Is it possible to dilute moonshine with boiled water. Moonshine dilution calculator with water - calculate online
Quality homemade moonshine is too strong and can contain up to 96% alcohol. Such a product is not suitable for consumption in its pure form, as it can cause burns of the mucous membrane. digestive tract. Moonshine can be diluted with plain water, but it must be clean and soft. The result is an alcoholic product with a strength of 40%, like vodka. The procedure should be carried out after double distillation and alcohol settling.
Dilution of moonshine is a simple process, compared with the preparation of mash and its distillation. However, here it is necessary to correctly calculate proportions. One container with moonshine can be diluted only 1 time, so it is important to carry out the procedure correctly. It also matters how to dilute the moonshine - a simple one will not work for this tap water. There are also a few tips and tricks on how to dilute the drink and not spoil its quality - if you do not follow them, you can spoil large volumes of alcohol without the possibility of correcting the situation.
In order to dilute moonshine, you should calculate in advance the exact amount of water that will be required for a certain amount of alcohol. For these purposes, special calculator programs have been developed that can be downloaded to a computer or phone, enter the initial data and get the necessary calculations. However, experienced moonshiners can figure out how to dilute the drink to the desired strength without special programs. To do this, it is also necessary to carry out simple calculations and calculate how much water is needed to dilute a certain volume of moonshine. This is important, since alcohol can only be diluted once - if the proportions are not met, the drink will lose its properties and become unusable.
There are several ways to dilute moonshine to 40 degrees without using calculator programs. The first, easiest method is the pivot table. It indicates how much water you need to take to dilute the moonshine, if its original strength is known. The amount of water is indicated in ml, if you take 1 liter of moonshine for dilution.
Another way to make moonshine without the use of special programs and calculators is a simple formula. To do this, you also need to take a drink with an already known strength. Next, you can manually calculate how much water should be added to get a less strong moonshine:
(a / c) * c - c \u003d amount of water, where:
- a - the initial strength of alcohol,%;
- c - final strength of alcohol,%;
- c - the initial amount of moonshine, l.
For the accuracy of calculations, it is necessary to know the exact strength of the original raw materials. This value cannot be determined without an alcohol meter, but experienced moonshiners can rely on indirect signs. So, high-strength moonshine has a pronounced smell of alcohol - however, this can also be explained by its low quality and big amount impurities. A drink with a high degree of ethanol will be transparent, unlike insufficiently concentrated raw materials. Also, its strength can be determined by the ignition method - the fire will burn unevenly if the degree of alcohol is in the range of 20-40%.
The initial strength of moonshine depends on the type and quality of the brew, distillation technology and many other nuances. It can be from 60 to 96 degrees, while the second option is more preferable. This means that the liquid does not contain impurities and has gone through the entire cycle of distillation processes. The quality of diluted alcohol is not lost if the procedure is carried out correctly.
The better to dilute moonshine
In order to dilute moonshine, ordinary water without gas is suitable. Also at home, you can create flavored drinks with a low strength by adding infusions or decoctions of herbs or berries, fruit essences, citrus juices with sugar. Their strength does not exceed 25-30%. However, the choice of water should be approached responsibly.
It matters what water to dilute moonshine. Ordinary unfiltered tap fluid will not work because it contains a large amount of impurities. It will affect the quality and taste of moonshine, because of which it will become cloudy and unusable. As a result of chemical reactions, in which impurities will enter, a poor-quality product with a pungent odor and an unpleasant taste will be obtained. So you can spoil the finished alcohol after lengthy cooking processes and double distillation.
There are some tips on how to dilute strong moonshine and how to choose water:
- you can take water from the source if it is soft enough;
- tap water should be cleaned with a filter, while you need to make sure that it is in good condition and its expiration date;
- purchased bottled water is the best solution, and the highest quality product will be for baby food;
- water after boiling and settling is also suitable - it no longer contains harmful microorganisms and impurities.
The process of diluting moonshine with water is the easiest step in its preparation. However, it also has its own nuances and subtleties. The most important thing is to choose high-quality water without impurities and properly prepare it, otherwise there is a risk of diluting moonshine and ruining it. The liquid becomes cloudy bad smell. Moonshine specialists prefer to use distilled water - it definitely does not contain impurities and will not affect the quality of the drink.
How to dilute moonshine
It is important to know how to properly dilute moonshine with water. There are several rules and recommendations that should be followed in order to maintain the quality of the drink. Water for moonshine should be prepared in advance and measured in a separate container. In addition to the fact that it must be free of impurities, it must be heated to the optimum temperature. It is better if it is the same for two liquids - about 20 degrees. It is under such conditions that the indicators of the strength of alcohol will be the most reliable.
An algorithm for diluting moonshine with water at home:
- cool or heat water and moonshine to 20 degrees - it is this temperature that is considered the most alcoholic (at a lower temperature, the alcohol meter will indicate an underestimated value, at a higher one - overestimated);
- measure the required amount of moonshine and water according to preliminary calculations;
- pour alcohol into a container of water (not vice versa);
- mix the liquid and leave for further infusion.
If we dilute the moonshine correctly - the taste and appearance drink stays the same. It remains transparent, stored for a long time and does not change its consistency. It is enough to dilute the moonshine with water not according to the algorithm so that large volumes of alcohol become unusable.
Moonshine is a powerful oxidizing agent. If you pour it into water, and not vice versa, then the water molecules will gradually break down. This is accompanied by chemical reactions with the formation of various harmful substances (acetic, carbonic acids, ketone bodies and peroxides). As a result of oxidation processes, the liquid heats up, becomes cloudy and acquires an unpleasant odor. If alcohol is added to water, such reactions proceed slowly, and harmful impurities are formed in insufficient quantities to harm the mucous membrane of the digestive tract.
If the drink becomes cloudy when diluting moonshine with water, there is a way to preserve its suitability. To do this, it is enough to place any sorbent in the container (for example, activated carbon) and continue to infuse alcohol. So harmful substances are absorbed, and then they can be removed by simple filtration. The sorbent must act for at least 6-7 days, after which the moonshine is run through the filter several times.
Settling after dilution
After diluting moonshine to the desired degree, it should not be consumed immediately. To avoid turbidity, the liquid is poured into glass containers for long-term storage. It should be closed with a lid that would not allow oxygen to pass through - in its presence, alcohol enters into chemical reactions. Plastic is also not suitable for these purposes.
On average, the infusion of diluted moonshine lasts 2 days, but it is better to leave the drink for a week. The bottle must be kept in dark room at a temperature not higher than 5 degrees. However, there is a way to speed up this process. The container with alcohol should be shaken vigorously and placed in freezer for 2-3 hours. After that, moonshine can be drunk without fear.
Pure moonshine has a strength of up to 96 degrees. It should not be drunk in its pure form, otherwise the liquid can cause serious burns of the mucous membrane of the gastrointestinal tract. However, the dilution process must also be carried out according to the rules: prepare water, calculate proportions, and keep the drink for a sufficient amount of time. After that, it really quality moonshine, which can completely replace purchased vodka.
When preparing alcohol at home, it is advisable to pay close attention to how to dilute in order to get the desired result and a given strength of the product.
Almost every nation has its own traditional strong alcoholic drinks, the properties of which can vary greatly and depend on a number of features - from geographical conditions the location of the ethnic group before the history of wars and confrontations.
This list includes tequila, and simple Russian moonshine. In the manufacture of a high-grade drink from good raw materials, the quality of the product is able to compete with many of its more noble counterparts.
How can moonshine be diluted
Often, before diluting moonshine to the chosen fortress, they choose the water that will be used. Its source can be different: a spring, an apartment pipeline, a well, a well.
The main rule that you should learn before diluting moonshine with water is that the solution chosen for production should be as clean and soft as possible. Nai the best way, which fully complies with even stringent requirements - bottled water for baby food. Its cost is acceptable, and the cash costs are fully justified by the absence of the need for additional filtration, boiling and preparation before mixing.
How to choose water for breeding
It is important to figure out what kind of water to dilute the moonshine, because the quality and taste of the resulting drink directly depends on it. Especially high demands are placed on the liquid with which alcohol is diluted. It should be completely transparent and colorless, odorless. IN chemical composition high salt content is not allowed. It is advisable not to distill the liquid unless absolutely necessary, such as when using tap water.
Not everyone can get artesian or spring water, and the liquid from the tap, in order to dilute the moonshine, is not very suitable even after boiling. She gets tough. Its addition to alcohol often leads to cloudiness of the drink. Nevertheless, if there is no other option, then after boiling and settling tap water, it is driven through a softening filter or settled together with activated carbon.
It is not necessary, but it is desirable to filter even bottled water.
When using a filter decanter, you need to remember that the quality of water for diluting moonshine is freed from impurities only in the first month. Within 2 months, the filtration will be imperfect, but of acceptable quality. Subsequent use of the same filtration material is unacceptable. With each passing day, the quality of cleaning will fall until the filter begins to harm, infecting the water with accumulated bacteria and contaminating the retained debris.
If the filter is more than two months old, it is preferable to get rid of it. After all, the quality of the liquid filtered by him is even lower than that of untreated water from the water supply.
How to properly dilute so that it does not become cloudy
At first glance, it may seem that there is nothing easier than diluting moonshine - add water to a container with moonshine and measure it with an alcohol meter. And so you should do until you reach the desired number. However, this method is incorrect and often results in a cloudy mixture and a strong alcohol odor.
Only beginners think about whether moonshine is added to water or vice versa. After all, this is the first rule that any moonshiner knows.
To begin with, it is worth bringing both components to the same temperature, equal to + 20 ° C. With this value, the strength of the drink is measured as reliably as possible.
It is advisable to pour water into a large container with a margin of volume. Moonshine is subsequently added to it. In this way, cloudiness of the product can be avoided. Having calculated the required proportion of the components, measure the amount of alcohol with a measuring cup and pour the required volume into a container of water with a thin stream, stirring slowly.
The resulting drink should not be consumed immediately. It should settle for about a week in a cool room. If this is not possible due to a number of reasons, then it is recommended to pour the resulting mixture into a glass container, shake well and place in the freezer for several hours. After that, you can use.
Tables and calculators for moonshiners
Ever since the time of our grandparents, moonshiners, in the process of mixing a drink, calculated the necessary proportions using a special Fertman table.
She will always tell you how to properly dilute moonshine with water.
| The strength of the diluted drink (1 l),% vol. | The required strength of the drink after dilution,% vol. | ||||||||||||
| 90 | 85 | 80 | 75 | 70 | 65 | 60 | 55 | 50 | 45 | 40 | 35 | 30 | |
| 95 | 64 | 133 | 209 | 295 | 391 | 501 | 629 | 779 | 957 | 1174 | 1443 | 1785 | 2239 |
| 90 | 65 | 138 | 218 | 310 | 414 | 535 | 677 | 847 | 1052 | 1306 | 1630 | 2061 | |
| 85 | 68 | 144 | 231 | 329 | 443 | 578 | 738 | 932 | 1172 | 1478 | 1884 | ||
| 80 | 72 | 153 | 246 | 353 | 480 | 630 | 812 | 1039 | 1327 | 1709 | |||
| 75 | 76 | 163 | 264 | 382 | 523 | 694 | 906 | 1177 | 1535 | ||||
| 70 | 81 | 175 | 285 | 417 | 577 | 774 | 1027 | 1360 | |||||
| 65 | 88 | 190 | 311 | 460 | 644 | 878 | 1189 | ||||||
| 60 | 95 | 207 | 344 | 514 | 730 | 1017 | |||||||
| 55 | 103 | 229 | 384 | 583 | 845 | ||||||||
| 50 | 114 | 255 | 436 | 674 | |||||||||
| 45 | 127 | 290 | 505 | ||||||||||
| 40 | 144 | 335 | |||||||||||
| 35 | 167 | ||||||||||||
An example of using the table: to dilute 1 liter of 95% alcohol to 40% vol. 1443 ml of water is added to it.
In addition, you can use the free online calculator for moonshiners. Programs are also distributed in the form of an application for a PC or smartphone. Their advantage is that you can make the calculation in places where there is no Internet connection.
If for some reason a table for diluting moonshine with water is not available or it is not possible to enter the network, it is worth learning a simple formula: the initial degrees of alcohol are divided by the desired strength and the resulting number is multiplied by the volume of the product available. At the end, the amount of alcohol (in ml) is taken away.
An example of using the formula: the strength of 1 liter of alcohol is 80% vol., And they want to get 50% vol. Calculate (80/50) * 1000-1000 \u003d 600 ml.
That is, you need to pour 600 ml of water, then add 1 liter of moonshine to it.
This method is inaccurate and errors are possible.
Common Dilution Mistakes
Every experienced moonshiner knows by heart the recipe and the basic rules of how to properly dilute moonshine to the desired degree. However, this does not apply to those who first set foot on the path of home brewing. Often mistakes made cause an inexperienced craftsman to send the entire result of labor to the trash can.
If a mistake is made and the product turned out to be weak, then the situation can be corrected only by repeated distillation.
If flakes or sediment formed during the mixing process, then the water was too hard or the alcohol was of insufficient quality (it had a lot of fusel oils). Such a drink can be saved by filtering through cotton wool or thick gauze.
If the moonshine has become cloudy, most often the drink has an intolerable taste and a disgusting smell, as a result of which it becomes unusable. Correcting the situation is possible only with the help of repeated distillation. To do this, you need to dilute the moonshine with water to 20-25% by volume, overtake it again, dilute it to the desired strength and leave it for 3 days in a cool, dark place.
As an alternative to distillation, you can try a charcoal filter. This method does not always work. Therefore, it is important to adhere to the basic rules in the process of making moonshine and mixing it, then the drink will not become cloudy.
Preparation of moonshine and alcohol for personal use
absolutely legal!
After the demise of the USSR, the new government stopped the fight against moonshine. Criminal liability and fines were abolished, and the article on the prohibition of the production of alcohol-containing products at home was removed from the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. To this day, there is not a single law that prohibits you and me from engaging in our favorite hobby - making alcohol at home. This is evidenced by the Federal Law of July 8, 1999 No. 143-FZ “On Administrative Responsibility legal entities(organizations) and individual entrepreneurs for offenses in the field of production and circulation of ethyl alcohol, alcoholic and alcohol-containing products” (Collection of Legislation Russian Federation, 1999, N 28, art. 3476).
Excerpt from the Federal Law of the Russian Federation:
"The effect of this Federal Law does not apply to the activities of citizens (individuals) who do not produce products containing ethyl alcohol for the purpose of marketing."
Moonshine in other countries:
In Kazakhstan in accordance with the Code of the Republic of Kazakhstan On Administrative Offenses dated January 30, 2001 N 155, the following liability is provided. So, according to article 335 “Manufacture and sale alcoholic beverages home-made" illegal production for the purpose of selling moonshine, chacha, mulberry vodka, mash and other alcoholic beverages, as well as the sale of these alcoholic beverages entails a fine in the amount of thirty monthly calculation indices with confiscation of alcoholic beverages, apparatus, raw materials and equipment for their manufacture, and also received from their sale of money and other valuables. However, the law does not prohibit the preparation of alcohol for personal purposes.
In Ukraine and Belarus things are different. Articles No. 176 and No. 177 of the Code of Administrative Offenses of Ukraine provide for the imposition of fines in the amount of three to ten tax-free minimum wages for the manufacture and storage of moonshine without the purpose of sale, for the storage without the purpose of sale of apparatus * for its production.
Article 12.43 repeats this information practically word for word. “Production or purchase of strong alcoholic beverages (moonshine), semi-finished products for their production (mash), storage of devices for their production” in the Code of the Republic of Belarus on Administrative Offenses. Item number 1 says: "Manufacturing individuals strong alcoholic beverages (moonshine), semi-finished products for their manufacture (mash), as well as storage of devices * used for their manufacture - entails a warning or a fine in the amount of up to five basic units with confiscation of these drinks, semi-finished products and devices.
*Purchase moonshine stills for home use it is still possible, since their second purpose is the distillation of water and the preparation of components for natural cosmetics and perfumery.
When moonshine is prepared according to all the rules - with high-quality separation of fractions and double distillation, the strength of the finished product is 60-80 °. It is clear that it is difficult to consume such a drink without risk to the mucosa. And then the process of diluting alcohol to an acceptable state comes to the rescue. Most often, water is used for dilution, less often with homemade lemon juice. In this article we will tell you how to dilute moonshine with water and how to do it correctly.
It would seem that it is difficult to dilute moonshine to 40 degrees? Pour water, shake and drink. But in reality, the result of such “barbarism” will be a cloudy alcoholized liquid that has little in common with real strong moonshine.
There are several basic requirements that must be observed if we want to get high-quality vodka 40 °:
- use only spring, well or bottled water;
- correctly calculate the amount of water used;
- pour moonshine into water, and not vice versa;
- dilute the entire volume at once.
Below we describe these requirements in more detail and provide specific examples.
How to dilute moonshine
The strength of the distilled product can reach 90%, so it is strongly not recommended to use pure alcohol. The degree of the drink must be lowered, otherwise it will be far from the concept of good alcohol and will cause significant harm to health. As the main diluent use pure drinking water. The key role is played by the correct proportions, they will be prompted by the moonshine dilution table. In addition to water, spices and other additional ingredients are added to alcohol, which give it a new taste, a pronounced smell and a beautiful noble color:
- Oak bark will dilute the palette of aromas with distinct notes of whiskey.
- Several crystals citric acid soften even strong alcohol.
- Prunes will give a sweetish smoky flavor and can be paired with other dried fruits.
- A pleasant bitter taste is given by the zest of a lemon or orange.
- A rich cognac color will be given by dry tea brewing (at the rate of 1 tablespoon per three-liter jar of vodka). Instant coffee can be used instead of tea.
- To enrich the taste after dilution, spices are added to alcohol - ginger, cloves, nutmeg, rosemary, saffron, star anise, cardamom, vanilla, cinnamon.
- Juniper is prepared on strong alcohol, adding about 40 grams of juniper berries for each liter of moonshine.
- Melissa, yarrow, St. John's wort and other aromatic herbs will turn moonshine into an original tincture with healing properties. Such a product will be an excellent basis for homemade balm.
- Burnt sugar, fresh or fermented honey, fruit or berry juice are used as a sweetener.
How to dilute moonshine with water
Diluting strong alcohol is required for two reasons:
- First of all, this is required if you are doing a double distillation. To do this, the moonshine obtained in the first cycle must be diluted with water to the required strength of 20-25 °. Only then is it re-distilled.
- Strong alcohol is diluted for the purpose of subsequent use.
There are four basic rules that will help you properly dilute a strong drink:
- It is recommended to add moonshine to water, and not vice versa. This is due to chemical reactions between liquids. If this condition is violated, turbidity of alcohol and a deterioration in taste may occur.
- Use purified water. Other types, especially tap liquid, can spoil the resulting product.
- Moonshine should be allowed to stand for several days before drinking. Thus, you give the opportunity to complete all the chemical processes necessary for good taste.
- Be sure to use an alcohol meter during the dilution process. Pour moonshine in several approaches, constantly checking the strength with an alcohol meter. This approach will allow you to control the process and avoid possible miscalculations.
Water treatment
In order to get a quality drink, you should first use correct water. A liquid that is not pure enough can spoil the alcohol. The required water must have the following characteristics:
- transparent;
- colorless;
- contain a minimum amount of salts;
- rigidity should be minimal;
- when adding, the temperature of the liquid should not exceed 20 °C.
Tap water is not suitable for diluting moonshine. Even after boiling, it can spoil the drink. Alcohol diluted with such water becomes cloudy, and an unpleasant alcohol odor appears.
Using water from a well or well, leave it for four hours to settle, and then pass it through the filter.
What water to dilute moonshine raw or boiled
Rules for breeding moonshine:
- the water is taken necessarily soft, in modern water supply systems it is unlikely to meet such,
- raw artesian water will do (again, only soft),
- well, spring, frozen, too.
Boiled tap water is not the best option, even settled.
Hard water will give the impression that the “throat is tearing”.
The required amount of water is calculated, preferably cool, poured into a container, only then moonshine is poured, preferably in a trickle at a time.
Moonshine (alcohol) is an oxidizing agent, if, on the contrary, water is added to it, a thermal reaction will occur, plus turbidity from fusel oils that have not had time to dissolve.
We have hard water in the Kuban, and I always dilute moonshine and alcohol with boiled, cooled water. But besides this, I always carry out disinfection and cleaning with manganese. In both the first and second cases, there are always a lot of flakes. And I filter the settled mixture, and already insist on herbs or berries. Previously, undiluted moonshine was cleaned through activated charcoal. But the tincture on oak did not justify itself, it hits the balls well, but in the morning the head is “oak”.
Once upon a time I did this. For dilution, I went for special water from a natural spring, clean and cold. Well, respectively, raw, not boiled. Yes, and there is no need to boil it, degrees will still kill all living creatures if it is in it.
I have somehow the question of diluting moonshine never arose, since during distillation moonshine is placed in several cans where the fortress will decrease, and then everything is mixed on the basis that the average fortress should be about 45 degrees.
With further cleaning of moonshine, moonshine will lose a couple of degrees.
If moonshine is strong, and it can only be diluted with water, then the actual water that was used for mash is suitable. The main thing is that the water is clean, chilled. After mixing the moonshine with water, you just need to close the container tightly so that there is no air access and shake it off strongly, and then the reaction will pass without generating heat.
Another option for using moonshine is to use it to prepare various tinctures, liqueurs, liquors. Moonshine may well replace vodka.
The process of mixing moonshine and water
The process of mixing two liquids is not difficult, but requires some care and a serious approach. For everything to go well, you should figure out how to properly dilute them.
- Strong alcohol should be poured in a thin stream, and only into a liquid whose temperature does not exceed 20 ° C. Thus, all reactions are reduced to a minimum amount.
- Do not pour liquid with only a rough idea of the volume. Accurately measure the required amount of moonshine and water. To do this, you can use several available means - an online calculator, Fertman's table for diluting moonshine with water, depending on the strength, or a special formula.
- When pouring alcohol into a bottle, try to fill it completely so that the air remaining under the cap does not oxidize the liquid over time.
- If you additionally shake the diluted moonshine, be sure to tightly close the container and shake it upside down.
- Unforeseen circumstances happen to everyone. If the moonshine has become cloudy, you can try to save it with an absorbent, such as activated charcoal. Pour several packs of the substance into a container of alcohol and leave it "alone" for a week. This period should be enough for the drink to clear. Then filter it with gauze or cotton.
Step-by-step instructions for diluting moonshine with water
Beyond the eternal question which of the liquids should be poured into another (moonshine into water) There are a couple more things you need to be aware of.
- Bring the temperature of moonshine and water to the same room temperature (about 20 degrees Celsius). If you just brought water from the cold or the distillate was in the cellar, then the results will be inaccurate.
- Measure the volume and strength of your product.
- Using a formula or table, calculate the volume of water that must be diluted to obtain the alcohol content you need.
- We prepare a glass container (bottle or jar) in which liquids will be mixed.
- Pour water into the container.
- Pour the moonshine into the container.
- Shake vigorously.
- And most importantly: let the drink stand at least 2-3 days, and also better 5-7 days to stabilize the taste.
Moment with infusing the product for several days critical. People are accustomed to mix everything and immediately drink. But this is the wrong approach.
Many moonshiners who actually endure several days are extremely speak positively about the taste of the diluted distillate. It actually softens up as you use it.
How to dilute moonshine so that it does not become cloudy
With a decrease in the strength of moonshine, dropping out essential oils, salts and other impurities in the cloudy sediment. This leads to deterioration opalescence liquid, that is, the distillate begins to become cloudy.
This happens due to poor-quality distillate, bad water or a dirty container. You can reduce the chance of cloudiness in the following ways:
- Perform a double distillation and select the heads, body and tails (harmful fractions). In villages, mash is usually driven only 1 time in order to increase the amount of the drink (albeit at the expense of quality). In this case, the liquid turns out to be supersaturated with fuselage and harmful impurities, which will fall into a cloudy precipitate.
- Buy good bottled water well-known brand . Discard the water that caused your product to become cloudy (if you are 100% sure of its quality). Not always clear water from a spring or well will be suitable for home brewing.
- Take care of the hygiene of glass containers. Due to dust, dirt and dried particles inside the container, moonshine may become cloudy. Storage should be in clean and dry glass containers. It is highly not recommended to use even food-grade plastic, as it gets dirty very quickly and is much more difficult to clean than glass.
What to do if the drink is already cloudy? Re-distill or use charcoal to clean up the moonshine.
Popular mistakes when diluting with water
In order not to screw up with such a simple task, do not repeat the popular mistakes of novice moonshiners:
- Pour moonshine into water, not the other way around. The eternal dilemma, which is known to everyone since the school chemistry course.
- withstand temperature regime: fluids must be the same (20 degrees Celsius). The higher the temperature, the more the alcohol meter shows the strength of the product. It is for this reason that hot moonshine 40% burns, and cold goes out.
- Use professional alcohol meters ASP-3. A set of three hydrometers will not let you make a mistake. Small and nondescript tubes rarely show accurate data.
- Do not try to improve or hide the shortcomings of your product in any way.. Just distill it again and take out all the harmful impurities so that it really becomes of high quality.
- Monitor the hygiene of all equipment and containers (alcohol meter, cans, tubes). Any drinking liquid, including alcohol, should be as pure and free of impurities as possible. Otherwise, it turns out a very good environment for the reproduction of harmful organisms that we do not need.
The bonus is a basic tip that is important to consider: do not hurry. A spilled product, a broken container or a broken alcohol meter is unlikely to give you any pleasure.
Calculators for moonshiners
There are many free moonshiner calculators on the Internet. There are calculators in the form of a small program that you can download to your PC or smartphone. The advantage is that such a calculator can later be used even without internet connection.
Therefore, in areas where there are problems with the Internet (unstable connection, slow operation), it is convenient to use this one. But it is no less convenient to use an online calculator by making a bookmark for yourself.
The formula for diluting moonshine with water
Using a formula is suitable if you do not have the opportunity to use a special table or other means of calculation. The formula is easy to use and should not cause much difficulty.
V = (K1 / K2) * O - O
V is the amount of water required for dilution;
K1 - initial strength of alcohol;
K2 - the required strength of alcohol;
O is the volume of alcohol that is used for dilution.
To better understand how such a formula is applied in practice, consider a small example. You need to get a product with a strength of 40 °. To do this, we have 1 liter of moonshine, the strength of which is 80 °.
(80 / 40) * 1000 – 1000 = 1000
As you can see, it takes 1000 ml of water in order for the final product to have the strength you need. When compared with the Fertman table, there is some difference in the indicators. There is nothing to worry about, the difference does not exceed the margin of error. So you can easily dilute alcohol to the desired proportions.
How to dilute moonshine to a fortress of 40-45 degrees
There is a handy calculator showing how to dilute moonshine. This program is based on the same formula as described above. However, the Soviet chemist Grigory Isaakovich Fertman in the middle of the twentieth century compiled a convenient table demonstrating how to properly dilute moonshine (alcohol) with water.
The vertical column represents the initial strength of the distillate, while the horizontal column represents the desired strength. At the intersection and is the volume of water necessary for dilution. Attention: this volume is indicated on the basis that there is one liter of distillate for dilution (the mark is in the table).
Table of proportions for the dilution of alcohol of various strengths at a temperature of 20 degrees
| The fortress of the bred alcohol (1000 ml),% |
Required alcohol strength after dilutions,% | ||||||||||||
| 90 | 85 | 80 | 75 | 70 | 65 | 60 | 55 | 50 | 45 | 40 | 35 | 30 | |
| 95 | 64 | 133 | 209 | 295 | 391 | 501 | 629 | 779 | 957 | 1174 | 1443 | 1785 | 2239 |
| 90 | 65 | 138 | 218 | 310 | 414 | 535 | 677 | 847 | 1052 | 1306 | 1630 | 2061 | |
| 85 | 68 | 144 | 231 | 329 | 443 | 578 | 738 | 932 | 1172 | 1478 | 1884 | ||
| 80 | 72 | 153 | 246 | 353 | 480 | 630 | 812 | 1039 | 1327 | 1709 | |||
| 75 | 76 | 163 | 264 | 382 | 523 | 694 | 906 | 1177 | 1535 | ||||
| 70 | 81 | 175 | 285 | 417 | 577 | 774 | 1027 | 1360 | |||||
| 65 | 88 | 190 | 311 | 460 | 644 | 878 | 1189 | ||||||
| 60 | 95 | 207 | 344 | 514 | 730 | 1017 | |||||||
| 55 | 103 | 229 | 384 | 583 | 845 | ||||||||
| 50 | 114 | 255 | 436 | 674 | |||||||||
| 45 | 127 | 290 | 505 | ||||||||||
| 40 | 144 | 335 | |||||||||||
| 35 | 167 | ||||||||||||
Example: let it be necessary to dilute two liters of moonshine of the second distillation with a strength of 70 degrees to a strength of 45 degrees. We find the value 70 in the left column, and in the line we look for the value 45. We get the value - 577 (ml) of water will be required for one liter (!) of moonshine. But since we have two liters, we need 577 * 2 = 1154 (ml) of water.
Mistakes when diluting moonshine with water
If you make a mistake and make the moonshine too low, only re-distillation will help here. Don't forget: for the purpose fire safety dilute the distillation liquid to at least 20°.
Turbidity and even falling out of flakes can be provoked not only by hard water or improper dilution, but also by the quality of moonshine, in which there are too many fusel oils. And it's good that they fell out! Several strainings using filter paper, cotton pads or cotton wool - and you have pure moonshine of the desired strength.
Brief Summary
So, as you can see, diluting moonshine with water is not as difficult as it seems after reading this article. The main thing is to know how.
Briefly on points:
- We dilute all the moonshine at once, having previously prepared the required volume of water.
- We follow the rule - first water, then moonshine.
- We use only purified, ideally well or spring water.
- According to the formula or table, we determine the required amount of the ingredient.
- We don’t worry if the moonshine suddenly began to grow cloudy - activated charcoal tablets will be very useful in such a situation.
- We maintain a certain time, during which the whole cycle of reactions will pass, during which the drink will retain its full taste, aroma, astringency. In a word, organoleptic should be on high level. This is the aerobatics of breeding moonshine with water.
- Sometimes we use the express method - in 2 hours we get an exclusive vodka with a strength of 40 °. Its essence is to mix all the original ingredients, shake very strongly and put in the freezer. The instantaneous temperature difference will act as a catalyst for a chemical reaction, so that after 1.5-2 hours you can start tasting.
There are no downsides to this express method. In terms of quality, taste and organoleptic properties, weekly aged moonshine at room temperature and hourly moonshine from the freezer are absolutely identical to each other.
In both cases, the container should be glass and transparent. It is highly undesirable to use plastic container, since at any time a reaction of plastic with concentrated ethyl alcohol can occur. You can use several bottles, but they must all be made of glass.
How to properly dilute moonshine to 40 degrees? First you need to figure out why moonshine should be diluted at all. Many people who abuse alcohol don't really need it. However, there are many connoisseurs of this natural product, whose tasting abilities and sense of beauty are slightly higher. And such people will be able to appreciate high-quality and pure moonshine, made at home and prepared according to their own recipe. In this case, dilution with water is simply necessary.
Undiluted moonshine has a strength of 70 - 90 degrees
Many moonshiners have their own zest, and even if you follow a strict order, moonshine can turn out to be different both in color and in taste. Without dilution with water, the drink has a 70 - 90% strength and causes only discomfort for many. So forty degrees the best option for the majority of people.
The main reasons for dilution are:
- Final processing of the product for consumption.
- Reducing the strength for subsequent distillation.
What water is better to dilute moonshine
Water can be completely different in taste and composition, despite the fact that it is still the same H2O. Not only the color and taste of the product, but also its shelf life depends on what water to dilute. After all, if the water is unpurified, then no alcohol will help kill harmful microbes and bacteria that will turn moonshine into an incomprehensible liquid.
Breeding is a more serious matter than it seems at first glance. From such alcohol, not only an unpleasant aftertaste is possible, but also much more serious consequences, up to poisoning.
This cannot be taken lightly. So, what should be the water (main factors):
- transparent and colorless;
- with a temperature not higher than 20 °C;
- containing a minimum of salts or without them at all;
- with minimal rigidity;
- not tapped or distilled;
The last point is the main problem for urban residents, since it is not so easy to find suitable water in the city. But it is not difficult for residents of the foothills and similar areas where there is natural springs clean water. The ideal option is spring water, but artesian water is also suitable. How to dilute moonshine, see this video:
How to dilute moonshine
Knowing how to properly dilute moonshine is very important. In order for a strong drink to have a pleasant taste, you need to pour alcohol into cold water. Breed exactly in cold water to avoid unpleasant odors. In addition, if you pour it the other way around, dilute moonshine, not water (which, by the way, is one of common mistakes novice moonshiners), then the drink may eventually have an unpleasant aftertaste. It is these subtleties of this case that help to understand how to dilute and make high-quality moonshine.
Use the Fertman table for breeding moonshine
As for the second run, heat liquids can cause a fire hazard - strong vapors can ignite easily. This is explained by the fact that the stronger the fortress, the more actively the chemical elements of alcohol interact with fusel oils. As a consequence, this too will not give the desired results for a cleaner drink.
In order to know how to dilute moonshine with any percentage of the fortress, there is a special formula:
(Al/Kr)* About - About = the amount of water, where: Al - the current strength of alcohol, Kr - the strength that needs to be obtained, About - the volume of the product. If this formula is incomprehensible, then you can find online calculators. It is enough to enter the necessary data into them to get the desired numbers.
But the table will not help solve all problems, because not only ignorance of how to dilute moonshine with water can ruin everything. It is important to observe the desired temperature of water and air - not higher than 5 - 20 ° C. Many inexperienced moonshiners forget about storage conditions in principle. One of the mistakes is using plastic bottles as a container.
Alcohol corrodes most types of plastic, so glass containers are best.
It is also important to understand that the slightest contact of moonshine with air also affects the quality of the product. Therefore, it is desirable that the liquid is always close to the neck of the container. It is worth considering the material of the lid, since plastic, as mentioned above, spoils the drink. 
Another factor negatively affecting the quality is exposure to sunlight, which should be avoided. For those who have finances and want to produce a decent volume, there are special stainless steel barrels. They will become great solution for a moonshiner who wants a quality product, but this is an option for more experienced people. In such an opaque barrel, it is more difficult to follow the process - you can not see the color and precipitation that may appear in those who do not understand this matter.
The relative humidity in the storage room should be around 85%. It is also worth paying attention to unpleasant odors, if any, in the room. They can indirectly quite strongly affect the taste of the product.
After all the hauls and the final dilution of moonshine with water, it should not be consumed immediately. You need to let it stand for about a week, but this period may not suit many. In this case, you can wait a couple of days. This is done for complete diffusion and refinement of the drink.
Conclusion
Compliance with all storage conditions and knowing how to properly dilute moonshine will help slow down the natural chemical reactions that can spoil the taste of the drink. Therefore, you need to pay attention to all the nuances. In this matter, it is better to overdo it. After all, it takes a lot of time, money and effort to make moonshine, and haste and neglect of advice can turn into disastrous results. For tips on diluting moonshine, see this video:
Knowing how to properly dilute moonshine with water up to 40 degrees, and other technical aspects, of course, play a major role in preparing a drink. However, don't get upset if something goes wrong. For best result past mistakes should be taken into account.
