Miracle of technological progress - automatic moonshine brewing machine

Today moonshine is made of excellent quality, without the presence of fusel oils and an unpleasant odor; on its basis elite brands of spirits are produced: rum, whiskey, brandy. The main task of the moonshiner is the constant control of temperature and the whole process, but the automatic moonshine still simplifies production because it works in stand-alone mode.

Users who are interested in the home production of high-quality alcohol-containing products can find a lot of interesting things in this article and significantly expand their horizons in the field of home distillation of moonshine, pure as a tear of a baby.

Principle of operation

The technology is quite simple and over many centuries of use has not undergone dramatic changes, only improvements, according to technological progress. Modern devices operate according to a previously developed system, and the whole process can be represented in separate stages:

1. Mash is poured into the container, and then it is installed on a gas or electric stove. Manufacturers specifically for these purposes produce light and powerful tiles even of induction type.
2. We assemble the entire design of the apparatus.
3. Turn on the heater.
4. Upon reaching + 78 ° C, alcohol vapors begin to move along the structure.
5. Passing through the coil, which is located in running water, the vapors condense.
6. Alcohol-containing liquid is directed by gravity into a substituted container.

The user's task is to monitor the tightness of the entire system so that steam does not leak. If tightening the cover fasteners did not eliminate the leak, immediately turn off the heater. After waiting for the cessation of boiling, you need to open the lid and find out the causes of depressurization. After troubleshooting, repeat the whole process.

Design

Computer-controlled devices are very rare and differ from ordinary products only in the presence of a control unit, the basic design remains unchanged:

1. The distillation cube is made of durable metal, some devices have a heating element integrated in this tank to facilitate control of heating. The best models are made of food grade stainless steel AISI 304, because it is neutral to the effects of alcohol vapor.
2. Thermometer: its main purpose is to show the temperature inside the container, without this little helper you will not be able to control the boiling process. The electronic control unit in the automatic analogue records the temperature changes constantly.
3. Connecting tubes. Alcohol vapors are sent through them to the reflux condenser.
4. Sukhoparnik or reflux condenser - it performs an important mission of intermediate purification of fumes from fusel oils and other foreign impurities that adversely affect the quality of the final product. It can be used as a flavoring of the future moonshine; for this purpose, fresh zest from orange or lemon is put in it during assembly.
5. Fridge. Here there is a condensation of vapors into an alcohol-containing liquid, they can be of several types.

If the apparatus is equipped with a flow-type refrigerator, then the heated liquid is cooled by running water - another type may use a container with cold water, through which hot moonshine is sent through a tube.

Advantages and disadvantages

The advantages of automatic devices include:

• vertical refrigerator;
• long operation, subject to quality workmanship;
• pretty simple use.
• the wide mouth is convenient when cleaning.

There are drawbacks, but mostly of a constructive nature:

• thin walls and the bottom of the main tank;
• some models cannot be heated on induction cookers;
• hoses for connecting to water are not included;
• low productivity.

If the device is equipped with a heater, then the user gets an additional headache: descaling should be done periodically, and replacement in case of burnout will be very expensive.
The principle of combining can be applied to moonshine stills: the more components in a product, the more difficult the operation and the higher the cost of repair. Therefore, when choosing a model, it is worth considering these factors.

Operational Features

Many users think that having bought a moonshine with automatic equipment, they got rid of the hassle, but this is not a combine for the production of homemade alcohol - the process must be controlled. Automation cannot cut off unnecessary fractions, the so-called “heads” and “tails,” and turn off after the end of the process — these steps must be controlled independently.
It is not required to constantly monitor the process - it is enough to cut off the first fractions and go about your business, you just need to know the time when the main distillation ends in order to cut off the “tails” in time. Automation is strictly following all other processes. The conclusion is this: experienced distillers need automatic moonshines, and beginners should get their hands on simple equipment.

How to choose the right

To correctly choose a modern moonshine still, you need to figure out its functional purpose, because such designs are on sale:

1. Classical distiller. It consists of two parts: a distillation cube and a refrigerator or a coil. This design is in great demand, especially in rural areas.
2. With the presence of a steamer - an intermediate container between the distillation cube and the refrigerator.
3. Alambik - a copper distiller for the production of cognac and whiskey using traditional technologies, has a dome-shaped distillation tank top. A great copy for a gift to a person who is a passionate fan and connoisseur of elite varieties of alcohol.
4. Dash column is a product in which the cooling module is made in the form of a vertical pipe ending in a reflux condenser. It is used for the production of not only moonshine, but also noble home-made drinks, for example, grape chacha, which preserves the aroma of the distillation product.
5. Distillation column - vertical design with mass transfer nozzles for fractionation.

Now we need to determine the internal volume of the cube for distillation. It is filled only by 75-80%: for example, with a total capacity of 15 liters, only 12 liters of mash are poured, so that when boiling, the excess does not fall into the filtration zone.

Next comes the capacity of the cooler, which should correspond to the main volume or be slightly higher.

The performance of the apparatus is expressed in liters per hour of operation, but you should ask about the maximum possible volume of the cube, the temperature of maximum heating and the intensity of cooling. When buying a column, you need to keep in mind that its height is usually a little more than a meter, so you need to consider the height of the ceiling in your house or the room where you plan to use the device.

Today, manufacturers use stainless steel and copper for the production of moonshines, so the price is much higher than the artisanal counterparts that are made of thick-walled aluminum. The presence of electronic control units simplifies the process, but complicates maintenance: if one controller breaks down, the entire device will not function and expensive repairs will be required.

Rating of the best models

Moonshine still Phoenix House-keeper of 10 liters

• Case material: AISI 430 steel
• Productivity: 3 L / h
• Distillation cube volume: 10 l
• Thickness: walls - 1.0 mm, bottom - 1.5 mm
• Neck Diameter: 110 mm
• Dimensions: 230x230x490 mm
• Weight: 4.5 kg
• Product strength: up to 70%
• Warranty: 12 months

Moonshine still MAGARYCH Premium BKDR 20

• All parts are made of food grade stainless steel.
• Productivity: 1.4-2.0 L / h
• Distillation tank volume: 20 l
• Wall thickness: 1mm
• Neck Diameter: 80 mm
• Dimensions: 270x270x655 mm
• Weight: 4.2 kg
• Moonshine strength: up to 70%
• Service life: not less than 5 years

Moonshine still Pervach Ekonom 12

• Case material: steel 08X18H10T
• Productivity: up to 2.0 l / h
• Distillation cube volume: 12 l
• Walls of capacity 1 mm thick
• Throat Diameter: 40 mm
• Dimensions: 230x230x380 mm
• Weight: 3.35 kg
• Warranty: 1 year, unlimited service life

The device is a budget class with normal performance and high reliability of all materials. It is quite compact, therefore it can be stored anywhere.

Moonshine still Good Heat Beam of 20 liters

• All components in AISI 304 steel
• Productivity: up to 4.0 l / h
• Tank volume: 20 l
• Thickness: walls - 1.5 mm, bottom - 2.0 mm
• Neck Diameter: 120 mm
• Dimensions: 300x300x630 mm
• Weight: 5.1 kg
• Product strength: 60%

Good Heat Universal system J Module + 35 liters

• Case Material: Stainless Steel
• Productivity: 4.0 L / h
• Distillation volume: 35 L
• Wall thickness: 1.5mm
• Neck Diameter: 120 mm
• Dimensions: 350x350x770 mm
• Weight: 7.5 kg
• Warranty: 5 years

findings

There are many models of devices for home brewing - users can choose for every taste, depending on financial capabilities. Someone will like the budget model, where there is an excellent ratio of cost and quality, as well as reliability in operation, and gourmets will be able to purchase a high-quality apparatus for producing elite varieties of strong drinks at home, such as chacha, cognac and even whiskey.