Moonshine or vodka: what is better, what is the difference

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

People's opinions on these issues have been divided for a long time. Some say: “It is better to drink what is sold in the store, it will in any way bring less harm than what is made in a barn or basement by some old woman or an old man!”. Others prefer to adhere to the opposite opinion, arguing: “Moonshine is at least made from natural products, and vodka from the store is not clear from what, we have not seen raw materials and do not want to buy a pig in a poke!” Which side to take? What is still better and safer for the human body - moonshine or vodka?

What is vodka

Vodka is alcohol diluted in water in certain proportions. Such a water-alcohol solution has both its pros and cons. The most important plus is that only pure alcohol is used to make vodka,past the stages of rectification and purified to such an extent that it practically does not contain any impurities harmful and dangerous to the body, that is, essential, fusel oils, aldehydes, etc.

Those who also wonder what to prefer to the table - moonshine or vodka - pay attention to the taste, color and smell of the product. Vodka is always transparent, like a tear, does not have an unpleasant smell of "fuel" and tastes not to say that it is pleasant, but not disgusting, as often happens with moonshine. Still, alcohol is the purest, rectified, and besides, flavored with various flavors.

Classification of vodka according to generally accepted standards

Few people know, but there are some. Most people, when buying a white bottle of wine and vodka, never look at what is written on the label in smaller print. In the meantime, there is useful information there. It's all about the same classification:

• Economy class vodka is distinguished by simpler filtration, and therefore there are more harmful impurities in alcohol. Usually, economy class vodka is bottled in standard nondescript bottles that do not stand out either in shape or label. Such a drink is the easiest to fake, therefore it is among such cheap vodka products that most fakes are found.
• Standard class is considered a more serious drink. This is the middle class, bottled in bottles that are unique in style and shape. In its production, Extra alcohol is used, which is cleaner and contains many times less harmful impurities.
• Premium class, indicating belonging to the elite wine and vodka drinks. The bottles in which the product is “clothed” are produced according to proprietary design developments, by which brands become recognizable in themselves, you don’t even need to read the inscriptions. Its basis is alcohol of the class "Lux", the purest product, as it is understood, of natural origin. It does not contain any impurities like methanol, etc., since alcohol of this class goes through a number of purifications and as a result comes out perfect.
• Super premium class - the most elite product. There is an opinion that you can’t fake such vodka at all, since the costs will be exorbitant. It is produced only on special equipment and using such cleaning agents as gold and silver. Water is used exclusively from alpine high-mountain sources.

What alcohol is made from for modern vodka

Many people know that alcohol is a product of the rectification of harvested wort, but “wort” is, if it can be called this word at all in this “modern” case, nowadays it can be made on the basis of whatever you want. It was in the early years of the formation of socialism that drinking alcohol for the production of vodka was made from grain. Now it is made from everything in a row, from the waste of the woodworking industry, the oil industry and even from manure.

Vodka in the shop window looks great. But not a single bottle of today's modern vodka contains grain alcohol. A large proportion of alcohol for the production of vodka is now purchasedabroad, with the lion's share of these purchases coming from China. And with its frugality, economy and limited resources, what do you think, from what raw materials is alcohol produced there? Yes, from whatever you want, but not from grain. So it’s really worth considering what is better - vodka or moonshine. No one is immune from the fact that the purchased expensive vodka is actually a product of the rectification of raw materials obtained from manure…

What is moonshine?

Moonshine, unlike vodka, is produced as a result of the distillation process, that is, evaporation, as a result of which the condensate is collected and slowly bled into a special vessel. Alcohol is a lighter liquid, has a lower density, and therefore its boiling point is lower than the boiling point of water. When the prepared wort (or mash - as you wish) is heated, the liquid is brought to the temperature at which the alcohol begins to evaporate and condense in the coil, dripping into the collection vessel.

The product of the first distillation is called "pervach". In the process of evaporation, both water and unwanted impurities get into it, so its strength is small, and the harmfulness of such a “drink” is too great. That is why pervach is distilled again, resulting in pure moonshine, completely safe for the body, at least no more dangerous than the same cognac, which also contains a bunch of unwanted "harmful investments".

If the drink turned out from 60 degrees and above, at home vodka from moonshine of such a fortress will turn out quiteitself decent. Yes, it will give off a little moonshine, but it will be safe. Drinking such vodka, you will not think that you are consuming products obtained as a result of oil refining. Yes, and a hangover from moonshine is always better tolerated and passes faster, and when consumed in moderate doses, it does not occur at all. Why - more on that below.

Fables about impurities

Harmful impurities remaining in vodka or moonshine during their production vary in degree of toxicity. It is clear that the impurities resulting from the processing of petroleum into alcohol will be more toxic in nature than impurities obtained from natural products from which moonshine is made. Therefore, vodka from moonshine at home will be safer, even if there are hundreds of times more various impurities in it. At least that's what they think in Europe, where the production of alcoholic beverages based on raw materials obtained from non-natural sources of non-natural origin is strictly prohibited.

All strong spirits, be it brandy, cognac, tequila, rum, etc., are produced exclusively on the basis of distillation, that is, by the same method as moonshine, only with the use of special equipment in which these same processes distillations take place under high pressure and at a more high-tech level. Therefore, any drink that is not obtained by simply mixing alcohol with water, as is done in the case of vodka, by default contains a lot of impurities, exactly the same as those found inordinary good moonshine. Therefore, you should not be afraid of them at all.

The easiest moonshine recipe

Regardless of what additives the recipe for vodka from moonshine will be full of, the process will not do without making the moonshine itself. And it can be prepared by anyone who has the right components for making a simple moonshine still. By default, we assume that you have it. To make moonshine, you only need to take:

• sugar in the amount of 5 kg;
• yeast - 500 g;
• water (preferably spring, without boiling) - 25 l.

Stage 1

The first step is to prepare the mash (wort). Dilute the yeast in a small amount of warm water, let them jump. While the yeast is infused, prepare the base - pour sugar into a large saucepan, pour water, stir. Then add the yeast, stir again, close the lid and put it on the battery or heater. The fermentation temperature should be within 25 degrees, otherwise the process will be too "long-playing", or even not at all will have due success. After 10 days, we taste the wort. Bitter - it means it's ready. You can also light and hold a match over the surface of the mash. An extinguished flame will state that carbon dioxide is still being released, which means that the sugar has not completely decomposed. If the match does not go out, the wort is ready.

Recipes for homemade moonshine vodka are often based on some kind of basis. If the vodka is apple, apples should serve as the basis for the mash,if grape - grapes, wheat - wheat m alt, etc. Here we just took ordinary sugar as the default ingredient. In the same place, natural sucrose or fructose acts as sugar, as well as the basis of the fruits and grains themselves.

Stage 2

The second stage begins with the careful pouring of the mash into the main tank of the moonshine still. When the wort takes up about 70% of its volume, you can begin the process. The gas is ignited (or the electric stove is turned on), the liquid is brought to the desired temperature. If the temperature is chosen correctly, the primary will be more or less transparent (it all depends on the model of the device), if the temperature is higher than necessary, turbidity and water will enter it, which will also begin to evaporate with greater intensity.

Stage 3

The third stage is re-distillation to rid moonshine of impurities and turbidity. To do this, the entire pervach is again diluted with clean, unboiled water and distilled again. Someone can overtake it for the third time, achieving even greater purity and strength of the product. Everything, the basis for making homemade vodka is ready.

Making vodka at home

Moonshine itself can be consumed in this form, but often the product turns out to be so strong that not everyone can drink it without tearing their throat. Therefore, vodka is made from it. To do this, all moonshine is carefully distilled through a carbon filter, where it will be cleaned of most of the harmful impurities remaining in it, which have a specificmoonshine smell.

Then, following the homemade moonshine vodka recipe you settled on, the moonshine should be mixed with clean water in the correct proportions so that the strength of the drink is within at least 40 revolutions. To track the concentration of alcohol, it is best to have an alcohol meter on the farm.

When the required concentration of alcohol in the future vodka is reached, you can start flavoring it. As flavorings, in accordance with the recipe, various kinds of fruits, herbs, berries or spices can act. The most commonly used hop. Even in small quantities, it is able to completely eradicate the unpleasant smell of moonshine.

Many recipes can be based on the subsequent aging of the product for several days, weeks or months. So you should be patient. But, of course, the resulting product will be many times safer and he althier than any store-bought vodka.

Conclusion

So, moonshine or vodka? We think we have answered the question. Today, in any city, including Moscow, moonshine and vodka can be found side by side on store shelves. But for its quality, as well as for the quality of vodka, no one can vouch for. That is why you should not drink too much. In the right doses, no alcoholic drink is dangerous. Well, if you decide to go “breaking bad”, stock up on pickle, the most powerful remedy for a hangover. And yet, maybe it's better not to?