How to make a moonshine still from copper pipes. A copper distiller is an effective homemade alcohol purifier. Advantages of a copper coil

The composition of a copper moonshine still, with various options executions may include: a reinforcing column, a distillation cube (may look different), a dome-shaped lid or a mini-refrigerator (acts as a reflux condenser), a rotary elbow, a direct-flow refrigerator, a steam exhaust tube, a coil.

If we consider an apparatus of the so-called distillation column, as the most accessible for self-made, then its main feature, unlike distillation apparatuses, is the constant interaction of liquid and steam (and not the permanent condensation of the liquid fraction). Schematically, the sequence of converting raw materials into moonshine in such a device looks like this.

1. The mash in the distillation cube is boiling.
2. The steam rises through the strengthening column and enters the reflux condenser, where it cools (optimally to 78 degrees) and breaks down into water, ethanol and fusel oils. As we noted above, in this case, part of the condensate flows back down the column, and due to this, a new interaction of steam with condensate occurs. This is rectification - the best way to cleanse and strengthen the “output” drink.
3. Next, the mixture of condensate and steam through the rotary elbow enters the so-called direct-flow refrigerator - a vertical tube, that is, parallel to the reinforcing column. Inside this tube there is an unusual coil - a spiral-shaped copper wire called phlegm. Flowing down the reflux, rising again after condensation into the rotary elbow and flowing again, the condensate is freed from residues fusel oils(the first part of them settled during the cooling stage, since 78 degrees is the boiling point of ethanol, and for fusel it is significantly higher).

It should be noted that along the jacket of the second tube ( once-through refrigerator) and the reflux condenser, cooling water is supplied, for which a special inlet is provided.

Do you want a glass (or bottle) of real, 96 degrees, strong and well-refined moonshine? Then everything written above is for you. Just remember to dilute the resulting product.

It should be mentioned that the described distillation column is not the only option home device: more classical ones, closer to familiar look devices, devices with the addition of a special steam chamber for settling fusel oils, with special thermometers, etc.

Having looked at how a copper moonshine still works, let’s move on to the question of choice: purchase or assembly.

Buy or assemble yourself?

Pros and cons of purchasing

Pros:

• compliance with operational safety standards;
• compliance with safety standards of the resulting product;
• guarantee period;
• a fairly wide selection of ready-made solutions;
• there are very beautiful devices;
• There is no need to waste time and nerves on independent preparation and work on the device.

Minuses:

• high cost (although in some cases a DIY moonshine still will cost more than a ready-made one);
• With all the variety of devices available on the market, they may not all suit you aesthetically or in size.

Pros and cons of the build

In fact, they change places compared to the purchased device.

Pros:

• in most cases, if materials are available to you, it will save money;
• the device will most likely look the way you want;
• the incomparable pleasure of operating a device made with your own hands.

Minuses:

• high labor costs;
• the need to look for material and tools;
• In the absence of experience, errors in the design are possible, which can lead to both the preparation of a low-quality drink and a violation of safety regulations.

So what's the bottom line? In most cases, we recommend not torturing yourself and those around you, but simply carefully choosing and buying the device that suits you best.

It seems to us that making a copper moonshine still is possible if three conditions are met: you are not a beginner in this business, you have a lot of free time, and you have access to materials, tools and the place where the still is made. Well, of course, you are an incorrigible enthusiast for making your own moonshine stills. In this case, your own device is preferable.

How to make the device

By the way, sometimes copper apparatus simply mean a copper coil - see below.

But still, if you still decide to make a full-fledged copper moonshine still, taking into account all of the above, the sequence of your actions should be as follows.

1. Find the drawings. We won’t even consider the “draw it yourself” option. We strongly recommend that you not just download certain drawings distributed by “experts” on the Internet, but order drawings from professionals.
2. Sit down, delve into it, think carefully about the drawings you received. Make an estimate for materials, and also estimate how long it will take you to manufacture. Choose a place where you can work on making the device (for example, in the country).
3. Buy sheets of copper (professionals will tell you which one), silver solder, metal scissors, and other necessary materials.
4. Use a sharp object to mark the patterns of future parts onto the copper sheets.
5. Cut the blanks with metal scissors.
6. Finish the cut pieces with a file and mallet to smooth edges and the desired bends.
7. We should separately note the manufacture of the coil, if in your apparatus it differs from simple phlegm. You will have to wind a narrow copper tube, which will become a coil, onto another, thick pipe to give the desired spiral shape. Calculate in advance the length of the narrow tube for the coil and how you will fix it on the thick pipe (otherwise it will simply break off when you start winding).
8. Start soldering the finished parts according to the drawings. You need to solder, as you may have guessed, using only silver solder; lead solder is strongly not recommended.
9. After soldering is completed, it is necessary to check the resulting seams for leaks in any available way (for example, by filling with water).
10. Remove solder splashes and other contaminants, scrub and polish your device.

All! In front of you is a finished copper moonshine still of your production (at least trademark register). You can start preparing the drink!

We would like to immediately warn you: it is unlikely that if you are not a professional craftsman, everything will work out perfectly, and the moonshine will be “standard”. It is impossible to observe all the nuances in artisanal conditions without extensive experience.

However, if you work carefully with the machine, the resulting drink is your drink! - will undoubtedly please you. Just be sure to remember that everything is good in moderation, and excessive alcohol consumption can be harmful to your health.

The copper still is the oldest of all, and at the same time it remains a favorite tool in the hands of professional distillers specializing in grain and fruit washes.

What is the secret of their love for this not-so-ideal metal, as well as what a moonshine still made of copper is, what it is needed for, what are the features of its structure and operating principle, and, most importantly, how to make such a unit with your own hands according to the drawings, then in all the details.

A copper moonshine still is a type of distillation system in which all the main components are made of copper. Before the advent of food-grade stainless steel at the beginning of the 20th century, almost all moonshine stills were made of this metal.

The main advantage of copper is its excellent thermal conductivity, due to which the mash heats up evenly. As a result, each fraction evaporates almost completely at its own temperature, and the finished product contains fewer impurities.

Design and principles of operation

The classic model of a copper moonshine still is the alambik; it consists of the following parts:

The distillation cube is onion-shaped, divided into two parts:

• (1) spherical bottom with a wide neck;
• (2) the upper cone-shaped attachment, called the “helmet”.

• (3) a reflux condenser tube bent into a special shape;
• (4) refrigerators with .

Modern units are also made from copper.

Or some of the nodes for them.

The operating principle of a copper moonshine still has unique features that distinguish it from units made from other materials. It is best to consider the properties of this metal in comparison with its main and fundamental competitor - food grade stainless steel, which has impressive performance characteristics.

Stainless steel wins in 4 out of 5 criteria, however, famous companies producing, and especially, traditionally choose copper.

And although the thermal conductivity of copper is very important and ensures both uniform heating of the mash and lower energy consumption for heating, the whole point is precisely the weak chemical inertness of this metal.

Yeast, as it functions, releases hydrogen sulfide and other sulfur compounds, which largely spoil the taste and aroma of an alcoholic drink.

Copper, reacting with them, forms copper sulfate, also known as copper sulfate, a moderately toxic substance with a lethal dosage for humans of 45-125 g.

It is simply impossible to get such a dose from drinking alcohol, such as whiskey, since the concentration of this substance is very low.

In addition, most of the copper sulfate precipitates on the walls of the distiller, which is why it needs to be cleaned regularly, and the remaining part will further decrease with further filtration.

How to make a moonshine still from copper pipes with your own hands

It’s worth saying right away that it’s almost impossible to make a classic alambik yourself because of its very complex shape, which can only be given by a highly qualified tinsmith.

The same applies to a copper distillation cube for a standard moonshine still, which is better to purchase ready-made. But a reinforcing (branch) column with a jacket and a direct-flow can be made from copper pipes with your own hands.

To do this you will need the following details:

• a tube with a diameter of 28 and a length of 350 mm is the body - tsargi;
• a coupling with a diameter of 28 by 18, two couplings with a diameter of 18 by 22 and three couplings with a diameter of 15 by 18 millimeters;
• a tube with a diameter of 18 and a length of 160 mm is the basis of the reflux condenser;
• a tube with a diameter of 22 and a length of approximately 160 mm (minus the length of 2 couplings and space for installing an angle) is the reflux condenser jacket;
• pipe-angle 90° with a diameter of 18 and pipe-angle 90° with a diameter of 15 mm;
• a tube with a diameter of 15 and a length of 400 mm is the basis of a direct-flow refrigerator;
• a tube with a diameter of 18 and a length of slightly less than 400 mm is the jacket of the refrigerator;
• plug for diameter 15 mm;
• 2 pipes and a tee with a diameter of 6 mm;
• a small pipe for a thermometer with the appropriate cross-section;
• a small jumper to enhance the strength between the drawer and the cooler;
• water tubes;
• soft solder;
• flux;
• propane burner.

In order to make a copper moonshine still with your own hands, you need a drawing, knowledge of the device and the operating principle of its components (tsar, reflux condenser and refrigerator) and following step by step instructions with dimensions.

1. Two holes are drilled in the reflux condenser jacket: from below and from above for water.
2. The base tube of the reflux condenser is connected to the drawer tube with a coupling from 28 to 18; the lower jacket coupling from 18 to 22, the jacket tube and the upper jacket coupling of the same type are put on it.
3. An 18-point angle is mounted on the top of the reflux condenser, a coupling from 18 to 15 is connected to it, and a 15-point angle is mounted to it. You should get a U-shaped transition from the reflux condenser to the refrigerator.
4. The base tube of the refrigerator is mounted to the angle 15.
5. Next, you need to put on, but not fix, the upper coupling of the refrigerator jacket from 15 to 18 and the shirt itself. Then mark the place for the water inlet in the upper part so that it is parallel to the upper hole in the reflux condenser and a 6-piece tee can connect them.
6. Remove the refrigerator jacket and make a hole at the mark; the second one at the bottom for the water return can be made arbitrarily, figuring it out so that the tube does not interfere.
7. Install the upper coupling of the refrigerator, its jacket and the lower coupling.
8. Make a 15 mm hole in the plug for the product sampling tube, install the tube and mount the plug down onto the refrigerator tube.
9. Use a 6 mm tee to connect the hole in the upper part of the reflux condenser jacket and the refrigerator jacket.
10. Install the pipe on the lower hole of the reflux condenser jacket - this is the water connection to the cooling circuit. Install the pipe on the bottom hole of the refrigerator jacket - this is the drain hole for water from the circuit.
11. Mount the reinforcing jumper; it should be level somewhere at the top of the drawer and, accordingly, at the bottom of the refrigerator.
12. Carefully drill a hole in the corner at 15 - this is for the thermometer sleeve.

In general, the copper unit is ready, all that remains is to install the adapter from the drawer to the cube, but this depends on the purchased or existing container for heating the mash. Connecting water with hoses is not difficult. The drawer needs to be filled with copper nozzles.

Other types of moonshine stills

• For those who want to make a distiller with their own hands, but do not have access to serious plumbing work, this is perfect. This container is almost ready alembic, which needs a little modification, what remains is the refrigerator and -hoses-, and the unit is ready.
• Another popular model based on kitchen utensils is . The fact is that the device is not only a ready-made distillation cube, but also has an excellent heating system with convenient controls. This distiller is easy to use even for a moonshiner with little experience.
• One of the most common homemade household models is. Its distillation cube is made from a food can or keg with a volume of 10 to 100 liters, and the product can be either aluminum with a food coating or made of food-grade stainless steel.
• Those who need to distill moonshine in the absence of tap water will be interested in a non-flowing moonshine still. The refrigerator of such a unit holds a large amount of water, which is why it has time to cool naturally without adding new cold water.
• The most extraordinary and controversial distiller is. In this unit, the evaporation-condensation cycle occurs not once, but twice, which makes repeated distillation, which is mandatory for standard units, unnecessary.

A copper distiller is the only way to produce high-quality alcohol from grain and fruit brews. Any rectification system that can compare with it in the level of purification of ethanol from sulfur compounds will also eliminate most of the components responsible for the taste and aromatic qualities of the product.

The result will be moonshine with a pleasant aftertaste, and not whiskey or. In addition, only copper allows such a clear separation of fractions due to its uniquely high thermal conductivity.

As a result, the distillate made with it, all other things being equal - the design of the unit, the raw materials, the skill of the distiller - has a higher quality. Share in the comments

Mankind comes up with devices that simplify the process of moonshine brewing and improve the quality of the final product. While the principle of operation remains unchanged, there are many modifications of moonshine stills, the main task of which is to obtain a clean, strong and at the same time soft drink.

The cornerstone of moonshine

Moonshine brewing is based on two processes:

Historical excursion

As long as the principle of distillation has been known, moonshine stills have existed and been used for as long. This time is calculated in millennia.

Distillers of the ancient world

The method of separating a liquid substance into its component parts by boiling has been known since ancient times. The ancient Egyptians isolated essential oils from an aqueous solution to prepare balms and incense rubs. Distillation equipment was made from clay and metal tubes.

The Arabs, studying at the University of Alexandria, adopted distillation technology. Instead of bulky structures for the distillation of liquids, relatively compact devices made of copper began to be used. Subsequent improvements lead to the creation of alambic and alquitara.

A description of alcohol is found in the handwritten works of the Chinese alchemist Ge Hong, who conducted experiments in the fourth century of our century. On the territory of modern Bulgaria, archaeologists discovered an ancient apparatus for the industrial production of brandy. An impressively sized clay still was connected by clay pipes to a copper cooler.

The improvement of distilling apparatuses was facilitated by the works of medieval alchemists and healers. The first tried unsuccessfully to create the philosopher's stone, the second made potions. In the 9th century, Avicenna obtained a healing infusion by modifying the cooler. The great physician rolled an elongated tube into a coil.

In the 16th century, Basil Valentin immersed a tube containing steam into a container with flowing water. cold water, thereby accelerating the condensation of steam. Having distilled the wine through a distiller, he got amazing liquid, which he called “aquavita,” which translated from Latin means “water of life.” When applied externally, the colorless liquid promoted the healing of wounds and abrasions. Drinking life-giving moisture inside lifted your spirits and gave you strength. Main parts distillation apparatus were made of glass.

Distillation flourished in the 16th century. The design of the alambic will be improved. New types of moonshine brewing devices are being invented. In France, a “Charente alambique” is being created, one of the containers of which served as a distillation column. IN different countries are being manufactured strong alcohol from the must of agricultural products characteristic of the region. National varieties of moonshine appear.

Moonshining in Rus'

The people of ancient Rus' have long been accustomed to drinking mead and mash. According to legend, the first "bread wine" prepared by a Russian monk of Greek origin Isidore. After his flight from Rus', the brethren of the Chudov Monastery continued to distill moonshine by order of the Grand Duke. During the reign of Ivan the Terrible, the strong and non-perishable drink was initially poured in taverns only to the Tsar’s guardsmen.

Russian moonshine was divided into four types. “Simple wine” and “good wine” of medium strength were inferior in quality to “second wine,” which, in turn, could not compare with the especially strong “Bor wine.” Under Peter the Great, moonshine was given a powerful impetus. The state took control of the production and sale of moonshine, which led to an increase in treasury revenues.

Noble families also distilled moonshine, but only for personal consumption. Historians know that strong tinctures were made in the houses of the Yusupovs, Trubetskoys, and Pushkins. The recipes included potatoes, corn, sugar, anise, hazelnuts, and honey. Tarragon, linden and acacia flowers, fennel and juniper cones enhanced the taste of the drink. The recipes for the tinctures of Counts Razumovsky and Orlov have been preserved to this day.

Recent history

At the turn of the XVIII-XIX I centuries, humanity I wanted drinks with a noble taste stronger than wine. Demand creates supply. In 1830, Aeneas Coffey modified an invention created by Robert Stein three years earlier into a continuous distillation apparatus, now called a distillation column. Nature supplied suitable raw materials in abundance to hardworking people. National moonshine drinks are created in different countries.

Inside the distillation column, copper perforated plates are located at different levels. Vapors from the mash, brought almost to a boil, pass through the perforation and remain on certain plates, depending on the amount of fusel oils. The design of the rectifier allows the production of alcohol of varying degrees of purity.

Operating principle and design

The principle of operation of the moonshine still based on distillation. The mash prepared in advance is heated to a temperature of 80 to 90 degrees Celsius. The alcohol turns into steam, but the water does not boil yet. The steam is discharged into the refrigerator for condensation. The finished product flows into a container for alcohol. Alcohol mashine consists of three main components.

1. Distillation cube.
2. Fridge.
3. Steamer.

Alembic

For mash, a container with a volume of 20-30 liters is selected, which allows you to get up to 5 liters of the finished product in one working cycle. A cheap option would be a standard 25-liter aluminum milk can. It should be remembered that aluminum interacts with methyl vapors released during moonshine brewing and forms chemical compounds harmful to health.

What material is best to make a moonshine still from?- copper or stainless steel? A copper still not only preserves the aromas characteristic of fruit or berry mashes, but also binds sulfuric odors characteristic of distillation. The high thermal conductivity of copper ensures rapid heating of the mash, which reduces the volume of fusel oils in finished product. However, the high cost of this material makes us think about the profitability of the moonshine process.

The ideal option is a stainless steel distillation cube. The container is closed with a lid with a sealed silicone gasket. The use of rubber, which reduces the quality of moonshine, is strictly prohibited. The cube is equipped with a bimetallic thermometer, with which the distillation process is monitored.

Fridge

The cooling unit consists of a coil placed in a compartment with running water. Copper is recognized as the best material. Aluminum negatively affects the nutritional quality of moonshine, and stainless steel is difficult to process. In addition, the copper coil can be easily cleaned with vinegar or citric acid after the end of the distillation.

To make a refrigerator, a tube up to 2 meters long with an internal diameter of 10-12 mm is selected. Wall thickness 1−1.2 mm. The dimensions indicated are optimal for efficient and safe cooling. Before winding the spiral, the inner space of the tube filled with fine sand, the holes are clogged with wooden plugs or sealed. The coil is screwed onto a pipe with a diameter of 35 mm, and a distance of 1.5 mm is maintained between the turns. After finishing work, the internal cavity is cleaned and washed with water.

The manufactured structure is placed in a pipe made of plastic or metal with a cross-section of 80 mm. The ends of the coil are brought out. Water inlet and outlet pipes are welded onto the cooler body. Plugs are placed on the top and bottom sides of the tank. Connections are checked for leaks.

Sukhoparnik

The unit is designed to reduce the concentration of fusel in moonshine. For beginners who do not have sufficient experience in moonshine brewing, it is advisable to use this device, which is easy to manufacture. The operating principle is as follows. Once in the steam chamber, the steam cools sharply and is heated again by another portion of hot steam from the distillation cube. The inert fusel fish does not have time to transform into a gaseous state and settles to the bottom. The purified steam enters the cooler.

The steamer is made from two-liter glass jar with a screw-on metal lid. Two fittings with tubes are mounted on the cover. The inlet fitting tube must be 15-20 cm longer than the outlet tube. The fastening points of the parts are carefully soldered or sealed with silicone. The inlet tube is connected to the distillation cube, the outlet tube is connected to the refrigerator. Incorrect connection of devices to each other can result in an explosion.

Recently, a strengthening column, which differs from classical scheme moonshine still. The strengthening column consists of a reflux condenser mounted on the distillation cube and a direct-flow refrigerator. Both parts of the device are connected by a U-shaped adapter and are located in parallel. Visually, the design resembles a trombone knee.

The basis of the operation of a reflux condenser The strengthening column is based on the principle of rectification. By adjusting the water temperature in the cooling jacket, we achieve a minimum amount of fusel oils in vapor with a maximum alcohol content at the outlet of the reflux condenser. The task of the refrigerator, which is structurally similar to the reflux condenser, is to convert alcohol vapor into liquid.

Each reinforcement column unit consists of two copper tubes of different diameters with a wall thickness of 1 mm, which are inserted into each other and connected by a brass washer. Steam moves through an inner tube with a diameter of 15 mm. A large tube with a diameter of 28 mm acts as a container. Water circulates in the space between the tubes. The joints are carefully soldered with copper-tin solder.

The operating principle and manufacturing method are described in sufficient detail in the videos by Vladimir Volzhanin posted on the Internet. Assembling a copper distiller with your own hands according to drawings from the Internet is a task that requires a certain skill, but a qualified craftsman is quite capable of it.

There is an option to purchase a ready-made copper moonshine still in an online store. It is enough to type the magic words in the search bar, and numerous offers will appear on the monitor screen. The cost of the device, depending on the power, reaches 14 thousand rubles. The price of an alambik ranges from 5 thousand for a souvenir version to 70 thousand for a set with a distiller. But it is many times more pleasant to drink a wonderful drink of your own production, made on a device assembled with your own hands.

Attention, TODAY only!

Why a copper moonshine still?

Manufacturing alcoholic drinks It has been practiced at home for decades. One of the popular such drinks is moonshine. To obtain it, as a rule, specialized equipment is used. It can be either self-assembled or purchased in a store. It is important to note that initially, exclusively copper moonshine still was used to produce the drink. It is still in great demand among consumers.

Why copper?

All connoisseurs of top quality alcohol claim that alcoholic drink It tastes best if it is kept in a metal container. Therefore, the choice of copper for a moonshine still is not accidental. Copper has one amazing property: it preserves the specificity of the drink, its unique taste. At the same time, the copper coating fully reveals the taste of moonshine and adds new flavor nuances. In addition, the copper moonshine still is an example of the combination of excellent quality and reasonable price. It is endowed with a long service life.

If you compare the copper moonshine still of those times and today, then, of course, you can find many differences. Its appearance has noticeably changed; today it is a stylish, compact decorative element.

A copper moonshine still can be used for its intended purpose, that is, creating moonshine, or not. Modern models of copper apparatus allow you to make Calvados, whiskey, and wine at home. It is important to take into account the fact that the device may not be made entirely of copper, but in combination with other materials (glass; steel, which does not rust). In addition, a moonshine still may contain only some copper elements in its design. For example, dome, tube.

What is the secret of the device’s popularity?

The copper moonshine still is in demand among that number of people who know a lot about the quality of good alcohol. Equipment of this type has a number of distinctive features:

• High level of heat conductivity. It is the thermal conductivity that directly determines how much power the device will operate with and how high-quality the product it will produce. If the steam is cooled with greater force, the distillation speed will increase noticeably, while the amount of water consumed will be reduced to a minimum.
• If the device is made entirely of copper, then the entire system will last for decades.
• A copper moonshine brewer adds unusual notes of taste and smell to the drink. The drink becomes rich in taste, which appears due to the removal of unnecessary compounds. For example, sulfur oxide.
• High level of infusion speed. A copper moonshine brewing machine increases the alcohol production time several times. This is justified by the fact that it is able to infuse the drink in a short time, unlike its analogues.
• Safety from an environmental point of view. All alcoholic products produced using this method are considered an environmentally friendly product. This is based on the fact that impurities with harmful compounds do not participate in the moonshine brewing process.

I would like to note that the absence of “bad” elements not only does not spoil the taste of alcohol, but also does not in any way affect its strength.

Features of copper products

Today, the use of a copper moonshine still is the most popular. Premium class product models are made exclusively from copper, which has gone through certain stages of purification and has been recognized as the highest class. Such devices have the highest level of alcohol productivity.

The most important advantage of copper is its ability to destroy sulfur oxide, which is considered the main enemy of moonshine. It is formed during the fermentation process, and later, during distillation, it can have a significant impact on the taste and strength of the finished product.

As for the external characteristics of the device, which looks like moonshine made of copper, it is more suitable than its analogues for decorating a room. The polished surface looks elegant and attractive. At the same time, using the product for decorative purposes, it does not lose the features of its intended purpose.

general information

The functioning of the device directly depends on the level of load-bearing capacity the manufacturer has endowed it with. If the moonshine still was assembled with your own hands, then it technical features depend on how professional the assembler was and what experience he has in this area. If you do not have the time or specific skills to assemble the product, then it is better not to take risks and purchase a ready-made model. This type of product can be found in specialized retail outlets or ordered in a store on Internet resources. Certainly, finished products will cost several times more, unlike home-made products, but when pricing a moonshine still made of copper, the following characteristics will be taken into account:

• Company manufacturer
• Performance Quality Features
• Moonshine still volume
• The final volume of alcohol that will be produced
• And so on

If you still want to save a little money on purchasing a ready-made moonshine brewing machine, then you should pay attention to combined models.

How to assemble the unit with your own hands?

Taking into account the many positive aspects of self-assembly, you should not count on the fact that a copper moonshine still will not require serious financial investments. In order for the product to be suitable for use, special attention must be paid to the volume of productivity expected. As a rule, ordinary sheets of copper are used for self-assembly; solders must contain silver.

Each stage of assembly should be treated with special responsibility and care:

• products correctly, it is better to ask a specialist for help in this matter.
• All workpieces must be processed with high quality. There is an opinion that copper is one of the difficult metals to work with, so it is often difficult to give the element the required shape.
• When all the elements are prepared, it is time for soldering. Perhaps this is the most important point in the entire process of creating a moonshine still from copper. All soldered joints must have a high level of tightness, this is very important. Good tightness is an indicator of a high quality product.

After all the work is completed, you can add presentability appearance your creation. To do this, it is worth polishing the sides well.

More detailed information about self-assembly of a copper-type moonshine still can be obtained from the video.

Conclusion

Several years ago, the equipment market was overflowing with moonshine stills produced by European manufacturers. This was due to the fact that the quality of our products practically did not meet the requirements presented by the consumer. Today the situation has changed. Russian manufacturers of moonshine brewing machines listened to customers and took into account all their wishes. Russian products are in great demand. It is important to note that the price of Russian moonshine is more attractive than that of foreign manufacturers, but this does not affect the quality of the product in any way.

If you want to have your own individual device, then you can make it to order, where all your requirements and wishes will be taken into account.

Sooner or later, everyone who has tried at least once homemade moonshine(or its variations - cognac, bourbon, liqueur, etc.) set out to make the same thing, only even better. First, the owners are interrogated - as best they can, teach, show, lend. This is the first wave of moonshiners. Afterwards, he begins to explore the Internet in the hope of finding how to make a moonshine still with your own hands. This is the most inquisitive wave, which is trying to understand tons of information, what is true and what is false. We have already talked about how to manufacture and assemble individual parts of the unit, now it’s time to talk about how to assemble a full-fledged device.

History of the moonshine still

They first learned about moonshine back in the 4th century AD, when a Chinese alchemist compared the drink to clear wine distilled 9 times. Its technology was used at different times by the Greeks, Romans and even the Egyptians.

This is what, according to official documents, one of the first moonshine stills developed by the ancient Greeks looked like.

But if this unit was mostly made of stone, then the Arabs went further - and made the structure out of copper. This allowed the mash to heat up evenly, gradually, completely remove fusel oils (remember, extremely harmful to health) and create a drink suitable for internal use.

The term alcohol was also proposed by the Arabs; literally translated, the word meant an intoxicating drink - al gogol.

In the 9th century, a coil was invented in Persia - a copper tube was bent into several turns, but still left in the air for cooling.

From the 10th century, with the help of alchemists and healers, moonshine literally flourished, combined with the development of recipes for potions and elixirs. At the same time, in Italy, the monk Valentius declares that he has invented the water of life, which is capable of turning old people into young men. Need I say that it was moonshine?

In the 15th century, Basil Valentin came up with the idea of ​​immersing a coil in cold water to increase the alcohol condensate, and this was the starting point for the creation of a modern apparatus with a distillation cube, a refrigerator and a steamer.

This is what the device looked like in the 16th century (the principle of operation has been preserved to this day):

1. A vat for heating the tincture
2. Tube for supplying hot tincture to the cube
3. Stove
4. Cap
5. swan neck
6. Coil
7. Coil in the refrigerator
8. Refrigerator with cold water

The first moonshine still in Rus'

In Rus', moonshine was first tried only in the 17th century, when a unit was brought from Venice to Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich as a gift.

Until the 17th century, only mead and mash were consumed among homemade alcoholic drinks in Rus'. And only in the 19th century, using a distillation column, they learned to create 96% highly purified alcohol.

On this short excursion history is over, now it's time for modernity.

Buy or collect

There is no clear answer to this question. Of course, for a beginner, it is much more preferable to buy a ready-made device, when there is no need to look for individual parts and bring them to perfection. But, on the one hand, such a purchase can cause a hole in the budget - good device with normal performance it will cost 15 thousand rubles or more, on the other hand, it’s still more interesting to create and invent.

We will tell you how to make a moonshine still with your own hands, and from what materials.

First, let’s define what moonshine (distillate) is and how it differs from rectified distillate. The principle of obtaining one or the other is absolutely identical. A sugar-containing (less often starch-based) mash is prepared, yeast is added, then over a certain period of time the mushrooms create a colony and secrete waste products. Actually, they are precisely the concentrate of various alcohols, of which only ethyl is suitable for internal consumption.

Under the influence of temperature, the mash decomposes into a liquid residue and alcohol-containing vapors, which during the distillation process break down into gaseous and liquid fractions.

Even after repeated distillation, it is not possible to clear the drink of all harmful impurities. The only way that allows you to obtain a perfectly pure product is rectification using a drawer or distillation column. In this case, alcohol-containing vapors are divided into fractions in several stages. Do distillation column It’s not easy to do it yourself, and a completely reasonable question arises: is it necessary to obtain pure alcohol in this way, if it can be bought at any pharmacy?

Rectified alcohol is extremely harmful to health precisely because of its purity, since pure poison is absorbed by the body much faster and better than moonshine with a certain amount of harmful impurities. In addition, all famous drinks - bourbon, rum, whiskey, Calvados, scotch, etc. – are made on the basis of distillate.

So, taking into account the given characteristics of moonshine, it is clear that the main stage of production is heating the alcohol-containing liquid to a state where the alcohol begins to separate. Afterwards, it is cooled until it is converted into a liquid fraction in the form of a finished drink.

Taking this into account, we can determine the main components of a moonshine still:

• a distillation cube, where the mash is heated to the required temperature;
• refrigerator - a storage or flow-through container with cold water where the coil is cooled;
• coil - a spiral tube made of copper, stainless steel or glass, through which alcohol-containing steam moves and is divided into fractions;
• steam trap - catcher of fusel oils and mash residues;
• receiving container - a place where cooled moonshine flows;
• connecting elements.

This is the first and main element of the moonshine still, on which the efficiency and final taste depend.

Most often, milk cans, pressure cookers (multi-cookers), and beer kegs are used as such. Less commonly, a distillation cube is made by hand from stainless steel or steel, welded into a container, but this option is not reliable. On the one hand, the mash will stick to the stainless steel, and you won’t be able to stir it due to its tightness. On the other hand, the slightest error in the weld can lead to the cube simply bursting when the mash boils, when the pressure reaches 180-220 Pa.

How to make a still from a can

This is the simplest version of the still, since the can is relatively airtight, especially if we are talking about a new container. But its “adaptation” for distillation has its own characteristics.

The rubber gasket on the lid of the can is absolutely not suitable for heating - the mash will absorb a specific aroma, which will immediately affect the taste of the finished drink. It is optimal to use silicone gaskets, or even better - aquarium silicone. Experts advise using food-grade silicone as such gaskets, which is used to make baking molds. But in general, this option is suitable for sealing the lid and will not give any taste or smell.

How to make a silicone seal correctly

This process is carried out in several stages, the minimum of which should be three. First, apply aquarium silicone sealant to the edges of the lid, let it dry completely, apply a second and third, also leaving time for drying. After the third layer has been applied, apply regular cellophane to the neck of the can and close the lid. Leave for several hours to allow the silicone to dry completely. The result is a truly airtight vessel that can be used for several years.

To prevent the can from becoming like a colander over time, wash it thoroughly after each use. You can use regular or laundry soap and plenty of running water. The use of soda is strictly prohibited. Stainless steel or aluminum reacts very poorly to alkali.

If you don’t want to change the rubber gasket to silicone, you can simply wrap it with several layers of overlapping fum tape. This is also a fairly tight connection.

Some “experienced” moonshiners recommend using dough to seal the joint. It would seem, why not? It seems like a decent sealant, and it smells like bread in the room, and not fusel during the cooking process. But! After the first volumetric distillation, when you have to start the unit several times, you will get tired of constantly scraping off the dough and gluing a new one. Scraps of dough all over the kitchen, broken nails and wasted time are unlikely to make the process enjoyable.

To connect the can with the coil, make a hole on the lid for a 22 mm pipe and a 12 mm coil using a 0.5 inch thread. You can buy an adapter at a plumbing supply store.

What else to look for when choosing a flask for a moonshine still:

• the material of manufacture is stainless steel, since aluminum will withstand a small number of cycles;
• the minimum volume is 25 liters to obtain 4-4.5 liters of moonshine;
• wide neck, which is convenient to work with - pour mash and wash after cooking;
• wall thickness and overall build quality directly depend on the price, and ensure a period of normal operation.

Distiller (moonshine still) based on a milk can

How to make a distillation cube from a pressure cooker (multi-cooker)

Scheme of a moonshine still based on a pressure cooker:

This is a minimum program for a beginner. Today, every second person tries to make a moonshine still with their own hands using a pressure cooker. And there is a completely logical explanation for this:

• price – the cost of the most inexpensive pressure cooker is 1500-1700 rubles, which is quite acceptable for any budget;
• tightness – this is an absolutely sealed device that does not require any additional manipulations;
• Easy to insert fittings into the lid - anyone can handle this.

The downside, it should be noted, is much more significant than all the advantages - this is the volume. The bowl of the largest household pressure cooker is only 6 liters, respectively, the mash will fit only 4.5 liters, since the volume should not exceed 2/3 of the total quantity. With this amount of mash after double distillation you will get a little less than 750 ml of moonshine. You can try, but it’s unlikely that you’ll be able to taste it.

Screw a fitting into the place of the valve on the lid, to which attach a connecting hose (silicone or copper).

If you don’t want to reinvent the wheel and look for a suitable option for making a cube, buy a ready-made one. The average price of such an element depends on the volume - 12-liter up to 4,000 rubles, 25-liter - from 5,500 rubles, etc.

Moonshine still from a pressure cooker with a steamer on video:

Fridge

An equally important element of a homemade moonshine still, on which the distillation speed and volume of the finished drink depend.

If the water in the refrigerator is not cold enough, the volume of moonshine is reduced by 15-20%.

Refrigerators for moonshine stills are divided into 2 types:

• flow-through;
• cumulative.

In flowing water, as the name suggests, it constantly moves through the coil without having time to heat up. In order to make such a unit, it is enough to connect two hoses to the container - the inlet, as a rule, from the tap, and the outlet - from where the water comes out into the sink.

The storage tank is a closed container into which water is first poured and drained as it heats up. This is the worst type of refrigerator because it does not allow the coil to cool completely and constantly, which reduces condensation and reduces the amount of final product.

A storage refrigerator is installed only if it is not possible to make a flow-through one. It’s precisely the lack of opportunity, not laziness or lack of time.

Flow-through refrigerator for moonshine still

This type of equipment is quite compact in size, where the main area is occupied by the coil. The refrigerator itself is closed on both sides, but two tubes are connected to it - receiving and discharging water. Making a refrigerator with your own hands is not difficult, but it is necessary to ensure that it is level in relation to the device so that the water moves constantly.

A flow-through refrigerator is more productive, unlike a storage refrigerator, even with a smaller coil size. At the junction of the two media, the tube is instantly cooled, which ensures faster separation of fractions.

You will need:

• pipe and adapter weaving - 300 mm;
• 2 meters of bellows hose for the coil;
• half-inch nipples;
• 3 half-inch nuts;
• soldering iron;
• gun and silicone;

Procedure:

2. Make holes on the pipe and cut off the plastic with a knife

7. Fill everything that leaks and leaks with sealant; the vessel must be completely sealed.

As such a device, a bucket or tank with a volume of about 20-30 liters is usually used, where a hole is made in the lower segment for collecting water.

In non-flowing devices, water is always drained from the top, and always poured into the refrigerator from the bottom.

The simplest and most affordable is a regular plastic bucket. In winter, it is easier with such a handy device, since you can add snow or ice, which is much better for cooling the coil than water.

When choosing a storage refrigerator, try to keep the temperature in the distillation cube at minimum heat in order to reduce the amount of alcohol-containing steam released and, as a result, increase the volume of the finished moonshine.

In order to check how effectively the coil is cooled, periodically test the escaping moonshine on your wrist. Ideally, it should be cool, worse - if warm, and even worse when the drink is hot - in this case, a third of the steam comes out unprocessed. In addition, this is also dangerous, since the distillation cube is heated over an open fire, the alcohol can catalyze and there will be a big disaster.

Coil

The best material for the coil is copper. This is a relatively inert material that does not react with alcohol materials, has good thermal conductivity and an adequate price.

Those who are truly professional in preparing moonshine only have a copper moonshine still based on such a coil. Any experiments. Including fragile glass, they are fraught with loss of quality of the drink and the raw materials.

How to make a coil

Before we begin the description, we note that a coil is a tube connected to a distillation cube (if there is a steamer, with it) and placed in cold water, through which alcohol-containing vapors move and fractions are separated into gas and moonshine.

The longer the coil and the more compact its spirals, the more the steam is cooled and the greater the amount of condensate.

You will need:

• copper tube with a diameter of 15-20 mm and a length of 2000 mm;
• base for winding the tube, fixed in a vice.

Before you start screwing the tube onto the base, it must be filled with sand. This is done in order to prevent deflection or one-sided deformation, which will subsequently retain condensation. Close the tube on one side with a wooden or cardboard cap, pour sand in a thin stream, periodically tapping it on the table so that the sand is compacted well. When the tube is filled to capacity, close the other end with a similar clip and begin to wind it onto the base, making even turns and trying to ensure that they do not touch each other.

This is what a ready-made coil looks like, which is immersed in the refrigerator and connected with hoses through fittings to a cube or steam chamber.

This completes the assembly of the required elements of the moonshine still; all that remains is to find out which hoses can be used and what materials are acceptable when working with alcohol.

Well, for now let’s focus on such an optional, but extremely useful device as

Sukhoparnik

We do not know whether there were discussions about the need for a steamer in those ancient times, which were written about at the beginning of the article. But now there is fierce debate on this issue. Some insist that fusel oils should be removed as much as possible, others claim they are useless and a waste of time.

Without actively taking either position, we will present only dry facts.

The steamer is really not an integral part of the moonshine still, and it is installed at will. Structurally, this container is 10 times smaller in volume than the distillation cube, which is located between it and the coil.

The main task of the steam chamber is to instantly reduce pressure and, as a result, temperature due to different media. When the steam enters this container, it suddenly becomes liquid, but is immediately pushed out by the next portion of hot alcohol-containing steam from the cube. And although this is only a moment, during this time some of the fusel oils have time to settle on the walls of the steam tank. With double or even triple distillation, practically no fusel remains in the finished drink, which has a very beneficial effect on well-being.

How does a steam generator work according to the laws of physics?

As water boils in the distillation cube, alcohol begins to separate and evaporate. Taking into account the fact that boiling is a rather violent process, the alcohol fractions have time to “pick up” the heavier fractions of fusel oils. Probably everyone has heard that moonshine is often called fusel - precisely because of the characteristic smell that fusel oils emit. The less fusel in moonshine, the less aggressive its aroma and the more acceptable its taste. It is not possible to completely get rid of oils; this can only be achieved using a distillation column, but no one set out to obtain medical alcohol.

The vast majority of alcoholic drinks are bourbon, whiskey, rum, Calvados, etc. made on the basis of moonshine with a certain amount of fusel oils. The production process varies in nuances, but in general it is the most banal distillation of mash.

Collecting fusel oils with a steamer allows you to make the drink, on the one hand, not so strong and “fragrant”, on the other hand, safer for health with an almost imperceptible feeling of a hangover (if consumed wisely).

Particularly common is the use of three steam tanks at once, located relative to each other in a cascade. With this organization, the strength of the drink reaches 80% already on the first distillation. This will really be a very high-quality and highly purified product that can be consumed immediately after distillation, and not wait until it is purified with a carbon filter or potassium permanganate.

Three cans in a cascade is the optimal number. Less is not enough, more is a waste of time, since after the third can, each subsequent one does not perform any function.

How to make a steamer from a can

We remind you that the volume of the container should be 10 times less than the volume of the distillation cube. If you have a 20-liter cube, take a 2-liter jar; for a 30-liter jar, take a 3-liter jar.

The method of preparing such an element is quite simple and suitable for any volume. All manipulations are carried out with the lid - holes are made and fittings are cut into. Next, the lid can be put on any jar with a threaded neck.

You will need:

• screw-on jar lid;
• 2 fittings;
• connecting tubes.

Cut 2 holes in the lid - they can be made with a screwdriver in a circle or with a knife, so that there are no burrs.

Insert the fittings and connect them to the hoses.

The steamer is placed immediately after the distillation cube. In any other place it is of no use. It is necessary to periodically drain the accumulated liquid so that excess does not enter the coil and spoil the taste and aroma of the product.

By the way, the steamer can be used not only as a fusel oil trap, but also as a flavoring agent for moonshine. Here the same process of sharp cooling of the steam and its movement further occurs, but with the collected amber of berries or herbs.

As an aromatic component in a jar you can use:

• dried fruits - apples, pears, apricots;
• berries - any, preferably dried, they give off more flavor;
• spices - any to taste, you can use hops, suneli, cinnamon, vanilla, etc.;
• aromatic herbs;
• citrus fruits – orange peel, lemon zest.

Since such a binding of aroma will be subtle and not at all palatable, you can try a variety of additives. In this case, experiments will only be beneficial, even if the result is not impressive.

Connecting tubes

The finished moonshine still is a detachable connection of all required elements using threaded connections. There is no need to look for additional tubes and choose their quality in order to connect everything together.

There are completely permanent connections, for example, the lids of the distillation cube, steamer and refrigerator. This is done to facilitate labor and installation.

You can, of course, make the work easier when assembling a homemade moonshine still by connecting all three pipes by welding, but this will not in any way affect the taste of the final product, but maintenance can make it very difficult.

The most optimal way to connect the elements is a silicone hose. Some people don’t understand the difference between PVC and silicone and don’t even pay much attention when choosing. We explain - polyvinyl chloride is a non-inert material with respect to alcohol. When in contact with hot alcohol-containing steam and alcohol, PVC releases toxic substances, which in high concentrations are harmful to humans. It is clear that nothing will happen to you in 1-2 times, but if we are talking about systemic use, it is better to refuse such a connection.

How to distinguish silicone from polyvinyl chloride (PVC)

Set fire to a piece of both materials. PVC burns hard, smoky, with a very specific smell. Silicone burns with a subtle aroma, does not smoke, and light ash remains after combustion.

Silicone feels much more pleasant to the touch than PVC, it feels silky.

If you suddenly find yourself in a dilemma - silicone or PVC - outside in the cold, know that silicone, even at -10, remains flexible and elastic, and polyvinyl chloride hardens, although it does not lose its properties.

What metal is suitable for use

Despite the abundance of opinions on this matter, there can only be one definite answer - food-grade stainless steel. It is this material that does not react with any of the elements in the moonshine chain and is easy to maintain and use. And over the entire period of time it does not form deposits that are of little benefit to health.

Previously, it was believed that copper was the “head of everything,” since copper moonshine was ubiquitous. However, this is a misconception. Copper began to be actively used during Soviet times. Because it was an affordable material both in price and in quantity. If we talk about a really correct tincture, then it’s better oak barrel nothing to be found. Oxygen penetrates through its walls, aldehydes and ethers evaporate, which, by the way, are formed, among other things, when the copper elements of the device come into contact with hot alcohol vapor.

Aluminum reacts negatively to vinegar, which is always present in mash. In this case, poisonous salts - alum - are released.

Glass, which is inert (not active) to aggressive environments, is also considered optimal, but a moonshiner’s kitchen bears little resemblance to a laboratory, and this material is also very fragile.

Of course, you can get poisoned or die more quickly from general intoxication due to alcohol abuse or purchasing low-quality products than from copper oxide. Moreover, as a coil, copper has no analogues at all in terms of thermal conductivity and manufacturability. Therefore, a combined combination of materials is completely justified. This can be a cube made of stainless food steel or an aluminum can, and a refrigerator with a copper coil in a stainless or plastic case.

And finally, a video on how to make a moonshine still with your own hands