Do-it-yourself moonshine still with steamer from a glass jar. Moonshine still with two steam chambers - what are its advantages? Homemade moonshine still with steamer

Homemade moonshine, prepared using technology, is less harmful than store-bought vodka. All moonshiners in the country will agree with this statement. To ensure a high-quality final product, experienced distillers use additional cleaning devices.

The older generation still remembers these huge bubbles with cloudy liquid. In the Soviet Union, moonshine was mainly practiced for sale to a “certain contingent”, who did not think about the dangers of burnt alcohol. Therefore, no one was chasing quality. The most ambitious people put potassium permanganate in the moonshine or distilled it several times, but many did not know about steamers and other safety attributes.

That time has passed. Today, a moonshine still with a steamer and a bubbler is more the norm than an innovation. Moonshine is made for one’s own consumption, which means that the quality must be at the highest level. This level is achieved taking into account many nuances, including with the help of additional equipment installed on the moonshine still.

Steamer and its purpose

This is a container connected by fittings between the distillation cube and the coil. It is used both to remove fusel oils and to prevent boiling mash from getting into the finished product.

How does it work:

From the distillation cube, steam enters a container where the temperature is lower.
Fusel oils settle at the bottom of the container.
Purer ethyl alcohol vapors pass into the coil.

When using this device, there is no need for a second distillation if the strength is sufficient.

Bubbler and its application

Bubbler(some also call it a bulbulator) is a container in which alcohol-containing steam passes through a liquid, entering through a perforated tube. This process is called sparging.

The bulbulator, although similar in appearance to a steam steamer, performs slightly different tasks. Yes, it slightly reduces the proportion of heavy impurities in the steam, but this is insignificant. Its main function is to enhance the alcohol strength. Also, using this device, you can add different flavors to the finished product by adding, for example, orange peels.

Since these devices perform different functions, nothing prevents them from being used simultaneously. The steamer purifies the alcohol, and the bubbler makes it stronger. Together they greatly simplify the process of moonshine brewing.

DIY steamer and bubbler

Making these devices at home is not difficult. First, let's look at how to make a bubbler for a moonshine still. You will need the following materials:

A regular 2 liter glass jar with an airtight lid;
Two fittings;
Two washers for the fitting;
Adapter for metal-plastic pipe;
A piece of metal-plastic pipe approximately 20 cm;
Silicone.

The assembly diagram will be like this:

First, we drill two holes for the fittings in the cover. This can be done with a wood drill (feather). We insert the adapter into the hole, having previously coated it with silicone, and connect it to the fitting. We place a washer between the fitting and the cover. We also attach a fitting with a washer to the second hole and seal it with silicone. Then we fix the tube on the adapter. It is necessary that its end, with the lid closed, is at a distance of 3 mm from the bottom of the jar. The bulbulator is ready.

The dry steamer by its design, in principle, is not particularly different from a bubbler. The only difference is that it doesn't require a tube. Otherwise, all materials are the same.

Both of these devices are additions to the moonshine still and, in fact, are optional. But, judging by numerous reviews on forums and YouTube, their use has the best effect on the final product. Moonshine becomes cleaner, stronger, and in most cases does not require additional distillation.

I’ve been using a dry steamer for a long time, one run is enough. Moonshine tastes softer when compared to double distillation without a steamer.

I bought the simplest device that was available and immediately made a bubbler for it. I'm pleased with the result. The smell is much nicer and easy to drink

Ivanych, Voronezh

You can do without this thing. But it’s easier, especially for beginners. And it’s a useful thing for an experienced distiller. Now they mostly come complete with ready-made units.

The question of why a steam steamer and a bubbler are needed is clear. Another useful upgrade for moonshine brewing is diopter. The purpose of this device is both practical and aesthetic. With its help you can observe the distillation process, and this is a very interesting sight. In addition, the diopter helps to monitor the behavior of the mash in the cube so that it does not foam or boil over.

Progress does not stand still, and every year more and more additional accessories for moonshine stills appear. They improve the taste, increase the strength, and make the product cleaner. However, we should not forget that any alcohol in excessive doses is harmful. No matter how high-quality the drink is, it is correct to consume it in moderation.

Attention, TODAY only!

A collapsible steamer has recently become a popular product in online stores. The fact is that this device can significantly improve the quality of alcoholic beverages prepared at home for your own consumption. Using a collapsible steamer allows you to prepare raw materials at home and prepare more noble drinks than just ordinary moonshine.

1

In principle, the steamer is not an essential part of the distillation apparatus, and it does not have a significant effect on the alcohol distillation process, but its presence in it has a significant impact on the quality of the final product. The reason for this state of affairs is the physical and chemical processes occurring in the mash during its distillation into alcohol.

Device of a collapsible steam tank

The fact is that mash, which is the initial raw material used for distilling moonshine, contains not only ethyl alcohol, but also substances that are absolutely unnecessary for preparing the drink, which are called “fusel oils.” Despite the fact that they have a temperature greater than 78°C, which is the boiling point of ethyl alcohol, they quite actively penetrate into moonshine. As a result, its taste and physical qualities deteriorate significantly.

In order to reduce the content of these oils in the final product as much as possible, moonshine is distilled several times. This wastes a lot of time, fuel or electricity. However, the result is not guaranteed, since not all types of harmful impurities can be extracted from alcohol-containing raw materials at home.

The steamer allows you to significantly reduce the time it takes to clean moonshine and makes the final product cleaner. In this case, significantly less energy is consumed than when operating a moonshine still that is not equipped with this device.

2

From a technical point of view, a dry steamer is a sealed container located in a moonshine plant between the cooling coil and the distillation tank.

It is connected to other structural elements of the distillation apparatus using steam lines, which are usually made of thin metal tubes.

In the steam chamber, the process of condensation of the vapor mixture formed in the distillation cube takes place. In this case, due to the constant supply of thermal energy with a renewed steam mixture, ethyl alcohol re-boils. Heavy fractions are mostly deposited in the described device. As a result, they condense and settle at the bottom of the device.

Moonshine still with steamer

The entire operation scheme of the steam generator can be presented in the following 3 points:

The alcohol-containing steam comes from the still.
The steam is separated and sent without harmful inclusions into the coil.
Condensation of fusel oils or high-boiling components is formed, which is deposited in the device.

Using a steamer during the distillation of alcohol, you can obtain an effect comparable to the effect of double distillation, while all labor and time costs are reduced by approximately 2 times. In addition, it prevents mash from getting into the finished moonshine in the event that it can splash out of the tank. In this case, it acts as a kind of filter designed to prevent mixing of the mash and the finished drink.

In order to achieve this effect, the reflux condenser (scientific name for a steam steam tank) must be placed so that the tube entering it is lowered 5-10 mm below the outlet tube through which the exhaust vapors enter outside. It can dissipate heat well, so to fine-tune it, you need to use containers with different volumes or a household fan.

Since the steamer collects various harmful inclusions contained in the alcohol-containing mixture, at the end of the moonshine distillation process, a liquid is formed in it, in which fusel oils are found in a concentrated form. For 3 liters of moonshine, it can collect about 150 ml of waste. They have a very unpleasant odor and therefore must be removed from the device immediately. If they got into the finished drink, they would greatly spoil its quality.

3

Today, there are several types of household reflux condensers. The first of them is a steam tank of a classical design. Usually this is any available container that can be sealed hermetically. For example, in rural areas, jars with tight-fitting lids are often used for this.

Household steamer

The second type of reflux condenser is a steamer on a vertical distiller. This type of device being described differs quite seriously from the classic version. The fact is that during the rectification process (this is precisely why a vertical column is usually installed), alcohol-containing vapors are separated from the heads and tails solely due to the height of the apparatus column. In this case, the output is pure alcohol.

When the distillation process occurs, there is no task to obtain pure alcohol. As a result, it makes sense to use a vertical steamer. Unlike the classic design, it allows you to preserve the natural taste of moonshine and very effectively protects the device from possible splashes of raw materials. At the same time, a steamer is not needed in tall distillers that have a wide diameter and a large cooling area.

The third version of this device is a collapsible steam tank. It is good because it can be easily removed from the moonshine still if necessary. In addition, it is easier and better cleaned from waste residues from distillation processes. Thus, a moonshine still with a collapsible steamer allows you not only to produce pure, high-quality moonshine, but also has high mobility, allowing you to disassemble and reassemble it in a few minutes if necessary.

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It is impossible to answer the question of how many steamers there should be in moonshine brewing equipment. Let's start with the fact that the reflux condenser is an additional device, which means its presence is not at all necessary. Today on the market there are a huge number of models of moonshine stills without this device, which allow you to obtain high-quality moonshine. Do you need a dry steamer? This is another question that requires a detailed study of the operating principle and features of using a reflux condenser.

Let's assume that all our doubts have been dispelled, and we have firmly decided to buy a device with a steam chamber. Considering offers from different manufacturers, we are faced with the following choice: with one or two reflux condensers? Of course, there are models of moonshine equipment with 3 or more cleaning systems, but all of them no longer belong to the category of traditional devices.

How many steamers: one or two?

Everyone knows why a steamer is needed in a moonshine still. It allows you to select the lion's share of fusel impurities. The operation of the reflux condenser imitates the process of the second distillation, saving the time and effort of the distiller. The operation of 2 similar devices allows:

achieve even higher quality results;
increase the strength of the distillate;
organize optimal conditions for flavoring moonshine;
eliminate the consequences in case of overflow of the first settling tank.

What to prefer?

A moonshine still with two steam chambers is worth buying for those who make noble drinks based on moonshine. This distillate, unlike rectified distillate, retains the taste characteristics of the original raw material. In exchange for benefits, a person will have to pay with money. Models with two reflux condensers are much more expensive than their simpler counterparts.

Beginning distillers probably don’t need 2 cleaning systems. The operation of the steamer, included in the set of moonshine equipment, will allow you to correct mistakes of inexperience and learn how to use the steamer correctly without unnecessary hassle. Moreover, such a device can be “started” 2 times if necessary. Double distillation with a reflux condenser is not only possible, it will provide the purest product with excellent taste characteristics.

The number of dry steamers is not the only indicator of the quality of cleaning. Their location in relation to each other, as well as to individual elements of equipment (distillation cube and coil), can play a role here. If the choice is fundamentally based on the number of reflux condensers, then proceed from your personal preferences and financial capabilities.

The most common scheme of moonshine stills includes three required elements:

tank for heating mash using open fire sources (rural wood stoves and gas burners) or a heating element built inside;
a condenser consisting of a container filled with ice, snow or cold water and placed inside a coil;
containers for receiving finished products (most often glass jars are traditionally used for this purpose).

Household distiller

This set of moonshine still elements has two significant drawbacks. The need to constantly monitor the temperature and use dishes made of fragile glass, which always requires special care in handling. These two factors create significant inconvenience even for experienced distillers, and can forever discourage beginners from starting moonshine. Although there are popular speculations about the dangers of storing alcohol in metal or polyethylene containers, preference is actually given to jars because of their transparency, which allows you to control the purity of the process by eye.

A do-it-yourself steamer of the simplest design can save even experienced moonshiners from many of the difficulties of adjusting and controlling the process, and for beginners it will become a real lifesaver.

Differences between a steam tank and a reflux condenser

All parts of a moonshine still, like electrical circuit devices, have a specific functional purpose and are connected to each other in strict sequence using rubber, vinyl chloride or metal tubes. The best connecting material is stainless steel, which has several advantages at the same time:

chemical resistance to corrosion;
absence of components harmful to human health;
mechanical strength, allowing the parts to be used as the structural basis of the entire assembly (including the creation of dismountable sealable threaded joints).

A self-made dry steam tank is connected as a separate unit directly in front of the condenser that cools alcohol-containing vapors. In terms of functionality, it is an additional intermediate tank that prevents mash elongates from getting into the finished product.

Using a collapsible steamer, it is possible to conduct the process at elevated temperatures and significantly reduce distillation time, as well as reduce process control to a minimum. Experience shows that when a steamer is introduced into the chain, half an hour is enough to obtain three liters of strong drink, while with a standard set of parts it is not possible to solve the problem in an hour. Saving energy and improving the quality of the finished product brings significant financial benefits to distillers.

Some people equip their units with reflux condensers, which are mistakenly confused with steam vaporizers. In fact, they are similar to distillation columns used to produce alcohol on an industrial scale. They are entrusted with the task of separating the sublimated liquid as accurately as possible according to its boiling point.

Schematically, the reflux condenser can be represented as a pipe located vertically above the distillation cube, at the top of which a thermometer is mounted. As they rise, the vapors come into contact with the walls cooled by the external atmospheric air, and substances boiling at higher temperatures pass from a gaseous state to a liquid state and flow down. By maintaining the temperature at the outlet hole level within 79-83 degrees, it is possible to achieve a minimum ingress of fusel oils and water into the finished product.

Fusel oils - friends or enemies?

In terms of chemical composition, the main mass fraction of fusel oils is a mixture of amyl and isoamyl alcohols, which are higher homologues of ethanol. They are not a direct product of the fermentation of carbohydrates, but are formed from protein impurities contained in sugary substances.

As a result, the content of fusel oil in strong drinks directly depends on the contamination of the raw materials. It is because of this that moonshine from molasses or beet juice has an unpleasant taste and aroma, so the use of a reflux condenser becomes advisable, despite the increase in the time required for distillation.

For most types of raw materials, it is quite enough to use a collapsible steam tank, which partially performs the functions of a reflux condenser. These include:

Sugar.
Starch.
Candies.
Jam or fresh fruit.

In addition, the reflux condenser cannot effectively serve as an intermediate buffer that prevents contamination of moonshine by mash splashing out when overheated.

Additional features of the steamer

In addition to obtaining drinks with ideal transparency, collapsible steamers are successfully used for flavoring. Volatile essential oils with a pleasant odor are usually extracted by infusion. For these purposes, the alcohol concentration in the mash is too low and most of the ingredients are wasted. Infusing raw materials saturated with aromatic compounds into moonshine leads to its contamination, which requires lengthy and labor-intensive filtration.

Hot, alcohol-rich steam is an excellent solvent for many organic substances. By placing a small portion of pleasantly smelling ingredients in a steamer, you can extract components useful for flavoring and direct them into moonshine. At the same time, solid particles remain in place, and the finished product is not saturated with suspension, causing cloudiness and sludge.

By experimenting you will find your taste.

The following are placed in the steamer as odor sources:

Lemon or orange zest;
Spices (pepper, cloves, saffron);
Herbs and rhizomes (bison, wormwood, angelica, currant or bay leaf).

If you place clean water in the distillation cube instead of mash, and fill the steamer with the necessary raw materials, you can obtain aqueous essence from many types of plant materials for use in cooking.

Finally, how to make a steamer

If you decide to make a steamer for a moonshine still with your own hands, first you should carefully familiarize yourself with the features of existing designs. Proper consideration of the capabilities of our own tool base and existing equipment will facilitate the production and operation of the entire complex in the future.

Homemade steamer from a can

An ordinary glass jar is the most affordable container for making a steamer with your own hands. By drilling two holes in the tin lid and inserting fittings purchased from a plumbing store, you can complete the assembly in 10 minutes. Such a product is short-lived - after a few cycles the seal is broken and the joints have to be constantly sealed with dough. A steamer made from a can is more reliable, equipped with a rigid stainless steel lid, fixed with a pair of spring steel brackets.

Steamer from a thermos

Stainless steel thermos flasks and bodies are excellent for making steamers and condensers. Connecting the drain pipe by welding or soldering provides additional ease of use. Also, a durable thermos steamer does not have the disadvantages inherent in products made from fragile glass.

Even if you don’t have time for DIY crafts, don’t be lazy to improve your moonshine still with such a simple device as a steamer, which you can buy online. You will immediately get rid of unnecessary hassle and feel the improvement in the quality of home-made strong drinks to the envy of the invited tasters!

your mark

Home brewing is becoming increasingly popular these days. The most primitive moonshine stills allow the output to be low-quality moonshine, not purified from fusel oils and other harmful impurities. However, you should be careful when consuming such drinks, because fusel oils can cause serious poisoning. But even a homemade device can always be improved by adding any additional devices. In this material we will talk about why you need a steamer or a reflux condenser, how to make it yourself and add devices for moonshine to the design.

Why do you need a steamer in a moonshine still?

The main purpose of this device is to reduce the amount of fusel oils in the resulting moonshine by condensing them. A moonshine still with a steamer produces cleaner and stronger moonshine. In addition, the steamer is a kind of obstacle that prevents the mash from getting into the finished moonshine during high boiling.

This device is not necessary in a moonshine still, however, if you want to get a high-quality purified product as a result, then without a steamer it will be difficult to achieve this. Moonshine stills purchased in a store in ready-made form, as a rule, have a steamer in their kit. If you don’t have one, or you have a homemade moonshine still, then you can make this device yourself. Manufacturing will not take you much time and will not require any expensive materials.

A steam steamer or reflux condenser is usually installed between the distillation cube and the refrigerator that cools the condensed moonshine. What are the advantages of using a steamer? The finished alcoholic drink is purified using physical processes, and this is considered a more effective method than chemical purification alone (activated carbon, soda, and so on). Using this device, you can obtain a much purer drink without secondary distillation, which significantly saves time without compromising quality. The raw materials, even at high boiling, do not enter the finished product. At the same time, the use of a steamer is simple and does not particularly complicate the design of the entire moonshine still. And if you want to flavor moonshine, then this can also be done using this element. It is enough to add various spices to the steamer, such as lemon zest, star anise, ginger or others, and your drink will acquire the appropriate aroma.

How does a dry steamer work?

The principle of operation of the dry steamer is based on the fact that most harmful impurities have a boiling point slightly higher than ethyl alcohol. When it enters the steam tank, the entire mixture of vapors partially condenses - acids and fusel oils remain on the walls of the device and no longer boil, because the heat is spent on sublimation of the lighter fraction - ethyl alcohol.
After distillation, condensate of heavy impurities and harmful oils accumulates in the reflux condenser tank. It usually has the appearance of a light brown liquid with a strong, unpleasant odor. For example, if you distill 10 liters of sugar mash, then approximately 500 ml of condensate of harmful impurities will settle in the reflux condenser tank. If you don’t use a steamer, then all these impurities will end up in the finished moonshine, spoiling not only its taste, but making it much more harmful.

The concentration of harmful impurities can be reduced to a minimum by combining the use of a steam bath with chemical cleaning methods - manganese mixture, activated carbon, etc.

Steam tank design

The design of the steamer is quite simple; in a moonshine brewing apparatus, which is assembled according to the classical design, the steamer is simply attached between the distillation cube and the cooling unit. You can make a reflux condenser yourself or buy it in a store. You can choose the volume of the steamer to suit your taste, but you should take into account the volume of the distillation cube. It is not recommended to clean a filled steam chamber during the sublimation process, since while the reflux condenser is being replaced and washed, a large amount of alcohol vapor will evaporate.

A typical reflux condenser design consists of:

a container (settlement tank) in which heavy impurities will settle;
two tubes or fittings, and the incoming fitting should be 5-10 cm lower than the exiting one, so that the mash does not fall into the moonshine when boiling:
connecting elements that will have to ensure tightness, preventing vapors from evaporating.

How to make a steamer for a moonshine still?

If you are still a beginner and have no experience in moonshine brewing, then it is better to buy a ready-made reflux condenser in a store. Now there is no shortage of choice; you can choose a device to suit your taste. But if you already have a rough idea of what this part should look like and the principles of its functioning, then you can try to make this necessary element for a moonshine still with your own hands.

To do this you will need:

a glass jar with a volume of one to three liters (although there is no point in taking a jar that is too large) with a screw-on metal lid;
two fittings with external threads and two nuts;
rubber or silicone gaskets or heat-resistant sealant;
drill of the required diameter.

How to assemble a steamer. First, you need to mark the places where the fittings are attached, placing them on the cover and outlining them with a pencil. Then you need to make holes in the lid with a drill and a drill bit. The cut in the lid can also be made using an awl. Then the fittings are installed and secured with nuts. The joints must be sealed with gaskets or sealed with silicone. And it’s better to use both methods at the same time for reliability. The fittings are connected to the tubes leading from the distillation cube and into the refrigerator. All connections must be carefully sealed. If holes and cracks remain, steam will escape through them, thereby reducing the performance of the entire apparatus. After this, the jar is screwed to the lid. That's all, the homemade reflux condenser is ready. If necessary, you can make a structure with two steam tanks or even more, connected in series. When selecting the volume of the steam tank, you need to take into account the volume of vapors passing through the reflux condenser. If the steam tank is too small, then the steam will not split into fractions and heavy impurities will not settle in sufficient quantities, and if it is too large, then the vapors will condense too much, including ethyl alcohol vapors. Also, do not forget that the reflux condenser must be washed regularly. Therefore, using a homemade steamer in a moonshine still is even preferable than a purchased one, because the jar is easy to remove and wash.

As we can see, a steamer is necessary if you want to get a cleaner drink of your own production, which will not have an unpleasant taste and harmful substances in the impurities. Even for a homemade primitive distiller, it is easy to adapt a purchased reflux condenser or make one yourself. If you still have any questions about making a reflux condenser, you can watch a video that shows in detail the entire process from start to finish.