Cognac is one of the most famous spirits. It has long been produced in France from grapes grown in its sunny fields. The drink is so popular and loved all over the world that the French consider it their national treasure. This brandy is allowed to call only drinks made in the French province of Charente. Everything that is produced in other places using the same technology is called brandy. This is a drink made from certain grape varieties, distilled in special cubes subject to number accounting and certification.
The details of cognac production technology are protected by the laws of the country. This drink owes such an attitude to its unique taste and tonic effect. No less than in other countries, the drink is also loved in Russia. But a good brandy, to put it mildly, not cheap. Many wine lovers would not refuse to make cognac from moonshine at home.
What is cognac?
First, in a nutshell, we will tell you what kind of drink it is and how it is produced.
A drink is made exclusively from grapes, using only certain varieties. Fermented grape juice is subjected to distillation and subsequent aging in oak barrels for several years.
The cognac manufacturing process consists of several stages:
- Squeezing juice.
- Fermentation.
- Distillation.
- Aging.
- Further storage of the finished drink.
The history of cognac begins with the grape harvest. Carefully harvested fruits are delivered to the plant for squeezing. The taste and properties of the resulting beverage depend on the acidity, maturity and variety of grapes.
The full spin process is not allowed. Used a special, less effective in terms of quantity, but sparing technology. The resulting juice is poured into special containers for further fermentation. Add sugar is not allowed. After completion of the process, essentially dry wine is obtained, with very high acidity and strength. Liquid with sediment is stored, without draining and filtering.
Further, the wort is subjected to double distillation. An interesting fact is that distillation can only be carried out in the same geographical area where the grapes were grown. Distillation is carried out in special copper vessels called alambiks. The fractions of the “heads” and “tails” are cut off, and for further production only fractions with a strength of 67 to 73 degrees are collected. On average, up to ten liters of grape must is required to produce one liter of this final distillate .
The resulting product is aged in special oak barrels. These vessels are made without the use of metal or glue. Before use, they are weathered for several years outdoors. It should be noted that in the process of aging brandy every year loses about half a degree of alcoholic strength. But the proportion of alcohol in a drink cannot be less than forty percent. This is enshrined in law.
Cognac at home for real
Reproducing this process at home is quite difficult. It is much easier to make homemade cognac from moonshine. But difficult - does not mean impossible. Next, we describe the recipe for getting exactly cognac from moonshine, expelled from grape homemade wine.
Getting wine and distillation
First of all, we get the wort. For this, it is better to use nutmeg varieties, but, in principle, any grape will do. If only it did not contain a large amount of tannins. It is also important to use ripe grapes.
So, to make cognac from moonshine you will need 15 kg of grapes, 2 liters of water, 2.5 kg of sugar and an oak barrel. The ratio of ingredients is given approximately. It can vary depending on the juiciness, sugar content and acidity of the grapes. If it is not possible to use a barrel, you can use glassware and oak pegs.
Squeeze the juice from the grapes. Since the yeast is on the surface of the berries, they are not washed, in extreme cases, you can slightly wipe. Pour the squeezed juice into a large container, add sugar and cover with gauze. Every two days you need to remove the cap from the pulp to prevent souring of the wine. Also, the product must be mixed several times a day.
About a week later, when the whole pulp comes up and the smell of wine appears, you need to filter the resulting mass. Drain juice through cheesecloth, squeeze out the rest with your hands. Add sugar again, based on 5 l - 1 kg. Further fermentation should take place in glass containers at room temperature, without lighting. The lids must be fitted with water locks. The process lasts about three weeks. After stopping the exit of the bubble trap hose, wine can be sent for distillation.
We will not dwell in detail on the distillation process itself, we only note that it is better to carry out the distillation three times, diluting the intermediate product with water, not forgetting to cut off the “heads” and “tails”. The result should be wine alcohol with a strength of 70-80 degrees.
Oak aging
To make cognac from moonshine at home, we turn to insisting on oak. The use of an oak barrel is not always possible. You can replace it with slivers. You need to take oak pegs with a diameter of about 20 cm peeled from bark and sawdust and, splitting, immerse in three-liter jars. Bay wine alcohol diluted to 45 degrees, withstand from ten months to three years.
This method can be considered the best recipe for homemade cognac from moonshine. To get a real cognac dark color, you can add caramel. It remains only to pour the drink into bottles, having previously filtered it.
Moonshine Cleaning
The above method for producing cognac is expensive and requires considerable time. Here are some simpler recipes for home-made skate from moonshine. The process can be greatly simplified by using ordinary moonshine as a raw material, rather than grape spirit. But in this case, it is worth paying special attention to the quality of the raw material for tincture.
The distillate that you will use to make cognac from moonshine at home should be at least double distilled. Only the middle fraction should enter the final product. In addition, it is necessary to subject the resulting liquid to additional purification.
To do this, you can skip moonshine through activated carbon. Use a regular plastic bottle with a cut neck. Having poured activated charcoal at the rate of two tablespoons per liter over the gauze layer in the upper part of the bottle, insert it into the neck of the dish where the product should go. You will get a filter. Moonshine should be passed through it two to three times. It is important to remember that after 30-40 minutes of contact with the liquid, coal loses its absorbent properties.
How to make cognac from moonshine on oak branches?
Here you can use not only wood chips, but also bark and oak branches. They contain much more tannins. The branches must be properly dried in a dark, dry place at room temperature. Then pour strong moonshine. Insist for two months. After tincture, filter cognac from moonshine and dilute to 40-43 degrees. Pour into cognac bottles, and you can invite guests for a tasting.
A similar recipe for cognac from moonshine on oak bark. In a three-liter jar with moonshine with a strength of no higher than 50 degrees, you need to add four tablespoons of crushed oak bark. Also, for the color, a teaspoon of large-leaf tea does not hurt. To neutralize the specific taste and smell, use 20 g of dried rosehips, a sprig of St. John's wort, 3 tablespoons of sugar. Soak for forty-five days. Obtained at home cognac from moonshine must be filtered from residues added ingredients. The drink is ready.
Greek cognac
It is not at all difficult to get walnuts and dry their partitions. We will continue to consider how to make cognac from moonshine, the following ingredients are needed according to the recipe:
- a handful of dried walnuts;
- a few buds of cloves;
- 15 g of caraway seeds and vanilla;
- 15 g of sugar;
- 2 g of citric acid;
- 25 g of black tea.
All components are filled with moonshine with a strength of 45 degrees. Next, everything needs to be mixed until all the sugar has dissolved. Leave for a week. Pass through the filter. To bottle.
Cognac with Cappuccino
For this recipe for cognac from moonshine at home, we need:
- 15 g cappuccino;
- three bay leaves;
- 5 g vanilla;
- 10 g spoon of soda;
- 15 grams of good tea;
- 50 grams of granulated sugar;
- a few peas of black pepper;
- a three-liter can of moonshine with a strength of 45 degrees.
Pour the moonshine into the pan and put on the stove. Next, drop the pepper and bay leaf. We are waiting ten minutes. Throwing the rest. It is important not to let the future cognac boil from moonshine. Turn off the fire after a few minutes. Insist seven days, filter.
Eastern option
How to make homemade cognac from moonshine based on cinnamon and cloves? One liter of cinnamon, fifteen clove buds is enough per liter. In addition, you need to add three teaspoons of coffee and sugar and a small pinch of vanillin. All ingredients are mixed into powder, after which they are poured with half moonshine. The liquid is shaken and mixed until all crystals disappear. After that, the remaining moonshine is poured, the container is carefully closed and cleaned for two weeks in a dark place.
The fastest
We describe how to make cognac from moonshine, which can be drunk in three days.
We will need:
- 50 g of sugar;
- 10 g of tea;
- 2 bay leaves;
- 5 g of soda;
- 3 g of vanillin;
- liter of moonshine with a strength of 50 degrees.
Seasonings add to moonshine. Put on fire and heat to 75 degrees. Next pour into a jar. You can add 10 g of coffee. After three days, filter the spices and drink it.
The benefits of a homemade drink
The recipes listed here for cognac from moonshine will allow you to get a high-quality drink with proven taste. Of course, most of the listed drinks only in color and taste resemble the original. But if you are not a gourmet, then cognac from moonshine will quite adequately act as strong alcohol. This option is undoubtedly preferable than buying inexpensive cognacs of dubious origin, both from the point of view of cost optimization and to reduce the risk of running into a low-quality drink. The advantages of this solution will be that you can be sure how and what your drink is made of. Plus you will save a lot. And of course, do not forget about the pleasure of the creative process.