How to clean moonshine from fusel oils and smell. Fusel oils in moonshine and other alcoholic beverages: influence, benefits, harm and purification

Fusel oils are the main substance in any alcoholic beverage. It is they who affect the aroma, shade, taste, as well as how strong the hangover will be after drinking such a drink.

Many people believe that such impurities are considered an undesirable component of alcohol, as they harm human health and spoil the taste.

In fact, everything is much more complicated - in some cases, their presence, on the contrary, is considered necessary. In addition, if you properly clean it, then you can get rid of harmful compounds.

Fusel oils

Fusel oils are a group of compounds of a toxic type that have a light yellowish or reddish brownish tint. They have an oily texture. They are a by-product from the fermentation of starchy, sugar or fruit raw materials in alcohol.

Fusel oils are a by-product that must be removed.

To get such compounds at home, you just need to pour moonshine into a spoon that has not been cleaned. Then set fire to it and wait until the burning stops. A small amount of liquid will remain in the spoon. It has an unpleasant odor. In the people it is called - sivuha. You can also notice oils if you use a special steamer in a moonshine still.

Those substances that are filtered out during rectification (that is, during the industrial production of alcohol and similar drinks) are not waste.

They are then used in the production of amyl alcohol, which is used as a solvent in the confectionery and dairy industries. About what fusel oils are, see this useful and interesting video:

In the finished drink, the concentration of fusel oils differs depending on the raw materials, yeast used, fermentation, temperature conditions, and production technology. Such substances are present in a certain concentration in any drink, they affect its taste. For example, in vodka their concentration is from 5 to 15 mg/l. In beer, the indicator is approximately from 25 to 100 mg / l. For wine, the norm is from 100 to 650 mg / l. In cognac, the indicator is 2 thousand mg / l, and in whiskey - in general 6 thousand mg / l. But without fusel oils, all these products are not considered alcoholic beverages - these are just ordinary alcohol solutions. On the other hand, with an excessively large number of such compounds, severe poisoning occurs and, as a result, a hangover.

It is difficult to single out the benefits and harms of fusel oils, as it depends on their content in moonshine.

It is harmful substances that need to be removed from alcohol, and safe ones should be left, because it is they that give the drink a recognizable taste and aroma.

Cleaning moonshine with potassium permanganate

Many people who are engaged in moonshine are interested in the question of how to clean moonshine from fusel oils. The most popular method is the use of potassium permanganate. There are 2 main methods, but not all people consider potassium permanganate to be a harmless and effective remedy. The fact is that manganese then precipitates along with other impurities, so that it does not take away all the harmful substances. However, this is not the most terrible moment.

Cleaning moonshine with manganese is not the safest way

Scientists have proven that potassium permanganate is considered an oxidizing agent that reacts with ethanol and releases dangerous alkalis and substances. When the oxidative process of potassium permanganate in moonshine is activated, a very complex alkali begins to form. Such a tool in the food industry is called additive E 525, or potassium hydroxide. This compound regulates acidity and is considered a very effective preservative.

In addition, during a chemical reaction, a precipitate of manganese oxide and acetaldehyde (also called acetaldehyde) appears. The latter substance is considered a dangerous carcinogen, which is contained in tobacco smoke. It causes addiction in people. Chemists believe that from moonshine, which is prepared with the use of potassium permanganate as a purifying agent, a real poison comes out that harms a person. So before using this option, you need to think about the benefits and consequences. For more information about the pros and cons of the tool, see this video:

The recipe itself is as follows: for 1 liter of moonshine 40% vol. you will need 2 g of potassium permanganate, 300 ml of ordinary clean hot water. You will also need 1 tbsp. l. ordinary baking soda and salt (iodized should never be used).

This cleaning method involves the following steps:

Dilute potassium permanganate in water, stirring well.
Mix water tinted with potassium permanganate with moonshine. Mix everything using a wooden spoon. All metal utensils are prohibited. Leave all night.
Filter everything in the morning. Gauze, which is folded in several layers, is suitable as a filter.

Purification of alcoholic beverages with charcoal

People are looking for a method on how to properly clean moonshine. Moreover, it is necessary to choose not only a method that removes harmful substances, but also does not worsen the smell, color of the drink. One such option would be coal. This is another old and proven method that is safe and effective.

Charcoal cleaning is effective and safe

The properties of wood ash are compared with activated carbon in tablet form. It is an excellent adsorbent that effectively absorbs harmful compounds and removes them.

Cleaning with charcoal for barbecue (as it is popularly called) has another advantage - this is the speed of the procedure. The process is very fast.

In addition, coking coal is also suitable, since there is no difference in what specific type of product will be used to clean moonshine - all products will be equally effective.

You will need to prepare in advance the recently cut stump of any young tree that is not yet 50 years old. Best suited wood birch, beech, cedar. Moonshine take 1 liter.

The charcoal cleaning process itself is as follows:

First you need to remove the bark from the tree and cut out the knots and core.
Kindle a fire. Pull out the coals, and you need to do this while the heat itself is there. Remove the ashes from them. Close the charred wood pieces and wait until they die out.
The resulting coals should be rubbed through a sieve.
Dissolve the powder in moonshine and leave the container for three days.
Filter at the end.

Coal can be used in other ways. A special carbon filter is used. The result will be excellent, and the distillate can be drunk immediately. At home, a filter column is quite simple to make. To do this, you need a 5 liter plastic bottle, as well as 2 plastic bottle necks and 2 caps, one of which must have a spout. See more in this video:

Additionally, a saw, scissors, electrical tape, a drill, coal are needed to clean the drink, and a plastic pipe with a diameter of 32 cm.

The algorithm of actions is as follows:

First you need to cut off the bottom of the bottle with a volume of 5 liters and remove it.
Take the tube and insert one end into the neck of the bottle. Fix with tape.
Next, the plastic necks need to be inserted into each other. A hole should be made in the lid using a drill. Screw on the neck and insert into the second. Fix all elements with electrical tape. The second cap from the drinker should close the second neck of the bottle. First, you need to lay cotton wool there (namely, in the outermost neck).
The part that was eventually received must be fixed to the other end of the tube using electrical tape.
The pipe must be hung by the handle of the bottle. As a result, the eggplant itself is at the top.
Place a container on the bottom.
Then pour coal into the tube through a five-liter eggplant. Its neck should be covered with a cotton pad.
Now you can use the filter itself directly, pouring moonshine there.

Purification with milk and rye bread

These methods of cleaning moonshine are also very effective. It is best to do them one by one. First you need to clean the moonshine from the smell with the help of milk powder. Only after that you need to use rye bread as a filter.

Milk and bread are used alternately for filtering

The first stage is the use of powdered milk. This process is called coagulation, that is, the oils bind to casein and albumin, which are found in milk. When milk and alcohol react, a precipitate is formed in the form of flakes, and the drink itself becomes very soft. If earlier the aroma was unpleasant, now it will be neutral. It is best to use powdered milk, as it is skimmed, and alcohol will not become cloudy during a chemical reaction. It will take 10 liters of moonshine 40% vol. 10 liters of pure water (it should be warm) and 6 g of powdered milk.

The cleaning process itself is as follows:

Dissolve dry milk in warm water. Mix thoroughly to break up lumps. Further, the resulting liquid should be infused for 3 hours.
Mix milk with moonshine. The remedy should be infused for a week.
All the precipitate that eventually formed must be removed by filtering the liquid.

After that, fusel oils can be removed by additionally using rye bread. Of course, this method can also be used on its own.

Bread contains gluten. It perfectly removes various debris and impurities from vodka.

But you need to use only a very fresh product so as not to impair the smell and taste of the liquid. It will take 100 g of rye bread for 1 liter of drink. The algorithm of actions is as follows:

Break the bread into small pieces.
Drop them into the liquid and stir.
Wait 2 days.
Remove sediment by filtering the drink.

Cleaning alcohol with improvised means

Purification of moonshine from fusel oils can be carried out using other means that are available in almost any kitchen:

The use of protein from chicken eggs. It has a good coagulating effect. As a result, harmful compounds simply fall off as a precipitate when the protein enters into a reaction with an alcoholic beverage. People compare this technique with the effect of using milk. This method is considered very effective, but you need to act strictly according to the instructions. It will take 2 eggs for 1 liter of moonshine. First you need to separate the whites from the yolks. Only proteins will be used. They need to be beaten, but make sure that foam does not form. Then pour into alcohol and mix. Almost immediately, flakes fall out that need to be removed.
The use of salt and soda. Harmful oils can be removed with salt and soda. This method is considered not only simple, but also affordable, since both ingredients can always be found in the kitchen. Moreover, it is also low cost. You will need 1 tbsp. l. soda and salt per 1 liter of moonshine. First, dissolve the salt and soda directly in the liquid and wait half an hour. Then you need to mix the drink and put the container with it in a dark place for 12 hours. During this time, the cloudy liquid will exfoliate. The top layer must be carefully drained. As a result, harmful substances and unpleasant odors disappear.
Use of vegetable oil. Another method of cleansing alcohol from harmful compounds is the use of vegetable oil. This technique is good because it is not only effective, but also environmentally friendly. For 1 liter of moonshine you will need 80 ml of refined oil (it should not have aroma) and 3 liters of water. And only sunflower or olive oil is used. First you need to dilute alcohol with water. Pour in the oil and shake the container. Continue this for several minutes. Then moonshine should be infused for 3 minutes. Shake the container again for 60 seconds. Now put the container in a darkened room for a day, where the temperature should be no more than 16 ° C. During this time, an oily film will form on the surface of the liquid, in which all harmful compounds are collected. In the film itself, you need to make a funnel, without damaging it, lower the tube there (while not touching the film itself). Now drain all the drink. Homemade vodka remains filtered by a double method to remove all drops of oil.

Other cleaning methods

If you need to get a completely pure alcoholic drink in home production, then it is best to do a secondary distillation. This is an inevitable process, thanks to which all heavy elements and extraneous aroma can be removed from the drink. As a result, it comes out softer and more pleasant in taste.

Even if the best distilling apparatus is used, the excellent result is worth a second treatment.

Sometimes even a third distillation is required. This is the only way to achieve the desired results, and the quality of the drink will be much better. For information on which cleaning method is best, see this video:

If there is no desire to carry out complex cleaning using chemicals (for example, using betonite), then you can use the simplest home filter. For example, Aquaphor or Barrier is perfect. Such purification of moonshine allows you to remove heavy substances and cloudy sediment. Such filters contain carbon, calcium, soda and other components that are used in the standard cleaning of alcoholic beverages at home. The procedure itself is very simple. You just need to pass the drink through a container with a filter.

When freezing, all harmful substances settle on the walls of the vessel

Another good way is freezing. The method is distinguished by its availability, simplicity and low cost. Perfect for those people for whom chemical treatment of the liquid is not suitable. During the freezing process, all toxic compounds first freeze and then fall on the walls of the container containing the drink. Alcohol itself will not be able to freeze in the freezer, even if the temperature drops to -13 ° C, so fusel oils can be easily removed, as well as various impurities. About the old grandfather's method of freezing moonshine, see this video:

The method is as follows:

It is necessary to prepare in advance a freezer, a saucepan and moonshine directly.
Pour the liquid into a saucepan and place in the freezer or outside if the weather is frosty.
Wait until part of the contents of the container freezes. It will take at least 3 - 4 hours. It is best to leave the dishes with liquid overnight.
Drain any remaining liquid that has not frozen into a clean bowl.

Conclusion

Fusel oils in moonshine affect its shade, taste, and aroma. Such substances are considered toxic, so it is preferable to remove them from the drink. Although in some cases they are, on the contrary, needed. There are many methods that allow you to clean the drink from such compounds. At home, coal, potassium permanganate, salt, soda, eggs, bread, milk, vegetable oil and other methods are suitable for this.

In the manufacture of home-made alcohol, it is impossible to avoid obtaining secondary products of processing raw materials into alcohol - the so-called. fusel oils. These include propyl, isopropyl amyl and isoamyl alcohols, acetaldehyde, furfural. These chemicals adversely affect the body, causing headaches, hangovers, and poisoning after drinking home-made alcohol that has not been thoroughly purified. It is possible to remove fusel oils from moonshine using folk methods that involve the use of improvised means or specialized equipment.

What are fusel oils

This name is given to a whole group of substances obtained during the fermentation of starchy or fruit raw materials. In its pure form, they have an oily texture, a bitter, pungent odor. Alcoholic drinks that have not been properly purified contain these toxic high molecular weight compounds that have a negative effect on the body. The largest amount of toxins contains moonshine after primary distillation. Their presence can be easily recognized by the pungent smell of acetone.

When using poorly purified fuselage, toxins enter the blood very quickly, heavily burdening the liver, which tries to filter them out and remove them. Even a small amount of harmful impurities that have made their way through the natural purification processes in the human body causes a severe hangover. Having drunk a low-quality product with a high content of toxins, a person provides himself with a sharp headache, problems with the intestines. The constant use of low-grade fusel oil leads to cirrhosis of the liver, kidney problems.

Purification of moonshine from fusel oils is a mandatory process for the production of alcohol, without which it will be unusable. In industrial production, large distillation columns are used for purification, equipped with dephlegmators, which separate harmful impurities from alcohol vapors. The process of distillation of alcohol at home is carried out using a hand-assembled or purchased moonshine still. It does a good job of neutralizing toxins, but the process can be improved by using improvised means in the following steps:

Fermentation. To reduce the content of toxins in the finished mash, increase the process temperature to 30 degrees.
First race. Vegetable oil cleansing is used, which successfully captures all toxins, which can then be removed with charcoal.
Second race. After the final clipping, the so-called. heads and tails are often thermally cleaned. Raw materials are brought to a temperature of 70-73 degrees, at which fusel oils begin to evaporate. The disadvantage of this method is a small loss of strength.
Final stage. The final clarification of the finished product is also called clarification and is used in the production of wine. Often, white clay, milk, egg whites are used to carry out this process.

Freeze

The simplest ancient method of neutralizing toxins is based on the use of temperature differences at which a change in the state of aggregation of substances contained in raw materials occurs. Well suited for preliminary and final cleaning of the product. The essence of the method lies in the fact that with strong cooling of moonshine, alcohol will remain in a liquid state, and water will freeze on the walls of the container, capturing some of the toxic substances. Here's how to clean moonshine from the smell of fusel oils:

Pour the product into a glass container, cover with a layer of gauze on top.
Cool to low temperature. Keep the jar in the cold for 3-4 hours. Let the water completely freeze and form a layer of ice on the walls of the container.
If desired, repeat the process 1-2 times, after slightly diluting the product with distilled water.

Activated carbon

Purification of moonshine and improvement of its taste is effectively carried out using a natural absorbent - activated carbon. This substance perfectly absorbs toxins, easily captures aldehydes and essential oils. This method of detoxification can be carried out at all stages of distillation and preparation of moonshine without loss of efficiency. Remember that after absorbing harmful impurities, coal after a short time (3-4 hours) begins to actively give them back, again saturating the primer with fusel oils. Cleaning steps:

Take activated charcoal tablets (3-4 g / liter) or plain charcoal for barbecue. Grind them into a fine powder.
Pour into a container with moonshine, mix thoroughly.
Let it brew for 2-3 hours.
Filter the charcoal residue through cotton wool or folded gauze.
Alternatively, carbon water filters can be used. Just pass moonshine through them 2-3 times.

Potassium permanganate

A very popular method for cleaning moonshine is the use of potassium permanganate in the form of crystals or a medical solution. Remember safety precautions: crystalline potassium permanganate is a very caustic substance that can cause severe chemical burns on the skin. The essence of the method is that potassium permanganate, being a strong oxidizing agent, reacts with aldehydes and essential oils.

Potassium permanganate dissolves in moonshine and causes a solid precipitate to form from the reacted fusel oil, which is simply removed by filtration through gauze. Remember that this method is only suitable for moonshine that has not passed the final cleaning. During the last distillation, potassium permanganate will go into the sump. The detox process is as follows:

Add crystals or a solution of potassium permanganate to moonshine before the final distillation at the rate of 2-3 grams of active ingredient per liter.
Let the alcohol brew, stirring it every hour.
Remove solid residue with cotton wool or gauze.

Egg white

Organic substances readily react chemically with each other. Similarly, egg white reacts well with many of the toxins found in unrefined moonshine. It copes especially well with the elimination of aldehydes, which have a detrimental effect on the human liver. This method is used strictly before the final distillation of the drink. You need to carry out the process as follows:

Break raw chicken eggs (1pc / 5 liters), separate the whites from the yolks.
Whip the egg whites thoroughly.
Add to alcoholic raw materials, stir thoroughly several times until medium-sized white flakes fall out.
Repeat the process 1-2 times for best results.
Filter the precipitate through cotton wool or gauze.

Dairy

Like egg whites, dairy products contain substances that can react with fusel oils to form a solid precipitate. For this method, plain and powdered milk, kefir, fermented baked milk are suitable. This purification method should be used prior to the final distillate distillation to avoid unwanted off-flavours. Here is how detox is done using powdered milk as an example:

Dilute milk powder with water (7 g/litre) and stir until no lumps remain.
Pour the liquid into the container with moonshine, mix.
The process of such cleaning is the longest: leave the container to settle for a week.
Filter the resulting precipitate through cheesecloth.

Soda

Plain baking soda also reacts well with fusel oils, precipitating out. This purification technology is used before the second distillation of the drink. To detoxify with baking soda, stir in moonshine at a concentration of 10 g/litre. Leave the resulting solution to settle for 8-10 hours. Filter the precipitate through a layer of gauze, cotton pads or a carbon water filter.

Hibiscus

You can clean the mash before the primary distillation step with hibiscus tea or orris root. The method works due to the presence in the composition of these plant components of acids that bind fusel oils, causing them to precipitate to the bottom of the container. Here's how the lighting is done:

Dry hibiscus petals (hibiscus tea) or violet root (2 tbsp. L / liter) pour water.
Bring the liquid to a boil over low heat, stirring constantly.
Remove the flowers, pour the broth into the mash.
Leave the mixture to settle for a day. Then you can proceed to distillation.

Bentonite

Clarification of the drink with white clay has long been a well-known folk method. Before you clean moonshine from fusel oils with it, figure out where to get bentonite from. A great option is to buy a special powder designed to clarify alcohol. An alternative to it can be cat litter containing bentonite, or construction clay. Do not use natural clay unnecessarily: it is not known what own impurities it contains. Cleaning is done as follows:

Grind the mineral to a powder state.
Add 1 teaspoon of clay to 5 liters of mash, stir.
Wait for the bentonite to swell and precipitate.
Filter the drink through cheesecloth.

Refined oil

Braga is easily cleaned with a simple purchased vegetable oil. This is because alcohol and water do not mix with it, unlike fusel oil. To clarify a drink according to this recipe, add an arbitrary amount of refined oil to it and tightly cork with a lid. Next, shake the container strongly 8-10 times at intervals of 5-10 minutes so that the oil drops capture the sivuha.

Tannins

This purification is used in the production of cognac. When infused in oak barrels, a special natural tannin, tannin, which contains wood, captures and binds toxin molecules, thereby neutralizing the drink. You can clarify alcohol in this way at home as follows:

Dial oak bark, plan small chips from it (5-8 g / liter).
Boil it over high heat for 5-10 minutes to disinfect.
Add shavings to the mash and leave to settle for 1-2 weeks, tightly corking the container with a lid. To make the drink become beige and woody, leave it to infuse for another 2-3 months.
Open the container, remove the bark.

How to clean mash

Before starting the distillation process, it is better to pre-clean the prepared mash from fusel oils in order to facilitate your work during distillation in advance. All methods of clarification of the fermented mixture also provide for the forced termination of the vital activity of the yeast. Before cleaning, be sure to degas the mash by stirring it thoroughly. This will remove excess carbon dioxide, finally stopping fermentation. For clarification before distillation, the following substances and components are used:

bentonite;
hibiscus flowers, hibiscus flowers;
filka root;
gelatin;
dairy;
egg whites.

Moonshine still with cleaning from fusel oils

For the manufacture of moonshine at home, typical moonshine stills are used, equipped with all the necessary components for distillation, distillation and purification of the drink. The device has the following device:

Distillation cube. Here the mash is heated, divided into fractions. Volatile evaporated components pass on, impurities remain.
Sukhoparnik. The element, also called a sump, is designed for intermediate purification of alcohol vapor from fusel. It captures some of the heavy compounds that are drained into a special container.
Fridge. Here, alcohol vapors are condensed due to low temperature and enter the distillate tank.

Distillation

During the cyclic distillation of alcohol, liquids are formed that have received the following names: head, body, tail. They differ greatly in composition, which is explained by the difference in the degree of their purification. The most harmful and toxic part is the so-called. moonshine head. With its high concentration, the drink is very intoxicating, adversely affects the body, and provides a severe hangover. Find out how these three factions differ.

Head. The most toxic part, also called "pervak". The product obtained after the first distillation. Contains the largest amount of fusel oils.
Body. Raw spirit, the main part of the drink containing ethyl alcohol.
Tail. Waste collected by the dry steamer. Contains aldehydes, essential oils.

Filtration

To obtain a quality drink, it should be cleaned of impurities remaining after distillation, intermediate detoxification. The last cleaning of moonshine is called clarification. Bentonite, egg white and activated carbon are better suited for its implementation: they have the least effect on the organoleptic qualities of the final product.

Infusion

This process is used to obtain aromatic tinctures with a pronounced taste and smell. What taste qualities the final product will receive depends on what it was insisted on. To carry out this process, fruits, juicy berries, vegetables, aromatic and simple medicinal herbs are often used. The duration of the infusion may vary for different products used. Thus, the German Jägermeister tincture is aged up to 12 months, and cherry liqueur can be prepared in a few weeks.

How to identify fusel oils in moonshine

The presence of these toxins in the drink is very easily determined by its organoleptic characteristics. Pure moonshine, containing a large amount of toxins, has a slightly viscous consistency, a whitish tint. Sivukha is easy to distinguish from a quality drink by the sharp unpleasant smell of acetone and aldehydes (the latter are similar in smell to medical formaldehyde). Remember that the use of the so-called. Pervaka has a negative effect on the kidneys, liver, and can cause serious poisoning.

Video

Fusel oils can be called the "soul" of any alcoholic beverage. In many ways, they determine the taste, smell, color and strength of a hangover. The inhabitants believe that these impurities are undesirable, harmful to health and spoil the taste. In fact, everything is much more complicated, in most cases their presence is vital, and proper cleaning eliminates problems.

Fusel oils- a group of substances of an oily consistency of light yellow or red-brown color with an unpleasant odor, which is a by-product of alcoholic fermentation of sugar, fruit or starch-containing raw materials. In one concentration or another, they are contained in every alcoholic drink (an exception is pure rectified alcohol).

To get fusel oil at home, it is enough to pour unrefined moonshine into a spoon, set it on fire and wait until the burning is over. The bad-smelling liquid remaining in the spoon will be “fussy” (popular name). Still similar substances can be seen in the steamer of the moonshine still after distillation.

Fusel oils filtered during rectification (industrial production of alcohol) are not waste, but are used to produce amyl alcohol, which in turn is used as a solvent in the confectionery and dairy industries.

Dark concentrated fusel oil

And lighter

The composition of fusel oils includes about 40 substances, conventionally divided into two groups. The first group contains liquids whose boiling point is lower than that of ethyl alcohol (78.4°C), these are acetic-butyric ester, acetaldehyde and acetone. The second group is represented by substances with a boiling point above 78.4°C: propyl, isopropyl, amyl, isoamyl, isobutyl alcohols, furfural, acetyl and other toxic compounds. The most dangerous is isoamyl alcohol (C5H4OH), which accounts for up to 60% of the volume of fusel oil. When concentrated isoamyl alcohol gets on the skin, the affected area first turns red and itches, then bubbles appear filled with a clear liquid.

The benefits and harms of fusel oils

The composition and concentration of fusel oils are influenced by: raw materials, type of yeast, fermentation temperature and preparation technology (distillation, rectification or lack of distillation). From this point of view, the purest drink is vodka, poorly purified - whiskey.

The problem is that it is fusel oils that endow spirits with characteristic organoleptic properties. Without these substances, cognac and whiskey will turn into alcohol diluted with water (the effect of aging in oak barrels is also significant, but less), and the taste of wine or beer will change beyond recognition. On the other hand, an excessive amount of fuselage causes intoxication of the body, poisoning, and a severe hangover.

The harm and benefits of fusel oils are relative - they are determined by the composition and (or) concentration of substances in the drink. Every self-respecting manufacturer tries to remove toxic impurities as much as possible, leaving only the necessary and harmless ones that determine the organoleptic properties. Therefore, the technology for the production of vodka, wine, beer, cognac, whiskey and tequila is different, and the quality of drinks depends on the purification methods used.

Without fusel oils there would be no cognac

For example, it is incorrect to compare harm from whiskey and vodka. At first glance, it seems that whiskey, initially containing 260-400 times more fusel oils, is much more dangerous. But with proper cleaning, whiskey will be even more harmless than vodka (argument in the next paragraph). It is possible to compare the quality of alcohol of the same type, for example, two manufacturers of cognac, but when assessing the danger of different alcohol, it is difficult to draw the right conclusions.

Until recently, vodka was considered the most harmless alcoholic drink, since due to rectification it contains a minimum of fusel oils. But at the same time, it remained unclear why 70% of people suffering from alcohol addiction are vodka alcoholics. A study by Vladimir Pavlovich, a professor at the Narcology Research Institute of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, shed light on this issue.

It turns out that some fusel oils protect the body from the harmful effects of alcohol by causing the liver to become more active before the alcohol begins its destructive effects. The purer the poison (in our case, ethyl alcohol), the more dangerous and addictive it is. It is a pity that few people know about these findings.

Purification of fusel oils

Any homemade alcoholic drink contains some amount of harmful fusel oils. But it is impossible to clean wine, beer or liquor from them without losing the taste. In this case, the only option is to use high-quality raw materials and strictly adhere to the cooking technology. For example, Isabella grapes release a lot of hydrocyanic acid during fermentation, therefore it is better not to drink a lot of such wine at a time or mix the must before fermentation with other varieties.

Sugar, fruit and malt distillates are well refined. To begin with, I advise you to familiarize yourself with the six best ones that are used for sugar and grain raw materials.

The most effective method will help to remove fusel oils from fruit distillate (apple, grape, pear, plum, etc.) - double distillation of moonshine with separation of the output into fractions (“head”, “body” and “tails”), which is used in preparation of cognac, whiskey, Calvados and other spirits.

Many lovers of not only production, but also drinking various alcoholic beverages know that some are drunk easily and do not leave a trace in the morning, while others cause a very strong hangover. The latter is the result of poisoning with harmful impurities that are transferred from raw materials during fermentation or distillation through the apparatus. Such substances are called fusel oils.

Modern equipment largely prevents the ingress of harmful substances into alcohol. But moonshine at home in most cases is far from ideal. Therefore, after preparation, mandatory cleaning of moonshine is required. The better it is done, the safer and tastier the drink will be. There are different ways to clean moonshine that are applicable at home and do not require special equipment.

In addition to fusel oils, methanol and acetaldehyde can enter the body along with low-quality alcohol. They mostly come out with the first fraction, but they can also get into the drink itself. Therefore, it is necessary to filter moonshine prepared at home with special care.

Fusel oils in moonshine, it is a secondary product formed during the fermentation of raw materials made from starch, sugar or fruit and is contained in almost all alcohol. In its pure form, they have a yellow or brown color, an oily texture and a characteristic unpleasant odor and taste.

Fusel oil consists of more than 40 different substances. They influence the effects of alcohol consumption. Most of the composition is isoamyl alcohol. It is the most dangerous for the human body. In high concentrations, this alcohol causes alcohol poisoning and severe consequences for the body, and when it comes into contact with the skin in its pure form, it leaves burns. That is why fusel oil is so harmful to the human body.

But not everything is so clear. In some alcoholic beverages, the content of these impurities determines the organoleptic properties. Without them, wine would radically change its taste, and everyone's favorite whiskey and cognac would become just alcohol with water. Therefore, beneficial properties and harm are determined by the composition and concentration of harmful substances. All toxic impurities must be removed, leaving only useful ones.

In order for the prepared moonshine to become safe for consumption and lose its unpleasant odor, it must first be filtered to remove the harmful substances formed in it. Knowing how to clean moonshine from fusel oils, the procedure can be performed quickly enough without prior experience and special equipment. Most often, natural and inexpensive products that are constantly used in everyday life are used for this.

There are two ways to check the content of fusel oils in moonshine. The first is the presence of a characteristic unpleasant odor. To detect it, you don’t even have to carefully sniff it, it is felt immediately. If the check is made after additional cleaning and it may not be so noticeable, then you need to grind a couple of drops of moonshine between your fingers, let the alcohol evaporate and sniff.

The second and most effective is combustion. A little moonshine needs to be poured into a spoon and set on fire. If, after the complete combustion of alcohol, an oily yellow liquid remains, it means that the composition of this drink contains harmful substances and additional purification is required.

How to clean moonshine from smell and harmful impurities

After the first distillation, an unpleasant odor and taste remains. How to remove these consequences? Purification of moonshine from fusel oil is most often carried out by filtration. Alcohol is poured through a filter filled with a purifying agent, or mixed with it and settled until a precipitate forms. Since moonshine can be properly cleaned using several cleaning methods, the following can be used as a filter:

Coal.
Potassium permanganate.
Milk.
Egg white.
Freeze.
Fruit.
Soda.
Oil.

In the case of freezing, there will be no precipitation, harmful substances will simply freeze to the walls of the container. And when cleansed with fruits, they absorb all the fusel oils. They are good both as an intermediate cleaning of moonshine and as a final one. The best cleaning method is coal. This filtration has earned wide popularity, as it is the fastest and moonshine is filtered better.

Only cooled and settled moonshine is taken for cleaning. The temperature must be room temperature. The second condition is that moonshine should be of low strength 25 - 30 degrees. To do this, it is diluted with purified water. This is required due to the fact that harmful substances do not come out well from strong alcohol and the better they are separated, the lower the degree of strength

After settling in all cases, except for the use of freezing and fruit, the moonshine is filtered and re-distilled to improve the result of the drink. With the correct implementation of all stages, moonshine will turn out to be “crystal” clean and without an unpleasant odor.

When using a quality moonshine and the double distillation method, purification may not be necessary. But for beginners who have not mastered all the subtleties of distillation well enough, it is better to resort to this purification method for additional safety.

Coal

Coal purification of moonshine is the fastest and most affordable. This is due to the fact that charcoal is a powerful adsorbent. It captures and absorbs all harmful substances, passing only a pure product. For charcoal filtration you will need:

Activated carbon.
Funnel.
Special filters or cotton wool.

The main component is most affordable to purchase at a pharmacy. This charcoal will clean well, but it may contain impurities such as talc or starch. Due to their impact, moonshine can acquire an unpleasant bitterness. Therefore, you can use a different coal. The one used by winemakers is very good. It is sold in narrow-profile stores and is quite cheap. Such a filter will be as effective as possible and will not affect the taste and aromatic properties of the finished product.

You can make your own charcoal. Birch, cedar or beech are suitable for them. The wood is carefully cleaned of bark and core and burned at the stake. Ready coals are completely cooled, cleaned of ash and crushed for convenient use.

Moonshine can be filtered in two ways: by pouring liquid through a cleaning device or by immersing coal directly into the drink. In the first case, you need to make the filter itself. To do this, take a funnel or cut off the top of the bottle with a neck. The narrower part is laid with cotton wool, previously wrapped in gauze, coal is poured on top. We clean the moonshine through this design, pouring it several times with the replacement of the coal layer.

This method requires preliminary preparation of the cleaning agent. Coal must be washed in advance to clean it of dust. If this is not done, then after passing through the funnel, more stringent filtration of moonshine from dirty sediment will be required.

In the second case, activated carbon is crushed and added to moonshine with the calculation of 50 grams per 1 liter of liquid. This mixture should be infused for a couple of weeks, stirring occasionally. After that, the liquid settles for a week at a temperature of about 20 - 25 degrees Celsius while not moving the container, after which it must be drained several times through a cotton filter.

After all stages of purification, the liquid is re-distilled with the separation of the first and last fractions to complete the separation of fusel oils from moonshine.

Potassium permanganate

Cleaning moonshine with manganese does not require additional costs, but is considered not the most effective. A solution of potassium permanganate is not able to take away all the harmful substances formed during the fermentation process, and some of the fusel oils will remain. At the same time, other hazardous substances harmful to the body are released from the reaction of raw alcohol.

But this method is still common. For its use, 2 grams of potassium permanganate per 1 liter of alcohol are dissolved in water. At the same time, it must be necessarily cleaned and boiled. The resulting solution is poured into moonshine and left for one night. In the process of settling, a precipitate falls out, and the drink itself brightens. After that, it must be carefully drained and re-distilled.

It has long been believed that it is quite difficult to clean moonshine at home in this way. There are other, safer methods for this. For example, using fresh rye bread. It should be just recently cooked, as the old one gives an unpleasant aftertaste. For 1 liter, you need 100 grams of bread crumb without crusts. It will need to be crushed, pour into a container with moonshine and mix. The resulting mixture is infused for a couple of days. After that, the bread is removed. Such moonshine will acquire a yellow tint and in order to remove it, you will need to filter the drink a couple more times, and then re-distill.

Milk

Purification of moonshine from fusel oils with milk is used as a finishing step. If it is used in intermediate cleaning, milk residues can burn in the still and give an unpleasant taste. For this cleaning method, you need to choose only a pasteurized product with a low percentage of fat content. For 1 liter of moonshine, 10 milliliters of milk will be required. For the process to be carried out correctly, you need:

Mix milk with moonshine that has gone through several stages of distillation.
Seal the container.
Insist for a week in a dark place at room temperature.
Stir the first 5 days.
For the last couple of days, do not touch the container until a precipitate in the form of flakes falls out.
Pass moonshine through a cotton filter.

Purification of moonshine in this way is also used in factory production, therefore it is the most effective tool. Only in such conditions, not pure milk, but casein is added. This is a protein that is actively involved in the cleansing process.

If, after filtering, moonshine still retains a cloudy tint, then it can be removed with lemon or orange zest. For this, one fruit per two liters of alcohol is enough. To use a product with a low fat content, you can take powdered milk. It must be prepared a couple of hours before cleansing and completely cooled. If after a week the precipitate does not fall out of the flakes, you can add a little lemon juice or dry acid.

Egg white

Another eco-friendly way to clean moonshine from fusel oils at home is egg white. According to its principle of action, it is very similar to the milk method, since the composition of the egg includes casein. All harmful impurities along with it will precipitate in the form of white flakes.

For mixing, you need to take 1 protein per liter of moonshine 50% strength. Although many believe that this volume can be cleaned and 2 liters. It must be carefully separated from the yolk and mixed with a quarter of a glass of water and beat well. It should be boiled, but not hot, but warm. After that, the mixture is poured into moonshine and clogged. The container is infused in a dark, cool place for a week. The first day the mixture is shaken twice, after which it is left alone.

After precipitation, the moonshine must be carefully drained and filtered twice from the remaining white flakes. This method, as well as milk, is used for final cleaning. If it is applied between two distillations, then at the end of the process there may be a strong deterioration in the smell of moonshine with the appearance of a characteristic aroma of sulfur. Since it will not be possible to clean moonshine from this in the future, it is better to use the protein method at the very end.

Freeze

Purification of moonshine by freezing is a very controversial method. It is believed that during strong cooling, all harmful substances formed in the process of obtaining mash freeze on the walls of the container with a frost coating. Alcohol, on the other hand, has a lower freezing point and remains pure and liquid. The container is placed in a very cool place for a period of 12 hours to a day. During this time, moonshine should not only be cleansed of such harmful fusel oils, but also increase its degree of strength.

In fact, it is unlikely that it will be possible to clean alcohol from impurities in this way. Indeed, the lower the ambient temperature drops, and as a result, the drink itself, the greater the strength of the moonshine will be. Only fusel oils will not separate. And all because the higher the degree of alcohol, the worse it is cleared of harmful impurities. Some manufacturers practice this method specifically to increase the alcohol content in the drink. Therefore, to obtain high-quality and tasty alcohol, it is better to use other more proven methods.

Fruit

No worse than other natural ingredients, fruits are cleansed of harmful impurities. For normal purification, this method is used after the first distillation. And to give the drink a more persistent fruity aroma, such cleaning can be used at the last stage. For high-quality removal of fusel oils, moonshine of the first distillation of a small fortress is used, approximately 25 - 30 degrees.

For 2 - 3 liters of alcohol, 1 apple and 1 orange are added along with pre-washed and separated zest. Fruits are cut into small pieces, apples are peeled and core. One of the fruits can be replaced with fresh peeled medium-sized carrots.

The zest is removed after a day of infusion. The remaining fruits lie for another 1 - 2 days. An indicator of the completion of the process is the exfoliation of fibers from the fruit. After that, all the ingredients are removed from the moonshine, and the resulting drink is filtered before re-distillation. With the final infusion, the exposure time can be increased up to 5 days. Cleaning with fruits is a very affordable method that gives moonshine a special flavor, but not the most effective, since the quality of the resulting moonshine changes with long exposure.

Soda

This product is in every home and is very popular with distillers for cleaning moonshine after the first distillation. Its advantage is that cleaning does not require a long wait of several days. For one liter of moonshine, 10 grams of soda will be required. They need to be dissolved in half a glass of purified water. The mixture is poured into alcohol and shaken thoroughly. The container should be allowed to brew at rest for half an hour to an hour. After that, the mixture is shaken again and placed in a dark, cool place for 12 hours. During this time, it forms a precipitate, into which not only soda falls, but also harmful fusel oils absorbed by it.

Cleaned moonshine must be carefully removed and additionally filtered through a cotton or ordinary kitchen filter. After that, the alcohol is re-distilled. Although this method is fast, it is not efficient enough. Since soda cannot completely separate fusel oils, additional filtration and a second high-quality distillation are required when cleaning with soda.

Oil

This method of cleaning is also not particularly difficult, but requires great dexterity to remove. Oil envelops the harmful substances contained in moonshine with a film that raises them to the surface. Thus, the sediment does not fall out, but floats up, leaving pure moonshine in the lower part of the container.

For this method, you need refined sunflower or olive oil. Others are not suitable, as they most often have a pronounced characteristic aroma that can be transferred to the drink. For 1 liter of moonshine, 20 milliliters of oil is taken. The liquids are thoroughly mixed and left in a sealed container for half an hour. After that, the jar needs to be shaken again and left to infuse for another day in a cool place. A funnel is carefully inserted into the resulting stratified mixture and a tube is lowered through it to the moonshine, through which a clean liquid is drained.

The disadvantage of this method is that the oil, like other natural additives, cannot sufficiently remove fusel oils, and after this technique additional purification, filtration and distillation will be required.

In general, each of the methods has different efficiency and required time costs. Eco-friendly methods will always be easier to use, but not of sufficient quality for such alcohol to be considered quality and safe. Some, such as a carbon filter or oil cleaning, are a good intermediate step, but not a standalone way.

The most effective is still considered complete rectification or high-quality double distillation in compliance with all the rules and technologies. It is they who provide the highest quality and safest product to use, which does not cause a painful hangover and serious health problems.

What brings the body more harm, vodka or moonshine? Vodka is a product that has been thoroughly purified from the so-called fusel oils, the harm of which lies in the fact that they contain toxic substances. However, it is known that oils are necessary to impart a characteristic taste and color to various alcoholic products. Therefore, in the manufacture of noble drinks (cognac, brandy), they are not completely distilled. During distillation, purification and other special technological methods, they try to remove harmful by-products of oils and preserve useful ones.

Boiling point of alcohol 78.4

What do they represent

Moonshine is an alcoholic product obtained at home from mash, which is formed from fruits, grains, beets or potatoes with the addition of sugar. In the process of fermentation, alcohol is formed, which is then distilled off using a moonshine still. Regardless of whether it is homemade or factory, it is impossible to get a completely safe product in it. During distillation, along with alcohol, a lot of side substances are distilled off, including poison such as methanol, as well as many other organic compounds (fusel oils).

The boiling point of alcohol is 78.4°. Fusel oils contain substances that boil at lower temperatures (acetone, acetaldehyde and others) and at higher temperatures (amyl, propyl, isoamyl and other alcohols, as well as furfural, acetyl). Many of them are poisonous and extremely dangerous for humans (for example, isoamyl alcohol, furfural). All of them in the form of impurities fall into the finished alcohol. This is due to the harm of moonshine. However, it is these oils that affect the taste and color, therefore it is impossible to say unequivocally that they only bring harm.

To see what fusel oils are, you can pour some moonshine on a saucer and set it on fire. After the blue flame goes out, a yellow oily substance will remain on the saucer.

What are the disadvantages of home-made alcohol

Under factory conditions, the distillation is carried out more carefully, with the separation of fractions and the use of special methods for removing the most toxic impurities.
The disadvantages of home distillation include:

Impossibility of exact observance of technology. Because of this, the initial product, the so-called “pervak”, is of particular danger. It is recommended to get rid of it;
Substances that are not beneficial to human health have the same boiling point as that of alcohol, or close to it, therefore, even with careful observation of the temperature regime, there will be too much fusel oil in the final product.

What is the difference in the composition of various alcoholic beverages

Alcoholic drinks differ not only in different alcohol content. Taste and color are given to them by various impurities, the content of which depends on the feedstock, the technology of distillation and purification. The taste and quality of such noble drinks as cognac are achieved by special long-term aging under special conditions. High-quality alcohol should contain as few harmful impurities as possible, but all the harmless substances that make up fusel oils must be preserved in it. Otherwise, they will all be only solutions of alcohol in water.

The table below shows how different alcoholic beverages differ in fusel oil content.

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Which of these drinks is more harmful? It turns out that they get drunk equally quickly from any alcoholic drink, but alcohol addiction occurs much faster when drinking vodka than when drinking noble drinks. This is due to the fact that the sivuha contains compounds that block the harmful effects of pure alcohol. The benefit of these compounds is that they make it difficult for alcohol to be absorbed in the stomach and accumulate in the blood. Accordingly, the concentration of toxins in organs such as the liver, brain and others is less. Of course, the effect of alcohol on the body is manifested individually and depends on the following factors:

Useful properties of certain substances

Fusel oils are a by-product of the processing of alcohol-containing raw materials in order to obtain alcoholic beverages. The benefits of these substances are as follows:

After separating them during distillation from alcoholic beverages, they are used as raw materials for the production of amyl alcohol. This substance is used as a solvent in the food industry;
In addition to the harmful components contained in fusel oils (pervak is especially dangerous), there are useful ones that determine the taste, color, smell and other properties that give specialty to alcoholic beverages;
They contain some components that alleviate the condition of a hangover. Therefore, when drinking cognac containing such components, the symptoms of a hangover are not as severe as when drinking vodka, although it is chemically purer. In addition, we must take into account that we usually measure vodka in half a liter, and cognac in glasses.

What is harmful in moonshine

What harm does the presence of fusel oils in alcoholic beverages bring? The process of splitting toxins occurs in the liver. The more alcohol enters the body, the greater the load on the liver. Fusel oils contain high-molecular alcohols, which, due to their complex composition, are much more difficult to split. The work of the liver becomes more complicated, the process of decontamination of toxins slows down. The hangover is prolonged.

For cleavage, alcohols must undergo a process of oxidation by oxygen supplied with the blood. The longer the carbon chain in alcohol molecules, the more oxygen is required. When drinking large doses of alcohol, the blood supply becomes difficult, there is not enough oxygen, so the toxins are not completely oxidized. In this case, substances are obtained even more toxic than ethyl alcohol.

The danger of moonshine compared to vodka is due to poor cleaning, a longer and more difficult hangover process. Some people consider the fact that it is a “natural homemade product” an advantage. However, alcohol consumption is directly related to the strong effects of toxins on the human body. The production of alcohol should be carried out by specialists who are well acquainted with chemistry, toxicology, and technological equipment for the distillation of substances containing alcohol. Fusel oils, which are present in large quantities in home-made alcohol (moonshine), further increase the danger to the human body. Therefore, they try to clean moonshine from such oils in various ways (using activated charcoal, potassium permanganate, soda or egg white, as well as by freezing). after cleaning from harmful components, undoubtedly more.

Purified by double distillation, moonshine with a strength of 40 ° is perfect for making medicinal homemade tinctures (for example, on hawthorn). For 100 berries take 0.5 liters of moonshine, insist 2-3 weeks. Hawthorn contains substances that can lower blood pressure, improve the condition of blood vessels and heart function.