What does it mean to separate heads and tails? The best methods for selecting the heads and tails of moonshine

Distillation separating the “head”, “body” and “tail” fractions is used for purification final product from harmful impurities and fusel oil. This technology allows get rid of the unpleasant taste and smell of moonshine, making it high quality and safe for consumption. We will break down this process step by step and give recommendations to simplify it.

Some experienced moonshiners believe that the typical taste of moonshine is its “ business card"and getting rid of it is wrong. In fact, this is a stereotype, because distillate standard - complete absence of taste, smell and color. Turbidity and aftertaste are the result of poor-quality distillation, which is done in villages using outdated technologies. I suggest keeping up with the times and drinking only high-quality alcohol.

Never be greedy when separating harmful fractions. Good quality product is the key to a successful evening.

During distillation, not only water and pure ethyl alcohol evaporate, but also a number of other harmful compounds: methyl alcohol, acetaldehyde, ethyl butyric ether, amyl alcohol and others.

The boiling point of these impurities is different, so distillation occurs unevenly: first they evaporate very harmful compounds (head), then goes high-quality moonshine (body) and at the end they also go compounds with bad odor (tails).

When starting distillation, the first drops of alcohol will be the harmful heads. After some time the body will come. There will be tails dripping at the end.

Our task- collect as much high-quality moonshine as possible, excluding heads and tails from it.

How to correctly count and select heads, bodies and tails during distillation?

There are many ways, but the simplest and most effective is considered sugar. The rule is: for every kilogram of sugar you need to separate 50 ml of heads. The tails begin to drip the moment the strength in the stream drops to 40 degrees.

For clarity, I propose to consider an example that will objectively show how many heads, bodies and tails there are in moonshine:

Eat interesting video from Antonich and Alexey Podolyak, which will show all the technology for separating fractions. It is very interesting to listen to such an experienced moonshiner, so we highly recommend that you do so.

Along with water and alcohol, mash contains other substances, many of which are harmful to the body. Fortunately, their boiling point is higher or lower than that of ethyl alcohol, so using fractional distillation (separation into fractions) you can prevent most dangerous impurities from entering the finished product. We will look at methods that allow you to select the correct number of tails and heads of moonshine, which will have a positive effect on the quality of the distillate.

Attention! The information is relevant only for a conventional moonshine still, consisting of a distillation cube and a coil-shaped refrigerator; it is also possible to have a steamer. For devices with reflux condensers and other devices that simulate the operation of a distillation column, the parameters for selecting tails and heads may differ from those set out here. I advise you to clarify this point with the circuit designers, manufacturers or equipment sellers. I do not advise on commercial models of devices.

The amount of harmful impurities depends on the raw materials, water, yeast, temperature, duration of fermentation, design of the moonshine still and distillation technology. Even in mash according to the same recipe, the concentration of harmful substances can change every time, but at home, analyzing the composition of mash is impossible, so you have to take approximate values ​​as a basis.

"Head" of moonshine(also called “pervach” or “pervak”) - the initial fraction with a sharp unpleasant odor. Contains the most dangerous impurities: methyl alcohol (a lot in grain and fruit mashes), acetone, acetaldehyde and others. Due to the fact that the boiling point of harmful substances is lower than that of ethyl alcohol, during distillation they come out first, therefore, they can be prevented from getting into the main product.

In everyday life, pervach is considered the highest quality moonshine, since it is strong and quickly intoxicates. In fact, it is poison in its pure form; its consumption causes toxic poisoning, which is often confused with intoxication.

The moonshine head should not be drunk or used for rubbing. This fraction can be used exclusively for technical needs, but due to the unpleasant odor, in most cases it is simply thrown away.

"Body"– the drinking part, the main goal of the moonshiner (the second name is “heart”). In theory, it contains only ethyl alcohol and water, but in practice there are always other impurities in the “body”, since during distillation it is physically impossible to divide the output into clear fractions, to one degree or another different substances with a close boiling point are always mixed, the output is “lubricated”.

For complete decomposition into fractions, rectification is needed, thanks to which pure ethyl alcohol can be obtained. The disadvantage of this method is that, along with harmful impurities, substances responsible for the organoleptic properties of the drink are removed.

This means that after rectification, the taste and smell of moonshine made from different raw materials (sugar, grain and fruit) will be the same, since only ethyl alcohol will remain in the drink.

It should be remembered that the harm and benefits of many substances in the distillate are relative. For example, fusel oils cause the liver to become active before alcohol begins to act, this protects the body from the harmful effects of alcohol.

A study by Vladimir Pavlovich, professor of the Research Institute of Narcology of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, proved that rectified alcohol (vodka) causes alcohol addiction many times faster than distillates - whiskey, cognac, tequila, etc. About 70% of addicted people are vodka alcoholics. The purer the poison (in our case, ethyl alcohol), the faster the addiction develops.

Correct division of moonshine into fractions during distillation on a classic moonshine still allows you to remove almost all harmful substances, but leave those that are responsible for the aroma and taste of the drink, which cannot be done with rectification.

"Tail" of moonshine– the third fraction, in addition to ethyl alcohol, contains fusel oils, which give an unpleasant odor, taste and cloudy color. The boiling point of fusel milk is higher than that of ethyl alcohol, so in order to separate the tail of moonshine, it is enough to stop collecting the main product - the “body” - in time.

Although after distillation a lot of ethyl alcohol remains in the “tails” (up to 40%), the ingress of other substances with it spoils the quality of the moonshine, which is why it is so important to complete the distillation on time.

Unlike “heads,” “tails” are recyclable and can be added to new portion mash (immediately before distillation) or purify in a distillation column. It is useless to distill the “tails” a second time in a moonshine still; it will not improve the quality!

The question of how many “heads” and “tails” to select is a compromise between the quantity and quality of moonshine. Further we will use the “golden mean” - parameters tested by more than one generation of moonshiners. You can change them at your discretion in one or the other direction. Further I will pay attention not to specific numbers, but to methods of calculation.

How to take the head of moonshine

First, the mash is brought to a boil. When the first drops appear, the power is reduced to a minimum, then the heating is gradually increased again so that the device reaches operating mode. Performance depends on the design and power of the stove; there are no average parameters here. It is considered normal when the moonshine comes out cold (the temperature is approximately equal to the temperature of the cooling water). This is what we need to strive for.

Head separation methods:

1. On sugar. The simplest, but at the same time effective method. Suitable if the sugar content of the mash or the amount of added sugar is known. In fruit or grain mash, sugar content is determined by a special device - a vinometer (hydrometer-saccharometer) before adding yeast.

For example, there are 5 liters of mash with a sugar content of 20%, this means that the total sugar content is 1 kg (5 * 0.2 = 1). The calculation assumes that 1 liter of solution is equal in weight to 1 kilogram, in practice this is not the case, but the error itself has little effect on the result, and it simplifies the calculation significantly, so I advise you not to “bother.”

From 1 kg of sugar, 60-100 ml of heads are taken. It is advisable to divide this amount into two distillations, taking 30-50 ml of the yield during the first distillation and the same amount during the second.

2. For pure alcohol. It is not always possible to determine the sugar content before fermentation begins. In this case, the first distillation is done without cutting off the “heads”, then the amount of absolute alcohol is measured. For example, if you get 6 liters of distillate with a total strength of 63%, then it contains 3.78 liters of pure alcohol (6*0.63=3.78). To simplify the calculations, we take the strength of ethyl as 100%, although absolute alcohol can only be obtained in laboratory conditions.

During the second distillation, the head fraction is cut off at the rate of 8-15% of the amount of pure alcohol. In our example, this is 0.567 liters (3.78*0.15=0.567).

One of the variations of this method is the selection of 1% of the heads from the volume of mash, but due to various reasons related to fermentation and sugar concentration, this method cannot be considered accurate; it is better to focus on absolute ethyl.

3. By smell. Suitable for experienced distillers who can identify moonshine heads by their unpleasant smell.

The distillate coming out of the apparatus is periodically sniffed, rubbing a couple of drops in the palms, when the pungent smell disappears, they begin to select the “body”. This is a good way to check the accuracy of calculations based on sugar or alcohol.

4. By temperature. Due to the design features of moonshine stills and the different composition of impurities, this method does not always work well in practice. I recommend using it only as a last resort. I bring it here for your reference.

The evaporation temperature of the “heads” is 65-68°C. During distillation, when the temperature reaches 63°C (the thermometer should be at the entrance to the refrigerator), the heating power is sharply reduced in order to smoothly reach the above temperature range. Next, the “heads” are selected while drops flow from the apparatus. When the output stops, raise the temperature to 78°C and take the “body” to a temperature of 85°C. The values ​​are approximate and may differ depending on the device!

How to separate tails in moonshine

Evidence of the appearance of tails is a drop in strength in the stream to 30-45 degrees. In order not to miss this moment, it is advisable to collect the moonshine coming out of the still into a flask or small jar near the end of the distillation, in which you can simply take a measurement with an alcohol meter (the liquid temperature must be 20°C). If the strength is high enough, pour the distillate into a common container and place the jar again.

During the first distillation (especially fruit and grain mashes), you can collect the “body” until the distillate degree drops below 30%. At the same time, the moonshine sometimes becomes cloudy, but it’s okay; a second distillation, in which the beginning of the tails is considered to be 40% strength, will correct the problem.

Most moonshiners prefer to consider anything that has a strength below 40 degrees to be moonshine tails. If there is no alcohol meter, the moonshine is taken until it burns in the spoon.

When the yield strength drops below the minimum, distillation is stopped by stopping the heating, or tailings are continued to be collected up to 15-20%, but this wastes energy and time, which in most cases is not worth it.

The separation of moonshine into fractions during distillation has long ceased to be simply an imitation of imported distillates. Home moonshiners are increasingly making it a rule to cut off the distillate at the outlet and at the end. In this case, there is some loss in the quantity of the finished product. Therefore, cutting off fractions is a compromise between quality and quantity. For novice distillers, we will consider the principles of separating fractions and methods of calculating their quantity.

Moonshine fractions

The entire distillate obtained as a result of distillation is usually divided into three fractions (from the French fractio - part, share): heads, body and tails. They do this to highlight essential oils, poisonous alcohols, acids that certainly appear during fermentation and distillation. They are present in any mash, both grain and fruit.

Heads

The first factions, called "heads", are also known as pervach or pervak. It is sometimes mistakenly considered the strongest and most valuable part of the distillation. In fact, it is a concentrate of dangerous compounds: methyl alcohol, ethyl ethers, acetaldehyde.

They come out first due to their lower boiling point compared to ethyl alcohol. The head fraction has a sharp, extremely unpleasant chemical odor. For this reason, heads are sometimes found technical application, but most often they pour it out.

Body

“Body” or “heart” is the name given to the main part of moonshine. In theory, this fraction should consist of water and ethyl alcohol. In practice, only rectification can achieve this result. When distilling on a moonshine still, it is difficult to accurately regulate the heating temperature of the mash. Some foreign substances with a boiling point close to ethyl alcohol enter the middle fraction.

Tails

By “tails” we mean the last release of moonshine. This fraction contains all heavy ethers and compounds that boil at temperatures above 90°C. Objectively, they do not pose great harm to health, especially in comparison with ethyl alcohol itself. But when found in large quantities in moonshine, fusel oils impart that same unpleasant odor and characteristic cloudy color.

Unlike heads that are dangerous for food use, tails can be put to suitable use. Most often, the tail fraction is added to a new mash before distillation begins. This is done to increase its strength and aroma. Despite the popular myth, re-distilling the tails themselves will not bring any beneficial effect. The quality of the distillate will remain the same.

How to select heads?

There are several ways to determine the volume of heads. The choice of the appropriate method depends on the skills and experience of the moonshiners, as well as available tools. The temperature of the selection of fractions and the strength of the moonshine are of decisive importance. It can be used on a household moonshine still, consisting of a cube, a cooler, possibly a steamer or a reflux condenser.

For sugar

Selection of heads for sugar is an accurate and unambiguous method of calculation. The essence of the method is the following proportion. In practice, it has been revealed that for 1 kg of sugar added to the mash, there are 70–100 ml of heads. A hydrometer measures the sweetness of the mash before adding yeast. Based on these numbers, you can calculate the sugar content in the mash.

Example. We have 20 liters of mash with a sweetness of 15% (according to the sugar meter). We get the weight of sugar: 20 * 0.15 = 3 kg. For 3 kg of sugar you need to take 210-300 ml of distillate.

It is recommended to separate the heads during both distillations, 50% for each. Both the first and second times we select 150 ml of heads. In the absence of measuring instruments, you can accurately measure the amount of added sugar using a scale. The method requires clear actions already at the stage of preparing the mash. But it allows you to know before distillation how many heads will need to be separated.

By alcohol

This method is suitable if you have not prepared for distillation in advance and have not measured the initial sugar content of the mash. In this case, the number of heads is equal to 10–15% of the pure alcohol content. To do this, we carry out the first distillation without dividing into fractions. And we measure the strength of the intermediate raw alcohol with an alcohol meter.

Example. After the first distillation, 7 liters of product with a strength of 68% were obtained. Pure alcohol content: 7 * 0.68 = 4.76 liters. Means, maximum amount heads: 4.67 * 0.15 = 0.714 ml.

By temperature

This method is based on the difference in boiling points of various substances. It is not the most unambiguous due to the proximity of these temperatures. At home, it is quite difficult to produce heating with a household moonshine still with an accuracy of 1-2 degrees.

The process is as follows:

1. Bring the mash to a boil.
2. Then gradually increase the heating temperature to 79°C over 15–20 minutes. With the first drops, acetaldehyde will come out with a boiling point of 22°C, and ethyl acetate will complete the chain - 79°C.
3. We are also gradually reducing reverse side in order to extract as much as possible from the liquid the esters and oils available in this temperature range. The collected distillate will be the head fraction.
4. To expel the body, we heat the mash again. Body sampling temperature 79–88°C, tails will follow.

By smell

It exists along with other methods, but is the most unpredictable. Used only by experienced distillers. The whole point is built on the experience and instinct of a master who correctly assesses the stage of distillation. Collecting a few drops of distillate on his palm, he rubs them with his fingers and determines the fraction by smell. It is impossible to explain the technology of this method. It takes a long time to practice moonshine.

How to cut off tails?

The selection of tailings is based on the strength of the distillate. Typically, body sampling is stopped when the strength in the stream drops to 40°C, which requires an alcohol meter to measure. The drink is collected in small portions into small containers, cooled to 20°C (the operating temperature of the alcohol meter) and measured for strength. The actions are repeated until the strength decreases. Now the tails are coming out.

The old-fashioned method allows you to cut off the tail without an alcohol meter using a lighter. The distillate must be collected in an iron spoon and set on fire. The non-burning distillate was classified as tailings.

Selection of fractions during subsequent distillations

The selection of heads and tails during double distillation is necessarily carried out during the second distillation. When producing intermediate raw alcohol, many moonshiners distill it “to dryness,” that is, to the last drop. But most sources still agree on the need to select tails during each haul. Of course, some amount of alcohol remains in them, but it is not possible to extract it without smell or taste. The selection of heads during the first distillation is carried out if their exact number is known in advance. 50% is selected the first time and 50% the second time.

Attention, TODAY only!

Due to rising prices for alcohol and a drop in its quality, as well as an increase in cases of poisoning from store-bought products, people have become more interested in moonshine and its features. This article will talk about how to separate the “heads” and “tails” in moonshine.

Device design

It should be noted that the methods described below are not suitable for all moonshine stills. Therefore, it is necessary to describe the device that will be discussed in the article.

The design of the device is a tank for mash on fire or with a built-in heating element, connected to the cooling cube by an adapter tube.

Aluminum tank

If you decide to make a moonshine still yourself, it is recommended to use a tank made of food grade (table aluminum). Soviet milk tanks with a volume of 15, 20 and 40 liters will work just as well. All you have to do is drill a hole at the top, attach a cooling cube to it, and you're done. A cheap, easy-to-make “cauldron” for brewing moonshine and for distilling tails and heads will last a long time.

Stainless steel tank

Food grade stainless steel is also good for this purpose. But stainless steel tanks are mainly used for industrial purposes, and therefore are expensive in themselves.

Tanks made of other metals can, when heated, poison both the mash and the drink, releasing heavy metals such as lead, tin, and zinc. These metals tend to accumulate in the body and cause harm to organs and their systems, and therefore they are very dangerous for use in the delicate process of cooking and cutting off the “heads” and “tails” in moonshine.

What does separation mean?

So, first, let’s define what it means to separate “heads” and “tails.” In essence, this is the division of a drink into fractions that differ in composition and properties. In general, the “head” and “tail” in moonshine are separated by temperature.

What is a "head"?

This fraction contains a large number of harmful impurities, is not recommended for consumption and has an evaporation temperature of up to 70 degrees. While the apparatus enters operating mode, usually the entire “head” comes out, which cannot be filtered or distilled, since the fusel oils and other by-products contained in it have a boiling point lower than that of ethyl alcohol.

Do you need a "head"?

This term, as already mentioned, refers to what comes out first - a large amount of fusel oils, methyl alcohol with an evaporation temperature of up to 70-72 degrees. This feature helps to understand how to cut off the “heads” and “tails” in moonshine. At one time, “head” (otherwise it is also called pervak) was considered high-quality alcohol, as it was more intoxicating. But you shouldn’t get your hopes up, thinking that the stronger the “high,” the better the quality of the alcohol.

In the case of “heads”, intoxication is caused not by alcohol, but by intoxication caused by fusel oils and methyl alcohol. These impurities have a detrimental effect on all body systems, and cause particular harm to the liver and brain. At the same time, methyl alcohol in the “head” can lead to visual impairment or complete blindness when used over a long period of time. Experienced distillers usually simply pour out the “heads”, if only because of the unbearable smell, and determine that the “head” has come out by smelling and tasting the drink. It is by smell that you can identify the “heads” and “tails” in moonshine. Having realized that the “primary” has come out, we will change the container to a larger one for the “body”.

What is "body"?

This is 75-80% of the drink. It contains a maximum of ethyl (food grade) alcohol and a minimum of harmful additives. It is suitable for consumption, as it is considered the cleanest part of the pasture. With respect to the “body” the calculation of “heads” and “tails” in moonshine will begin.

“Body” is considered to be something that has a minimum of harmful impurities, and, accordingly, a pungent odor and disgusting taste. This fraction is expelled at a temperature of 75 degrees, and it makes up the largest volume of the entire pasture.

What comes out of the “body”?

Speaking of the “body” that is subject to filtering. Yes, yes, for those who want to get first-class moonshine, there are 2 news: good and bad. Good: the drink can be filtered by distillation, resulting in almost pure alcohol. The bad news is that some of the drink will be lost (5-10% from each distillation). Also, each subsequent distillation is more energy-consuming, which increases the cost of the resulting alcohol. But if you make moonshine for your loved one, then what is the point of energy costs, the main thing is to get relatively cheap and high-quality alcohol? After all, the invariable advantage of moonshine is that you are 100% sure of the drink and that you will not get poisoned.

What does "tail" mean?

This term is usually used to describe what comes after the “head” with a strength below 40 degrees; its composition is unpleasant: fusel oils. It also has an unpleasant taste and smell, which is why it is also undesirable for consumption. But the “tail”, unlike the “head”, is suitable for distillation, which we will talk about later. Now it’s clear how to separate the “heads” and “tails” in moonshine.

Is it possible to use "tails"?

This fraction begins to emerge at a temperature of 85 °C. How to select “heads” and “tails” in moonshine? You can determine that there are “tails” in this way: the color of the drink is cloudy, the strength is low (less than 40%), odors similar to the smell of “heads” appear. If you don't have an alcohol meter, you can put a little liquid in a tablespoon and set it on fire. If it burns with an invisible or barely visible blue flame, the alcohol content is still around 40%. Thus, it becomes clear how to calculate the “heads” and “tails” in moonshine. Any other burning or its absence indicates that the “tails” have gone and it is necessary to change the container again, setting aside our cream.

By the way, “tails”, unlike “heads”, can be filtered according to the same principle as the “body”. In general, the “tails” can be added to the “body” and distilled along with it, but you should be able to cut off what is unnecessary. The “tails” must be distilled to a strength of 20%. Everything else is unsuitable for pasture, because essential and fusel oils remain in the container, which evaporate at temperatures above 90 °C. Next, we add them to the “body” (or separately) and distill them using the above-mentioned method.

The feasibility of moving tailings

It is worth noting that when adding the “tail” to the “body”, we will have to dilute 1 part moonshine in 2 parts water. And with separate filtration, we dilute the “tail” 1 to 3, also remembering the strength. And we make calculations according to the same principles. For example, we have 500 ml of “tails” with a total strength of 30%. Let's calculate the amount of alcohol. Divide the volume of 500 ml by 100%, and multiply the resulting 5 by 30 and get 150 ml of pure alcohol.

It is clear to the naked eye that it is more economically feasible to either pour out the “tails” and not suffer, wondering how to separate the “heads” and “tails” in moonshine, or to distill them together with the “body”, observing the above-mentioned conditions.

How to distill moonshine?

After finishing the pasture, the device must be washed and charged again, but with the “body” (in the proportion of 1 part “body” to 2 parts water). By the way, it is better to use water not from the tap, but to take it from a well. There is also an opinion that you can take distilled water obtained using the same apparatus, since such water does not contain impurities, and it will more actively absorb compounds unnecessary in the drink. Its boiling point is slightly higher than normal.

We charge the device for the second round. For example, let's take that we supposedly have 2 liters of “body” with a strength of 70%. Let's calculate how much alcohol should be produced. Divide 2 liters (this is 2000 ml) by 100% and get 20, then multiply by the strength of the drink. In our case it is 70%. We get 1400 ml or 1.4 liters of pure 100% alcohol. Since 100% ethyl alcohol does not exist, but 96% does exist, we will leave an error of 4% in the tank along with unnecessary impurities that give an unpleasant odor.

Following the recipe, add another 4 liters of water to two liters of “body” and let it simmer, raising the temperature to 70-75 degrees. We expel the drink until we get the volume of alcohol that was in the “body”, and in our case it is 1.4 liters. There is no longer any need to expel it, since what we wanted to get rid of plus water remained in the tank.

So, we received 1400 ml of 90-96% alcohol, which must be diluted to obtain a 40% drinkable drink. It is strongly not recommended to dilute the alcohol that you plan to consume with distilled water, since it is “dead” and washes minerals from the body, and this has a very detrimental effect on health.

As a result, the result is very, very well-purified moonshine, one might say, of the first grade. The procedure can be repeated, but experienced distillers believe that one or two distillations are usually enough.

Alcohol meter

An alcohol meter, otherwise known as a hydrometer, is used to change the percentage of alcohol in a liquid. This device can help with the question of how to cut off the “heads” and “tails” in moonshine. Oddly enough, if you put it in a liquid that obviously does not contain any alcohol, it will still show a certain percentage of alcohol content. The fact is that this device is based on the following principle: it determines the amount of alcohol based on the density of the liquid. Therefore, you need to be able to work with it correctly.

There are several types of hydrometers. To work at home you will need a household one. It measures the percentage of alcohol in homemade vodka or moonshine on a scale from 0 to 96. The disadvantage of this device is a small error - 0.5%. But usually this does not have a huge significance, since people make moonshine for themselves, and not for sale on an industrial scale.

It should be remembered that this measuring instrument should be treated with care, because any scratch or crack renders the alcohol meter unusable. You also need to know that you can use it to measure the strength of a drink only at a temperature of 20 degrees. If the drink is hotter or colder, the device will show an incorrect result. A household hydrometer should not be used to measure drinks containing impurities, such as wine, liqueurs, etc., since it is designed to measure only the density of alcohol and water.

A few more recommendations. After diluting the alcohol with water, you need to wait 10 minutes and only then start measuring, because immediately after dilution the liquid will generate a lot of heat. In addition, the device must be clean and dry, otherwise, again, the measurements will be incorrect.

When the temperature of the moonshine reaches 20 degrees, it must be poured into a glass or flask and carefully lower the alcohol meter into it with the wide part down. If you work with it harshly, you can damage it, and then you will have to get a new one.

Finally

The article described how to separate the “heads” and “tails” in moonshine. It’s worth adding that selling moonshine is simply prohibited in many countries, but no one talked about making moonshine for themselves. As far as we know, winemakers are not imprisoned or subject to huge fines. It’s the same with moonshine. While you are doing this for yourself, law enforcement agencies are not interested. The constant advantage of moonshine brewing is the low cost of the drink and absolute confidence in its composition.

For a long time now, many lovers of strong alcohol have preferred high-quality homemade moonshine to store-bought alcohol. But when making a decent drink, it is impossible to avoid observing technological subtleties fractional distillation.

This is directly related to the careful selection of dangerous and harmful impurities from the finished product in the form of so-called heads and tails.

In order to correctly separate by-products into fractions in moonshine, you need to know not only how to properly separate the heads and tails, but also what they are.

Heads

The first fraction released during distillation, since the boiling point of dangerous impurities like methanol, acetaldehydes and acetone is slightly lower than that of ethanol.

This makes it easy to prevent harmful head components from getting into the finished drink. It has a pungent and very unpleasant odor.

Body

The most important part of the resulting distillate, directly used for drinking and being the main purpose of the entire distillation. Theoretically, it should contain only water and pure ethanol.

But it is almost impossible to thoroughly eliminate all impurities during conventional distillation. But to obtain a high-quality body with pleasant organoleptic properties, you need to know how to properly distill moonshine, in order to cut off the heads and ends in time and carefully select each fraction.

Tails

The third and last fraction, which concentrated in its composition, along with ethanol, a mass of fusel oils and isopropyl alcohol. Characterized by more high temperature boiling than the body, a cloudy color and a rather unpleasant and pungent odor.

In what cases are the head and tails taken?

Whatever mash we choose as the basis for subsequent distillation, moonshine brewing will necessarily be accompanied by the formation of a number of impurities varying degrees harmfulness.

During the distillation process, they are concentrated in the heads and tails of the distilled product. It is almost impossible to completely get rid of them without resorting to rectification.

But by freeing the drink from residual by-products in the rectification system, we deprive it of most of its pleasant organoleptic qualities. That is, regardless of the type of raw materials used in the production of various products, it will have the same taste.

If you wisely take advantage of the difference in boiling temperatures of the heads, tails and main body of moonshine, then their optimal selection is quite possible.

At the same time, at the output we have a high-quality distillate with a minimum of fusel impurities and with an organoleptic characteristic unique to it. The smell and taste, so expressive for connoisseurs of homemade alcohol, are important distinctive features.

How to properly select heads and tails in moonshine

The raw alcohol obtained after the first distillation is still characterized by a high content of harmful impurities in both the head and tail parts.

Repeated fractional distillation, supplemented by intermediate purification, will make it much better than the original version.

Repeated fractional distillation is one of the mandatory conditions made and with a pleasant taste.

Therefore, during the first distillation of mash, many experienced moonshiners often do without selecting heads and tails.

When cutting off harmful fractions from the body of moonshine, it is important to remember the variability of these values ​​and try to adhere to proven average parameters. To do this, you need to be able to calculate the volume of heads and tails in order to know how to do this correctly during the second distillation of moonshine.

Methods for calculating goals

In order not to make a mistake with the selection, you should definitely calculate their number, resorting to some proven methods.

• According to sugar content.

A fairly effective method based on accurate information about the initial sugar content of the wort. At the same time, the recommended amount per kilo of sugar is 60-100 ml. For example, if it took 2 kg of sugar to produce, then you need to select from 120 to 200 ml of heads.

Or, having calculated the total amount of sugar in the finished mash based on its initial percentage, we make the recommended selection of the head fraction from each kilogram.

If they are selected during both distillations, it is advisable to divide the quantity into two stages. Cutting off the head part when processing sugar mash is practiced already during the first distillation. It is recommended to take 30 ml from each kilogram of sugar in the mash.

• By volume of absolute alcohol.

One of the reliable and simple calculation methods. To do this, it is necessary to calculate the pure alcohol in the semi-finished product after the first distillation. For example, 10 liters of raw alcohol with a strength of about 40%, according to the calculations obtained, contains 4 liters of absolute alcohol.

To simplify the calculation, the strength of alcohol is theoretically considered to be about 100%. Then it is necessary to cut off 8-15% of the head product from the already calculated 4 liters. If you adhere to the recommended 10% selection, then you need to separate about 400 ml of heads.

• By smell.

The method is only suitable for experienced moonshiners. Only they are able to clearly determine the presence of the head fraction by the sharp smell of drops of alcohol rubbed on the palm. Usually, in this way, professionals control its selection in practice.

• By temperature.

Since the head fractions begin to evaporate at a temperature of 65-68 °C, it is theoretically convenient to use this to cut them off. In practice, the method does not guarantee the accuracy of the results due to design differences in distillation and the ambiguous composition of mash impurities.

Selection using this method is based on a sharp decrease in the heating power of the distillate when it reaches 63 °C. This ensures a smooth transition to the specified evaporation temperature. Then the head distillate is cut off drop by drop.

How to select goals

Let's consider the selection of the head fraction during the second distillation using a classic moonshine still with cooling:

• Bring the raw alcohol to a boil, and when it reaches 78 °C, removing the heat, hold the distillation for 10-15 minutes in the range of 60-64 °C.
• We increase the heating so that the temperature at the top of the distiller remains in the range of 64-77 °C.
• We carefully control the rate of release of the head liquid with an accuracy of 1 drop per second. This frequency is necessary to correctly cut off the counted amount.

How to separate the tails

For their timely selection, it is very important to be aware of reliable methods for accurately calculating the volume of the expected body.

• By absolute alcohol value.

Using a similar formula for calculating the head part, we calculate absolute alcohol, using the example of 10 liters of crude alcohol with a strength of 40%. Its value is correspondingly equal to 4 liters.

Then we take 70% of this volume and theoretically get 2.8 liters of pure alcoholic body. But in practice, it is impossible to obtain pure ethyl from any distillation.

Therefore, we will focus on the specific strength of the drink at the exit, which is no more than 92%.

To determine the actual volume of the collected body, it is enough to use simple calculation: divide the calculated body volume by absolute alcohol by the specific distillate strength as a percentage.

That is, in our case, we divide 2.8 liters by 0.92, taking the alcohol strength of 92% for calculation. As a result of this recalculation, it is necessary to assemble a body measuring 3.043 liters.

• By temperature in the cube.

Typically, when the temperature in the distillation cube reaches from 92 to 95 °C, the active release of tailings begins. In this case, they immediately stop collecting the body and continue to collect the tail part in a separate container.

• By strength.

It is customary for most to classify as the tail component anything that is below 40% in strength and, when tested, no longer burns in a spoon.

But the first distillation of especially grain and fruit wort allows you to select a body of lower strength, thereby setting the taste of the drink. The quality of alcohol is improved by the second distillation.

During the first distillation, the tails are usually cut off sugar mash, which do not contain anything good, unlike grains and fruits.

Until recently, the head fraction, commonly known as pervach, was mistakenly considered the strongest and highest quality part of moonshine. Now we know that intoxication was simply confused with intoxication.

And due to the concentration of harmful impurities, it can neither be consumed nor used for medicinal purposes. It is either drained or left solely for technical purposes.

But what to do with the tails of the moonshine is up to you, although the remnants of good ethanol can only be extracted from it by rectification. If the volumes of the product are economically justified, it is possible to prepare from this rectified product - good vodka—. But in most cases, adding this fraction to the next portion of mash increases its strength.

A thorough analysis of the characteristics of the main fractions of home distillate allows us to understand the need for their correct and timely selection. And the quality and taste of moonshine and the degree of its harm to the body directly depend on this.