How to Drink Moonshine

Stunning twists and turns of history touched moonshine. It was distilled for their own needs, used for infusions and medicines. Some decades were actively forbidden to make it even for oneself, threatening the criminal punishment. And now they sell moonshine machines in stores, on the market, on the Internet, assuring that there is no better drink and cannot be. In fact, moonshine, made and purified according to all the rules, will leave far behind overseas gin and brandy. With it you can also make cocktails or drink it pure, but in moderation, so that the fun does not turn into a drunken binge.

What is moonshine

Strong alcoholic drink has found its admirers in many countries. There are many recipes for making it, but the principle is the same - first you make a distillery, then there is distillation and purification. The raw materials are:

• wheat;
• corn;
• beet;
• potatoes;
• fruits, berries;
• jam;
• bread.

Technically, the raw material can be any product containing sugar and starch, but more often preference is given to fruit and cereals. The strength varies from 35 to 70 degrees and higher.

Types of

The name of the brew in different countries:

• Moonshine - English.
• Schwarzgebranntes - German.
• Samogonas - Lithuanian.
• Samogon - Polish.
• Rontikka - Finnish.
• Palinka - Hungarian.

Even the names are similar in most cases, especially in translation. Domestic drink in tsarist times had several gradations.

Half-gar was named for its quality check by combustion. With the right recipe and technology burned exactly half of the volume. The strength reached 42 degrees, diluted with water. Grain was used as a base.

A foamer had an indicator of 50 degrees, compliance was checked by pouring from one container to another. A thin stream should form a foam.

The three-test wine was the strongest, reaching 55 degrees. When burning it burned out two thirds.

Folk classification is much broader, the names were given on the basis of the brew. Aside from moonshine, the most famous are:

• dried fruit;
• horseradish;
• birch;
• spotykach;
• cooler;
• honey;
• sbiten;
• cranberry.

Alcohol content in different kinds ranges from 12 to 50 degrees.

The most popular is moonshine with sugar, followed by grape, fruit and jam beverage.

There are slight differences in the technology of cooking. Especially fundamental is the product to provide fermentation. The most popular and available is yeast, but they leave an unpleasant taste and require additional cleaning. Apart from these, hop cones, peas, and tomato paste help ensure the process. Wild yeast found on the surface of berries and fruits is also good. The fruit is kneaded, sugar and water are added, the mixture is poured into a bottle and placed in a warm, dark place.

Important: Washing fruits and berries is not allowed, yeast fungi will be washed away, so the raw material for the base is collected from the branches, not using the fallen.

Composition and calories

Beverage allows a lot of options for the basis. It defines the composition. Braga consists of 3 fractions: solid base, liquid alcohols and gaseous plumes. Samogon contains:

• alcohols, including methanol;
• syrupy oils;
• aldehydes;
• acids;
• esters.

The final composition depends on the type of brew, the presence of yeast or other digestive component, and the distillation technology.

Interesting: Among the useful substances include potassium, sodium, calcium, mono- and disaccharides with a caloric value of 235 kcal.

Despite this discrepancy in the components, since 2015 there is GOST for the production of homemade alcoholic beverages, which states that at a high degree is allowed dilution with water and requires mandatory purification from the main part of the syrup oil. The recommendation is to use activated charcoal. But as an option, purification with soda, milk and other components is allowed.

How to drink moonshine correctly

The drink is quite strong in any form. It requires caution and knowledge of proportion, only then it will be beneficial. Samogon stands apart from fancy varieties, such as absinthe or tequila. It is unlikely to see green fairies, but devils of the same color when the dose is exceeded - readily.

The main rule of drinking it is to drink it from small glasses and eat plenty of snacks after each one. In this case, the food must be extremely simple, but tasty and nourishing. Lard, salted cucumber, black bread and a head of onion are considered a classic. Not for nothing in the popular folk anecdote a bad wife tells her husband: "Don't drink," and the good wife tells him: "Snack on it!"

The young man's attitude to drink a glass in a gulp is nothing but an attraction. No pleasure, other than a very quick intoxication and loss of the thread of conversation, will be had. Small portions allow you to keep your head in a pleasant haze of relaxation without crossing the boundaries of decency.

The best time for tasting is in the evening. At this time the body is able to absorb small portions without much harm, quickly breaking down the alcohols and eliminating toxins. The drink is poured into small shot glasses or stills of simple shape without feet, preferably with a thick bottom. Samogon is drunk chilled so you can feel less residuals of the sivushny oils.

What to snack on

If guests showed up on the doorstep, carrying a deliciously gurgling quarter, it is worth preparing for a long feast. As an appetizer an experienced hostess on the table will be:

• green onions;
• tomatoes;
• fresh and pickled cucumbers;
• dill, parsley;
• lean chicken;
• beef;
• boiled or baked potatoes;
• sauerkraut;
• pickled garlic and rampson;
• salted and smoked fish;
• hard cheeses;
• cuts of meat.

In this case, it is better to increase the portions on the plates than to chase a breathtaking variety.

It is worth taking into account: honey moonshine has a sweetish flavor. For him it is best to prepare sour fruit desserts, cheese, grapes.

With what to drink

Some people prefer to drink alcohol instead of a snack. For this purpose, ordinary cool water, fruit and citrus juices, Schweppes, tomato drink are suitable. Samogon combines well with other types of alcohol, but it is no longer a washout, but a full-fledged cocktail.

Is it possible to drink moonshine after the first distillation

In principle, yes, if instead of a friendly handshake a person prefers a swinging fist punch. The strength is 80-85 degrees, the taste is tough with a lot of impurities and does not depend on the raw material from which the brew is made. In the so-called "head," which is the first portion of the product, there is a high concentration of impurities that are harmful to the body. The main part, the body, goes when the strength drops to 50 degrees. The distillation continues as long as the liquid retains the ability to burn, which can be checked. To do this, a portion is taken in a spoon and lit. The weak-alcoholic residue, the tail, is diluted too strong product or poured into the next portion of the brew.

Pervach is more often used for the preparation of alcoholic tinctures and rubbers according to folk recipes, or subjected to repeated distillation.

Cocktails with moonshine: recipes

Strong alcoholic beverage is perfectly combined with other alcohol, fruit and vegetable juices, which opens up a wide scope for the folk imagination. There are a number of classic combinations that have long and firmly gained recognition.

Mohitovka
A quickly adopted counterpart to the famous mix, where any berries and fruits are used instead of lime. The result is a whole line of unique aperitifs that Western gourmets can't even dream of. You can be guided by the classical way of preparation. For 1 liter of moonshine you take 4 lemon zest, 25 leaves of fresh mint of any kind, berry or fruit syrup and crushed ice. Adjust the amount of syrup to taste, divide the drink into portions and serve in tall, thin glasses with cocktail straws.

Berry Mix.

Perfect for ladies' company, moderately sweet, flavorful and not very strong. Ingredients:

• moonshine - 500 ml;
• 2 kinds of berry liqueur, for example, strawberry and raspberry - 120 ml each;
• freshly squeezed juice of the same kind as the liqueurs - 20 ml;
• Ice in small cubes.

The liquids are mixed, a few ice cubes are placed on the bottom of the martin and the alcoholic mix is poured along the wall.

Screwdriver

For 50 ml of moonshine take 150 g of freshly squeezed orange juice, whip in a shaker, serve chilled. By replacing the orange with tomato juice, you get almost a Bloody Mary. The layers don't hold, but the flavor becomes much milder and the liquorice, if there was one, disappears.

Hop Coke.

Overseas lemonade is suitable as an ingredient to most types of hard liquor. The variant with moonshine is also loved by many. For 75 ml of soda take 50 ml of alcoholic beverage. Serve with ice in small thick-walled glasses.

Layered cocktail

The name of this drink series is translated as "cockerel's tail. Very effective serving and original taste. Suitable for any holiday, where the goal is to socialize and maintain a good mood. A dessert spoon is used for preparation, with a thin trickle pouring each new serving. The order is:

• ice;
• cherry liqueur - 20 ml;
• moonshine - 70 ml;
• orange fresh 40 ml;
• red wine - 30 ml.

The edge of the glass is decorated with slices of kiwi, lemon and orange, creating an aesthetically complete composition.

How to make moonshine at home

To obtain distillate requires a moonshine machine, which folk craftsmen make from a samovar, a pot and even an ordinary bucket. There are three steps:

• The preparation of the brew;
• distillation;
• purification.

The easiest recipe for the mash is sugar and pure, soft, unboiled water at the rate of 2:10. Yeast is added to it, 30 g of dry alcoholic yeast per 10 liters of liquid. Its temperature should not exceed 28 degrees, with a hotter base fungi will die, in cold water - fermentation will slow down significantly. The container is hermetically sealed, placed in a warm dark place, install a water seal. Preparedness will take 4-5 days. It is determined by the absence of foam and a bitter taste.

To remove the turbid suspension use bentonite. Consumption - 1 tbsp. spoon per 10 liters. After one day the fermentation residues fall to the bottom as sediment.

Then follows primary distillation through moonshine machine, we get raw alcohol. Filling of the tank does not exceed 3/4. For honey base can not be filled more than half, otherwise the process will be hindered by abundant foaming. To improve the quality of the product distillation is done twice.

Purification is a mandatory step, carried out by infusion or filtration through activated carbon. The yield of the finished product by this technology is 2.5 liters per 2 kg of sugar.

Important: if you want to reduce the strength of the drink, the alcohol is poured into the water, and not vice versa, otherwise the drink will turn out turbid.

Technology remains almost the same for any type of raw material, the main nuances of preparation concern the brew.

Benefits and harms of moonshine

Strong alcohol in therapeutic doses of 30-50 ml has anti-inflammatory, disinfectant, mild analgesic and vasodilator effects. It stimulates the heart, appetite, improves bile flow, increases the body's resistance to colds, reduces the risk of sclerosis. On the basis of the drink are prepared lappings, compresses and tinctures.

It is not the moonshine itself that harms the body, but its excessive amount. If the medicine is measured not by drops, but by glasses, in most cases it turns into a poison. Ignorance of measure in the consumption of alcohol leads to irreversible changes in the liver, weakening of the heart muscle, damage to the central nervous system, the failure of all systems of the body. One of the most dangerous consequences is considered to be the formation of alcohol dependence, leading to the destruction of the body and the degradation of the personality.

Interesting facts about moonshine

1. The drink has a "head" and a "tail," unfit for consumption, and the main part, the "body.
2. In different countries the drink is known as tequila, brandy, rum, absinthe, grappa. The raw materials are different, but the strength and the technology of preparation are very similar.
3. Samogon was already known in Ancient Egypt. It was made of corn and used as a medicine.
4. Many nations use half-liters - a 0.5-liter bottle of moonshine when settling accounts between neighbors.
5. The moonshine is prepared from everything that contains starch and sugar.
6. There are a lot of modifications of moonshiners, but the principle of operation is the same.
7. The strength level depends on the raw material and varies from 12 to 55 degrees.
8. Moonshining used to be the privilege of the aristocracy, now it is officially allowed, but only for personal needs.
9. Originally samogon was used only as medicine, the first mention of it in Russia is found in the Novgorod annals of 1533.
10. The strength of pervach sometimes exceeds 80 degrees.

Photo of moonshine