How to separate "heads" and "tails" in moonshine during distillation?

2024 Author: Isabella Gilson | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:14

Due to rising prices for alcohol and a drop in its quality, as well as an increase in cases of poisoning with store products, people have become more interested in home brewing and its features. This article will discuss how to separate the "heads" and "tails" in moonshine.

Design of the apparatus

It should be noted that the methods described below are not suitable for all moonshine stills. Therefore, you should describe the device that will be discussed in the article.

The design of the apparatus is a tank for washing on fire or with a built-in heating element, connected to the cooling cube by a transition tube.

Aluminum tank

If you decide to make moonshine on your own, it is recommended to use a tank made of food (table aluminum). Quite like a blank, Soviet milk tanks with a volume of 15, 20 and 40 liters will do. It remains to drill a hole from above, attach a cooling cube to it, and you're done. Cheap, easy-to-make "cauldron" for brewingmoonshine and for distillation of tails and heads will last a long time.

Stainless steel tank

Food grade stainless steel is also good for this purpose. But stainless steel tanks are mainly for industrial purposes, and therefore expensive in themselves.

Tanks made of other metals, when heated, can poison both mash and drink, releasing heavy metals in them, such as lead, tin, zinc. These metals tend to accumulate in the body and harm organs and their systems, and therefore they are very dangerous to use them in the delicate process of boiling and cutting off "heads" and "tails" in moonshine.

What does separation mean?

So, first let's define what it means to separate "heads" and "tails". In fact, this is the division of the drink into fractions that are different in composition and properties. In general, the "head" and "tail" are separated in moonshine by temperature.

What is a "head"?

This fraction contains a large amount of harmful impurities, is not recommended for use and has an evaporation temperature of up to 70 degrees. While the apparatus enters the operating mode, usually the whole "head" comes out, which cannot be filtered or distilled, since the fusel oils and other by-products contained in it have a boiling point lower than that of ethyl alcohol.

Do I need a "head"?

This term, as already mentioned, refers to what comes out first -a large number of fusel oils, methyl alcohol with an evaporation temperature of up to 70-72 degrees. This feature helps to understand how to cut off the "heads" and "tails" in moonshine. At one time, the "head" (otherwise it is also called pervak) was considered high-quality alcohol, as it made you more drunk. But don't get your hopes up by thinking that the stronger the "high", the better the alcohol.

In the case of "heads" it is not alcohol that gives intoxication, but intoxication caused by fusel oils and methyl alcohol. These impurities have a detrimental effect on all body systems, and cause particular harm to the liver and brain. At the same time, methyl alcohol in the composition of the "head" with long-term use can lead to visual impairment or complete blindness. Experienced distillers usually just pour out the “heads”, if only because of the unbearable smell, and determine that the “head” has come out by smell and tasting the drink. It is by smell that you can determine the "heads" and "tails" in moonshine. Realizing that the "pervak" is out, we will change the container to a larger one for the "body".

What is a "body"?

This is 75-80% of the drink. It contains a maximum of ethyl (food) alcohol and a minimum of harmful additives. It is usable, as it is considered the cleanest part of the pasture. Relative to the "body" and the calculation of "heads" and "tails" in moonshine will begin.

"Body" is that whichIt has a minimum of harmful impurities, and, accordingly, a pungent odor and a disgusting taste. This fraction is driven out at a temperature of 75 degrees, and it makes up the largest volume of the entire pasture.

What comes out of the "body"?

Speaking of the "body" to be filtered. Yes, yes, for those who want to get first-class moonshine, there are 2 news: good and bad. Good: the drink can be filtered by distillation, while obtaining almost pure alcohol. And the bad news is that some of the drink will be lost (5-10% from each stage). Also, each subsequent distillation is more energy-intensive, which increases the cost of the resulting alcohol. But if moonshine is being chased for a loved one, then what is the point of energy costs, the main thing is to get relatively cheap and high-quality alcohol? After all, the invariable advantage of home brewing is that you are 100% sure of drinking and that you will not get poisoned.

What does "tail" mean?

This term is usually called what comes after the "head" with a strength below 40 degrees, its composition is unpleasant: fusel oils. And also it has an unpleasant taste and smell, which is why it is also undesirable for use. But the "tail", unlike the "head", is suitable for hauling, which we will discuss later. Now it’s clear how to separate the “heads” and “tails” in moonshine.

Can tails be used?

This fraction starts to come out at a temperature of 85 °C. How to select "heads" and "tails" in moonshine? You can determine that "tails" have gone in this way: the cloudy color of the drink, low strength (less than 40%), odors similar to the smell of "heads" appear. If there is no alcohol meter, you can take a little liquid in a tablespoon and set it on fire. If it burns with an invisible or barely visible blue flame, then the alcohol content is still about 40%. Thus, it becomes clear how to calculate the "heads" and "tails" in moonshine. Any other burning or its absence indicates that the "tails" have gone and it is necessary to change the container again, setting aside our cream.

By the way, "tails", unlike "heads", can be filtered according to the same principle as the "body". In general, "tails" can be added to the "body" and overtaken along with it, but you should be able to cut off the unnecessary. "Tails" must be driven out to a fortress of 20%. Everything else is unsuitable for pasture, because essential and fusel oils remain in the container, which evaporate at temperatures above 90 ° C. Next, add them to the "body" (or you can separately) and overtake in the above way.

Expediency of tailings hauling

It is worth noting that when adding the "tail" to the "body", we will have to dilute 1 part of moonshine in 2 parts of water. And with separate filtering, the "tail" is bred 1 to 3, also remembering the fortress. And we make calculations according to the same principles. For example, we have 500ml of "tails" with a total strength of 30%. Let's calculate the amount of alcohol. Divide the volume of 500 ml by 100%, and multiply the resulting 5 by 30 and get 150 ml of pure alcohol.

It is clear to the naked eye that it is more economically feasible to either pour out the "tails" and not suffer, wondering how to separate the "heads" and "tails" in moonshine, or overtake them along with the "body", observing the above conditions.

How to distill moonshine?

After the pasture is over, the device must be washed and charged again, but with the "body" (in the proportion of 1 part of the "body" to 2 parts of water). Water, by the way, is better to use not from the tap, but to take it from the well. There is also an opinion that it is possible to take distilled water obtained on the same apparatus, since there are no impurities in such water, and it will more actively absorb compounds unnecessary in the drink. Its boiling point is slightly higher than regular.

We charge the device for the second round. For example, let's take that we allegedly have 2 liters of "body" with a strength of 70%. Calculate how much alcohol should be at the output. Divide 2 l (this is 2000 ml) by 100% and get 20, then multiply by the strength of the drink. In our case, it is 70%. We get 1400 ml or 1.4 liters of the purest 100% alcohol. Since 100% ethyl alcohol does not exist, but 96% does, we will leave an error of 4% in the tank along with impurities that we do not need, which give an unpleasant odor.

Following the recipe, add another 4 liters to two liters of "body"water and set to expel, gaining a temperature of up to 70-75 degrees. We expel the drink until we get the volume of alcohol that was in the "body", and in our case it is 1.4 liters. It is no longer necessary to expel, since what we wanted to get rid of plus water was left in the tank.

So, we got 1400 ml of 90-96% alcohol, which must be diluted to obtain a 40% drinkable drink. It is strongly not recommended to dilute the alcohol that you plan to use with distilled water, as it is "dead" and washes minerals from the body, and this is very detrimental to he alth.

As a result, it turns out very, very well-purified moonshine, one might say, first-class. The procedure can be repeated, but experienced distillers believe that one or two hauls are usually enough.

Alcohol meter

Alcoholometer, otherwise called a hydrometer, is used to change the percentage of alcohol in a liquid. This device can help with the question of how to cut off the "heads" and "tails" in moonshine. Oddly enough, but if it is lowered into a liquid in which there is obviously no alcohol, it will still show a certain percentage of alcohol content. The fact is that this device is based on this principle: it determines the amount of alcohol by the density of the liquid. Therefore, you need to be able to work with it correctly.

There are several types of hydrometers. To work at home, you will need household appliances. It measures the percentage of alcohol in homemade vodka or moonshine byscale from 0 to 96. The minus of this device is a small error - 0.5%. But usually it doesn't matter much, since people make moonshine for themselves, not for sale on an industrial scale.

It should be remembered that this measuring tool should be treated with care, because any scratch or crack makes the alcoholometer unusable. You also need to know that you can measure the strength of the drink with it only at a temperature of 20 degrees. If the drink is hotter or colder, the device will show an incorrect result. A household hydrometer should not measure drinks containing impurities, such as wine, tinctures, etc., since it is only designed to measure the density of alcohol and water.

A few more recommendations. After diluting alcohol with water, it is necessary to wait 10 minutes and only then proceed with measurements, because immediately after dilution, the liquid will generate a lot of heat. In addition, the device must be clean and dry, otherwise, again, the measurements will be incorrect.

When the temperature of moonshine reaches 20 degrees, it must be poured into a glass or flask and gently lower the alcoholometer there with the wide part down. If you work with it sharply, you can damage it, and then you have to get a new one.

In closing

The article described how to separate the "heads" and "tails" in moonshine. It is worth adding that it is simply forbidden to sell moonshine in many countries, but no one talked about moonshine for themselves. As far as we know, winemakers are not imprisoned or heavily fined. Same withmoonshine. While you are doing this for yourself, law enforcement agencies are not interested. The constant advantage of home brewing is the cheapness of the drink and absolute confidence in its composition.