Procedure:
- Place your mash pot on its heat source and pour in 5 gallons of water.
- Heat water to 165 °F.
- Turn off heat source when you reach 165 °F and immediately stir in 8.5 pounds of Flaked Corn Maize.
- Stir mixture continuously for 7 minutes.
•
What is a good recipe for moonshine?
- Combine apple juice, apple cider, white sugar, brown sugar, and cinnamon sticks in a large pot; bring to almost a boil. Cover pot with a lid, reduce heat, and simmer for about 1 hour. Remove pot from heat and cool completely. Stir grain alcohol and vodka into syrup and remove cinnamon sticks.
Contents
- 1 How do I distill my mash?
- 2 How long should a mash sit before you distill it?
- 3 Do you have to clear your mash before distilling?
- 4 Is it illegal to make mash for moonshine?
- 5 How much sugar do I need for 5 gallons of mash?
- 6 Should you stir during fermentation?
- 7 Should I stir my mash while fermenting?
- 8 How do you know if your moonshine mash is ready?
- 9 How many times can you run your mash?
- 10 What is racking in distilling?
- 11 How much mash do I put in my still?
- 12 Is it necessary to clear a sugar wash?
- 13 What states allow home distillation?
- 14 Does moonshine go bad?
- 15 Why is distilling illegal?
- 16 How to Make Moonshine: A Distillers Guide Corn Moonshine
- 17 How to Make Moonshine: A Distillers Guide For Corn Moonshine
- 18 Getting Started: Picking Your Type of Moonshine Mash
- 19 How to Make Moonshine: Corn Mash Recipe
- 20 How To Make Moonshine: Distilling
- 21 How To Make Moonshine: Collecting Your Distillate
- 22 Conclusion
- 23 How Moonshine Mash is Made
- 24 1- Corn Whiskey
- 25 2 – Thin Mash Whiskey
- 26 3- Sugar Shine
- 27 Is Making Moonshine Legal:
- 28 A Brief History of Moonshine:
- 29 How to Make Moonshine: An Easy to Follow Guide from a Master-Shiner
- 30 What Is Moonshine?
- 31 History of Moonshine
- 32 Choosing Your Type of Moonshine Mash
- 33 How to Make Moonshine: What You Will Need
- 34 How to Make Moonshine: The Process
- 35 Final Words
- 36 How to Make Moonshine Mash
- 37 Ingredients
- 38 Video
- 39 Things You’ll Need
- 40 About This Article
- 41 Did this article help you?
How do I distill my mash?
Heat 5 gallons of mash water up to 165F. Turn off heat when target temperature is reached and stir in the 8.5 pounds of corn. Stir the mash continuously for about 5 minutes then stir for a few seconds every five minutes until the temperature drops to 152F. Once the target temp is met, stir in the malted barley.
How long should a mash sit before you distill it?
Mashing out is often included in the 60 minute mash time, although you could go longer and shorter if you wish. Mash Out time Should take you 10 minutes, but there is no set time limit.
Do you have to clear your mash before distilling?
Within 24 hours Turbo Clear removes over 95% of the yeast cells, solids and other unwanted compounds from the wash – at this point it is acceptable for distilling. For ultimate quality – leave for 48 hours to remove up to 99% of the solids.
Is it illegal to make mash for moonshine?
Moonshine is typically made out of some kind of corn mash. Today, people make artisan moonshine out of a sense of nostalgia and preference for taste. These can be sold in liquor stores or brewed just for personal use. However, distilling alcohol at home, even for personal use, is illegal under federal law.
How much sugar do I need for 5 gallons of mash?
For example, for every 1 gallon of water, you would use 1 pound of sugar, and 1 pound of corn meal. So for a 5 gallon mash (which is recommended for your first batches of moonshine) you would use 5 gallons of water, 5 pounds of corn meal, and 5 pounds of sugar.
Should you stir during fermentation?
You should not stir your homebrew during fermentation, in most cases, as it can contaminate the beer with outside bacteria, wild yeast, and oxygen which leads to off-flavors or spoilage. Stirring can have disastrous potential to ruin your beer in a variety of ways.
Should I stir my mash while fermenting?
Stir the Mash Stirring helps even out the temperature in a mash and mixes the liquids and solids more thoroughly. If you can manage it, you should always stir your mash at least a few times during the saccharification rest.
How do you know if your moonshine mash is ready?
After 14 days, it should be about done. If it still bubbles, let it sit for another few days, or until you see no bubbling for at least a minute or two. Once there is no activity in the airlock, your mash is ready to run.
How many times can you run your mash?
Remove the container immediately and stop distilling. Repeat the process up to 8 times, maximum. Then clean out the fermenter and start again with new sugar, corn, yeast, malt and water.
What is racking in distilling?
But put very simply, racking means to siphon the wine must from one container to the next, so as to leave any sediment behind. In fact that is the sole purpose of racking, “to leave the sediment behind.”
How much mash do I put in my still?
The legal minimum for a sour mash is 25%. I do not like to go above 50% in my experience. For the sake of simplicity, let’s say you will start with 25% backset. This means that for a 5 gallon mash you will use 1-1/4 gallons of backset and 3-3/4 gallons of water.
Is it necessary to clear a sugar wash?
We must say we are talking about a Sugar/Glucose Mix. If the wash fails to clear it is nearly always down to two things. It hasn’t been sufficiently degassed or the wash was still slightly fermenting when the finings was added.
What states allow home distillation?
In contrast to Florida, some state’s home distilling laws allow “legal” moonshining, even though it’s considered illegal federally. Those states include Alaska, Arizona, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Missouri, Ohio, and Rhode Island.
Does moonshine go bad?
Although different sources will say different things, the answer for whether moonshine can go bad or not is clear – a bottle of unflavored moonshine, much like other plain spirits, has an indefinite shelf life.
Why is distilling illegal?
Why is that? The government cites several reasons for keeping distilling illegal. First, it can be dangerous. Distilleries bring two materials into close proximity – alcohol vapor and heat sources – that can cause disastrous explosions when not managed correctly.
How to Make Moonshine: A Distillers Guide Corn Moonshine
Skip to the main content This book is a distillers’ guide to making moonshine. Moonshine made with corn
How to Make Moonshine: A Distillers Guide For Corn Moonshine
The most recent update was made on October 25, 2021.
Getting Started: Picking Your Type of Moonshine Mash
- When preparing to make a batch of moonshine, we have a number of different mashes from which to pick.
- For purists, a corn whiskey mash is the only way to make moonshine that is faithful to tradition, smooth, and full of taste.
- Ingenious corn farmers realized that they might boost their income by distilling their own crop, and they took advantage of the opportunity.
- This insight paved the way for the development of our beloved booze.
- Following that is the “Sugar Shine” method, which is becoming increasingly popular, particularly among novices.
As a result, flavored moonshine has risen in popularity, and it is becoming increasingly widespread.
With the same amount of maize, you may increase your mash yield by a factor of two.
- In this lesson, we’ll take you through the process of making a classic Corn Whiskey Mash.
Check out our apple pie moonshine recipe for a step-by-step instruction on how to make apple pie moonshine.
How to Make Moonshine: Corn Mash Recipe
- 6 cups of water, 8.5 pounds of flaked corn maize, 1.5 pounds of crushed malted barley, yeast, mash pot, fermenting bucket, heat source, thermometer, long spoon
Procedure:
- Start by placing your mash pot on a heat source and filling it with 5 liters of water
- Heat the water to 165 degrees Fahrenheit. After reaching 165°F, turn off the heat and whisk in 8.5 pounds of flaked corn maize right away.. Continue to stir the mixture constantly for 7 minutes. Check the temperature every 5 minutes and stir the mixture for 30 seconds each time until the temperature reaches 152 °F. When the liquid has cooled to 152 degrees Fahrenheit, add 1.5 pounds of Crushed Malted Barley and stir well.
- It takes many hours for this process to complete on its own, however the addition of an immersion chiller can dramatically shorten this timeframe.
Allow for 5 minutes of aeration by pouring the mixture back and forth between two different containers.
We provide entire kits for them as well as the supplies you’ll need to make them yourself.
- The use of a spigot also makes pouring more convenient.
George Duncan over at Barley and Hops Brewing also has a great video on How To Make a Great Moonshine Mash. Check it out below!
Materials:
- Hydrometer, pH meter (advanced), siphon, cheese cloth, citric acid, and other supplies
Fermentation
Store the mash at room temperature for 1-2 weeks to let it to ferment. The temperature is critical because if the temperature drops too low, the fermentation will halt since the yeast will become dormant. Make use of a hydrometer and verify the specific gravity at the beginning of fermentation and at the end of fermentation to confirm that all sugars have been used. This will provide you with the amount of ABV (alcohol by volume) that your fermentation generated. Make a note of the specific gravity readings taken at the commencement of fermentation and at the conclusion of the fermentation process.
- Watch this video to learn how to operate a hydrometer.
Straining
To correct pH, carefully siphon mash water out of the mixture, making sure to leave behind all solid material and sediment. Pour the mash water into a container and set it aside. It is advised that you strain the mashed potatoes through a cheesecloth at this point. The presence of solid debris in your mash water might result in headaches that you’d want to avoid. (Advanced) This is the stage at which some distillers may add 2 teaspoons of gypsum to their mash water. After that, they do a pH test on their mash water.
Use citric acid to lower the pH of the water, then calcium carbonate to raise it again.
How To Make Moonshine: Distilling
- Fermented and strained mash water, cleaning products, and column packing are all used in the production of whiskey.
- You did an excellent job!
- You’ve finished the hard work of making mash water for your moonshine!
- Congratulations!
- Finally, distillation and separation of all of the alcohol content into a refined form are required.
- Similarly to the process of creating mash, distillation is both an art and a science.
- Exercising your distilling skills is the most effective method to improve.
- We encourage that you take notes during the procedure so that you can improve with each subsequent run.
- In the event that you are in need of equipment or supplies, we can help you out.
Our excellent supplies include everything from high-grade grains to a carbon filter that can be replaced.
Prepping Your Still
Maintaining a consistent level of preparation for your still is essential. However, even if you cleaned and let your still to sit for a bit after your last run, it is still advised that you clean it before transferring your mash water. This is especially true for copper stills that have a salt deposit on their surfaces. If you want to include packing in your column, now is the time. Fill your column with the amount of copper packing that is appropriate for your particular arrangement and use it as a filter.
- Last but not least, it’s time to fill the still with your mash water.
The goal here is to reduce the amount of sediment in your mash water to as near to zero as you possibly can.
Running Your Still
Now comes the exciting part! Distillation is a fantastic procedure that takes a long time. Those of you who are unfamiliar with the science may get the fast and dirty version by clicking on the link below. When distinct compounds are separated using distillation, it is done so by taking advantage of the differences in evaporation temperatures of the substances. Rather of producing alcohol, this procedure separates it from the rest of the components present in your mash water. During the fermentation process, you produced all of the alcohol (well, the yeast did).
- If your arrangement includes a condenser, switch on the condensing water whenever the temperature reaches 150 degrees Fahrenheit.
Keep track of how fast your drips are increasing in pace until you reach 3 to 5 drips per second.
How To Make Moonshine: Collecting Your Distillate
Congratulations, you have progressed from researching How to Make Moonshine to actually creating your own moonshine! Make certain that you are pouring your distillate into a glass container as you are generating it. Never use plastic containers since they can contaminate your product with BPA, among other things, and cause additional problems.
Collecting Foreshots
- In terms of percentage of your total productivity, the foreshots will account for around 5 percent.
- These are the alcohols that evaporate the earliest in your mash water and should never be consumed.
- Foreshots may contain methanol, and they should never be taken in any form.
- Methanol, among other things, has the potential to cause blindness.
- Gather the foreshots and place them in a separate container before throwing them away.
Collecting Heads
It is estimated that the heads account for around 30 percent of your total production. The heads, like the foreshots, contain volatile alcohols as well as other compounds. However, rather than causing blindness, the consequences are more mild – akin to having a bad hangover for many days.
Because to the presence of alcohols such as acetone, the heads will have a characteristic “solvent” scent to them. Similarly to the foreshots, place your heads in their own containers and discard the rest of them.
Collecting Hearts
This is the good stuff, which is primarily composed of ethanol. The following approximately 30 percent of your total production is comprised of the hearts. You should be able to smell the harsh, solvent-like scent that was present during the heads at this stage. The flavor of corn mash moonshine should now be smooth and sweet, as it should have been previously. This is the level at which ability and experience are most important. It takes a certain amount of skill to keep your hearts well-isolated while simultaneously increasing their output.
Collecting Tails
- When you reach the conclusion of the ethanol process and enter the final step of your manufacturing process, you reach the tails.
- It is estimated that the tails will account for around 35% of your total production.
- The tails will have a completely distinct flavor from the hearts.
- You’ll notice a significant decrease in sweetness, and you may even see an oily top-layer on your product at this point.
- The substance will start to feel slick between your fingertips at this point.
- This is because to the presence of water, carbs, and proteins.
Conclusion
Congratulations for completing the task. We hope you were able to produce a fantastic batch. The only thing left to do is thoroughly clean your whole equipment. Allow for complete drying before storing in a cold, dry location. During the process of learning how to manufacture moonshine, you are simultaneously acting as a scientist and an artist. There’s a delicate balance to be struck here, and it can take years to master. We urge that you keep meticulous records of your moonshine production at all times.
Thank you for stopping by.
- You have just completed your moonshine-making tutorial using a corn mash recipe.
After reading this advice on how to produce moonshine, you should also read our tips on how to manufacture rum and vodka, which are also available for free.
The most recent update was made on October 25, 2021.
- a link to the page’s load
How Moonshine Mash is Made
Up to date on COVID-19: We are fully operational at this time and ship daily, Monday through Friday. This site is intended solely for educational reasons and does not include advertisements. For further information, please see our entire overview. The 29th of March, 2013 Before we get started, here’s a little reminder: If you do not have a federal fuel alcohol or distilled spirit plant permit as well as the necessary state permissions, you are prohibited from distilling alcohol. Our distillation apparatus is intended solely for legal reasons, and the information contained in this paper is intended solely for educational purposes.
- Moonshine mashes can be made in three different methods, according to the experience of a commercial distiller, according to the following table.
The third approach is inexpensive and simple (and is a suitable starting point for new commercial distillers), but it is not advised for anyone who is serious about producing a high-quality product of consistent quality.
Beginning with the third recipe on this page, a rookie commercial distiller or a distillery that specializes on producing rapid, inexpensive liquor for the purpose of flavoring would be well advised (sugar shine).
- The “thin mash” recipe might serve as a good middle ground.
1- Corn Whiskey
Corn sold for a few dollars at market could readily generate several hundred dollars after being mashed, fermented, and distilled, according to early American farmers. Corn also produces a higher output of sugar than other grain crops. In this way, crushing maize and converting it into alcohol became the traditional technique of alcohol production on the early American frontier, giving rise to the term “corn whiskey.” When it comes to crafting a craft spirit, a commercial distiller who wants to produce a high-quality finished product would assume that pure, all-grain whiskey is the way to go.
Listed below is a straightforward method for creating a corn whiskey mash, with some extra alternatives available for the more experienced distiller:
-
- In early American history, farmers discovered that the same amount of maize sold for a few dollars at market could easily generate a few hundred dollars when it was mashed, fermented, and distilled.
- Other grain crops, such as wheat and barley, yield less sugar than corn.
- In this way, crushing maize and converting it into alcohol became the traditional technique of alcohol production on the early American frontier, giving rise to the term “corn whiskey”.
- Craft spirits, in the opinion of a commercial distiller focused on producing a high-quality end product, are best created with pure, all-grain whiskey.
Listed below is a straightforward method for creating a corn whiskey mash, with some optional extras for the more experienced distiller: 1.
Procedure:
Bring 5 gallons of mash water to a temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit. When the desired temperature is attained, remove the pan from the heat and whisk in the 8.5 pounds of corn. The temperature should decrease to 152F after 5 minutes of constant stirring. After that, stir for a few seconds every five minutes until the temperature reduces to that level. Once the desired temperature has been reached, add in the malted barley. Cook for 90 minutes, uncovering only to stir every 15 minutes or so, or until the sauce is thick and creamy.
- Allow it to sit for a few hours, or use an immersion chiller to cool the mash to 70 degrees Fahrenheit in minutes.
Fermentation will be completed in a week or two at most.
Siphon the stillness out of the room.
Tips for Advanced Distillers
- Advanced distillers might consider adding 2 teaspoons of gypsum (CaSO4) to the mash water and altering the pH of the mash water to a range between 5.
- 8 and 6.
- 0 before adding any other additives to the mash water.
- Following the addition of gypsum, the pH of the mash water should be adjusted lower using citric or tartaric acid.
- Calcium carbonate should be used if the pH has to be raised (CaCO3).
- Using tincture of iodine to evaluate if all starches have been entirely transformed into sugar is a second tip for expert distillers who want to improve their skills.
Drop a drop or two of the tincture of iodine onto the sample on the plate and allow it to dry.
Rest it for a longer period of time.
2 – Thin Mash Whiskey
Cooking a thin mash is a simple method for doubling the amount of mash produced while maintaining part of the natural grain taste of corn whiskey produced.
Making it involves beginning with a puree, such as the one seen above, and then adding additional water and granular sugar to enhance the amount of wash produced.
Ingredients:
- The following ingredients: 10 gallons of water (5 gal to begin with, then 5 more)
- 8.5 pounds of flaked maize
- 1.5 pounds of crushed malted barley
- 6-8 pounds of sugar
- Yest – In this post, you will learn about the techniques for pitching yeast.
Procedure:
The process of making a thin mash is completed in two parts. To begin, prepare the normal corn whiskey mash as instructed previously. After the last resting period, however, add 5 gallons of cold water and 6-8 pounds of sugar to the pot. As soon as the mash temperature has cooled to 96 degrees, it is ready to be aerated, yeasted, and fermented, just as in the Corn Whiskey recipe above. Advanced distillers should aim for a specific gravity of roughly 1.08 in their final product. If the concentration is too high, dilute with water.
3- Sugar Shine
Genuine maize whiskey is becoming increasingly difficult to get these days. Modern moonshine is almost always little more than plain sugar with a dash of flavoring added in for good measure. Although it is not as smooth as maize whiskey, what it lacks in flavor and smoothness is more than compensated for by the ease with which it may be consumed. In addition, some people are not fond of the flavor of maize. They would choose apple pie, peaches, or other fruit tastes over anything else. This recipe is perfect for making that particular concoction.
Procedure:
- 2 gallons of water (no hotter than 120 degrees) should be heated before adding sugar a few pounds at a time.
- Stir until the sugar is completely dissolved, then add additional sugar.
- Continue to add sugar until all of the sugar has been added and dissolved.
- Pour this mixture into a fermenter and top it over with 3 more gallons of water.
- To get a final temperature of 96 degrees, increase the heat of the extra water by a small amount.
- Once the final liquid temperature reaches 70 degrees, add the yeast.
In order to get the quickest fermentation period and the best alcohol output, aim for a steady fermentation temperature of 70 degrees.
Allow it to rest for one week to ferment and another week to settle before serving.
Is Making Moonshine Legal:
- Keep in mind that this information is provided solely for educational purposes.
- While it is lawful to make a mash because it is practically the same as making beer, which is now permitted in all states, distilling alcohol is banned unless an individual obtains a fuel alcohol plant permission or a distilled spirit plant permit.
A Brief History of Moonshine:
The Great Depression, Prohibition, and limited access to the mountainous region of Appalachia all contributed to the creation of moonshine, a beverage that is now practically forgotten yet has a legendary reputation. The phrase “Moonshine” used to be used to refer to any type of homemade whiskey. In part, the word came up as a result of the fact that early “bootleggers” frequently brewed their whiskey in the middle of the night, under the light of a full moon, in order to keep their activities hidden from neighbors and the authorities.
In the case of moonshine, there is no conventional formula; it can be produced using any mix of grains in any style of still.
How to Make Moonshine: An Easy to Follow Guide from a Master-Shiner
When you watch movies, have you ever been curious about how they claim to manufacture moonshine in their bathtub at home? It’s not like it’s rocket science, after all! It’s actually rather simple to create at your own convenience. Make sure to read this article on moonshine, which includes some fascinating facts about the drink! How to Make Your Own Moonshine
What Is Moonshine?
When you watch movies, have you ever been curious about how people claim to create moonshine in their bathtubs at home? So it isn’t like we are dealing with rocket science here! Creating your own version at home is actually rather simple. Please have a look at this instruction on how to create moonshine at home, which includes some fascinating information about moonshine!
History of Moonshine
- Firstly, some pretty fascinating information about moonshine before we get started on how to produce your first batch of homemade moonshine will be shared with you.
- The word “moonshine” comes from the fact that it is unlawful to produce and thus must be done at night or under the light (or shine) of the moon.
- Farmers employed this to supplement their income throughout the historical period since low-value maize harvests could be transformed into high-value whiskey.
- Because of the high level of alcohol taxation in the United States, the government had a hand in this.
Illegal alcoholic beverages, such as moonshine, were transformed overnight into one of the most successful enterprises in the country.
When alcohol became once again legal, the good times came to an end.
Choosing Your Type of Moonshine Mash
- Moonshine may be prepared from a variety of mashes that contain a variety of different components.
- There are also a variety of recipes you may experiment with, depending on the taste you want to emphasize the most.
- In this article, we’ll show you how to make the most fundamental recipe so that you may build on it in the future.
The Classic: Corn Whiskey
Consequently, purists recommend using a corn whiskey mash, which produces the characteristic smooth and full-flavored moonshine that everyone knows and loves. Specifically, this is the recipe that we will be looking at in this article. However, you should experiment to find out what you enjoy the most!
The Sugar Shine
Nowadays, many individuals like to use sugar to enhance the appearance of their food. This is the most popular choice for novices and people who want to truly play with the tastes of their shine because it does not require any mash and yet produces the same alcohol content. Moonshiners can manufacture anything they want with the right stilling kit, including apple pie and chocolate-flavored moonshine.
It all depends on the recipe you choose to follow or develop on your own. The fundamental procedure is dissolving sugar in water and pasteurizing it (if desired), after which you add the yeast nutrient and yeast to the good stuff to ferment.
The Hybrid
- This concoction is simply a mashup of the two that came before it.
- There are a lot of individuals who utilize this method since it is a more easy and cost-effective way to make moonshine that comes quite close to the original taste of moonshine.
- It allows you to double your yield while utilizing the same amount of corn by substituting table sugar for a portion of the corn.
How to Make Moonshine: What You Will Need
- The following ingredients: 5 gallons of water
- 8.5 lb. of flaked corn maize
- 1.5 lb. of crushed malted barley
- Bread yeast
- Optional sugar
Some recipes ask for a one-to-one substitution. For example, you will need 1 gallon of water for every 1 pound of sugar and 1 pound of corn meal you want to use for baking. Feel free to try different things and find what works best for you!
Equipment
- Mashpot, fermentation bucket, heat source with temperature control, thermometer, long spoon, weighing scale, and two different containers
Note: Make sure your bucket has a lid and an air-lock before you start digging.
For the Fermentation Process
- Water meter
- PH meter (optional
- For advanced students)
- Siphon
- Cheesecloth
- Citric acid
For Distilling
- Moonshine still
- Mash water that has been fermented and filtered
- Cleaning supplies
- Column packing
- Mason jars
- And other items.
How to Make Moonshine: The Process
- The first item you’ll need for brewing moonshine is a mash, which is a mixture of grains.
- What you use for this step will be determined on the flavor you desire.
- Prepare all of your components by weighing and measuring them. Installing the mash pot on top of the heat source and turning it on
Pour in 5 gallons of water and bring it to a boil until it reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit. Once the temperature hits 165 degrees Fahrenheit, switch off the heat source. Stir in your calculated quantity of flakes corn maize as soon as you can. 7. Minutes later, continue to stir the mixture continually - Make sure the temperature is correct and continue stirring numerous times. Repeat this process for 30 seconds every 5 minutes until the product has cooled down to 152 °F, then stop. Once the beer has cooled to 152 degrees Fahrenheit, add the calculated amount of crushed malted barley. Check the temperature one more time. Stir for 30 seconds every 20 minutes until the mixture has reached a temperature of 70 degrees Fahrenheit. While this can take hours, you can expedite the process by using an immersion chiller
- Nevertheless, this is not recommended. Once the mixture has cooled to the right temperature, add the yeast. Make sure the mixture is well-aerated by passing it back and forth between different containers for 5 minutes. Fill the fermentation bucket halfway with the mixture.
Please keep in mind that the components we listed above will vary depending on the formula you use if you are preparing something other than the conventional corn-barley-yeast moonshine.
Step 2: Fermenting Your Mash
Now that you have your mash, let it aside to ferment for 1 to 2 weeks at room temperature before using it. Keep in mind that the temperature plays a crucial role in your achievement. Because the yeast will fall dormant if the temperature drops too low, the fermentation process may come to a halt. Keep in mind that yeast prefers a warm and wet environment. The yeast is responsible for consuming all of the sugar content and converting it to alcohol. The greatest results are obtained by using a hydrometer to measure the specific gravity of your mixture both before it begins fermenting and after it has finished fermenting to guarantee that your combination has completely used all of its sugar.
- Record the specific gravity readings at the start of the fermentation process and at the conclusion of the fermentation process.
Straining
After the fermentation period has ended, remove the mash water from the combination using a siphon. By straining everything through a cheesecloth, you can ensure that all of the solid debris and sediment is left behind. Fill a jar halfway with the filtered mash water and set aside. Step 2 (Advanced): (Optional) Some distillers choose to add 2 teaspoons of gypsum to the mash water at this point in the process. After that, they conduct a pH test on the mash water. The pH level should be between 5.8 and 6.0 under ideal conditions.
Step 3: Distilling
You’ve completed the most difficult phase in the process of creating mash water for your moonshine: boiling the water. Simply distill your mash water to remove all of the alcohol content and separate it into a pure form is all that remains. Keep in mind that, like the mash preparation process, the distillation process is both a science and an art form. Keep in mind that it will take a lot of practice and trial and error before you become proficient in this area, so be patient with yourself.
We strongly advise you to take notes during the distillation and moonshine-making process so that you may identify areas for improvement when you start a fresh batch of your product.
Prepping Your Still
- In order to maintain cleanliness, you must keep your equipment clean even when it is not in use.
- Though you leave it empty for a long period of time, even if you cleaned it after the last time you used it, you will need to wash it again since it has become dirty.
- This is crucial, especially if you are utilizing copper stills that have already begun to show signs of salt accumulation.
- Consequently, before to transferring your mash water, make certain that your still has been well cleaned and washed.
It should be packed with the appropriate amount of packing material for your particular arrangement.
After all of your preparation work, it’s finally time to fill the still with your mash water.
- You should keep in mind that you want to limit the quantity of sediment in your corn mash water to the greatest extent feasible.
Running Your Still
It is the process of separating distinct compounds from one another by taking use of the differences in evaporation temperatures between the substances that is referred to as distilling. This technique does not result in the production of alcohol because the yeast has already done so for you throughout the fermentation phase. This is most likely one of the most critical phases in the production of your alcoholic beverage. It merely serves to separate the alcohol from the other constituents of your mash water, not to purify it.
Consequently, here’s what you must do:
-
- Slowly raise the temperature to 150 degrees Fahrenheit.
- You should switch on the condensing water if your arrangement has a condenser after you reach this point.
- Increase the heat to its highest setting until the still begins to leak.
- Maintain a temperature between the boiling point of water and the boiling point of alcohol (173°F and 212°F)
- The drips should be timed to increase in pace until they reach 3 to 5 drips per second
- Once you have reached this drip rate, reduce the heat to keep it constant.
IMPORTANT: Avoid having your moonshine leak into a plastic container, since this might contaminate your drink with BPA and cause other problems.
Step 4: Collecting Your Distillate
You’ve successfully completed the process of manufacturing moonshine! All that is required is that you collect it together with the remainder of your distillation’s yield.
Collecting Foreshots
- Your moonshine production has now been completed successfully!
- Simply gather it together with the remainder of your distillation’s output.
Collecting Heads
The heads, like the foreshots, contain volatile alcohols, which you should aim to avoid eating as much as possible. While this will not cause you to go blind, it will cause you to suffer from a severe hangover, which is not really pleasant. After you have deleted the foreshots from your goods, the heads account for the remaining 30% of the total. This “solvent” fragrance is caused by the alcohols in them, particularly the acetone that is found in the heads. Gather the heads once again and place them in a separate container before disposing of them.
Collecting Hearts
The remaining 30 percent, which is produced by your distillation process, is primarily composed of ethanol. This is the type of material you should be collecting and preserving. By now, the unpleasant, solvent smell that you detected in the heads should have vanished from your product. This is the time when the flavor of your moonshine, or whatever flavor you desire from your recipes, should emerge.
Your product should have a smooth and pleasant flavor to it. It is at this point that your abilities and experience will be put to use.
Collecting Tails
- With your product approaching the end of its lifespan, you will reach the conclusion of its ethanol lifecycle and go on to its last stage: the tails.
- .
- Tails account for around 35 percent of your total production.
- They will also have a distinct flavor due to the use of the hearts.
- You’ll notice that the sweetness from the sugar has been much reduced in comparison to before.
- Even the top layer of your alcohol will have an oily appearance.
- Because of the water, carbs, and proteins in it, it will also feel slick when you rub your fingers between your fingers.
Step 5: Proper Storage
Congratulations! You’ve had a successful run, completed the full process, and are now the proud owner of your very own moonshine! Remember to clean up your entire setup, allow it to dry completely, and then store it in a cold, dry environment.
Final Words
As a word of caution, make sure you are aware of the regulations in your nation regarding the production of alcoholic beverages at home. While possessing a still for the purpose of manufacturing essential oils or distilling water is acceptable, things become more complicated when it comes to distilling spirits. Now, go ahead and test it out for yourself! Wishing you the best of success on your moonshine run! Karl S. is a marketing leader, brewer, father, and spouse. Basically, he’s an all-around great person.
How to Make Moonshine Mash
article to be downloaded article to be downloaded Using only a few simple components, moonshine mash is a common method of producing an alcoholic beverage. To begin, combine the cornmeal, sugar, water, and yeast in a large mixing bowl. Afterwards, ferment the mash to make it alcoholic, and distill the resulting liquid to make it delicious to drink. After that, you may consume moonshine mash on its own or mix it into cocktails or other beverages to give them a little more kick.
Ingredients
- The following ingredients: 2.5 pounds (1.1 kg) ground cornmeal
- 10 pounds (4.5 kg) white granulated sugar
- 10 gallons (38 liters) water (preferably distilled if feasible)
- 1/2 cup (14 grams) active dry yeast (preferable Turbo)
- 1 1/2 cup (15 grams) sugar
- 1 to 2 cups (0.24 to 0.47 l) water
- 1-2 bags dried fruit (optional)
- 1 to 2 cups (0.24 to 0.47 l) sugar
- 1 Bring 10 gallons (38 l) of water to a boil in a stainless steel kettle that holds 20 gallons (76 l). Allow the water to come to a boil, with huge bubbles forming on the surface of the water, before proceeding.
- Sterilize and thoroughly clean the pot before using it. Use caution while handling a pot that looks to be unclean or discolored.
2 Bring the mixture to a boil for 5-7 minutes, stirring constantly. Add 2.5 pounds (1.1 kg) of cornmeal. Once the water comes to a boil, add the cornmeal and stir it in with a wooden spoon until well combined. Continue to whisk it until it becomes thick and creamy in consistency. Advertisement number three Reduce the heat to 150 degrees Fahrenheit (66 degrees Celsius). Reduce the heat to a low setting so that the cornmeal remains heated but is not boiling. Keep an eye on the cornmeal temperature with a thermometer to make sure it stays at the proper degree.
- When the cornmeal is cooled, it will be more likely to interact correctly with the yeast when it is added to the batter.
- 4 Add 10 pounds (4.
- 5 kg) of sugar and 1 1/2 ounces (14 g) of yeast to a mixing bowl and mix well.
- Pour the sugar and yeast into the cornmeal and mix thoroughly.
- To blend the ingredients, use a wooden spoon.
- Stir it for 5-10 minutes till it becomes smooth.
- The consistency of the mixture should become soupy and thin.
- Once the sugar and yeast have been well combined, remove the mash from the heat.
5 If you want to add extra taste, mix in some dried fruit mash. You can add 1-2 bags of dried fruit and 1 to 2 cups (0.24 to 0.47 l) of water if you want to make the mash more fruity-flavored.
Then, using a fork, mash up the dry fruit in the water until it turns more like a juice. Combine with a spoon the dried fruit mash and the toasted cornmeal mixture until everything is well incorporated.
- In order to enhance taste, try a fruit mash made with bananas, apricots, and pineapple. It’s also possible to add a fruity flavor to the combination by including dried fruit mash made from blueberries, cherries, and strawberries.
- 1 Cover the mash with a clean cloth and store it in a cold, dark location. You may either leave the mash in the saucepan and cover it with a lid or cover it with a clean towel. Set your fermenting mash aside in a basement, cellar, or the back of a closet so it may continue to ferment. The optimal temperature is 60 degrees Fahrenheit (16 degrees Celsius).
- Alternatively, you may pour the mash into an empty cooler and cover it with a lid to allow it to ferment.
2 Allow for fermentation to take place for 4-5 days. The fermentation of moonshine mash created with Turbo yeast will take 4-5 days. The fermentation process might take up to a week if you use bread yeast, so plan accordingly. 3 Large bubbles on the surface of the mash should be avoided. If there are huge bubbles that are moving extremely slowly or that are resting on the surface of the mash after 4-5 days, remove them and discard them. As a general rule, this indicates that the mash is ready to be distilled.
- If there are still a lot of little bubbles on the surface of the mash, it may not be ready to distill and will require further time to ferment.
- 1 If you have access to a copper still, distill the mash in it until it is clear. You may either rent or purchase a copper still from your local brewing supply store. You should look for a copper still that has been designed specifically for homebrewing, since they will be smaller and more compact. Once this is done, pour the mash into the copper still and distill it according to the instructions that came with the copper still.
- If you want to manufacture moonshine mash and other home alcoholic drinks on a regular basis, you may want to consider purchasing a copper still.
A copper still holding 13 gallons (49 l) of water can cost between $900 and $1300 USD.
2 Construct a makeshift still out of a pressure cooker and a copper tubing. In a pressure cooker, bring the mash to 173 degrees Fahrenheit (78 degrees Celsius). Electrical tape should be used to secure a coiled copper pipe to the vent of the pressure cooker. Run the copper coil through a pail of cold water and place the other end in a clean container to finish the process. As the mash cooks, the vapors from the pressure cooker exhaust will pass through the copper pipe and condense to form moonshine as it passes through the copper pipe.
- Because this is a home-made technique to making a copper still, you may need to keep an eye on it to verify that it is operating properly. Check to see that the mash maintains a steady temperature so that it may condense into moonshine.
- 3 Allow for cooling of the mash.
- Once the mash has been distilled, allow it to cool to room temperature before using.
- The mash should have the appearance of a transparent liquid with contaminants floating about in it.
- 4 Cheesecloth and a strainer can be used to filter the mash.
- A big plastic strainer should be placed over a large soup pot.
- Afterwards, put the cheesecloth over the strainer to prevent it from becoming clogged.
- Using your non-dominant hand, place a smaller strainer over the cheesecloth and hold it in place with your dominant hand.
Lift the smaller strainer up to eliminate bigger contaminants, such as large bits of cornmeal or fruit, from the larger sieve.
- After that, you may compress the cheesecloth to remove any minor contaminants from the mash that have remained. The cheesecloth should remove any debris that has accumulated on the surface of the mash, or on the head, allowing the mash to flow clean.
Rinse the strainer many times until you have removed all of the mash. If you look in the soup pot, it should be clear and clean - Once the contaminants have been squeezed out of the mash, toss them in the garbage.
5 Place the moonshine mash in sealed glass jars to keep it fresh. Make certain that the glass jars are sanitary and free of debris. Keep them in a cold, dark area with a tight-fitting lid. After that, you may consume moonshine mash on its own or mix it into cocktails and other beverages.
- The mash for moonshine should last for at least 6 months to 1 year if it is kept correctly.
- Create a new question
- Question What can I do to make my moonshine mash more flavorful? If you want to flavor the bottle, you may buy seasoning or place sliced fruit, such as peaches and apples, inside it for a month or two
- Question Is it necessary to stir the corn mash before distilling it in order to make the mash operate more effectively if there is still starch present? Yes, since the results are often better when the mash is stirred before distilling, which helps to make the mash work
- Question Is it necessary to strain the mash before adding it to the boiler?
In the event that any sediments are allowed to remain in the wash, they will sink to the bottom of the cooking pot and burn.
- Question Is it still necessary to add yeast if I’m using self-rising meal?
Instead, I use entire feed corn that has been grown in the ground for three to four days in a canvas sack.
Due to the fact that it catches naturally occurring wild yeast from the air, this process removes the need to add yeast, resulting in a purer tasting moonshine.
- Make use of a 5 gallon bucket and drill a hole in the side of the bucket at the bottom that is the same size as your tube.
Connect the copper tubing at the top of the bucket to the pressure cooker using a hose clamp.
Fill the bucket with water and ice, or leave a hose connected to the bucket running to change the water over.
- The alcohol will drop out of the tube on the end of the tube that is connected to the bucket
- This is normal.
In the recipe, you may use strawberries for the cornmeal if you choose.
Question What is malt extract, and how does it work?
- It is possible to make dry and liquid versions of the dish, and a good recipe would explain which was intended.
In order to get the mash ready for your brew, it will take around 3 1/2 to 4 weeks.
According to what I’ve heard, the initial batch can be toxic.
- This is due to the fact that 60 mL is the required amount of time to begin boiling the wash
- Question What is the cost of a moonshine mash still in today’s money?
More information on the replies Inquire about something There are 200 characters remaining. Include your email address so that you may be notified when this question has been resolved. Advertisement submissions are welcome.
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- The use of a home still while making moonshine puts you at danger for bacterial contamination and alcohol poisoning. Make your own decisions at your own peril.
It is unlawful in the United States and many other countries to make alcoholic spirits or moonshine for personal use or for sale unless you have the right licenses and permissions in place.
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Things You’ll Need
- Stainless steel pot with a capacity of 20 gallons (76 l)
- Stovetop or outdoor burner
- A liquid thermometer
- A wooden or metal spoon with a long handle
- Using a pressure cooker
A copper pipe that has been coiled - The use of electrical tape
- The use of a copper still
About This Article
Summary of the Article X In a 20-gallon kettle, bring water to a boil to prepare moonshine mash. Boil for 5-7 minutes after adding the cornmeal. Then turn the heat down to low and add the sugar and yeast. Remove the pan from the heat after 5-10 minutes of stirring, or when the mixture has turned soupy. More flavor can be added by mashing dried fruit in water until it becomes more of a juice, then adding it to the mash.
Area the mash in a cold, dark place for 4-5 days to allow it to ferment.
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