Sign up for our mailing list! You get membership discounts, exclusive offers, promotions and eVouchers.
Consists of:
• first distillations
• repeated distillations.
The main goal of the first distillation is to separate the desirable from the undesirable things. By heating the hook by evaporation, the steam passes into the pipe and further into the cooler where it is cooled and condensed (liquefied). Heat slowly so that the distillation is not abrupt and the distillate begins to come out slowly. This is achieved by reducing the heating before the fruit pomace starts to boil. The temperature of 70 ° C to 80 ° C is reached quickly and then heated very slowly. This is very important to give the alcohol, and especially the individual aromas, enough time to evaporate. The first distillate has a high alcohol concentration of 40 to 60 vol. %, and then it is increasingly diluted. It is considered that the distillation of the crude distillate is completed when the alcohol content in the crude distillate does not exceed 2-3 vol. %. In order to expel the whole amount of alcohol from the hook, ie. the alcohol content in the hook dropped to zero, it would be necessary to spend a lot of time and energy, and this is not worth it in practice.
Repeated distillation (complex roasting, second distillation)
The purpose of repeated distillation is to improve the quality of the raw distillate and increase the concentration of alcohol. Quality improvement is achieved by separating the ingredients from the raw distillate with an unpleasant odor and taste and by separating the desired aromatic items from the undesirable ones. Separation of things is carried out by fractional distillation, ie. by separating the distillate into the first stream, the middle stream, and the last stream. Most undesirable substances are in the first and last stream.
Consists of:
• first distillations
• repeated distillations.
The main goal of the first distillation is to separate the desirable from the undesirable thi
By carrying out the one-time distillation procedure, it is desired to obtain drinking brandy by single distillation, ie. without the need to conduct a second distillation.
One-time distillation of fruit pomace is applied as a rule in two cases:
• when distillation devices having distillation boosting devices are available.
• when you want to prepare brandy from less valuable raw materials (fruit of lower quality) using simple (classic) distillation devices.
The pot stills of simple (classic) distillation devices should be filled with a fruit hook up to two-thirds or at most up to 70% of the still, and with fruit hooks that is strongly foaming up to one half. If the foam accidentally gets into the pipe or even into the cooler itself, it is necessary to rinse both the pipe and the cooler well. In some cases, when the fruit hook is thick and the distillation is carried out in a single-walled still, it is necessary to dilute such a hook with water.
During one-time distillation, the hook should be heated so that the distillation proceeds slowly. Most of the undesirable things are in the first flow. Therefore, it is necessary to separate the first stream from the middle (second) stream. The first stream should be set aside so much that it contains about 5% of the total amount of alcohol in the fruit hook. The amount of the first stream depends a lot on the quality of the fruit hook. It is estimated that the first stream accounts for 5-8% of the total distillate. It is considered that when the strength of the medium flow drops in plum or cherry brandy to about 50 vol. % alcohol, and in the case of apple and pear brandy at about 45 vol. % alcohol, that it is then necessary to stop catching the middle stream and the last stream begins to catch in the second vessel. The strength of the total amount of mean flow is at the end about 45 to 60 vol. % alcohol.
By carrying out the one-time distillation procedure, it is desired to obtain drinking brandy by single distillation, ie. without the need to conduct a second distillati
Konjak is a strong alcoholic beverage produced by distilling wine and aging wine distillate. The quality of brandy is influenced by the following factors: the grape variety, climate, soil, method of growing vines, protection of vines, method of processing vines into wine, method of wine distillation, and method of maturation (aging) of wine distillate. Early and muscat varieties that produce wines are not suitable for brandy. Varieties that ripen later, without a pronounced odor or with a barely noticeable smell, are suitable for this production, which, along with a large yield, give grapes poor in sugar and rich in acids. Grapes produced in a temperate climate, where they can ripen normally, are best for brandy. The highest quality wine for brandy is obtained from grapes from limestone soil, then from stone and clay. Wine for distillation, from white varieties, should be light - yellowish, and from black varieties, light pink. The aroma of brandy mostly depends on the oak from which the barrels are made and the year of its age. When a distillate is obtained from wine, it has a pungent and pungent odor. If brandy stays longer in the oak barrels, it will be more drinkable, more harmonious, and softer the taste will be, and it will be of better quality. Experts say that it is best that the oak for the barrels is more than 40 or even better 80 years old.
The grapes must be technologically ripe, but not overripe. The most objective measure of grape quality is the ratio of sugars and acids. Sugar should be in the range of 14 to 18%, and the total acidity above 8 g / l. The "discreet aroma" of grapes is also desirable. Grape yields should not be high, but not too low. Oxidation of ascorbic acid occurs in the transition grapes, and ascorbic acid, or vitamin C, is the custodian of the aromatic substances of the wine that passes into the distillate.
Mulching - the stalk should be removed by scraping, and alcoholic fermentation should not take place on the com-masul, so that the tannins do not exceed 0.2 g / l. For high-quality brandy, distillation must follow immediately after the first flow of wine.
First, by distilling wine, a raw wine distillate with a strong 25-32 vol.% alcohol is obtained, which is then redistilled, and distillate with an average strength of 60 to 72 vol.% alcohol is obtained. During redistillation, the firstborn is separated in the amount of 1 to 1.5% of the volume of distillate in the boiler, and the molasses fraction is separated from the moment when the volume of distillate at the outlet of the refrigerator drops to 45 to 40 vol.%. When similar distillation apparatuses are equipped with a reflux condenser, the distillation of the required strength can be obtained by direct distillation of wine. With modern distillation apparatus, continuous operation, if you have reflux condensers and correction columns, the technologist can influence the quantity and quality of impurities in the distillate.
The new wine distillate is placed in a new oak barrel, previously washed with superheated steam and cold water, in order to extract the excess harsh ingredients. The distillate remains in the new barrel until it acquires a golden yellow color and the required amount of tannin and lignin substances, and then it is transferred to the old barrel where it remains until the aging process is completed. These processes are very complex and slow, and they change both the primary ingredients of the distillate and the secondary ingredients that originate from the oak. More important changes occur under the influence of air oxygen in the presence of activators and catalysts, as well as due to the interaction of all present components.
Konjak is a strong alcoholic beverage produced by distilling wine and aging wine distillate. The quality of brandy is influenced by the following factors: the grape var
Pear fruit contains 8-15 % of sugar, very little acid (0,10-0,59 %), but it contains a lot of aromatic substances.
Processing of fruits into brandy includes several stages:
1. Fruit harvest
2. Washing
3. Storage,
4. Mulching,
5. Hook preparation,
6. Boiling,
7. Distillation and aging,
8. Maturation and storage.
Only ripe and undamaged fruits are picked. The harvest of pear fruits for the production of high-quality brandy is usually done by hand. After picking, the next step is sorting. For the highest quality brandy choose healthy and clean fruits. If there are greens, put them in a crate to ripen and then put them in barrels. All fruits should be washed and dried. Washing the fruits removes impurities, and if they are not removed, they can adversely affect the boiling and spoilage of the hook. It is recommended that the pears stand for two or three weeks before being placed in the barrel.
After 10 to 20 days, the willow should be soft and yellow, if the stalks are easily pulled out, this gold is ready for processing. Clean any place that is rotten or completely overripe and darkened by oxidation. You should also remove the stalks from it and, if you are able, clean it of seeds, but in such a way that you do not remove other parts around it except the seeds. Pears from which the stalk can’t be removed should be left to ripen.
Fruit mulching is done only if there is a need for it or if the pear fruits are not soft enough. If the mass you get is quite thick, you are free to add water but do not overdo it, so as not to get diluted brandy. The water you add should be more warm than cold.
The alcoholic fermentation of pear mash, must not be too violent. Otherwise, there would be a significant loss of pleasant smell and the production of brandy with a much weaker aroma. Therefore, the fermentation point must not exceed 18 ° C. It is very important that the fermentation is balanced and the mash must be stirred every day.
The fermentation is over when 0% of the sugar is measured. Distillation of fermented crushed pears should be done as soon as possible because the refined aroma can be preserved only by fast processing. If you are not able to distill immediately, the fermentation should be hermetically sealed and not opened until the brandy is roasted.
Distillation on simple apparatus got raw soft brandy with an ethanol concentration of 20-25% v / v. This brandy can be concentrated and purified by its distillation (rectification) on the same apparatus. The rectification is performed very carefully and more easily, with the obligatory separation of fractions. When the hook was high quality and perfectly prepared, the first fraction - is separated in the amount of 1-1.5% of the volume of brandy that is rectified. The required amount of the first extract is more precisely determined by rectification, if when it is felt that it has pre-distilled most of the most volatile ingredients such as acetaldehyde and ethyl acetate, which are sharp in smell and rough in taste. The first fraction has about 75% v / v ethanol.
The middle or main fraction "heart" is accepted evenly during the flow of distillate when the concentration of ethanol gradually decreases permanently. The moment of transition from the capture of the "heart" to the acceptance of the molasses fraction is determined mainly by the concentration of ethanol at the outlet of the cooler. In this rectification of soft brandy, it should not be lower than 45% v / v, noting that the distillate that comes out has not started to become cloudy. The transition to the molasses should be before the appearance of distilling of the distillate and the appearance of bluish-sour-bitter taste impressions. The middle fraction should be 55-58% v / v. Distillation is continued by capturing the molasses until the ethanol is depleted from the body of the apparatus, practically when the concentration of distillate at the outlet drops to 1-2%, if when there is no more than 0.05% v / v ethanol in the body of the apparatus. While the molasses is distilled, the heating should be stronger to complete the ethanol depletion more quickly. To partially save energy, water, and labor in recent years, and for the distillation of mash, devices have used that work intermittently, but which have additives for amplification and purification of ethanol, so one distillation produces a distillate of appropriate strength. Apparatus with the intermittent operation for the one-time distillation of modern construction, usually have additional parts above the cauldron, a shorter column with 3-6 floors, and a suitable defragmator.
It is desirable that the brandy is aged in stainless steel or glass jars (colorless) or oak barrels whose ingredients eventually turn into brandy and refine. Reducing the brandy to the desired strength should be done in several rounds and not immediately after the distillation. The reduction is performed with distilled water, usually up to 40-45% vol, using tables (dest. H2O = V x (A - B) / B. V - the amount of distillate to be diluted, A - the strength of the distillate to be diluted, B - desired strength of distillate). In order for brandy to reach its full potential, it needs to lie for at least 6 months to a year for colorless, and brandy in wood for several years.
Pear fruit contains 8-15 % of sugar, very little acid (0,10-0,59 %), but it contains a lot of aromatic substances.
Processing of fruits into brandy includes several
The technology of processing plums into brandy includes the following operations:
1. Harvest plums
2. Mulching the plum and separating the stone
3. Alcoholic fermentation of plum hook
4. Distillation of boiled plum hook
5. Aging and finalization of plum brandy
Plum harvesting can be done with special devices that work on a mechanical or hydraulic principle. Plums should be left to ripen on the branch as long as possible, and after picking they should also be left to mature until they shrivel. In this way, the highest percentage of sugar is achieved, and it ranges up to 15 percent for plums.
Individual producers often put whole plums in a boiling vessel. Alcoholic fermentation (boiling) of whole plum fruits is quite slow. If the plum fruits are crushed, the alcoholic fermentation starts earlier and ends in a shorter time. Mulching can be done with a roller with rollers that are also used for mulching grapes, provided that the rollers are slightly apart and coated with rubber. If a grinder with plastic rollers is used, then it is enough to spread them apart so that the plum is just crushed and the stones remain undamaged. If there are conditions for separating the pits, they must be removed from the hook. If the stone remains in the hook, care should be taken not to break more than 5%, otherwise, the brandy will have more hydrocyanic acid, which gives the taste and smell to the stone, and in some cases even an unpleasantly bitter taste.
The hook is stored in a dark and moderately warm place (15-20ºC) so that the plum fermentation process is done gradually. The most important for the fermentation process are fruit sugar or sucrose, fructose, vitamins, and various acids. The fermentation process is caused by yeast, which is actually a single-celled organism from the fungus family. The role of yeast in fermentation is to convert all sugar from plums into alcohol and to perform this process completely, ie to convert all sugar into ethyl alcohol without undesirable by-products, as well as to provide the necessary aromas of hook which later contribute to the taste and smell plum brandy. Regarding the duration of alcoholic fermentation, the influence is primarily due to the following factors: temperature, sugar content in the plum fruit, mode of boiling (open or closed), whether yeast is added or not, the degree of fruit mulching, etc.
The filling of the plum fermentation vessels should be done at once and completed within 24 hours at the latest. Filling at longer intervals is very dangerous, as it can cause pickling and even the best-harvested plums. It is not good to keep hardened plums in open containers because under the influence of oxygen from the air, conditions are created for the work of vinegar bacteria, and the upper part of the pomace will become acidic and perish. It is necessary to connect the dishes well with covered nylons and make an opening for carbon dioxide to come out of the fermented hook. For better, faster, and safer fermentation, it is recommended to add 30 grams of selected yeast per 100 kg of crushed plums. Violent fermentation of plums, in accordance with the weather, usually lasts 12-14 days. It is necessary to mix once or twice a week.
Distillation must be performed infractions. When cooling with water, the cooler must be warm in the upper third, lukewarm in the middle, and cold in the lower part. Distillation is performed infractions, which means that three fractions should be separated: the first fraction, the middle fraction - heart, and the last fraction - duck. When a thin stream of brandy flows from the refrigerator, it is the first, and it contains a large percentage of easily volatile components, which spoil the smell of brandy and therefore must be separated in the amount of 0.3-0.6% of the pomace in the boiler (3 dl to 6 dl per 100 l of chimney). After the first one, the largest part of the middle distillate is caught, with which we get soft plum brandy to the strength we want (28-38%). When the strength of the distillate at the outlet of the refrigerator drops to about 10% - 15% alcohol, the last fraction, molasses, is further captured, until the alcohol in the distillate drops to 2% -3%. The fraction of the firstborn and the molasses are mixed and finally distilled together or separately, with the separation of the firstborn and the molasses again. The brandy thus obtained is usually of poorer quality. It is a very bad practice to put duck and firstborn in the hook of the next boiler because the quality of plum brandy is seriously damaged. It makes no sense to pour what we once separated as bad into the boiler once more and separate again.
During the process of aging and maturing of fresh distillate, a series of reactions occur, which lead to the formation of a unique aroma of fruit brandy, which as such is ready for consumption. Plum brandies are best matured in wooden barrels made of oak, mulberry, walnut, acacia, or ash. The choice of wood also gives the appropriate color of the distillates themselves, so the oak gives olive green, walnut amber yellow, mulberry amber, acacia yellow. The aromas that are created mostly depend on the type of wood from which the dishes were made, and the dishes made of oak have the most favorable effect on brandy.
The technology of processing plums into brandy includes the following operations:
1. Harvest plums
2. Mulching the plum and separating the stone
Gin is a drink that gets its dominant taste from juniper berries. Gin is the main ingredient in many popular cocktails. To make gin, alcohol is diluted with water and poured into copper vessels. Gin is obtained by distilling boiled coma, cereals (mostly barley, rye, and oats), with the addition of juniper and other aromatic plant parts, with a characteristic aroma and taste. Another important ingredient is juniper berries: they contain about 20% sugar and have a high proportion of essential oils - from which comes the distinctive taste of gin. Other aromas are added to these ingredients, such as coriander, lemon and orange peel, lavender, apple core, almonds, cinnamon, cumin, anise - the list goes on and on.
There are four main types of gin, and they differ the most in the way they produce or distill alcohol. We can divide them into four groups:
• Juniper-flavored alcoholic beverages
• Gin
• Distilled gin
• English gin or London gin
Juniper-flavored alcoholic beverages
These types of gin include primarily worse alcoholic beverages in which juniper was used as a spice plant, dipped in alcohol with some other herbs, to cover mostly the bad taste and smell of the basic raw material. Among these drinks, we can include homemade juniper brandy. Today, even such drinks can be fine and sophisticated, from which the best cocktails are made.
Gin
Ordinary gin is made from agricultural distilled alcohol of natural origin (fruit, cereals) neutral in color and taste, and to which herbs and juniper are added, whose note must be accentuated. With ordinary gin, there are no restrictions regarding additional flavors, colors, or even added sugars.
Distilled gin
Distilled gin is obtained as ordinary gin, after adding juniper and herbs to alcohol, it is distilled again. After redistillation, it is possible to add some more aromas to get the desired taste.
London gin
London gin is obtained from distilled alcohol derived from cereals which must be of high quality, herbs, and juniper. Under no circumstances should additional sugar or artificial flavors or colors be added. Due to its strict method of production, London gin is also called "dry".
Ingredients
Juniper berries 270g
Coriander 135g
Cardamom 70g
Angelica root 40g
It is also put: rosemary, citrus, nutmeg, cloves, anise...
Preparation:
8-liter alcohol from 96% vol dilutes to 50% vol. and put in their plants on maceration for 2 or 3 days. Before distillation, the mass is diluted to 30% vol. And all this is put together on the distillation. From one tour we get 15,6 l gin from 42%.
Gin is a drink that gets its dominant taste from juniper berries. Gin is the main ingredient in many popular cocktails. To make gin, alcohol is diluted with water and p
Lavender oil and its benefits
• Lavender oil is used to make perfumes and plays a very important role in aromatherapy. In addition, it has a very important role in the production of gels, lotions, creams, soaps.
• Lavender is a Mediterranean plant that has long been used as a remedy for insomnia, depression, tension.
• The essential oil of this plant helps reduce pain, both rheumatic pain and muscle pain, as well as pain caused by sprains. For these purposes, oil massage is the most useful, because it reduces joint pain.
• In addition, it restores hormonal balance and relieves bladder inflammation. Then, it lowers the pressure, disinfects the skin, stimulates circulation.
• It is used as a wrap and you can inhale with lavender. It has shown itself very well in the treatment of various respiratory problems, so you can use it for flu, asthma, bronchitis, cough, laryngitis, colds.
• It is an excellent antiseptic so it can help you with skin problems. For example, you can use it for faster healing of wounds, for various cuts and burns, as well as for sunburns.
One of the simplest methods for obtaining the essence is the distillation of parts of plants under the action of water vapor.
Recipe:
• 4 L of water
• 350g of dried lavender flowers
In a 10 L pot still for essential oils, pour 4 L of water. Put 350g of dried lavender flowers in the basket water must not touch the lavender!!! For heating, we use a 2kW stove, it takes about 25-30 minutes for the distillate to start. The temperature of the distillate should be between 30-40 degrees. From 40-60 minutes, lavender gives oil, after that the distillation should be stopped.
15 ml of lavender essential oil concentrate are obtained. During distillation, we get a mixed oil and water, in order to separate the oil, we use a Florentine vessel to separate the essential oils.
The consumption of water for cooling the distillate is about 60 L.
Lavender oil and its benefits
• Lavender oil is used to make perfumes and plays a very important role in aromatherapy. In addition, it has a very important rol
Blackberry Brandy is fruit brandy obtained by distillation and/or and rectification of the fermented mash of fresh berries, up to a maximum of 86% abv of the content of ethanol, so that the smell and aroma of the distillate originate exclusively from distilled raw materials. The delicacy that is blackberry brandy begins with harvesting berries of suitable blackberry varieties. No scrubbing or washing of fruits is needed. In support of this, the fact is that the washing of fruits removes the so-called. epiphytic microflora, which begins alcoholic fermentation. Alcoholic fermentation is carried out at a temperature of 16-20 ° C. If the fermentation temperature is lower than 14 ° S, it should be activated by adding selected yeast strains or and increasing the temperature of the room in which the fermentation vessel is located. After the fermentation has been completed, distillation should be started immediately (3-5 days after fermentation). Distillation is done on simple traditional pot stills. On this occasion, the first fractions or heads are not separated. The secondary fraction or heart is collected until an average ethanol concentration of 25-30% abv is achieved. The tails are also collected into the mixture because they will be cut in the second cycle of distillation. The first cycle is finished when the concentration of alcohol exiting the condenser of the still is 5% abv. So keep your alcohol meter of the proof meter at hand at all times. After the first distillation we have acquired the raw brandy, NOT YET READY TO BE CONSUMED! By redistilling or doing the second cycle of distillation we will separate or cut the fractions. We will do this in the same, but cleaned pot still from the first cycle. This time we will cut 0.5-1 % of the volume of alcohol in the still, that comes out first aka the heads of the spirit. Example: 100 L of raw brandy will yield 0.5- 1L of heads or first fraction. To cut it precisely, you will smell something similar to acetone ( nail polish remover ) and after 0.5-1% of volume in the still has exited the condenser you will smell the blackberry, this is the point of separation or cutting. Now the hearing starts to flow and we collect it in a different clean nonplastic vessel. We collect the heart or middle fraction until we achieve an average of 58-62 % abv. The tails are collected in a third vessel until the average inside it is 25-30% abv. The hearts we extracted is transferred into inert vessels ( stainless steel or glass containers with a sealed top) for harmonization or rest for 2 months. After this, it is time to get the abv down to 42-43 % abv by adding distilled or demineralized or soft water ( check your water if not sure ). Since this is fruit spirit, we must be careful not to shock it by adding too much water at once. To preserve the taste and aroma, lower the abv 5 % at the time in 10-day intervals. After achieving the desired % abv let the spirit rest as long as you can so it can mature ( 6 months to 1 year ). The flavor, aroma, and smoothness will be best this way. By rule, blackberry brandy is not aged in wooden/oak barrels. But feel free to experiment!
Apricot brandy is a fruit brandy obtained by distillation and/or rectification of fermented hook of fresh apricot fruit, with or without stones, up to a maximum of 86% v / v ethanol content, so that the smell and aroma of distillate come exclusively from distilled raw materials.
The technological process of apricot production contains the following operations:
1. Harvesting fruits are a ripe and overripe condition
2. Mulching the fruit, if necessary, and separating the stones
3. Alcoholic fermentation of fruits in closed containers
4. Distillation of the boiled hook
5. Aging and formation of brandy
Apricot fruits should be harvested when they are in full maturity, or when they are partially overripe. Especially overripe apricots have a very pronounced aroma and from them are obtained apricots very fine and aromatic.
Mulching apricots are done as needed, because, if they are in an overripe state, they are mulched under their own weight when placed in boiling vessels. If the fruit is mulched, it should be done with a mulcher where the rollers are coated with rubber and spaced so far that the fruit is mulched and the stone remains unbroken - undamaged. If possible, the seeds should be separated completely or at least partially, and if this is not done, the distillation of the boiled hook should be done as soon as possible so that a lot of ingredients that give the smell and bitter, almonds do not stand out from the stone.
The barrel is filled to 70-80% of the volume, not more because the hook will rise and foam slightly when the process starts, so the barrel may boil. The bag is placed on the barrel for better sealing of the lid. It is necessary to perform daily stirring of the hook during boiling so that the stones fall to the bottom of the vessel. The barrel must be in the shade, never in the sun, ideally the temperature of the chimney should not exceed 18-20 degrees. It takes approximately 10 to 14 days.
Fermentation - alcoholic fermentation occurs due to the activity of microorganisms and is a biochemical process of decomposition of sugar into ethanol with the release of carbon dioxide. It is recommended to adjust the acidity of the hook before starting the alcoholic fermentation. The optimal acidity is about 3 - 3.5. It prevents the development of undesirable microorganisms, and at the same time has a favorable effect on the development of useful yeasts. For apricots, it is recommended to add about 110 ml of concentrated sulfuric acid per 100 kg of hook for acidification.
The distillation of the boiled hook is performed in devices that can be of different constructions and volumes. The best appliances are made of copper. The boiler of the appliance is filled with a hook up to 2/3 of its volume. In order to obtain brandy of better quality, two-component distillation is usually performed. The first distillation yielded raw (soft) brandy containing about 30% v / v alcohol. It is not recommended to separate the first fraction because in addition to harmful substances (which will be separated during the second distillation), it also contains some valuable aromatic ingredients. The duck fraction separates when the ethanol content drops to 5 - 7% v / v. Re-distillation of raw (soft) brandy resulted in a toast. In doing so, the fractions of the firstborn and the duck must be separated. The resulting distillate should contain 60 - 70% v / v.
Fresh distillates have a sharp disharmonious taste and are not immediately suitable for consumption. They are aged for two to three months before use. Maturation can be done in glass or stainless steel containers and then a colorless brandy is obtained. But, if the ripening is done in oak barrels, then a golden-yellow brandy is obtained. Finalization is the final preparation of the distillate for use and includes reducing the strength of the brandy to 40 - 50% v / v by adding distilled water.
Apricot brandy is a fruit brandy obtained by distillation and/or rectification of fermented hook of fresh apricot fruit, with or without stones, up to a maximum of 86%
Apple brandy obtained by distillation and/or rectification of fermented mashed fresh apple fruit, with or without seeds, up to a maximum of 86% v / v ethanol content, so that the smell and aroma of the distillate originate exclusively from distilled raw materials.
Processing of fruits into brandy includes several stages:
• Fruit washing,
• Mulching,
• Alcoholic fermentation - fermentation of fruit juice,
• Distillation,
• Aging and finalization of brandy.
If the apples are very dirty, they should be washed with water first. By washing, mechanical impurities are removed from the surface of the fruit, which can give a foreign smell to the future brandy. Washing also removes harmful organisms (bacteria and wild yeasts) that could direct the fermentation of the fruit stalk in the wrong direction, or even cause it to spoil.
Mulching apples should be done with special mulchers with rollers intended for fruit. Using a wooden mallet, apples can be turned into porridge. If the obtained hook is dry, water can be added, which regulates the temperature of the apple hook before boiling.
The hook obtained after mashing the apples is placed in the vessels in which it will boil. The dishes are of different dimensions and of different materials: wooden tubs, wooden barrels from which one dance has been removed, plastic barrels of various sizes made of polyethylene or reinforced polyester. The vessels must not be filled, because during boiling the hook could boil. The hook can be stirred 1-2 times a day, for even boiling. When the hook is formed, it is left in the boiling vessels. The pot with the apple hook should be left to boil in a room whose temperature is 10 to 20 C. The apple hook boils very quickly, which means in 2-3 weeks and sometimes even earlier. When it is established that the bean has boiled (with the help of a shiromer), it is necessary to immediately start the distillation of the boiled beak in order not to lose the aromatic substances very important for fruit brandies. If distillation cannot be started immediately, the hook must be properly preserved until the moment when distillation begins.
The copper pot is filled with a boiled hook to 2/3 of its volume and heated. Copper, with the acids found in the raw material that is distilled, builds salts that do not evaporate. Before the hook boils, the intensity of the fire should be slightly reduced and maintained in such a way that the distillation flows evenly until all the alcohol has passed into the distillate. From 100 liters of boiled apple juice, 6.9 liters of absolute alcohol or about 14 liters of cider brandy with a strength of about 50 vol.% Alcohol is expected. Repeated distillation is done to improve the quality of the raw distillate and increase the alcohol concentration.
After obtaining, the distillates are fresh, so they need to be in wooden containers for a while. During ripening, the distillate is clarified, colored, the taste is improved and the total amount of fragrant and aromatic ingredients is increased. After six months, the distillate turned golden-yellow, and sometimes golden-brown. The intensity and composition of the fragrant ingredients of the distillate during maturation are influenced by the drying of the wood and the way the vessel is made. In addition to oak, mulberry, acacia, white ash, walnut, cherry, etc. are also used to make wooden vessels.
Apple brandy obtained by distillation and/or rectification of fermented mashed fresh apple fruit, with or without seeds, up to a maximum of 86% v / v ethanol content, s