Cognac alcohol at home. How to make cognac spirit?

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

In the ranking of the most popular and noble alcoholic beverages, cognac occupies a leading position. However, this name is often given to what, in fact, is ordinary alcohol. After all, there is an eternal problem: what has gained popularity, over time, begin to fake. So what is cognac made from?

Cognac spirit is the main ingredient

Probably everyone knows that cognac is made from cognac spirit. But how is this important ingredient produced?

First of all, you should create the perfect wine material. And to be more precise, the usual grape juice. The most commonly used white grape varieties. To get cognac alcohol, it is worth preparing a must from the wine material. For a month, the raw materials must be subjected to fermentation processes in special containers and under a water seal.

First distillation

When the liquid has fermented, there is a period of multiple distillations. This allows you to get a solution with a sufficiently high concentration of alcohol. It is at this stage that it is necessary to take into account that the concentration increases not insolution, but in pairs. Ready wine material in distillation cubes is heated to the boiling point. This is the traditional method of making this drink. If the production of brandy alcohol is carried out at home, then it should be borne in mind that the boiling point of the solution differs from the boiling point of water. Here, this indicator can be from 83 to 93 ° С.

Second distillation of wine material

The second distillation takes place in a special apparatus. It has water heating. At this stage, the solution is separated into fractions - components. There are 4 of them in total. First, the head fraction is separated, and then the middle one - it is this fraction that represents cognac alcohol. This solution is quite suitable for creating an alcoholic drink. After the tail fraction is separated, the waste liquid will remain in the distillation cube. This stage of production of cognac spirit is very important. It should be approached with all responsibility. Indeed, the quality of the final product depends on how quickly the distillation process takes place and how clearly the fractions are separated. At this stage, it is very important to separate them correctly.

Factions of wine material

The head fraction has a strength of 82 to 84%, an unpleasant and rather pungent odor. It contains a lot of esters, aldehydes and higher alcohols. It takes 20-40 minutes to isolate this fraction. At the same time, about 3% of raw material is spent.

In the production of cognac spirit at home, it is necessary with specialpay attention to the separation of the middle fraction. It is taken away only after the pungent odor is weakened. At the same time, at the beginning, the fortress can be from 74 to 77 percent, and at the end - from 60 to 70%. This part of the wine material accounts for much more alcohol. Its volume is about 35%.

Gradually, the strength of the distillate decreases. The tail fraction is released at a strength of 50 to 40%. This part of the wine material makes up 17–23 percent of the total volume. Waste liquid is only 37-52% of the original volume.

How cognac is aged

When the solution is divided into fractions, you can proceed to the next step. Cognac spirits are aged in special oak barrels. You only need to fill them with the middle fraction. It is worth remembering that this is not cognac yet. The resulting liquid is odorless, has a slight aroma, burning taste, which is simply unacceptable for this drink. To get cognac, you will still need a lot of effort, time, as well as compliance with certain rules. Only after aging can we talk about the readiness of a noble drink.

In order for cognac spirit to turn into the highest quality alcohol, it must be properly aged. Oak containers should not be filled to the very top. It is necessary to leave free about 2% of the total volume of the barrel. This is necessary in case of expansion of cognac spirit after heating. Containers should be filled at a temperature of 18 to 20°C. This point is also very important. After the barrels are filled, they should be covered with paraffin and hammered with tongues. Withstandthe drink is at a temperature of 15-23 ° C. As for air humidity, it should be from 75 to 85%. The main thing is to ensure that there are no sudden changes in temperature in the room.

How long to age cognac

Probably everyone knows that the quality of the finished cognac depends on the time spent on aging an alcoholic drink. Of course, it is not enough just to pour raw oak into oak containers and forget about them for several years. During the entire aging period, it is necessary to top up cognac spirits annually in barrels. You also need to check all the parameters: alcohol content, acidity, color, and so on. An alcoholic drink is made from cognac spirit, which has been aged for 3-5 years.

It is worth noting that you need to monitor not only the state of the drink, but also the containers in which it is stored. Barrels should be carefully examined for cracks and traces of smudges. If at least one of the signs appears, the container should be replaced.

barrels for cognac aging

Usually cognac is aged in oak barrels. These containers are made from wood that is at least 70 years old. Oak is cut, sawn into bars, and only then pricked into thin plates. At the same time, there should be no knots on the material, as they can affect the properties of wood.

Why oak? During the entire time of exposure of cognac alcohol in containers made of this material, the drink receivesall the necessary tannins and dyes that are found in wood. In this case, partial oxidation of the liquid and the formation of esters occur. It is these substances that make cognac more palatable and give the drink an unforgettable aroma. In addition, experts say that it is oak that removes many harmful components from the drink.

In closing

Now you know how to make cognac spirit at home. However, do not forget that a truly delicious cognac is not so easy to get. Making this drink requires a lot of time, a lot of expense and patience. It is also important to approach the whole process correctly. Don't be in a hurry. Otherwise, you will end up with a regular brandy with a high concentration. Cognac alcohol is the main component in the manufacture of this delicious cognac. Its strength is usually between 60 and 70%.

Most often, cognac spirit is diluted with softened or distilled water. Particular attention should be paid to the containers in which exposure will take place. They should only be made of oak. They are used only for aging brandy alcohol. Other alcoholic beverages should use barrels made of a different material.