What kind of coal is needed to clean moonshine. How to clean moonshine with activated, charcoal and coconut charcoal

Among the most effective ways to clean moonshine from fusel oils is filtering it through various types of coal. Due to the high ability of the carbon filter to absorb harmful substances, this method of purifying alcohol allows you to most fully eliminate various impurities from moonshine.

We will try to give the whole truth about cleaning moonshine with activated charcoal below.

Which coal is suitable for cleaning moonshine

For the filter used to retain harmful impurities, you can use different types of coal.

This list includes the following types:

• activated charcoal from a pharmacy in tablets;
• coal from a gas mask;
• various types of charcoal;
• coal from water filters;
• coconut charcoal;
• special coal for winemakers.

Purification of moonshine with activated carbon

There are not so few questions in this seemingly simple matter, we will try to consider in detail all aspects.

Which activated carbon is best for cleaning moonshine

It is worth noting that the properties of activated carbon in the purification of moonshine are to absorb various harmful substances with the help of pores in its structure. In order to be able to trap various impurities, the pore size in this type of coal must exceed the diameter of the molecules of such a substance.

Since medical activated carbon is made from various types of raw materials (charcoal, specialized types of coal like BAU-A, coke coal, and so on), the pore size in such a substance is small. For this reason, cleaning moonshine with pharmaceutical activated carbon is ineffective.

Activated carbon from gas mask filters is also poorly suited for this purpose. Additional substances used to deactivate the inhaled air may react with ethanol, resulting in a deterioration in the taste of the product.

The best results in the selection of harmful impurities gives the use of activated carbon made from wood. In particular, cleaning moonshine with birch activated charcoal is quite effective.

How to make activated charcoal for cleaning moonshine

Making high-quality activated carbon with your own hands for cleaning moonshine is quite difficult. The technology of how to activate charcoal to clean moonshine uses the effect of pyrolysis - burning wood in conditions of oxygen deficiency.

To make your own activated charcoal, follow these steps:

• take birch firewood and let it burn completely in an open fire;
• when only smoldering coals remain, place them in a container with a tight-fitting lid;
• after the coals go out and cool, the filter medium will be ready.

If you correctly follow these steps, the resulting coal will actually not be inferior in quality to that offered in the store.

How much activated charcoal is needed to clean moonshine

The amount of activated charcoal used depends on how the agent is used. A number of sources recommend cleaning moonshine by filtering it through such a substance. Some advise simply adding crushed activated carbon to the resulting distillate.

For example, regarding how much activated charcoal to put in the product itself or in the filter to remove impurities, there are tips to take one part of charcoal for 20 parts of alcohol (about 50 g of charcoal per liter of product). The indicated proportions can be slightly changed in the direction of increasing the amount of coal used, since a larger amount of adsorbing agent will not bring harm.

It is worth noting that when using a significantly larger amount of adsorbent, the benefits and harms for cleaning the product will not change significantly. The effectiveness of the action of coal on moonshine is finite. Each type of carbon can only hold a certain size of impurity molecules. An increase in the amount of adsorbent will not improve the cleaning efficiency.

The flow rate of the filter medium will also depend on a number of factors. For example, for the primary purification of the resulting distillate, the filter element will need to be changed after each purification of the available volume of alcohol.

The cleaning time of moonshine with activated carbon should ensure the most complete absorption of the impurities contained in the drink, and at the same time exclude the risk of returning harmful substances back to the product being cleaned. It is worth noting that in different sources, recommendations regarding the duration of the infusion of the drink differ significantly.

Focusing on the technological standards for alcohol purification, it can be advised to infuse moonshine on crushed coal for a period of up to five to seven days.

It's important to know

An increase in the duration of moonshine infusion on crushed coal most likely will not lead to an increase in the quality of the product. With an excessively long stay of coal in alcohol, it can begin to dissolve, returning the accumulated harmful impurities back to the product.

How to use activated charcoal to clean moonshine

Most recipes for cleaning moonshine with activated carbon require the use of either specialized grades of coal (BAU-A, BAU-LV, KAU-A) or high-quality charcoal for barbecue. It is not recommended to clean moonshine with activated charcoal tablets from a pharmacy.

There are only two options for using this substance for cleaning moonshine - this is the infusion of the product on crushed coal, or its use as a filter element.

When cleaning moonshine by insisting it, the following sequence of actions is performed:

The process of how to clean moonshine with coal using filtration is somewhat different from the one above.

• First you need to make a filter housing.

Basically, a two-liter plastic bottle is used for this purpose, the bottom of which is cut off.

• We put cotton wool tightly wrapped in several layers of gauze into the neck of the bottle.
• Pour charcoal into the body of the bottle.

The amount of coal used will depend on its type. For example, ordinary charcoal activated carbon is poured at the rate of 50 g per liter of the product to be purified. Specialized coal (for example, BAU-A) can be used less, about 12-15 g per liter of product.

• Pass the product to be cleaned through the prepared filter.

• To ensure the best effect of removing impurities from the filling of the filter, it is advisable to change after each passage of the available volume of moonshine.

How to restore activated carbon after cleaning moonshine

Reusing activated charcoal to clean moonshine is not recommended. Since during use, the coal is saturated with harmful impurities contained in the product, it is much easier to replace the cleaning element instead of restoring it.

Some of the cost-saving tips for purifying alcohol can be hazardous to your health. These include tips to rinse activated charcoal after cleaning moonshine. It is worth knowing that substances absorbed by the structure of coal cannot be washed out under a stream of water. And in the case of reuse of such a filter material, all the impurities absorbed by it can return to the drink.

There are recommendations to restore coal after use by treating it with a 2% hydrochloric acid solution, then rinse with water, dry, ignite on fire in a closed container and reuse. Given the danger of harmful compounds remaining in activated carbon getting into the drink being purified, this method should not be used.

Cleaning moonshine with charcoal

This technique is considered the most popular.

Which charcoal is best for cleaning moonshine

At home, charcoal is most often used for barbecue or barbecue.

How to make charcoal for cleaning moonshine

You can prepare charcoal for cleaning moonshine with your own hands using two options:

1. By burning wood in conditions of oxygen deficiency.

After burning the firewood to the state of coals, place them in an airtight container that does not allow air to enter.

1. By calcining firewood without air access.

The simplest implementation of this method would be to place firewood under a metal basin and build a large fire on it.

In fact, the steps above are also a way to activate charcoal to clean moonshine. It is thanks to this treatment that coal acquires increased ability to absorb harmful substances.

How much charcoal is needed to clean moonshine

The amount of use of charcoal depending on the various methods of cleaning (infusion on crushed coal or filtering) is described above.

A charcoal filter for cleaning moonshine can also be made using the previously described technique.

Harm from cleaning with charcoal can only be observed when the filter material is reused. In this case, there is a possibility that harmful impurities accumulated in the filter medium will be washed out into the product being purified. In other cases, the use of coal as an adsorbent filter will only bring benefits.

Coal made from coconut shells has a good adsorbing effect, therefore it is considered a fairly effective tool for cleaning moonshine. Proper cleaning of moonshine with coconut charcoal is ensured only when using a specialized brand KAU-A. The use of other brands of this substance, including those intended for hookah, will lead to the ingress of auxiliary substances contained in such coal into alcohol, and damage to the product.

How much coconut charcoal is needed to clean moonshine

When cleaning moonshine from fusel oils with coconut charcoal, it is advised to observe a proportion of two tablespoons of such a substance per liter of the product to be cleaned. By weight, this is approximately 10 g per 1 liter of alcohol, which is significantly less compared to the use of other types of coal.

If desired, the dosage may be slightly increased. At the same time, an excessively large amount of coal used will lead to the absorption of moonshine by the filter element and significant product losses.

How to use coconut charcoal to clean moonshine

Instructions on how to use this type of coal can be represented by the following sequence of actions:

1. We dilute moonshine with water.

The degree of dilution depends on whether a re-distillation is planned. Before the second distillation, alcohol must be diluted to a strength of about 20%. If re-distillation is not planned, the strength of the product should be about 40-50%.

1. Grind coal into fragments no larger than 1 cm and remove dust.
2. Pour coal into a glass container at the rate of 10 g of coal per 1 liter of 40-degree alcohol.
3. Pour moonshine and place the jar in a dark, cool place for 3-4 days.

It is advisable to shake the jar once every 8-12 hours.

1. After the specified time has elapsed, filter the moonshine through gauze folded in several layers.

The recipe for using coconut charcoal to make a filter is identical to the one above, and differs only in the proportion of filter medium used.

How to recover coconut charcoal after cleaning moonshine

Similar to other types of filter element, reuse of coconut charcoal is not recommended. According to reviews, the restoration of coal by any of the above methods, and its reuse can cause harmful impurities accumulated in such a substance to enter the drink.

Moonshine must be cleaned. There are different ways to do this, the simplest of them is cleaning moonshine with charcoal, both wood and stone. In feature films, you can often see characters drinking cloudy moonshine. Such an alcoholic drink is obtained when the mash is distilled in an ordinary bucket, placing a saucer with snow or cold water on top. Its strength is low, it contains a lot of fusel oils. In a good distillation apparatus, moonshine turns out to be the purest and strongest.

About the preparation of the adsorbent

How to clean moonshine? For the preparation of charcoal, birch firewood is taken and burned on a fire or in a furnace. When they burn out and hot coals remain, they are poured into a clay pot (it is also possible in a tightly closed iron container, as is done for a samovar). The main condition for this process is that there is no access to fresh air. The coals will go out after a while. Then they must be removed from the pot and crushed, but not finely, then rinsed with water and dried.

About cleaning methods

mineral adsorbent

Subtleties of filtration

Filtering moonshine in the second way, you must have a high room. If you use the basement of a private house, you can drill a hole in the floor, and pass a hose through it with a diameter smaller than two or three times that of the tube. On it, moonshine will pour into the tube. Here you definitely need a faucet on its lower part, it will be difficult for one person to control the filtration process. The alcohol-containing liquid from the container at the top will go by gravity, in order to avoid overflowing it through the top of the copper tube, you can put a clamp of any kind on it on a polyethylene hose, using it from time to time.

Features of use

Why is activated carbon able to remove fusel oils from moonshine? This happens through adsorption. It absorbs harmful substances. (The shell of a walnut, as well as coconut, has the same property). After one filtration, the coal is thrown away, it is no longer suitable for further use.

Where to buy a filter

Today, activated carbon is also used in filters for drinking water purification. You can also buy such a device (or its cartridge) for cleaning moonshine in a hardware store. The cost of a filter for fine water purification today is from 330 rubles and more. There are cartridges for sale, both with charcoal and with coal. They are designed for water filters installed in main pipelines.

About the use of tablets

Cleaning moonshine with activated charcoal tablets (sold in pharmacies in black or white) is also suitable, but only as a last resort, because such a substance is made from animal bones. Where else is activated charcoal used? It is in cans of gas masks, aquarium filters. They purify air in ventilation systems, oil and its derivatives, and even sewage sewage.

About health

Purify moonshine with activated carbon - protect yourself from poisoning when drinking this alcoholic drink. This substance is also useful for a hangover, relieving pain and removing toxins. Tablets are simply swallowed. And cleaning moonshine with charcoal at home will simply make the hangover much easier if you take the drink in excess of the norm.

Purification of moonshine is a mandatory procedure that is carried out after its single distillation. The harm caused to health by impurities and fusel oils that inevitably get into the drink has not been disputed for a long time. The result of their impact on the body varies on a scale from a severe hangover to death.

To avoid such consequences, home moonshiners are actively experimenting with sometimes unexpected materials to choose the most effective cleaning method. If you enter the query in the search engine line: “How to clean moonshine”, you can get a lot of a wide variety of options using both special technologies and improvised means. The top lines of the popularity rating are occupied by cleaning with coconut charcoal. Let's figure out why the choice fell on coconut charcoal and how effective the process itself is.

Coal educational program

The process of purifying alcohol with charcoal is called carbonization. Coal is a wonderful natural sorbent, that is, it absorbs other substances. To be even more precise, it refers to adsorbents: it attracts and holds the molecules of these substances on its surface. In this it differs from absorbents, which react and convert the original substances into new compounds.

Several types of coal can be used in distilling. The most affordable is activated medical. The next type is woody. The brands BAU-A and BAU-LVZ are intended for the alcohol industry. And the third type is coconut-based. Produced under the name KAUSORB or KAU-A. The name is worth paying attention to, since coconut coals are produced not only for food purposes, but also for hookahs, barbecues. In this case, they may contain aromatic additives or flammable compounds.

Coconut charcoal is produced by pyrolysis - exposure to high temperatures in an airless environment. On sale it is present in crushed form or in small briquettes. A significant drawback, you will not usually find it in the wide sale. You need to order online or look in specialized stores. Can sometimes be found in liquor stores.

Cleaning methods

Infusion

The first stage of the process involves the infusion of moonshine. To do this, strong moonshine must first be diluted to 40 ° -50 ° or even lower if there is a second distillation. Doing this is a must. The higher the strength of the drink, the stronger the molecular bonds and, accordingly, the more difficult it is to extract impurities.

Coal also needs to be prepared. If it is formed into briquettes, they should be broken up as finely as possible. We need to maximize the area of ​​​​contact of the surface of coal and moonshine. For 1 liter of liquid with a strength of 40 °, 10 grams (2-3 tablespoons) of coal will be required. They put more, but it will not give a better result.

Crushed coal must be separated from dust and washed. This will allow not to color the moonshine so much. Then the prepared coal is placed in a container with moonshine and mixed thoroughly.

Regarding the duration of infusion, there are several points of view. It is recommended to insist from one day to a week. Practical experiments show that two to three hours is quite enough. Increasing this period most often does not change the result. Some sources claim that with prolonged aging, moonshine not only does not improve, but, on the contrary, worsens. After some time, the coal pores open and release all the collected compounds back. One way or another, it is better not to exceed the threshold of 3 hours. Every 20-30 minutes the container must be stirred.

After this time, the second stage begins - filtration. First, using a cotton pad or gauze folded into several layers. This will separate large particles and dust suspension. At the exit, we have moonshine with a slight charcoal tint. From the point of view of the presence of impurities, it is certainly pure. But drinking such moonshine is not entirely pleasant. It needs to be brightened up. For this purpose, a filter for a coffee maker, a filter for water purification, an ashless filter are suitable. It is better to feed moonshine into the filter in a thin stream or drops. This is easily accomplished with a conventional variable flow dripper.

Filtration

The second cleaning method is a simplified version of the previous one. In this case, moonshine must be cleaned immediately through the filter. It can be designed in different ways.

You can make a kind of coal column. This will require two containers, usually a bottle and a can. Since plastic is not recommended for operations with alcohol, it is better to take glass or ceramics. At the bottle, you need to cut off the bottom (for example, with a glass cutter) and install the jar upside down in the neck. Pour coconut charcoal into the bottle to clean moonshine at the rate of 12-15 grams per liter. The neck of the bottle is lined with cotton pads to prevent coal from spilling into the jar. Moonshine through the filter should be spilled at low speed.

In a lightweight version, it is proposed to make a filter in the funnel itself, alternating layers of cotton pads or gauze and coal. For the best performance of such cleaning, it is worth repeating it several times, while changing the coal.

Benefits of Coconut Charcoal

The main advantages of coconut charcoal over wood, medical and other cleaning methods are as follows:

• economical use of coal (10 grams of coconut versus 40-50 grams of wood per liter);
• high efficiency - small multiple pores allow you to capture and hold both large and small particles;
• the natural properties of coconut make it possible to enrich filtered moonshine with iodine and iron;
• naturalness and environmental friendliness - unlike other types of coal, it does not contain additives or impurities.

Attention, only TODAY!

A conscientious owner understands well how cleaning moonshine with charcoal affects the quality of the final product. Most often, to improve the condition, the distillate is re-distilled, after which even the characteristic smell of beet moonshine disappears.

But this option is laborious and time consuming. To eliminate these inconveniences, the use of activated carbon will be the most optimal solution to the problem.

Harmful components of moonshine and the best way to remove them

When the fermentation liquid is heated, complex organic compounds in the form of sugars and proteins are broken down into volatile components.

They, settling in the cooler, form alcohol-containing substances, fusel and essential oils.

Especially dangerous is methyl alcohol, which can be from 2 to 8% in the primary output of moonshine. You need to get rid of it right away.

Fusel oils affect not only the taste of the drink, but also adversely affect health.

Fusel and ethereal elements remain until the end of the mash kreging process. There are many of them in the fraction that comes out at the last stage of distillation. Isoamyl alcohol is especially harmful, the amount of which can reach up to 60% of the total mass of the dry matter of impurities.

To minimize their number, the heating of the mash is stopped when the strength of the drink reaches 30º.

These practices for cleaning moonshine use several types of substances:

• bread;
• baking soda;
• milk;
• potassium permanganate.

However, special coal attracts the components of fusel oils to the maximum, forcing them to fall out in the form of a dark precipitate. The resulting product has a mild taste and neutral odor. But not every coal is effective. For more information about what fusel oils are, see this video:
For example, wood samples used for barbecue can give a brown tint and a bitter taste. The structure of the substance ensures the absorption of molecular compounds of harmful impurities and the absorption of the unpleasant odor of the distillate. Thus, there is a significant neutralization of moonshine.

What kind of coal do you prefer?

Why is not every coal suitable for removing harmful impurities? The sizes of micropores are individual for each sample. For this reason, large molecules of fusel oils are not able to diffuse into the molecular lattice of the sorbent.

Charcoal for cleaning homemade drink has several alternatives:

• birch - BAU-A;
• coconut - BAU-LV;
• activated medical;
• activated for gas masks.

Activated charcoal, sold in pharmacies, is made from animal bone tissue. It also contains starch as a binder. Such an activated agent is not able to absorb fats due to the mismatch between the sizes of micropores and molecules of fusel oils. This product is used in gas masks or water filters. It may contain ion-exchange elements.

When a warm liquid passes through them, an undesirable reaction occurs, as a result of which there is not a purification of the product, but additional contamination. For more information about cleaning distillate with coal, see this video:

Coals for barbecue are used as a last resort, when there is no other possibility. To make them, they use an iron barrel or dig a hole up to 50 cm deep and more than 70 cm in diameter. They kindle a fire from non-resinous tree species. Putting birch logs, bring them to smoldering. Then the coals are transferred to a container closed from air access. After that, the substance is ready for cleaning.

The ideal option is birch or coconut charcoal.

These types are made specifically for alcoholic beverage or alcohol production. Such raw materials will be of very high quality, since the pyrolysis process is carried out in a vacuum.

Liquid Filtration

A clear understanding of how to clean moonshine comes after putting all the knowledge into practice. Immediately before cleaning, the coal is crushed into small pieces and washed thoroughly. Without this, small particles of coal will settle at the bottom of the drink.

To filter 1 liter of liquid, it is necessary to take from 50 to 60 g of the sorbent.

First, gauze is placed on the bottom of the watering can, then cotton wool, and a filter substance is placed on top. It is advisable to cover the coal with cotton wool so that the soaked particles do not get into the moonshine when changing the material.

Moonshine is passed through a carbon filter placed in a funnel

Activated charcoal from coconut shell waste is used in the mass production of wine and vodka products, such as whiskey. After filtering, the drink will turn out with an exquisite aroma and taste.

In the manufacture of beer, a characteristic feature of filtration with a natural substance is a stable foam, which does not contain tannins.

It is not advised to use charcoal as a sorbent if the mash contains fruit additives or jam. Moonshine will come out neutral in taste and aroma. Particular attention should be paid to the duration of contact between the particles of the coal sorbent and moonshine. With a long filtration procedure, alcohol gradually oxidizes and turns into aldehyde, and absorbed harmful substances can return to the drink again. See how to make a filter in this video:

In this regard, the reuse of used coals is unacceptable. If the unpleasant smell still remains, then re-cleaning the moonshine with charcoal or additional distillation will help get rid of it.

The filtration rate depends on the thickness of the layers of wool and carbon.

Sometimes it takes a whole day to strain 1 liter of homemade vodka. But at the same time, the quality of the drink will not cause doubts. In addition to the main purification from fusel oils, coal is also good for preventing accidental mechanical impurities from entering the liquid.

Since ancient times, people have been making moonshine, and moonshine has not lost its relevance to this day. However, the pungent smell, cloudy color and harmful impurities are a real scourge and irreversible consequences of any moonshine.

Many refuse to use it precisely for these reasons, preferring more “noble” drinks.

To make moonshine clean, transparent and without a repulsive smell, it can be cleaned at home without much difficulty and expense. And not only for their aesthetic reasons, but also because this drink in its unrefined form is a harmful and even poisonous product. It contains fusel oils, acetaldehyde, formic acid, ethyl and methyl esters.

But you don’t need to be afraid of these seemingly terrible words, because moonshine can be cleaned without much effort. For example, in a biological way, using coal for barbecue. Simply put, alcohol must be further filtered. Of course, the drink will not become crystal clear, but it is quite possible to get rid of most of the harmful impurities. And coal is the best, affordable and common method of cleaning moonshine at home.

Purification of moonshine with activated carbon

An excellent tool for cleaning moonshine is activated charcoal - the same one that is sold in pharmacies in the form of tablets and is taken from the stomach. However, at the same time, this method is very expensive - you will need a lot of tablets, 50 grams per liter of liquid. That is, a three-liter jar will need 150 grams.

Tablets must be crushed with a crusher or pestle to a powder state. At the bottom of the jar, you need to put a thin layer of cotton wool, pour coal on it and cover it with another layer of cotton wool. A jar of moonshine should stand for at least a week, and preferably two. Every day, the container with the liquid must be shaken, and do not touch the jar for another week so that the moonshine settles.

After that, the alcohol should be filtered, this is done as follows: put a layer of cotton wool between two layers of fabric or gauze and pour the liquid with a funnel. The total time for the entire cleaning process will take from three weeks to a month. But it is no longer possible to reuse coal, it has already completed its task.

He especially copes with fusel oils, removing unpleasant “aromas” from alcohol. Cleaning with activated carbon is very effective, the moonshine is clean, transparent and without a strong odor.

Charcoal is an excellent means of cleaning moonshine at home. With its help, not only this traditional Russian drink is purified, but also other strong types of alcohol, for example, cognac. As well as beer, wine and even water.

Thanks to the porous structure of charcoal, all harmful impurities are absorbed into it, and the liquid becomes transparent and clean, devoid of an unpleasant odor. With the help of this tool, with the correct observance of all the rules, you can achieve the "crystal" of alcohol, while maintaining all the necessary qualities of the drink.

You will need 50 grams of charcoal per liter of liquid, and it will take only three days to clean, after which the moonshine can already be filtered using a funnel and cotton filters. It is not necessary to look for charcoal for barbecue in specialized stores, because it is quite possible to prepare it yourself.

To do this, you need to kindle a fire, collect smoldering coals and, until they have cooled down, blow off the ashes from them and transfer them to a container. Then cover and wait for them to fade and cool. Next, the coals should be ground and shaken through a sieve to remove unnecessary dust. Birch, linden, beech, pine, poplar, oak, spruce, alder and aspen are most suitable for this.

To clean moonshine at home, you can also use coconut charcoal, which is made from coconut shells. This method is almost identical to the charcoal cleaning method, but even more effective. And all thanks to the narrow and small pores of the crushed shell, which more thoroughly cleans alcohol from harmful impurities. In addition, coconut raw materials are used much more economically - only 10 grams of coal is needed per liter of liquid, that is, five times less.

You can buy coconut charcoal at any specialized store, but if you have the desire and ability to cook it yourself, then it is made in the same way as charcoal. Raw materials should be chopped into small pieces and a fire made from them. Then transfer the still hot coals into a suitable container, wait until it cools completely and sift the ashes through a sieve.

The term for cleaning with such coal is three days, after this period the alcoholic liquid must be filtered using a funnel and a filter made of gauze and cotton wool. As a result, moonshine turns out not just clean and transparent, but “crystal”, pleasantly surprising with its taste and the absence of an unpleasant smell.

• It is undesirable to clean moonshine longer than the prescribed period, since the reverse process may begin - after overexposure, the coals will begin to release harmful substances to the drink.
• Activated charcoal can give moonshine a little bitterness - this is due to the starch that is contained in the tablets so that they do not crumble.
• Remember the rule: there is never too much coal. It's better to oversleep than undersleep.
• If, after cleaning and filtering, the moonshine has an extraneous smell, for example, burnt wood or fire smoke, then just filter the drink a couple more times.
• If moonshine is made on a grain basis (barley or wheat), then after cleaning with charcoal, the taste and aroma of the grain may disappear. In this case, moonshine is better not to filter.
• Before cleaning, any coal should be checked in a small amount of moonshine, as low-quality raw materials may come across. After filtration, a brown color may appear, and the taste of the drink will give off burning. Check to make sure it doesn't get messed up.
• In addition to coal, moonshine can be cleaned with potassium permanganate, pine nut shells and soda.