. We heat this entire structure on a gas or electric stove if moonshine is being prepared at home. You can also use an open fire if you are in the country.

The mash will boil and begin to evaporate. The vapors will condense on the surface of the cold bottom of the basin and, having turned into liquid again, will fall into a smaller pan. The water in the basin will gradually warm up, so it is necessary to carefully monitor and refresh from time to time to maintain a cool temperature.

You can make 3 liters of moonshine with this setup in 3-4 hours. At the same time, it is very important to prevent the mash from boiling. It should remain between 85-95 degrees. Otherwise, the result will be completely ruined.

The advantage of this simplest model is that it can be disassembled and used like ordinary kitchen utensils, and at the right time can also be quickly reassembled and begin distillation.

However, the product that comes out of such a mini-device will not be of good quality. Since there is no coil, there is no possibility of cutting off the first portion of moonshine, which will contain fusel oils and other harmful impurities.

In this regard, it is better to spend a little more time on assembly and make a device with a coil.

What to use as the basis for a home moonshine still?

One of the most important questions to address at the very beginning? select a container (distillation cube) in which moonshine will be made. For this purpose you can
use any large container. This could be a large aluminum tank, or a cube made independently from stainless steel sheets. But at home, kitchen utensils are most often used.

A popular base appliance is the pressure cooker. It has good tightness, which is very important when making moonshine. If there is no such equipment in the house, then you can use a juicer or any other pan. At the same time, volume is not so important.

The main task is to completely seal the pan. To do this, they usually use dough to seal the cracks from which steam can leak.

Selection and production of a coil

The second main part is the coil? it is in it that the process of condensation of moonshine vapor will take place. It can be purchased in specialized stores or made independently. What is the best coil material? quartz glass. But it is difficult to make such devices yourself. Therefore, it is better to opt for a copper tube 1-1.5 meters long.

The tube must be bent into a spiral shape of a suitable diameter. To do this, fill it with sand and bend the ends tightly on both sides. This way, during the manufacture of the refrigerator, creases will not appear and the metal will not be flattened.

This spiral must be placed in a cooler. It can be made from large-volume plastic water pipes or other cylindrical devices. The cooler must be limited on both sides by bottoms from which the ends of the coil tube will emerge.

It is also important to consider the water supply system to the cooler. To do this, we fix two fittings on the surface of the pipe on opposite sides. Drainage pipes will be connected to them in the future. The resulting structure must be completely sealed.

Connecting elements

The distillation cube and the coil must be connected to each other. A copper tube, the same one that was used in the manufacture of the cooler, is well suited for this purpose. You can simply attach it to the lid of any saucepan or pressure cooker. To do this you will need a threaded fitting.

When all the elements are connected, you can start preparing moonshine.

Other options for assembling a homemade moonshine still

Making a device for making moonshine at home is quite simple. After you have selected the materials and containers for making a homemade distiller, you need to decide what kind the operating principle will be used. There are several types:

flow-through;
stagnant;
electric;
with or without heating element;
equipped with steam chambers, drawers or other additional devices.

The simplest and cheapest option for making a static device at home. Preparing moonshine in such equipment does not require a large amount of water. Homemade?refrigerator? well suited for this type of cooling of alcohol vapor.

When choosing a method for heating the mash, decide where exactly the process will take place. If you need to make a small amount of moonshine for the home and distillation is carried out in the kitchen, then additional equipment of the moonshine still with a heating element or other devices is not required.

If the equipment will be used in a summer house or garage, you can install an electric heating element in a pan (tank, pressure cooker, cube).

Temperature tracking

To obtain high-quality moonshine, it is important to carefully control the temperature throughout the entire process of its preparation. This can be done using a thermometer. It is better to choose it with a scale of up to 120 degrees.

The separation of alcohol vapors from the mash occurs at a temperature of 86-93 degrees. At lower temperatures, fusel oils begin to evaporate from the mash. They will be in the first 50-70 ml of the product that will drain from the coil. And at temperatures above 93 degrees, the drink will have a strength of no more than 20 revolutions.

A good thermometer will help a novice winemaker control these processes and make high-quality moonshine.

It is very easy to assemble a moonshine still at home, with very little effort. If all the components are properly prepared and the process is streamlined, the end result will be an excellent product for home use and serving to guests.

In fact, it’s not that difficult; it’s enough to decide on the desired type of machine and the quality of the alcohol produced. First of all, the moonshine still must consist of a tank for heating the mash and a coil. And then it’s a matter of technique and patience. Also, to improve the taste of the alcoholic product, a steamer is added to the design of moonshine stills. Moreover, there are simplified versions of a moonshine still, without the use of a coil; the simplest example is a still made from a saucepan. Therefore, how to make a moonshine still depends on your preferences, free time and availability of necessary materials.

We invite you to consider an example of preparing moonshine from jam, which will have a pleasant taste and is easy to make.

Preparing mash for moonshine

How to make moonshine from jam, proportions:

Thirty liters of water;
Six liters of jam (any);
Pressed yeast – 300 grams;
Three kilograms of sugar.

Heat the water to a temperature of 30 degrees;
Add jam to the water and stir until smooth;
We dilute the yeast as indicated on the manufacturer’s packaging and add it to the future mash;
Add sugar and mix;
We install a water seal on the container with the mash in the form of a medical glove with a hole in the finger, and place the mash in a dark place with a temperature of 18 to 25 degrees for three to eight days. The readiness of the mash will be clear by its clarified appearance, bitter taste and the cessation of bubbling by the water seal.
The already prepared mash must be drained from the sediment and distilled through any type of moonshine still. At the end you will get 40 degrees with a hint of the fruit from which the jam is made.

Saving time and money - this is a home moonshine still

Many firms and companies today can offer you a varied number of moonshine stills, which are not very cheap, but perform all the same functions as a homemade moonshine still. You don't have to spend a lot of money, all you need is patience and some materials.

A homemade moonshine still is easiest to make from a saucepan.

To do this we will need the following tools and accessories:

Pan and lid;
A piece of plastic plumbing type pipe – 45 millimeters;
Two meters of aluminum or copper tube to make the coil;
Two fittings with hoses;
Half-inch plumbing coupler and nut;
Dropper from a pharmacy;
A piece of rolled aluminum;
Fluoroplastic tape;
Several anchors with nuts, tin from a beer can.
A jar with a tightly screwed lid;
Packaging of epoxy glue and cyanoacrylate type superglue;

All the necessary things can be bought at the market or simply found in the garage. This moonshine still will make making moonshine at home simple, high-quality and quite fast.

How to make a moonshine still from scrap materials

Practically every person who is interested in obtaining a high-quality and complete home-made alcoholic drink can make it.

The easiest way to make a moonshine still is to create a structure of two different diameters and a pan.

Instructions for use:

It is necessary to pour mash into the distillation cube, secure a plate on top of it, place a large diameter plate with cooled water on the cube, thanks to boiling, vapors accumulate at the top and flow down to the bottom plate. But the quality of production of such moonshine leaves much to be desired. The moonshine from the resulting apparatus is quite unpleasant in taste and smell. You can make a moonshine still with your own hands and there are other options that will produce moonshine of a higher quality. For example, an apparatus that consists of a distillation cube and a refrigerator. The resulting moonshine must be filtered twice and distilled twice so that it is ready for use.

The next type of home-made moonshine still is a moonshine still made from a pressure cooker. Such a mechanism should have a pressure cooker, an outlet, a copper tube, an outlet hose, a discharge of excess water, a water supply, and a connection to a water supply tap.

This device has a rather aesthetic appearance and a convenient location in the apartment. Moonshine is prepared by pouring the mash into a pressure cooker, then you need to close the lid tightly and after half an hour observe the first accumulations of alcohol in the tube, the vapor passes through the copper tube, is cooled with water and the alcohol drips into the vessel. At the exit you get moonshine aged forty degrees. Following from the above, you can easily make a moonshine still with your own hands.

Before you get acquainted with the principles of making moonshine stills with your own hands, decide which product you need. If you want to get an inexpensive and fast product at the lowest price, then you can construct a device from improvised means, but moonshine of this type will be, to put it mildly, “scorched.” If you want to produce a high-quality, pure and soft product, you will have to spend a little time and a small amount of money. Moonshine stills and their production have a wide range of varieties, it all depends on ingenuity and the desire to try your own creation of an alcoholic product.

If you have a small amount of time and money, we bring to your attention how to make a simple moonshine still with your own hands. To construct such a device, we will need a copper tube 1 meter long and 9 millimeters in diameter, electrical tape and a watering can (for the coil), a three-liter jar, and a coffee jar.

Next, using a three-liter jar and a coffee jar, we form directly our device, which will produce moonshine for you, not of high, but safe quality. This design contains the simplest moonshine device.

Homemade alcohol obtained through a moonshine still

Making a moonshine still with your own hands is a rather sensitive issue, since the manufacturing process of the still depends directly on obtaining the desired product, which must correspond to the quality and taste of the desired alcohol. First of all, making a moonshine still with your own hands is a fairly economical way to obtain alcohol, which can differ significantly from purchased alcohol. With the help of moonshine stills, you can make both moonshine and cognac, brandy or whiskey.

This article provides you with the basic ways to construct a homemade moonshine still, saving a significant amount of money, time and nerves.