Instructions for moonshine stills "Magarych". The use of the distiller "Magarych" Moonshine still Kostromich 18 instruction

your mark

Today, there is an increasing popularity of strong drinks made at home. This is favored by the dubious quality of alcohol on store shelves, even when buying an expensive drink, no one is immune from fakes. However, many who want to produce strong alcohol with their own hands do not undertake this due to a lack of knowledge in this area. In this article, we will talk in detail about how to use a moonshine still.

The main elements of the moonshine still

Almost any moonshine still consists of three main elements: a distillation cube, a cleaning unit and a refrigerator. The differences lie in the material from which they are made, the constituent elements of the cleaning unit and the characteristics of the equipment.

alembic- this is a container into which raw materials (mash) are poured. The mash in the distillation cube heats up and emits alcohol vapors, which enter the purification unit through the steam pipelines. Different moonshine stills allow you to use different types of heaters - electric, gas or induction stoves, a built-in heater (heater) or even an open fire. In factory-made devices, food grade stainless steel is usually used as the material for the distillation cube, the bottom is often made with a ferromagnetic insert (for working on induction stoves).

Cleaning block is a combination of elements in which alcohol vapor is purified from harmful impurities - fusel oils, acetone, etc. There are two types of purification units - distiller and rectifier. The distiller allows you to get a drink purified from harmful and toxic impurities, while maintaining the taste and aroma of the feedstock. To obtain moonshine of a high degree of purification, as a rule, it is necessary to drive the drink two or more times. A rectifier or distillation column produces an almost pure alcohol that has neither taste nor odor.

The main element of the distiller is - it is there that high-temperature vapors condense - acetone, fusel oils, etc. Alcohol vapor does not settle in the steamer and passes further into the refrigerator. During repeated distillations, a steamer can be used to give the drink the desired taste and smell, putting the necessary flavors into it. There are other elements of the distiller, for example,. This device is also designed to remove impurities from alcohol vapors, only using water. In different moonshine stills, the cleaning unit consists of different combinations of elements - there are units with one or more dry steamers, a combination of dry steamers and a bubbler, sometimes a dry steamer also performs the functions of a gin basket and a dephlegmator at the same time. It depends on the imagination of the designers, the cost of the apparatus, and so on.

Rectifier usually it is a single block in which alcohol vapors repeatedly condense and evaporate, thereby separating from harmful impurities. As a rule, the so-called Panchenkov nozzle is used in the rectifier.

Needed to condense alcohol after passing through the purification unit. It is usually a coil made of copper, glass or stainless steel, which is cooled by a flow or non-flow method. Thanks to the cold water in which the coil is placed, it maintains a sufficiently low temperature and the alcohol-containing vapor settles on its walls. After that, the condensate flows into the container for the finished product.

Usually, when buying prefabricated equipment, the kit comes with instructions for the moonshine still. By following these instructions, you can quickly and easily assemble it.

How is the distillation process

Usually the instruction manual contains detailed information not only about that, but also. Therefore, it is necessary to read it carefully before using the equipment for distillation.

Let's briefly talk about what you need to remember when working with a moonshine still. After the mash is poured into the distillation cube and put on fire, it is necessary to wait for it to boil, and then maintain the temperature at about 80 degrees. Many devices are equipped with thermometers on a distillation cube, which greatly facilitates this process. First of all, lighter compounds begin to evaporate from the mash - harmful impurities.

Far from all of them settle in a steamer, so the first part of the resulting product cannot be consumed - they are poisonous and life-threatening. These are the so-called "heads". They must be separated from the main product. After the strength of the resulting liquid reaches 60-70 degrees (this can be determined using an alcohol meter), you can begin to take the moonshine itself. At the end of the distillation, there is already too little alcohol content in moonshine, heavy impurities evaporate. This liquid also needs to be separated - these are “tails”. They can be used in the next distillation by adding "tails" to the mash.

As you can see, there is nothing complicated in making strong drinks with your own hands. However, when operating a moonshine, you need to remember about fire safety, constantly monitor the temperature in the distillation cube and the rest of the mash. If the temperature becomes too high, the mash will begin to boil intensively and the pressure in the cube will exceed critical values. This is fraught with an explosion of the distillation cube and injury.

To learn more about the principles of working on distillery equipment, you can watch the video on our website.

Hello friends! Since you have looked at my blog, it means you are interested in making homemade alcohol. And I'm just sure that at least once you have had the question of how to make moonshine at home. That's what we'll talk about today.

Now I will quickly describe the entire sequence of the process, and then we will talk in more detail about each stage. So, how is moonshine prepared?

1. First, prepare a special solution consisting of water and sugar. Sugar can be used either in its pure form, or any sugar-containing raw material (berries, fruits, etc.) can be used. This solution is called wort.

1. Then the wort is processed with the help of yeast into mash. During fermentation, yeast eat sugar and produce ethyl alcohol and carbon dioxide (there are other fermentation products, but this is not about that).

1. Braga already has alcohol, but the percentage of its content there is very low. Typically 8-12%. To isolate alcohol from the mash, it is distilled into moonshine still. The distillation process is also called distillation.

There is nothing complicated in this process. The whole point is that the mash is heated to a boil, and the steam evaporating at the same time is cooled to a liquid state and poured into a separate container. This condensed liquid is our moonshine.

1. Then follows the purification of the moonshine. In the process of fermentation, in addition to ethyl alcohol, side products are also formed. yeast waste products. It is necessary to get rid of these impurities, because. they are harmful to health. Some even very. And these impurities greatly spoil the taste of the drink. We will talk about the types and methods of cleaning in the section below.

1. The final and completely optional step is the aromatization and tinting of moonshine. Moonshine is insisted on various herbs and spices, which give it a rich color and smell.

I have listed the main stages of making moonshine. Nothing complicated, right? Now let's look at each point in more detail.

But before that, I want to note that all the stages mentioned are equally important. If the technology is not followed or low-quality raw materials are used, we can get a foul-smelling and even hazardous liquid at the output.

Raw material selection

As already mentioned, sugar is used to make the wort. You can use sugar either in its pure form (granulated sugar), or use products containing sugar (berries, fruits, sugar beets, etc.). Delicious moonshine turns out from old jam.

Also, starch-containing products (wheat, rice, rye, corn) in various types (for example, flour). Starch itself is not subject to fermentation, but it is easily processed into sugar under the influence of enzymes that are contained in malt (sprouted grain). Or you can use industrial enzymes They are cheap and work great.

The quality of moonshine also depends on the quality of the raw materials used. Good drink from g…. will not work.

At home, the most accessible raw material for the preparation of wort is sugar. And the recipe is also simple.

I will bring classical:

1. Dissolve 1 kg of sugar in 5 liters of water
2. Dissolve yeast (20 g dry or 100 g pressed) in a small amount of water at 30°C
3. The yeast is mixed in a sugar solution and allowed to ferment for several days.

Agree that it is very simple? But the quality of such moonshine ... no, with skillful manufacture, it is not bad, it is only inferior to drinks made from other raw materials.

A much more delicious drink is obtained from mash made on fruit or berry raw materials. Even if you have to add sugar to the fruit must to increase the sugar content, it will still taste better.

A very good result comes out of mash on cereals. It is not for nothing that GOST prescribes the production of alpha alcohol (the highest quality alcohol) only from grain raw materials. But making mash from grain is much more difficult.

Update from 08/13/19 In fact, there are very simple recipes for grain moonshine. Here is one of them - simple flour moonshine recipe

The amount of alcohol obtained per kilogram of the product used also depends on the type of raw material. Below is a table that clearly demonstrates this. These figures are quite indicative.

I also want to note that you need to approach the choice of raw materials from the point of view of what kind of drink you want to get. So, to get whiskey, you need to use grain, to get cognac or Georgian chacha, grape mash is used, and to make calvados, apple mash is used.

Fermentation

After we have prepared the wort, it must be fermented, during which the yeast will process the sugar into carbon dioxide and alcohol. The quality and quantity of the resulting moonshine also greatly depends on the correct fermentation process.

Compliance with technology at this stage is very important. In the room where the fermentation tank is located, it is necessary to maintain a certain temperature range. Try to avoid strong fluctuations. It is also necessary to monitor the temperature of the mash, because. during the fermentation process, it tends to heat up.

The optimum temperature for fermentation is considered to be 30-32 ° C (more on this Here). At a lower temperature, the fermentation process will slow down, and at temperatures below 18 ° C it will stop altogether (yeast will fall asleep). Also, do not allow the mash to overheat above 40 ° C. This is much more dangerous than cooling, because. at this temperature, the yeast will begin to die.

Depending on the selected raw material, yeast and temperature, the fermentation process can last from 1 to 14 days or more.

A little about yeast

In principle, any commercially available yeast is suitable for making mash. Pressed bakery products are very popular. You can also use dry yeast. But the best option is special alcohol and wine (cultural) yeast, which are sold in specialized stores for winemakers and moonshiners.

If you are preparing fruit or berry mash, then you can do without adding yeast at all. Wild yeasts already live on the surface of the fruits, which will take care of the process we need. Although I still recommend using cultural yeast, at least at first.

The fermentation period and the possible strength of the resulting mash depend on the type of yeast chosen. So bakery and wild brew 7-12% alcohol, wine and alcohol up to 12-14%. There are also special varieties of alcohol yeast, through which you can get mash with 18% alcohol.

The topic of yeast selection and the fermentation process itself is quite extensive and it is beyond the scope of this article to cover it all. Read more in these separate articles:

1. What yeast to use
2. Hydromodule for mash. What is it and how should it be
3. How to feed yeast
4. Detailed composition of heads, tails, fusel oil and their influence on the taste of moonshine
5. The effect of fermentation temperature on the formation of harmful impurities
6. Sugar mash recipe with dry yeast
7. The classic recipe for sugar mash with pressed yeast
8. jam recipe
9. Wild Sam - mash recipe with wild yeast cereals
10. A simple recipe for moonshine from flour (XOS technology + enzymes)
11. Clarification of the mash with bentonite
12. How much moonshine should be obtained from mash

Distillation

As I already wrote, in order to isolate alcohol from mash, i.e. to get moonshine, you need to overtake this very mash. Also, the distillation process is called distillation, and the resulting product (moonshine) is called distillate. Braga is heated, and the steam released during this is condensed and drained into a separate container.

Distillation is carried out by means of a moonshine still. The classical design of such a device is quite simple. I present its schematic diagram below:

The principle of distillation is based on the fact that the boiling point of alcohol is lower than the temperature of water, which mainly consists of mash. Therefore, when the mash is heated, alcohol evaporates first (in fact, everything evaporates together, but in different quantities). In vapor form, it enters the coil, where it is cooled to a liquid state and flows into the collection tank.

Now I will describe the classical method of distillation. There are others, but don't bother with them just yet.

The distillation is done twice. First, they distill the mash. The purpose of this distillation is to extract alcohol from the mash as quickly as possible. As a rule, the mash is distilled without separation, i.e. everything that came out of the moonshine is collected in one container. Distillation is completed when the temperature in the tank of the moonshine still (it is called a distillation cube) has risen to 99 degrees Celsius, or the output strength is 10-15%. After distillation, moonshine with a strength of 30-50% is obtained. It is also called raw alcohol (SS). SS can and should be distilled again to get a stronger and better drink.

When distilling raw alcohol, the first drops leaving the apparatus contain a high concentration of harmful substances. This liquid is called “pervach” or “heads” and is not eaten. “Heads” must be cut off, i.e. separate from moonshine. The number of heads is approximately 50 ml per 1 kg of sugar in Braga.

After “cutting off the heads”, the distillation process is continued until the liquid leaving the distiller stops burning. This means that the strength of the outgoing moonshine has fallen below 40 degrees and then there are “tails” - a non-food part containing harmful and very smelly impurities. The tails are also cut off. Their number is approximately 100 ml per 1 kg of sugar used to make mash.

The distillation process is described in more detail in the link below.

Although there are many home distillers of different price categories on the market, experienced moonshiners prefer to make equipment on their own or place an order with trusted craftsmen according to their own drawings and diagrams.

The advantage of this approach is not only cost savings. Often, a self-made moonshine still is more reliable and practical than most store models with incomprehensible elements that contradict the laws of physics, installed only to attract a buyer and raise the price. Next, we will consider the classic design of a moonshine still (distiller), which has no equal in simplicity and efficiency.

Connecting elements

Intermediates play an important role. With the wrong choice of pipes or sealant, moonshine turns out to be cloudy, with a nasty aftertaste, foul-smelling and even dangerous to health. Therefore, we will begin our consideration of the design with the connecting elements.

It is not necessary to “tightly” weld all the tubes together, this simplifies the assembly and disassembly of the device, but causes a lot of problems during cleaning.

As a transport system, metal tubes made of stainless steel, aluminum or copper are most often used, as well as food or medical silicone hoses inert to alcohol. In terms of economy, safety, ease of maintenance and operation, food grade stainless steel tubes are the best option.

It is important to be able to distinguish silicone hoses from those made of PVC (polyvinyl chloride saturates alcohol with toxic substances when in contact with hot steam). PVC burns with a lot of smoke and an unpleasant odor. Silicone does not smoke when burned, leaving a subtle smell and light ash. Silicone tubing is much softer to the touch than PVC and costs about twice as much.

For branching turns, moving from one diameter to another and connecting different parts in metal pipelines, fittings and fittings are used, which can be found in plumbing stores or in construction markets. Fittings made of brass, bronze and stainless steel (the best option) for heating systems that can withstand high temperature and pressure are suitable for the manufacture of moonshine. For sealing purposes, the use of heat-resistant glue and cold welding is allowed, the main thing is to avoid rubber gaskets.

Also, to seal the tubes, you can use organic matter - the usual dough, which does not affect the distillate. There are two drawbacks: a lot of time is spent on kneading and sealing joints, and after distillation, the dried dough has to be scraped off.

The assembled moonshine must be airtight. If steam seeps through the tubes, it is best to stop the distillation, let the equipment cool down, repair the breakdown, and only then continue the distillation. Depressurization is not only dangerous as a fire, but also leads to significant losses of moonshine (10-70%).

alembic

It is a container in which the mash boils during the heating process. Options:

1. Material. Aluminum - most often found in "Soviet" moonshine stills due to the wide distribution of aluminum milk cans. Aluminum partially reacts with acids and alcohol in mash, therefore, with frequent use, aluminum stills (especially old ones) become unusable after six months - a leak appears.

Enamelware is neutral to acids and alcohols. With proper use (no bumps or scratches to the enamel), it can last 3-5 years even with regular use.

Food-grade stainless steel is the best and most reliable option, but stainless steel cubes are expensive, often under their guise they sell ordinary galvanized or nickel-plated steel, which is not so durable.

Copper cubes are also suitable, however, in most cases this is an unreasonably expensive solution, especially for beginner moonshiners.

2. Volume and dimensions. The volume of the distillation cube depends on the needs of the moonshiner, the best option for home use is 25-35 liters.

Attention! For safety reasons, the distillation cube can be filled with mash up to a maximum of 80% of the volume, consider this when choosing a container. It is also very important that the lid is removable and that the neck width is large enough for comfortable cleaning of the container after distillation.

The volume of the cube is calculated based on the needs of the finished product. For example, in a container of 30 liters in one distillation, you can get up to 2.88 liters of pure alcohol (or 7.2 liters of moonshine with a strength of 40%). The maximum load of mash is 24 liters (30 * 0.8 = 24). The average strength of a properly made mash is 12%. The amount of distillate at the exit is 24 * 0.12 = 2.88 (in terms of absolute alcohol with a strength of 100%). In practice, there will always be a loss of moonshine of 8-15%.

We should not forget about the dimensions. The alembic should at least fit on a stove or other heating element, be stable and not block the access to the entire apparatus. This is the basis of safety engineering.

3. Choosing the right container. Often, in home moonshine stills, containers are used that were originally intended for other needs: milk cans, pressure cookers or capacious enamel pots.

The cube must be reliable - it will expand when heated, withstand high temperature and pressure (180-220 Pa). Homemade welded containers are very dangerous, as there is a risk that the weld will burst at the most inopportune moment.

A significant drawback of pressure cooker cubes is their small volume, but these containers are initially sealed. The only modification required is to drill a hole in the lid for the steam outlet tube. described in a separate article.

Enameled pots are convenient in that you can not pour the mash that has won back, but immediately put it for distillation as it is (this is wrong, since the heated sediment increases the amount of harmful impurities in the moonshine, worsens the aroma and taste). The disadvantage of the pan is that it is difficult to seal the lid.

A milk can made of aluminum or stainless steel is the most practical solution. The only drawback of cans that requires mandatory elimination is the rubber gasket on the lid. The fact is that alcohol vapors absorb substances from rubber, this negatively affects the quality, taste and smell of moonshine. Rubber gaskets should be replaced with silicone ones (made from aquarium silicone).

How to make a distillation cube of a moonshine still from a can

It is not enough to correctly determine the volume of the container, you also need to prepare the cube for use - drill a hole for steam, seal the lid and connections. Next, we will consider the refinement of the container using the example of an old milk can, but this method of sealing the lid is suitable in other cases.

Can refinement technology:

1. Remove the rubber gasket from the cover.

2. Apply aquarium silicone sealant to the metal edges of the lid and leave to dry completely. Repeat the procedure 2-3 more times.

3. Apply cellophane to the neck of the can and close the lid. Leave for a couple of hours until completely dry. You will get a silicone seal that replaces the rubber gasket.

An alternative, simpler sealing method is to overlap the rubber with several layers of fum tape and boil for 60 minutes in boiling water.

4. Make a hole in the lid of the can for connection with a coil or dry steamer. If the inner diameter of the coil is 12 mm, the suitable hole for the pipe in the can is 22 mm and the thread is 0.5 in. Adapters are sold at plumbing supply stores.

To extend the life of the can, wash the can after each distillation with soap and plenty of running water. The use of soda and other cleaning products is strictly prohibited.

moonshine refrigerator

It consists of two parts - a coil (swirled tube) and a reservoir for cooling this tube. The cooling compartment is the most important element of the whole structure, on the functioning of which the quantity and quality of moonshine depends.

Coil parameters

1. Material. Should not react with alcohol (or have minimal contact), be safe and non-toxic, withstand high temperatures (up to 100°C), and have high thermal conductivity. Based on the requirements, four options are possible: copper, aluminum, stainless steel (food grade) and glass.

Copper has the highest thermal conductivity, another advantage is the relative ease of processing (soldering is possible). But this material has one feature - the copper coil requires periodic cleaning with vinegar or citric acid with boiling water (preferably after each distillation), otherwise the plaque accumulated after oxidation with alcohol will negatively affect the quality of the moonshine.

All moonshiners complaining about copper don't clean their machines well. In the world practice of distillation, copper is considered the best or even the only permitted material (France, Scotland) for the manufacture of distillers (alambiques). Light oxidation of copper with alcohol improves taste, as it reduces the amount of impurities with a bad smell, and increases the concentration of substances that make moonshine soft.

The second most thermally conductive material for the coil is aluminum (1.6 times worse than copper). The advantages of aluminum are availability, low cost and ease of processing. But there is also a drawback - minimal oxidation, which, unlike copper, does not release useful substances into moonshine, so aluminum coils are not very common.

In terms of thermal conductivity, food grade stainless steel is 3-4 times inferior to copper. But this material does not react with alcohol and does not oxidize. Another disadvantage, along with low thermal conductivity, is the relative complexity of processing.

It is not possible to make a glass coil at home; without special equipment, it is easier to buy a ready-made laboratory device. Glass is inert to alcohol, but is very brittle and has low thermal conductivity.

2. Dimensions and thickness of the tube. The longer the tube, the greater the area of ​​contact between the steam and the cooling element. But there is also a side effect of a large length - the hydraulic resistance increases (the condensed vapors move through the tube already in a liquid state), which reduces the speed of the haul.

The optimal length of the coil tube (before bending) is 1.5-2 meters.

The larger the inner diameter of the coil (section), the lower the hydraulic resistance and the more efficient the cooling (due to the increase in the area of ​​contact between the steam and the walls). But tubes of very large diameter are bulky, require a lot of water for cooling and are difficult to process, so you have to look for a "golden mean".

The minimum wall thickness increases thermal conductivity, which improves the condensation of alcohol vapors. But too thin tubes are very fragile and, with intensive use of the moonshine still, quickly break.

A suitable coil thickness is 0.9-1.1 mm.

3. Orientation in space. There are three connection options: horizontal, vertical and inclined.

Ceteris paribus, the vertical arrangement of the coil is the most correct, since the condensed moonshine flows into the receiving container by gravity, without creating obstacles to the movement of alcohol vapor. Steam can be fed into the vertical coil from above or below. To minimize resistance, properly direct the steam to the top.

Refrigerator Tank Parameters

1. Substance. At home, the coil is cooled with air, water or ice. The vast majority of designs use water cooling, as the simplest and most efficient.

2. Scheme of heat removal. Systems are open (work on running water) and closed (water remains in the tank without circulating, for example, the coil is lowered into a bucket). In terms of implementation and economy, closed systems are simpler and more profitable, but they cool the coil worse, which increases the loss of moonshine and has a bad effect on quality.

Flow circuits are more difficult to make, use more water or energy to pump (circulate a steady volume of water to save money), require a smaller tank, and all other things being equal, produce high quality distillate.

From a properly made refrigerator (coil plus water circulation system), moonshine comes out cold or at room temperature, but not warm or hot. At the same time, it is important to choose the optimal heating intensity (not to exceed the maximum allowable heat supply power) so that the entire system can effectively cope with steam condensation.

3. Direction of water supply. It is correct to supply water to the refrigerator from below, and to remove it from above, so that the water moves towards the steam, creating a counterflow, otherwise the lower part of the coil will not cool well.

Production of a refrigerator (cooler)

You will need a copper, aluminum or stainless steel tube with a length of 1.5-2 meters, a diameter of 8-12 mm and a wall thickness of 0.9-1.1 mm. A plastic or metal pipe with a diameter of 75-80 mm is suitable as a tank for installing a coil. A drawing of a moonshine refrigerator is shown in the photo.

Sequencing:

1. Fill the coil tube with sand, soda or other dry, loose material so that the metal does not flatten when curled. If there are no bulk materials at hand, the tube can simply be filled with water and frozen.

2. Hammer the ends with wooden pegs (chops) so that the sand does not spill out. Can be tightly clamped or soldered. It is desirable to weld a nut on one of the ends.

3. Wind the tube around any smooth, cylindrical object with an even section of a suitable diameter (according to the drawing - 35 mm). The pitch between the turns is 12 mm.

The number of turns in the coil is not of fundamental importance, with the values ​​\u200b\u200bof the length, diameter and thickness indicated in the article, it is correct to take a step between the turns of 12 mm.

4. Release the ends of the finished coil. Pour sand, rinse with water under pressure.

5. On the body of the cooler, install branch pipes for supplying and discharging water.

6. Place the coil inside the housing. Install plugs at the top and bottom. Seal all connections.

The speed of the cooler of this design is up to 3 liters of moonshine per hour.

Sukhoparnik and bubbler

Optional, but desirable (especially for beginners) moonshine still modules.

Sukhoparnik - a sealed glass or metal container between the distillation cube and the refrigerator, entering which the vapors are first cooled, and then some of the substances boil again and move to the coil.

The principle of operation of the dryer. Due to a sharp decrease in pressure (the volumes of the inlet pipe and the jar differ hundreds of times), the temperature drops, as a result, the vapor passes into the liquid phase (condenses), but is immediately heated by a new portion of hot steam from the cube, again turning into a gaseous state. But some of the water and fusel oils with a high boiling point do not have time to boil during this short moment of change in the state of aggregation and remain at the bottom of the tank.

Bubbler in moonshine still- a device designed to pass alcohol vapor through a layer of liquid (water). Structurally, it differs from a dry steamer only in the presence of water in the container before the start of distillation (not always), and in the fact that the steam supply tube is lowered into the jar almost to the bottom. The purpose and principle of operation of the bubbler are the same as those of the dry steamer.

Advantages of a dry steamer (bubbler):

• is a protection against splashing - hitting the home brew in the finished moonshine with too much heat;
• makes the distillate stronger;
• cleans moonshine from some fusel oils (only a small part);
• allows you to aromatize alcohol during distillation (it is enough to put citrus fruit zest, apple slices, etc. in a jar).

It is advisable to use one steamer or bubbler in the moonshine still. Sequential installation of 2-6 pieces only leads to an increase in the strength of moonshine, but does not affect cleaning.

If the moonshine is strong at the outlet, for example, even 80-90 degrees, then this does not mean that the drink is well purified, it’s just that water remained in the steamers and (or) bubblers, which should have condensed in the coil, reducing the strength of the distillate. All harmful impurities that can be cleaned with a dry steamer remain in the first can, and in the next cans only water is removed from the moonshine. Do not think that according to the degree of purification, 6-8 dry steamers can replace rectification or fractional distillation, this is physically impossible.

How to make a steamer or bubbler

The capacity of the steamer (bubbler) should be 10 times less than the volume of the distillation cube.

You will need:

• a glass jar with a metal lid or other airtight container;
• 2 fittings;
• 2 nuts;
• marker;
• awl;
• heat-resistant adhesive or cold welding.

Instruction:

1. Mark the diameter of the holes in the places of the intended connection: attach the fitting to the cover and circle with a marker.

2. Make holes. The easiest option is to drive the awl along the drawn lines until the metal of the cover is rubbed through.

3. Install fittings and secure with nuts. For sealing, process the holes on the outer and inner sides with cold welding or heat-resistant glue.

4. When connecting to a moonshine still, it should be borne in mind that in the steamer the inlet tube should be lower than the outlet tube by 15-30 mm (deeper lowered into the jar). In the bubbler, the inlet tube runs along the entire height of the can, without touching the bottom at a distance of 2-3 cm.

If the bubbler is connected incorrectly (steam is supplied through the short end, but tries to exit through the long one), the pressure in the can increases significantly and an explosion may occur!

There is only one drawback of bubblers and dry steamers from the can - there is no drain for the accumulated liquid (you have to unscrew it), and during fractional distillation it is desirable to clean the container before selecting the "body" (main fraction).

Ways to heat the moonshine still

1. Open fire. In most cases, this refers to heating on a gas stove or burner, but there are also coal and firewood. Advantages of this method: simplicity, availability and often economy.

Flaws:

• high inertia - it will not be possible to quickly reduce or increase power, as a result, it is difficult to control the temperature in the cube, experience is required;
• it is very difficult to insulate a distillation cube to reduce heat loss in order to save money;
• installation of automation is practically useless;
• high fire hazard of open fire.

2. Built-in electric heating elements. Devices (one or several at once) are mounted directly into the cube. Suitable heating elements made of stainless steel or brass.

Advantages:

• fast temperature change (high controllability);
• the ability to mount automation and insulate the cube.

Flaws:

• solid particles can stick to the working surface of heating elements, careful filtration of the mash is required before distillation;
• often heating on electricity is more expensive than gas;
• heating elements burn out from time to time.

3. Induction cooker. It works by electricity, it can be stationary and portable (it is used more often in home brewing).

Advantages:

• low inertia - quick change of heating intensity;
• good temperature control - induction cookers are equipped with automation, no need to install separate units;
• in comparison with heating elements, they evenly heat the entire surface of the bottom of the cube, burning of the mash happens in rare cases.

Flaws:

• the cost of the induction cooker is quite high;
• only distillation cubes made of materials containing a magnet (stainless steel, cast iron) can be used, in turn, aluminum and copper containers without magnetic inserts welded to the bottom are not suitable for heating.

4. Heating with steam (steam generator). First, the water is brought to a boil and served directly into the container or on the outer walls. The system allows you to control (automate) the entire process and eliminate the risk of burning, therefore it is suitable for the distillation of thick brews. But in view of the complexity of the implementation of the design and the need to purchase (manufacture) special equipment (steam generator), it will not be further considered here.

Installing thermometers in a moonshine still

You can do without measuring the temperature, but a properly installed thermometer allows you to change the container in time during fractional distillation and adjust the intensity of heating.

In moonshine stills, three types of thermometers are used (according to the principle of operation):

• bimetallic - a metal tape or spiral acts as a sensor;
• electronic - a special conductor changes resistance with temperature fluctuations;
• digital - measurements are recorded due to changes in pressure.

The most reliable are bimetallic thermometers, but the accuracy of these devices leaves much to be desired. Electronic thermometers are much more accurate, but with the slightest impact they can break or show the wrong temperature. Digital thermometers are leaders in accuracy, but are expensive.

During distillation, one cannot rely entirely on the readings of a thermometer, especially the first time when the operating modes of a home-made moonshine still have not yet been tested. Temperature values ​​are auxiliary data. At the output, moonshine should be cold or at room temperature, and during fractional distillation, the output should be divided into fractions correctly by pure alcohol, sugar content in mash or by smell (the method of experienced distillers).

Fastening. The thermometer in the moonshine still can be installed at the exit from the cube (in the upper part) or before entering the refrigerator. The second option is preferable, as it allows you to measure the temperature of the steam before condensation. But the thermometer in the cube (the first case) shows the degree of heating of the mash, which is also important. Conclusion: if possible, it is advisable to mount two thermometers at once.

For installation, it is enough to make a hole, the diameter of which matches the diameter of the thermometer's installation cylinder (fastenings with Velcro and plastic clips are not suitable). From the inside, fix the cylinder with a bolt and fix the structure with a nut. Then insert the thermometer itself.

Attention! When you first start a home-made moonshine, you should test it by distilling water, and not immediately fill in the mash. Water distillation is safer, immediately shows problems (if any) and washes well all parts of the structure.

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.

1 - output of the finished product (distillate)
2 - fitting for supplying cold water. Cooling should be to meet the steam.
3 - cold water outlet
4 - refrigerator
5 - connecting tubes
6 - tank cover (hole for pouring liquid)
7 - tank (distillation cube)
8 - sump / dry steam tank (depending on configuration)
9 - thermometer (depending on configuration)

Preparation for use:

Make sure that the place where the Magarych apparatus (distiller) will be used is well lit to detect possible steam leaks in a timely manner and has sufficient ventilation to eliminate the consequences of accidental release of vapors during distillation.
Before starting distillation, make sure that the connecting tubes are not clogged and well ventilated with air.

Assembly and use:

When using a distiller purchased from a site store for the first time, it is necessary to distill water. This is necessary in order to clean the apparatus of impurities remaining during the production process.
Filter the original product, remove the cover of apparatus No. 6 and pour it into tank No. 7 with mash. Do not fill in too much liquid, the recommended volume is no more than 75-80% of the full tank capacity.
Screw on the tank lid, install dry steamer No. 8 and cooler No. 4.
Connect a flexible hose (inner diameter 8 mm) to the water inlet No. 3, connect its other end to a water tap. Connect the same hose to the cold water outlet No. 2, water will be drained through it, lower the other end of the hose into the sink (hoses for supplying and draining water are not included in the device)
Substitute a container, preferably glass, under the spout of refrigerator No. 1.
When the temperature reaches 60-70 degrees, open the water tap to supply water to the cooler, which must remain cold throughout the distillation process.
When the first drops of distillate appear, the heating temperature should be reduced and further distillation should be carried out at the lowest possible temperature.
It is necessary to pour out the first fraction of the distillate, which contains a large amount of harmful substances. It is approximately 7% of the total amount of distillate obtained.
It is important to monitor the strength of the distillate in order to stop the process in time.
Distillate obtained at home may contain harmful impurities, so it is recommended to subject it to additional purification and / or re-distillation. Do not neglect these procedures - take care of your health!

Machine cleaning:

Thoroughly rinse all parts of the apparatus with warm water to remove distillation waste and prevent clogging of the connecting tubes. The cleaning process should remove all harmful substances that have accumulated on the walls of the apparatus.
It is recommended to systematically make purifying distillations with water.
For cleaning and polishing the external surfaces of the machine, it is recommended to use products intended for the care of stainless surfaces.
Make sure the machine is properly cleaned before storing it.
If the mash is burnt to the bottom of the apparatus, it is necessary to boil water with baking soda.
The term of operation is not less than 5 years. Warranty period - 12 months.
Online store www.website
Phones: 89174110295
89196002016

Moonshine still MAGARYCH instruction.