Table of Contents
Can you drink the heads of moonshine?
These contain the most volatile alcohols and should not be ingested, as they contain methanol and other undesirables. Commercial distillers always discard the foreshots and never consume them.
Can you distill water in a moonshine still?
Water is typically distilled via pot distillation. Just remember that water boils at 212°F (100°C), which is higher than what you distill spirits at. Best Still To Use For Distilling Water: Essential Extractor Pot Distiller Moonshine Still.
How much Heads do you throw out?
Always discard the foreshots — they make up around 5% or less of the product collected during a run. Throw out the first 30 ml on a 1 gallon run, the first 150 ml on a 5 gallon run, or the first 300 ml on a 10 gallon run. Heads come off of the still directly after the foreshots. Simply put, they taste and smell bad.
Can you drink the tails of moonshine?
Don’t drink the tails, either. They will contain the heavier, oilier compounds that are bitter and many are also toxic.
How often should I clean my still?
You can perform a vinegar run as often as you want, but most distillers use it as a deep-clean on their most used stills about twice per year. Set a date on your calendar to regularly clean your still with a vinegar run if you will be using your still to regularly produce the same product.
What is a sacrificial run still?
STEP 5 – Sacrificial Run Your first distillation is always referred to as a Sacrificial Run, as you should not expect unaffected spirit coming out of the still the first time. As a result, this is normally done with a Sugar Wash – cheap and easy to make, with a high percentage alcohol. Your Still is now ready to use.
What is a stripping still?
A stripping still is used to strip the alcohol out of your initial wash quickly and efficiently. It is typically the first step in the distillation of many types of spirits.
What temperature does a still run at?
However majority of stills are designed to run similarly. The temperature that ethyl alcohol boils off at is 78C-82C and therefore if your still has a temperature gauge in the top of the condenser (usually in a rubber bung situated at the top) it should run between 78C-82C (with 78C being ideal).
How many times should you distill moonshine?
If the mash contains less than about 10 %ABV alcohol, you have to distill twice (double distillation). If the alcohol content is higher than that, a simple distillation is completely sufficient.
What is the easiest liquor to distill?
Most people will agree that mead is the easiest alcohol to make because it requires very little equipment and ingredients. If you don’t have the items already in your pantry, you can easily procure them from the grocery store. To make mead, you need about 2-3 pounds of honey for 1 gallon/3.78 liter of water.
What does a thump keg do?
It may be made of copper, steel, or wood, and sits between the still pot and condenser. What Does A Thump Keg Do? It speeds up the distillation process and transforms your low wine into a liquid with higher alcohol content, which is critical for making moonshine or bourbon.
How fast should moonshine drip?
Slowly bring your temperature up to 150 °F. Once you reach 150 °F, if your setup has a condenser turn on the condensing water. Next, dial up your heat source to high until your still starts producing. Time your drips as they speed up until you reach 3 to 5 drips per second.
Can you get a hangover from moonshine?
The heads won’t make you blind, but the volatile alcohols they contain will give you a whopping hangover. The product also smells and tastes terrible, this is because of the acetone that is present.
What should moonshine smell like?
What Does Moonshine Smell Like? A good moonshine should smell of very little, although you may be able to detect slight odors of corn. If you have a sensitive nose then you’ll probably be able to smell the alcohol – to some people, this can be quite overpowering!.
Why do moonshiners throw away the head?
This means that methanol (148F boiling temp) will start to boil before the ethanol (174F boiling temp). This is why commercial distillers always throw out the first bit of shine they produce from each production run (more on this below).
Can you use rain water for moonshine?
Distill Water From Rain or Snow Unless you live in a highly polluted area, the water is pure and safe to drink.
What is the best water for moonshine?
One of the most important tips I can give to moonshiners is to always use distilled water for making moonshine wash. It’s no secret that tap water contains a plethora of chemicals, some of which includes chlorine, chlorate, bromate and fluoride.
How do you make moonshine taste better?
Flavoring with Spices, Dried Peaches and Concentrate (Best) The easiest way to make the best tasting peach moonshine is to use (peach pie) spices and peach juice concentrate.
