Braga is a product obtained by fermentation of sugar or other sugary substances. It can be used as a full-fledged drink, or as a raw material for the subsequent production of moonshine. How much should the mash of different ingredients cost? General cooking rules.
Factors Affecting Fermentation
How much should the mash be worth? There are a number of points that can affect the course of fluid fermentation:
- raw materials used for making wort;
- proportions of the ingredients used;
- compliance with temperature and humidity conditions in the room;
- water quality.
For example, the use of boiled water for the preparation of mash significantly slows down the fermentation process, since such a liquid is devoid of oxygen.
Estimated fermentation time
In order to determine exactly how much mash should be for moonshine, it is necessary to take into account the properties of the raw materials used.
- Most often, granulated sugar is used to prepare the product. How much sugar mash should cost? The approximate brewing time of the drink ranges from 5 to 14 days. After the minimum period of fermentation, you must regularly check the drink for readiness.
- How much should the mash stand on wheat? Products such as cereals and potatoes contain a large amount of starch, so the ripening time is much shorter - from 3 to 5 days.
- How much should the mash of jam or fresh fruit cost? The optimum brewing time for vegetables and fruit crops varies with the yeast used. It can be like "wild" yeast, which is found in small quantities on the surface of berries, or it can be food, which can be purchased at any store. The brew insist on wild yeast for about 45 days, while the use of store yeast speeds up the process to 14-20 days.
In addition, when making mash from fruit crops, it is important to use a water shutter, otherwise the drink may turn sour and turn into vinegar.
Classic sugar mash
Raw materials for making moonshine are most often made from granulated sugar, since it has a relatively low cost and is widely available. The recipe is quite simple - 3 parts water, 1 part sugar, 1/10 part yeast (you can use both dry and wet).
The cooking process is simple even for beginners in moonshining - sugar must be dissolved in water, the yeast must be pre-brewed in warm sweet water and added to the main liquid. After that, the mash should be closed with a lid with a water seal and placed in a warm and dark place.
How much should the mash for sugar moonshine cost? Most often this period is 7-9 days, but after 5 days it is necessary to periodically check it for readiness. It should also be remembered that the tank must be filled only by 3/4 of the total volume, since during the fermentation process gas will be released, which forms bubbles on the surface of the liquid.
Jam Mash Recipe
If the sweet fruit dessert is sour, it is not necessary to throw it away. From this jam, you can make mash or moonshine. The recipe is similar to the classic one, but there is a slight nuance - when calculating sugar, it is necessary to mash the amount that contains the jam. How many days should the mash of jam? The standard term is about 10-14 days.
Wheat mash
Among the artisans of home brewing, a drink that is prepared using cereals is considered the most delicious. Among the whole variety of cereals, wheat is popular, although the use of corn, barley, millet, rye and oats is allowed.
This recipe involves the use of "wild" yeast that is found on the surface of grains. In order not to accidentally wash them off, any processing of wheat, especially its washing in water, is prohibited. The recipe for wheat mash is as follows:
- First you need to cook the wade. It will require 1 kg of wheat, 200 grams of sugar and 1 liter of pure water. All ingredients must be mixed and put in a warm place for 3 days.
- Ferment must be mixed with syrup (1.3 kg of sugar in 6 liters of water).
- After which the drink should finally ferment. How much should the mash be worth? The optimal time is from 7 to 14 days. Braga is considered finished after its taste loses its sweetness, and the liquid itself becomes transparent.
- Then you can strain the liquid and use to make moonshine.
The existing “wade” of wheat grains can be reused up to four times.
The nuances of insisting mash
When preparing raw materials for moonshine, it is necessary to carefully monitor the timing of the infusion of fermentation products and to prevent their acidification. What to do if the fermentation process has already been completed, but there is no time to distill the mash into moonshine?
The end of fermentation can be determined by the following signs:
- the taste has no sweetness and is bitter;
- when you bring a lit match, the fire continues to burn quietly, this indicates that carbon dioxide has ceased to be released;
- the finished product has a pronounced alcohol smell;
- there are no bubbles on top of the liquid.
In order not to spoil the product, it is important to put the mash in a cool place with a temperature from 0 to +10 degrees. Under such conditions, the raw materials can be stored for a sufficiently long time without souring. Almost all types of mash can be infused in the basement for up to a month without losing their taste and quality characteristics. The advantage of prolonged infusion is also the fact that during the first 7-10 days the drink is clarified.
How to stop the fermentation process
Sometimes, when fermentation is not yet completed, a finished product in the form of moonshine may urgently be needed. In this case, you can artificially stop this process. How many days should the mash stand before processing into a final alcoholic drink? This period is 5-7 days, until this time the mash is not suitable for further use.
However, if the minimum period has expired, but fermentation has not yet been stopped, you can stop it yourself. For these purposes, it is recommended to use medical alcohol diluted with water to a concentration of about 25 degrees or the “tails” remaining after the previous distillation, which have a similar strength. The fermentation process stops due to a sharp increase in the alcohol content, due to which the yeast die. It should be remembered that the final product, that is, moonshine during an emergency stop of fermentation, will produce a smaller amount, since the yeast did not manage to fully process all available sugar into alcohol.
How to speed up fermentation
In some cases, it may be necessary to accelerate the maturation of the mash. In these cases, you can use one of the following methods:
- Knowing in advance that the fermentation time is limited, you can use fresh yeast, which is more active and will significantly accelerate the maturation process.
- You can add several dried crusts of brown bread to the liquid, this will not only allow fermentation to be fermented faster, but will also give an interesting bread flavor.
- Tomato paste in a proportion of 100 grams per 10 liters of liquid.
- Dried peas in an amount of 300 g per 10 liters of mash. However, it is necessary to take into account the fact that pea seeds give a lot of foam during fermentation, so the containers should be a little more than half full.
- Increasing the amount of water or decreasing the amount of sugar in a liquid also affects fermentation. However, in this case, the finished product in the form of moonshine will turn out less.
- Adding a small amount of raisins will increase the ripening rate due to the “wild” yeast on the surface of the dried berries. However, provided that the raisins are unwashed.
- Daily mixing of the liquid also speeds up the process due to the increased release of gas bubbles with vigorous stirring.
With the right approach, such an acceleration of natural fermentation does not affect the quality and taste characteristics of the finished product.
Causes of Prolonged Fermentation
How long should mash stand on moonshine? The optimal fermentation time is from 7 to 14 days, as mentioned above, however, in some cases, this time period can increase:
- when the temperature is below +18 degrees, the yeast activity is significantly reduced, therefore, the fermentation process is slower than usual;
- at temperatures above +30, the yeast overheats, this also negatively affects their viability, and at +40 degrees they die at all.
In addition, it is not recommended to place a bottle of liquid on a cold stone or granite floor, since its temperature is much lower than the heat of the air. So, for example, at an ambient temperature of +23 in a vessel with a degradation, it can be + 16-18 degrees.
The problem of increased foaming
During intensive fermentation, a large amount of gas is released, which forms bubbles on the surface of the liquid. Sometimes this foaming is too intense and breaks the water seal, getting out.
This can happen in such cases:
- the use of yeast that is not suitable for making mash (for baking instead of alcohol);
- too much yeast that does not match the volume of liquid;
- making wort on honey without sugar;
- exceeding the permissible filling limit of the tank with the brega.
In addition, in the preparation of grain, and especially pea mash, increased foaming is natural.
There can be several solutions to this problem:
- Take the container to a cool place for several days. Thus, the activity of the yeast will decrease and the foam will come off. Then the liquid must be returned to favorable conditions.
- You can divide the mash into several containers, leaving there space for the formation of gas bubbles.
- Crumble some ordinary cookies onto the foam.
- A couple of tablespoons of any vegetable oil will also reduce the amount of gas released.
The addition of a small amount of ice will not only reduce undesirable foaming, but also slightly slow down the fermentation process, which will prevent further increased gas separation. How many days should stand for moonshine with ice? Her insistence exceeds the usual period of fermentation by only 2-3 days.
Conclusion
For successful brewing, it is necessary to take into account not only how much time the mash should stand, but also choose the right dishes for this. Despite the fact that some use large aluminum flasks to stand the mash, there is no reason to be sure of safety, since, as you know, aluminum is prone to oxidation, especially when it comes into contact with aggressive liquids. Ideal is the use of glass, ceramic dishes or containers made of food stainless steel. Thus, the final product in the form of moonshine will not have in the composition of those harmful products of metal oxidation that adversely affect human health.