Invert sugar for mash: technology

2024 Author: Isabella Gilson | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-01-07 22:37

The process of making moonshine seems to some people quite simple and does not cause them any difficulties. However, real professionals in the industry do not think so. The fact is that before you get a high-quality and, most importantly, safe drink, all components must go through a number of chemical reactions and various processes on which the final result depends. That is why professionals often practice inverting sugar for mash, which amateurs neglect, and as a result win in quality, getting an excellent drink, which artisans cannot boast of.

Why is it necessary to invert?

This process is to get fructose and glucose molecules instead of one sucrose molecule. Usually, inverting sugar for mash is done due to the fact that yeast is not able to process sugar in its pure form. First, they carry out splitting into simpler substances, while spending a certain time. Only after that they process them into carbon dioxide and the alcohol necessary for further work. However, this releases a lot of by-products that adversely affect the quality of the drink.

Benefits of this process

• Some moonshiners invert sugar for home brew to reduce preparation time. Using the same technologies, but using this technique, will allow you to get moonshine a few days earlier. In some cases, this is very beneficial.
• This process exposes sugar to high temperatures. As a result, all bacteria on its surface are destroyed, which significantly reduces the risk of infection of the mash.
• This cooking technology significantly improves the taste of the product. This is especially important when using fruit or ingredients containing starch.
• If a classic moonshine is used for distillation, then the product will have a higher quality at the output. However, when using distillation columns, this advantage will not be significant.
• It is believed that the smell of moonshine during distillation will not be so nasty. In principle, the difference is small, although in fairness it should be noted that the finished product will receive a pleasant aroma, especially when using fruit.

Flaws

• Time is being spent on an additional process. However, if we take into account that such a cooking technology saves a lot of time, then this disadvantage can be considered insignificant.
• The yield of the final product when using such sugar will be several percent lower. At the same time, it should be understood that losses can be attributed preciselythe part that reduces the quality.
• Furfural stands out. This substance causes irritation of the mucous membrane and skin. True, it should be understood that even in ordinary jam there is much more furfural than in a drink prepared in this way.

Cooking process

We all made regular sugar syrup. Almost all housewives know how to cook it. However, this process is slightly different and involves certain security measures.

Choice of dishes

Invert sugar is made in a deep bowl. The fact is that when the final component is added, a process of abundant foaming occurs. As a result, the liquid increases in volume and may even splash out. That is why it is recommended to take dishes in which, after diluting water and sugar, there will be a third of the free space.

Ingredients

We need to make sugar syrup. Everyone knows how to cook it, but in this case the proportions will be slightly different. Therefore, it is very important to follow the recipe. Need to purchase:

• sugar - 3 kg;
• water - 1.5 l;
• citric acid - 12g

Cooking

• Standard invert sugar, which uses citric acid in the recipe, requires high temperatures. Therefore, first you need to heat the water to 80 degrees.
• Introduce sugar into the liquid very slowly so that it has time to dissolve. Stirring is constantly carried out.
• Only after the sugar has dissolved, the liquid is brought to a boil. In this case, a white foam will form on the surface, which must be removed. The composition should be cooked for about ten minutes.
• The next step is to invert the sugar with citric acid. It is introduced into the solution in small portions with constant stirring. After that, the pan is covered with a lid, and the fire is reduced to a minimum.
• After a couple of minutes, you need to adjust the fire. The fact is that the temperature of the syrup should be above 80 degrees. Some masters prefer to keep the simmering process in order to guarantee the result.
• You need to maintain this temperature for 60 minutes. In this case, the lid must be closed.
• After this time, the fire is turned off, and the resulting composition is cooled to 30 degrees. After that, it can be added to the fermentation tank.

Cooking mash

This paragraph describes a standard mash made from sugar and yeast. When using other components, it is necessary to make appropriate adjustments to the recipe.

• A standard fermentation tank is used to create the product. It can be used as a food aluminum can, which is closed with a sealed lid.
• On the lid it is worth making a special hole to remove accumulated gases. A small tube is mounted to it, on which you can put a hose. This is necessary in order to create a kind of hydraulic seal. Thanks to himair will escape from the container, but nothing will get inside. This way you can further reduce the risk of contamination of the composition.
• It is worth recalling that we already have inverted sugar in the container. The recipe for its preparation is indicated above, with all proportions. Therefore, we will add the remaining components based on the available mass.
• Add 4 liters of water and 100 grams of pressed yeast to the container, taking into account that this is the norm for 1 kilogram of regular sugar before inversion. So, for the previously prepared composition, we need 12 liters of water and 300 grams of pressed yeast.
• Some moonshiners prefer to use dry yeast. They must be taken at the rate of 20 grams per 1 kilogram of sugar. Therefore, we need 60 grams of this substance.
• At the next stage, close the lid, and immerse the hose coming from the tube in water.
• Throughout the entire fermentation process, it is worth maintaining the temperature in the liquid at 30 degrees. The standard mash from sugar and yeast is also prepared in the same way, although some moonshiners do not attach much importance to this parameter, which is completely wrong.
• After the fermentation process comes to an end, the resulting composition must be distilled.

After the fermentation process has come to an end, the finished product should be cleaned. Bentonite is best suited for this, which is added to the wash to condense the sediment. This measure allows you to further improve the quality of the product (we are talking about taste and smell). At the same time, harmful impurities are also removed, which makesmoonshine safe to consume.

Warning

Even the highest quality invert sugar mash cannot guarantee that the final product will be safe. It is necessary to observe a lot of other conditions and technical processes in order to achieve the desired result. You should not put experiments on yourself and others, since the consequences of poisoning with low-quality alcohol can be very deplorable.

Special attention should be paid to the fact that self-production of alcoholic beverages is illegal in some countries. Even mash can be related to such products, and in some cases, the very fact of storing a moonshine can lead to punishment. With this in mind, before starting moonshine, you should study in detail the legislation of a particular region so as not to have trouble with the law.

Also, do not forget that excessive consumption of alcoholic beverages can adversely affect he alth. Even a quality product can be harmful if its quantity exceeds the allowable rate.

Recommendations from experts

When mash is created at home, it is worth thinking about others. This process, followed by distillation, contributes to the appearance of a mass of peculiar odors that not all people like. Therefore, it is necessary to use technologies and formulations that minimize side effects. It is also worth installing a hood and working in a ventilated area.indoors

• When citric acid is added to the syrup, there is a possibility that splashes will appear. It is worth remembering that the temperature of the composition is quite high, and you can get quite serious burns. Therefore, before the introduction of acid, the fire is removed to a minimum, and it itself is added in small portions. However, it is better to use additional protection for eyes and skin. It is enough to wear glasses, an apron and gloves.
• It is very important to observe the temperature regime. If it is violated, the inversion may not be performed completely. That is why many moonshiners prefer to carry out this process on the verge of boiling, which gives an almost 100% quality guarantee.
• It is believed that the best way to make moonshine is to use beet sugar. Some moonshiners claim that it can not be inverted, since yeast does a great job with it. In fact, this information is wrong. Regardless of which yeast strains are used or which sugar is used, it will take approximately the same amount of time to process and release a similar amount of impurities. Only inversion will change this situation.
• In order to save time, it is recommended to prepare such sugar for future use. However, experts say that it is better not to do this. The fact is that when it cools, it loses its properties, since new molecules characteristic of sucrose begin to form. Therefore, it is better to prepare such sugar immediately before using it.
• If the mixture is overheated, it will darken and become unusable. Such a composition will spoil the taste of the final product, which means that it must be poured out or used for confectionery purposes. Given this, it is worth controlling the temperature regime at all stages of cooking.

Reviews of masters

• First of all, experts note the fact that the first output of the drink is almost completely devoid of unpleasant odors and harmful impurities. Some moonshiners claim that pouring out such a product is simply a pity, although in some recipes this is a necessity.
• Often, the rest of the moonshine that comes out at the end of the distillation is called the “tail”. When using such sugar, this distillation product is simply excellent. It is completely devoid of impurities and sediment and at the same time has a good degree and is perfectly drunk. Some experts, having tried invert sugar for the first time, leave such “tails” in order to show the result to their friends. The product really impresses experienced moonshiners as it tastes very good.
• Among the reviews of some manufacturers of such products, one can also find a mention of negative experience, which is associated with an incorrect cooking process or violation of temperature conditions. Usually such comments are written by moonshiners who do not follow any production technologies and do not have the appropriate equipment. Once again, it is worth recalling that the entire distillation process is a combination of several chemical reactions,therefore, it must be approached very responsibly.
• Specialists say that the quality of a product depends not on one process, but on a whole range of measures aimed at improving it. Even the best mash on inverted sugar can be spoiled already during distillation or kill the taste of moonshine by putting low-quality ingredients in a steamer. Only the right approach to the preparation of the technical process will allow you to get an excellent product. That is why you need to pay attention to cleaning, and even to the condition of the moonshine still.

Conclusion

Based on the material that is given above, we can conclude that inverting sugar for mash is a process that does not take much time and effort, moreover, for its implementation you do not need to have a higher education or have a doctoral degree in chemistry. Everything is quite simple and is implemented at home. At the same time, the quality of the final product, judging by the reviews, is increasing, and the speed of its preparation makes it possible to increase production volumes over a certain period.